Retrievable perforating gun assembly and components

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12116871-B2
Application number	US-202017437124-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2020
Priority date	Apr 1, 2019
Publication date	Oct 15, 2024
Grant date	Oct 15, 2024

Abstract

A perforating gun assembly includes an exposed perforating gun module. The exposed perforating gun module includes a housing having a first connector end, a second connector end opposite and spaced apart from the first connector end, and a chamber extending along a central axis of the housing between the first and second connector ends. The chamber is configured for receiving a detonator and optionally, a radial booster charge coupled to the detonator. A plurality of sockets extends from an outer surface of the housing towards the chamber. Each socket is configured to receive an encapsulated shaped charge. The encapsulated shaped charges may include a protrusion having an external thread that threadingly engage a complimentary threaded portion of the sockets. The detonator may directly initiate the radial booster charge or the encapsulated shaped charges.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A perforating gun assembly comprising:
a perforating gun module comprising:
a housing including:
an outer surface,
a first connector end,
a second connector end opposite the first connector end and spaced apart from the first connector end, and
a chamber extending along a central axis of the housing between the first connector end and the second connector end;

a plurality of sockets extending into the outer surface of the housing towards the chamber, wherein the sockets are arranged around the central axis of the housing, each socket of the plurality of sockets being configured to receive a shaped charge, and each socket comprising a connector comprising at least one of an internal thread, a bayonet mount, or a retainer lock, the connector being configured to secure the corresponding shaped charge in the socket; and
a sealing member disposed at at least one of the first connector end, the second connector end, or the plurality of sockets such that the chamber of the housing is pressure sealed,

wherein the chamber of the housing includes:
a first cavity configured for receiving a first connector end of an adjacent perforating gun module;
a second cavity configured for receiving an initiator; and
a third cavity configured for receiving at least a portion of a bulkhead assembly.

2. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises:
a first thread provided at the first connector end; and
a second thread provided at the second connector end, the second thread extending at least partially into the chamber.

3. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a shield circumferentially positioned on the outer surface of the housing.

4. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein each socket is configured as one of a depression or an opening formed in the housing.

5. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein the connector is the internal thread, and each shaped charge comprises a back wall protrusion comprising an external thread configured to couple to the internal thread of the socket.

6. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , further comprising:
a wireless detonator positioned within the chamber; and
a radial booster charge positioned within the chamber adjacent the detonator and each socket,
wherein the detonator is configured to initiate the radial booster charge in response to an initiating signal, and the radial booster charge is configured to produce a radial explosive force that initiates the shaped charges.

7. The perforating gun assembly of claim 6 , wherein the detonator comprises:
a detonator shell including a lineout portion,
a detonator head including a line-in portion, and a ground portion spaced apart from the line-in portion by an insulator, wherein
the detonator shell or a housing of the radial booster charge contacts a pin of the bulkhead assembly.

8. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein the shaped charges are encapsulated shaped charges comprising:
a case comprising a cavity, a closed end, and an open end opposite the closed end and spaced apart from the closed end;
an explosive load in the cavity;
a liner adjacent the explosive load; and
a closure member configured to close the open end.

9. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein
the shaped charges comprises a zinc alloy, and is configured to form a pulverized material upon detonation of the shaped charges.

10. A wireless detonator for use with a perforating gun assembly, the detonator comprising:
a detonator head comprising a line-in portion, a ground portion, and an insulator extending between the line-in portion and the ground portion; and
a detonator shell, wherein the detonator shell is a lineout portion in communication with the line-in portion, wherein the detonator is configured to initiate in response to an initiating signal.

11. The detonator of claim 10 , further comprising:
an electronic circuit board housed within the detonator shell.

12. The detonator of claim 10 , wherein
the detonator shell comprises an open end portion and a closed end portion, and
the detonator further comprises a radial booster charge coupled to the closed end portion.

13. The detonator of claim 12 , wherein the radial booster charge comprises:
a body having a first end, a second end, and an opening extending from the first end to the second end,
wherein the opening is sized for receiving at least a portion of the detonator shell such that the radial booster charge surrounds the portion of the detonator shell received within the central opening.

14. The detonator of claim 13 , wherein the booster charge comprises:
an explosive extending around a central axis of the body; and
a liner extending around the explosive.

15. The detonator of claim 12 , further comprising:
a main explosive load within the detonator shell, the main explosive load positioned at the closed end portion of the shell in a spaced apart configuration from the electronic circuit board.

16. The detonator of claim 12 , wherein
the radial booster charge is configured to be initiated in response to initiation of the detonator, and
the radial booster charge is configured to produce a radial explosive force.

Assignees

• DynaEnergetics Europe GmbH

Inventors

• Eitschberger Christian
• Shahinpour Arash
• Burmeister Gernot Uwe
• Scharf Thilo

Classifications

• E21B43/1185

  Ignition systems · CPC title

• E21B43/117 Primary

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

• E21B43/116 Primary

  Gun or shaped-charge perforators · CPC title