Adjustable strength shock absorber system for downhole ballistics

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022018225-A1
Application number	US-202016929627-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 15, 2020
Priority date	Jul 15, 2020
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A downhole perforation system includes a ballistic device having an first end and a second end, the ballistic device carrying an explosive material. The system further includes a shock absorption device coupled to at least one of the first or second end of the ballistic device and configured to absorb at least a portion of impact energy produced from detonation of the explosive material. The shock absorption device includes a shock absorption module which includes a viscoelastic body and a rigid structure molded within the viscoelastic body. The rigid structure is configured to break or deform when impacted by a threshold amount of impact energy. Broken or deformed portions of the rigid structure are contained within the viscoelastic body.

First claim

1 . A downhole perforation system, comprising:
a ballistic device having an first end and a second end, the ballistic device carrying an explosive material; and a shock absorption device coupled to at least one of the first or second end of the ballistic device and configured to absorb at least a portion of impact energy produced from detonation of the explosive material, the shock absorption device comprising:
a shock absorption module comprising:
a viscoelastic body; and
a rigid structure molded within the viscoelastic body, the rigid structure configured to break or deform when impacted by a threshold amount of impact energy, wherein broken or deformed portions of the rigid structure are contained within the viscoelastic body.

2 . The downhole perforation system of claim 1 , wherein the rigid structure is made of a porous metal material.

3 . The downhole perforation system of claim 1 , wherein the rigid structure is made of a metal mesh.

4 . The downhole perforation system of claim 1 , wherein the rigid structure is made through an additive manufacturing process.

5 . The downhole perforation system of claim 1 , wherein the entire volume of the viscoelastomeric body is taken up by either viscoelastomeric material or the rigid structure.

6 . The downhole perforation system of claim 1 , wherein a design of the rigid structure is based on the threshold impact energy and one or more specifications of the ballistic device.

7 . The downhole perforation system of claim 1 , wherein the shock absorption device further comprising one or more spring structures coupled to the shock absorption module.

8 . The downhole perforation system of claim 1 , wherein the shock absorption device comprises a plurality of the shock absorption module.

9 . A downhole ballistic shock absorption device, comprising:
a shock absorption module, comprising:
a viscoelastic body; and
a rigid structure molded into the viscoelastic body, the rigid structure configured to break or deform when impacted by a threshold amount of impact energy, wherein broken or deformed portions of the rigid structure are contained within the viscoelastic body.

10 . The downhole ballistic shock absorption device of claim 9 , wherein the rigid structure is made of a porous metal material or a metal mesh.

11 . The downhole ballistic shock absorption device of claim 9 , wherein the rigid structure experiences plastic deformation when impacted by the threshold amount of impact energy.

12 . The downhole ballistic shock absorption device of claim 9 , wherein the rigid structure is made through an additive manufacturing process.

13 . The downhole ballistic shock absorption device of claim 9 , wherein the entire volume of the viscoelastomeric body is taken up by either viscoelastomeric material or the rigid structure.

14 . The downhole ballistic shock absorption device of claim 9 , further comprising: the shock absorption device further comprising one or more spring structures coupled to the shock absorption module.

15 . A method of downhole ballistics damping, comprising:
positioning a ballistics device in a target portion of a well, wherein the ballistics device is a part of a tool string; detonating one or more charges from the ballistic device, the detonation generating an amount of impact energy; receiving at least a portion of the impact energy by a shock absorption module on the tool string, the shock absorption module comprising a rigid structure and an elastic body molded around the rigid structure; deforming or breaking the rigid structure due to the received impact energy; and reducing the impact energy transferred to another portion of the tool string.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the rigid structure is made of a porous metal material.

17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the rigid structure is made of a metal mesh.

18 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the rigid structure is made through an additive manufacturing process.

19 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the entire volume of the elastomeric body is taken up by either elastomeric material or the rigid structure.

20 . The method of claim 15 , wherein broken or deformed portions of the rigid structure are contained within the elastomeric body.

Assignees

• Baker Hughes Oilfield Operations Llc

Inventors

• Rafie Saeed

Classifications

• E21B43/119 Primary

  Details, e.g. for locating perforating place or direction · CPC title

• F16F7/12 Primary

  using plastic deformation of members {(F16F9/30 takes precedence; yieldable means for mounting bumpers on vehicles B60R19/26; yieldable or collapsible steering columns B62D1/192)} · CPC title

• F16F9/306

  of the constrained layer type, i.e. comprising one or more constrained viscoelastic layers · CPC title

• F16F7/003

  One-shot shock absorbers (using plastic deformation of members, e.g. using sacrificial, fibre-reinforced composite members F16F7/12) · CPC title

• E21B43/116

  Gun or shaped-charge perforators · CPC title