Ballistically actuated wellbore tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12110751-B2
Application number	US-202318498960-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 31, 2023
Priority date	Jul 19, 2019
Publication date	Oct 8, 2024
Grant date	Oct 8, 2024

Abstract

A ballistically actuated plug may include an outer carrier having a first end and a second end, a hollow interior chamber within the outer carrier, a ballistic carrier positioned within the hollow interior chamber, an initiator positioned within a bore of the ballistic carrier, and one or more ballistic components. Each of the components may be positioned within a ballistic slot on an outer surface of the ballistic carrier. The initiator and the ballistic component may be relatively positioned for the initiator to initiate the one or more ballistic components. The ballistic component may include an explosive charge for expanding the outer carrier. The ballistic carrier may be formed from a fragmenting or disintegrating material.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ballistically actuated plug for being deployed in a wellbore casing, comprising:
an outer carrier, the outer carrier including a first end and a second end opposite the first end;
a hollow interior chamber within the outer carrier and defined by the outer carrier, and extending from the first end to the second end of the outer carrier;
a ballistic carrier positioned within the hollow interior chamber, wherein the ballistic carrier includes a body portion, a bore within the body portion and defined by the body portion, and one or more ballistic slots on an outer surface of the body portion and extending into the body portion;
a seal disk provided within the hollow interior chamber between the first end opening and second end opening and dimensioned to seal against an inner surface of the hollow interior chamber;
an initiator positioned within the bore of the ballistic carrier; and
one or more ballistic components,
wherein each of the one or more ballistic components is positioned at least in part within a corresponding one of the one or more ballistic slots,
the initiator and the one or more ballistic components are relatively positioned for the initiator to initiate the one or more ballistic components, and the one or more ballistic components include an explosive charge configured to expand the outer carrier from an unexpanded form to an expanded form in order to create a seal against the wellbore casing upon initiation of the one or more ballistic components, the one or more ballistic components are further configured to dislodge the seal disk from the chamber upon initiation of the one or more ballistic components, and
the ballistic carrier is formed from a fragmenting or disintegrating material and the one or more ballistic components is configured for fragmenting or disintegrating the ballistic carrier upon initiation of the ballistic components.

2. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 1 , wherein the initiator is a pressure sealed detonating cord, a detonator, an elongated booster, a detonating pellet, or a pressed explosive powder.

3. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more ballistic components is positioned to fire radially outwardly.

4. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 1 , wherein the one or more ballistic components and the outer carrier are together configured for instantaneously expanding the outer carrier from the unexpanded form to the expanded form upon initiation of the one or more ballistic components.

5. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 1 , wherein the outer carrier includes a plurality of external teeth formed on an outer surface of the outer carrier.

6. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 1 , further comprising at least one sealing element extending along at least a portion of an outer surface of the outer carrier.

7. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 1 , further comprising a bumper secured to the second end of the outer carrier.

8. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 2 , wherein the initiator is a pressure sealed detonating cord.

9. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 1 , wherein the one or more ballistic components comprises an explosive ring.

10. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the one or more ballistic components is positioned to fire radially inwardly.

11. A method of positioning a ballistically actuated plug within a wellbore, comprising:
moving a ballistic interrupt from a closed state to an open state, wherein the ballistic interrupt is positioned between an initiator and a donor charge, and wherein the ballistic interrupt prevents initiation of the initiator by the donor charge when the ballistic interrupt is in the closed state, and wherein the donor charge is in ballistic communication with the initiator when the ballistic interrupt is in the open state;
initiating the donor charge;
initiating with the donor charge the initiator, wherein the initiator is positioned in an axial bore of a ballistic carrier, and wherein the ballistic carrier is housed within a hollow interior chamber of an outer carrier;
initiating with the initiator a ballistic component;
dislodging a seal disk from the hollow interior chamber of the outer carrier upon initiation of the ballistic component; and
expanding the outer carrier from an unexpanded state to an expanded state upon initiation of the ballistic component, wherein an outer surface of the outer carrier is dimensioned for sealingly contacting an inner surface of a wellbore casing when the outer carrier is in the expanded state.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein expanding the outer carrier from the unexpanded state to the expanded state includes expanding a sealing element that extends along the outer surface of the outer carrier, wherein the sealing element sealingly contacts the inner surface of the wellbore casing when the outer carrier is in the expanded state.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein gripping teeth are formed on the outer surface of the outer carrier and the outer carrier is dimensioned for the gripping teeth to frictionally anchor the outer carrier to the inner surface of the wellbore casing.

14. The method of claim 11 , further comprising fragmenting the ballistic carrier upon initiating the ballistic component.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ballistic carrier is formed from a fragmenting or disintegrating material and the ballistic component is configured for fragmenting or disintegrating the ballistic carrier upon initiation of the ballistic component.

16. A ballistically actuated plug for being deployed in a wellbore casing, comprising:
an outer carrier, the outer carrier including a first end opening at a first end and a second end opening at a second end opposite the first end;
a hollow interior chamber within the outer carrier and defined by the outer carrier, and extending from the first end to the second end of the outer carrier;
an initiator positioned within the hollow interior chamber;
a ballistic carrier positioned within the hollow interior chamber, wherein the ballistic carrier includes a body portion, a bore within the body portion and defined by the body portion, and one or more ballistic slots on an outer surface of the body portion and extending into the body portion;
one or more ballistic components; and
a seal disk provided within the hollow interior chamber between the first end opening and second end opening and dimensioned to seal against an inner surface of the hollow interior chamber;
wherein each of the one or more ballistic components is positioned at least in part within a corresponding one of the one or more ballistic slots,
the initiator and the one or more ballistic components are relatively positioned for the initiator to initiate the one or more ballistic components;
the ballistic carrier is formed from a fragmenting or disintegrating material;
the hollow interior chamber extends from the first end opening to the second end opening and 1s open to each of the first end opening and the second end opening; and
the one or more ballistic components include an explosive charge configured to expand the outer carrier from an unexpanded form to an expanded form in order to create a seal against the wellbore casing upon initiation of the one or more ballistic components, the one or more ballistic components are further configured to dislodge the seal disk from the chamber upon initiation of the one or more ballistic components.

17. The ballistically actuated plug of claim 16 , wherein the

Assignees

• DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH

Inventors

• Eitschberger Christian
• Scharf Thilo
• Burmeister Gernot Uwe

Classifications

• E21B23/0414

  using explosives · CPC title

• E21B23/065 Primary

  setting tool actuated by explosion or gas generating means · CPC title