Utilizing electrically actuated explosives downhole

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10961828-B2
Application number	US-201616315395-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 19, 2016
Priority date	Aug 19, 2016
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

Electrically ignitable and electrically controllable explosive material (EIECEM) may be disposed within a shaped charge for deployment downhole. An explosion of the EIECEM is controlled by limiting the duration of excitation at the EIECEM, for example, the duration that an electrical source provides an electrical charge, electrical current or electrical signal. The shaped charge may be insulated from an electrical source to prevent explosion of the EIECEM and coupled to the electrical source to create ignite or explode the EIECEM. A plurality of shaped charges may be disposed downhole and may be ignited or exploded in any suitable order. The EIECEM may be ignited multiple times such that multiple explosions are created. The explosion of the EIECEM creates or extends a perforation or fracture in a formation. The perforation or fracture (or cavity) may be filled by a fluid to repair or plug and abandon a well.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of treating a wellbore using electrically ignitable and electrically controllable explosive material (EIECEM) comprising:
positioning a first charge carrier in the wellbore, wherein the first charge carrier comprises a first EIECEM disposed within the interior of the first charge carrier and a plurality of shaped charges, wherein the plurality of shaped charges is arranged in a plurality of layers, wherein the plurality of shaped charges comprise the first EIECEM, each of the plurality of shaped charges having a shell and a cone for at least partially encapsulating the first EIECEM, wherein a first electrode is coupled to each one of the plurality of shaped charges at the cone, and a second electrode is coupled to each one of the plurality of shaped charges at the shell, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to conduct the first electrical current to each one of the plurality of shaped charges;
disposing a sealing device below the first charge carrier; and
inducing a first electrical current at the first charge carrier to ignite the first EIECEM of the plurality of shaped charges to cause the first EIECEM of the plurality of shaped charges to create a perforation from a first explosion for a first duration of the first electrical current;
injecting a sealing fluid into the wellbore, wherein the injected sealing fluid is configured to fill in one or more cavities of the wellbore.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
disposing a second EIECEM above the sealing device; and
inducing a first electrical current at the second EIECEM to ignite the second EIECEM to cause the second EIECEM to create a second explosion during a first duration of the first electrical current induced at the second EIECEM.

3. A method of claim 1 , wherein the sealing fluid comprises a solidifyable fluid, and wherein the solidifyable fluid comprises one or more of a cement, one or more elastomers, one or more polymers and a particulate filled fluid.

4. A method of claim 1 , wherein each layer of the plurality of layers comprises at least a plurality of shaped charges of the plurality of shaped charges oriented at a predetermined phase from each other.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein each layer of the plurality of layers is disposed at a predetermined distance from each other.

6. A method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shaped charges is ignited based on a predetermined sequence.

7. A method of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of shaped charges are aligned longitudinally to create a slot-shaped perforation when the first EIECEM associated with each of the plurality of shaped charges is ignited by the first electrical current.

8. A method of claim 1 , wherein inducing the first electrical current at the first charge carrier comprises:
inducing the first electrical current at the first charge carrier for the first duration;
delaying a first time interval; and
inducing the second electrical current at the first charge carrier for a second duration.

9. The method of claim 2 , further comprising:
disposing a third EIECEM above the sealing device; and
inducing a first electrical current at the third EIECEM to ignite the third EIECEM to cause the third EIECEM to create a third explosion during a first duration of the first electrical current induced at the third EIECEM.

10. A system, comprising:
a first charge carrier disposed in a wellbore, wherein the first charge carrier comprises a plurality of shaped charges, wherein the plurality of shaped charges is arranged in a plurality of layers, each of the plurality of shaped charges having a shell and a cone for at least partially encapsulating the first EIECEM, wherein a first electrode is coupled to each one of the plurality of shaped charges at the cone, and a second electrode is coupled to each one of the plurality of shaped charges at the shell, wherein the first electrode and the second electrode are configured to conduct the first electrical current to each one of the plurality of shaped charges;
a first electrically ignitable and electrically controllable explosive material (EIECEM) disposed within the first charge carrier and within the plurality of shaped charges;
a sealing device disposed below the first charge carrier;
wherein the first charge carrier is configured to ignite the first EIECEM disposed within the plurality of shaped charges to cause the first EIECEM to create a perforation from a first explosion when a first electrical current is induced at the first charge carrier during a first duration of the first electrical current;
and
a sealing fluid disposed within the wellbore, wherein the sealing fluid is configured to fill in one or more cavities of the wellbore.

11. The system of claim 10 , further comprising:
disposing a second EIECEM above the sealing device, wherein the second EIECEM is configured to ignite and create a second explosion when a first electrical current is induced at the second EIECEM during a first duration of the first electrical current induced at the second EIECEM.

12. The system of claim 10 , wherein the sealing fluid comprises a solidifyable fluid, and wherein the solidifyable fluid comprises one or more of a cement, one or more elastomers, one or more polymers and a particulate filled fluid.

13. The system of claim 11 , further comprising:
a container, wherein the container comprises the first charge carrier, wherein the second EIECEM is disposed within the container; and
a conductor coupled to the container and disposed through the container, wherein the conductor is electrically insulated from the container, and wherein the conductor is configured to transmit the induced first electrical current to the first charge carrier.

14. The system of claim 13 , further comprising:
a third EIECEM disposed within the container, wherein the third EIECEM is configured to ignite when a first electrical current is induced at the container to create a third explosion during a first duration of the first electrical current induced at the third EIECEM.

15. The system of claim 10 , wherein each layer of the plurality of layers comprises at least a plurality of shaped charges of the plurality of shaped charges oriented at a predetermined phase from each other.

16. The system of claim 10 , wherein each layer of the plurality of layers is disposed at a predetermined distance from each other.

17. The system of claim 10 , wherein the a plurality of shaped charges are aligned longitudinally to create a slot-shaped perforation when the first EIECEM associated with each of the plurality of shaped charges is ignited by the first electrical current.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Surjaatmadja Jim Basuki
• Stephenson Stanley V
• Lewis Bryan John
• Hunter Tim H

Classifications

• E21B43/116

  Gun or shaped-charge perforators · CPC title

• E21B43/11

  Perforators; Permeators · CPC title

• E21B43/263

  using explosives · CPC title

• E21B43/1185 Primary

  Ignition systems · CPC title

• E21B43/117

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