Dissolvable perforating device

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10082008-B2
Application number	US-201415323921-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 6, 2014
Priority date	Aug 6, 2014
Publication date	Sep 25, 2018
Grant date	Sep 25, 2018

Abstract

In accordance with embodiments of the present disclosure, a perforating system for perforating a subterranean formation includes a carrier gun body having a cylindrical sleeve. The perforating system also includes a charge holder disposed in the cylindrical sleeve and a plurality of charges disposed on the charge holder. The charge holder is dissolvable in at least one wellbore fluid delivered through the carrier gun body after detonation of the charges. The charges may also be dissolvable during or after detonation. In some embodiments, the carrier gun body is dissolvable wellbore fluid delivered through the carrier gun body. By including dissolvable parts, the disclosed perforating gun yields relatively lower amounts of debris in the wellbore after detonation. In addition, the dissolving portions of the perforating gun allow the remaining portions of the gun to be used to perform wellbore operations downhole without pulling the perforating gun.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A perforating system for perforating a subterranean formation, comprising:
a carrier gun body comprising a cylindrical sleeve having a plurality of radially reduced areas disposed thereabout;
a charge holder disposed in the cylindrical sleeve of the carrier gun body;
a plurality of charges disposed on the charge holder, wherein each of the plurality of charges is aligned with a corresponding one of the plurality of radially reduced areas of the carrier gun body;
wherein the charge holder is dissolvable in at least one wellbore fluid delivered through the carrier gun body after detonation of the plurality of charges, wherein the charge holder comprises a dissolvable active metal material; and
an anhydrous acid or anhydrous base placed proximate the active metal material of the charge holder, wherein the at least one wellbore fluid reacts with the anhydrous acid or anhydrous base to perform the dissolving reaction of the metal charge holder;
wherein the carrier gun body facilitates flow of one or more fluids through a wellbore to perform a well completion after the charge holder is dissolved.

2. The perforating system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of charges are dissolvable in the at least one wellbore fluid delivered through the carrier gun body after detonation of the plurality of charges.

3. The perforating system of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of charges comprise materials that are reactive with explosives in order to dissolve the plurality of charges after detonation of the plurality of charges.

4. The perforating system of claim 1 , wherein the charge holder comprises aluminum, copper, zinc, magnesium, sodium, potassium, or a combination thereof.

5. The perforating system of claim 1 , wherein the charge holder comprises a magnesium alloy and the at least one wellbore fluid comprises one of a bromide fluid or a chloride compound.

6. The perforating system of claim 1 , wherein the charge holder comprises an aluminum alloy and the at least one wellbore fluid comprises one of a chloride compound or a bromide fluid.

7. The perforating system of claim 1 , wherein the anhydrous acid or anhydrous base comprises an anhydrous acid.

8. The perforating system of claim 7 , wherein the anhydrous acid comprises citric acid, boric acid, carboxylic acid, sulfonic acid, or hydrochloric acid.

9. The perforating system of claim 1 , wherein the carrier gun body is constructed from a material with a first galvanic potential, the charge holder is constructed from a material with a second galvanic potential different from the first galvanic potential.

10. The perforating system of claim 9 , wherein the plurality of charges are constructed from a material with a third galvanic potential different from the first and second galvanic potentials.

11. The perforating system of claim 1 , wherein the cylindrical sleeve comprises a material that is dissolvable in the at least one wellbore fluid delivered through the carrier gun body after detonation of the plurality of charges, the perforating system further comprising a coating disposed around the dissolvable cylindrical sleeve, the coating being resistant to wellbore fluids such that the cylindrical sleeve does not dissolve in wellbore fluids until after detonation of the plurality of charges.

12. A perforating system for perforating a subterranean formation, comprising:
a tubular string;
a carrier gun body coupled to a distal end of the tubular string, wherein the carrier gun body comprises a cylindrical sleeve;
a charge holder disposed in the cylindrical sleeve of the carrier gun body; and
a plurality of charges disposed on the charge holder;
wherein the charge holder and the plurality of charges are dissolvable during detonation of the plurality of charges and during communication of at least one wellbore fluid through the carrier gun body after detonation of the plurality of charges;
wherein the charge holder comprises a dissolvable active metal material;
an anhydrous acid or anhydrous base placed proximate the active metal material, wherein the at least one wellbore fluid reacts with the anhydrous acid or anhydrous base to perform the dissolving reaction of the metal charge holder;
wherein the cylindrical sleeve comprises a material that is dissolvable in the at least one wellbore fluid delivered through the carrier gun body after detonation of the plurality of charges; and
a coating disposed around the dissolvable cylindrical sleeve, wherein the coating is resistant to wellbore fluids such that the cylindrical sleeve does not dissolve in wellbore fluids until after detonation of the plurality of charges.

13. The perforating system of claim 12 , wherein the carrier gun body facilitates flow of fracturing fluid from a surface through the tubular string and into the subterranean formation.

14. The perforating system of claim 12 , wherein the coating comprises epoxy, a thin metal liner, paint, plastic, resin, or a combination thereof.

15. A method for perforating a subterranean formation, comprising:
lowering a perforating gun into a wellbore, the perforating gun comprising a carrier gun body having a cylindrical sleeve, a charge holder disposed in the cylindrical sleeve, and a plurality of charges disposed on the charge holder;
the charge holder comprising a dissolvable active metal material;
wherein the perforating gun further comprises an anhydrous acid placed proximate the active metal material of the charge holder;
detonating the plurality of charges to perforate the subterranean formation;
delivering wellbore fluid into the carrier gun body after detonation of the plurality of charges;
hydrating the anhydrous acid via the wellbore fluid to form an acidized wellbore fluid;
dissolving the charge holder;
enhancing the degradation rate of the dissolvable active metal material via the acidized wellbore fluid; and
utilizing the carrier gun body to perform a well completion without pulling the perforating gun out of the wellbore.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising dissolving the plurality of charges via the wellbore fluid.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the well completion comprises a fracking operation, temporary well barrier operation, an acid treatment, or a combination thereof.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein utilizing the carrier gun body to perform a well completion comprises utilizing the carrier gun body as part of a production string for delivering formation fluids from the subterranean formation to a surface of the wellbore.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Robey Richard Ellis
• Hoelscher Christopher
• Fripp Michael

Classifications

• F42B1/032

  characterised by the material of the liner · CPC title

• F42B3/28

  Cartridge cases characterised by the material used, e.g. coatings (for initiator cases F42B3/11) · CPC title

• E21B43/117 Primary

  Shaped-charge perforators (E21B43/118 takes precedence) · CPC title