87results about "Nuclear explosives" patented technology

A shaped charge includes a charge case; an explosive disposed inside the charge case; and a liner for retaining the explosive in the charge case, wherein the liner comprises a material reactive with a component of an earth formation. A method for perforating in a well includes disposing a perforating gun in the well, wherein the perforating gun comprises a shaped charge having a charge case, an explosive disposed inside the charge case, and a liner for retaining the explosive in the charge case, wherein the liner includes a material that can react with a component of an earth formation; detonating the shaped charge to form a perforation tunnel in a formation zone; and allowing the material comprising the liner to react with the component of the earth formation.

A perforating gun having a charge case with a boss element partially circumscribing Optionally the pair of bosses may be included that are substantially symmetric about the axis of the charge case. Forming a shaped charge with such a charge case allows for gun strips to be formed with increased web material between adjacent shape charges in the gun strips. The increased web material provides for a more structurally sound gun tube, especially when dealing with high density charges. Notches may be provided in the gun tube on the outer radius of the holes formed to receive the shape charges, the notches are to be aligned with the bosses on the outer periphery of the shaped charge case. This also may orient the charge cases so they are pre-aligned for ready connection to an associated detonation cord.

A shaped charge includes a charge case; a liner; an explosive retained between the charge case and the liner; and a primer core disposed in a hole in the charge case and in contact with the explosive, wherein at least one of the case, the liner, the primer core, and the explosive comprising a material soluble in a selected fluid. A perforation system includes a perforation gun, comprising a gun housing that includes a safety valve or a firing valve, wherein the safety valve or the firing valve comprises a material soluble in a selected fluid.

A shaped charge for use with a perforating gun having an adapter that can couple the shaped charge with perforating gun systems of more than one size. An interference fit can couple the adapter to the open end of a shaped charge. The adapter includes a base section having an outer diameter exceeding the shaped charge outer diameter. The adapter larger diameter can be coupled to perforating gun systems formed to receive shaped charges whose outer diameters exceed the outer diameter of the shaped charge coupled to the adapter. Thus the adapter can couple a shaped charge to a perforating gun that might otherwise have fittings too large to accommodate the shaped charge.

The perforation gun is comprised of a tubular carrier, a charge holder, a plurality of sealed charges, and a detonating cord. The tubular carrier has a length and a plurality of openings. The charge holder has a length and is comprised of a plurality of mounting locations which are each capable of receiving one of the sealed charges. The charge holder is capable of being secured within the carrier. The detonating cord is coupled to at least one sealed charge. In the mounted position and when the charge holder is secured within the carrier, the charges are aligned with the openings in the carrier such that, upon detonation, charge blasts emitted from the charges exit though the carrier openings and perforate a well casing and cement. In one aspect of the invention, the carrier openings are spirally arranged and spaced along the length of the carrier. In still another aspect of the invention, the openings are vertically arranged and spaced along the length of the carrier. In still another aspect of the invention, the carrier is closed at the top and bottom. In still another aspect of the invention, the carrier is capable of capturing debris created by a charge blast emitted from the sealed charges.

A perforating gun assembly useful in hydrocarbon well completion. The gun is assembled in a carrier made from straight walled tubing as a primary structural member with complementary male and female threads cut into opposite ends so that gun assemblies may be directly connected together. The male coupling includes a reinforcing sleeve threaded into an internal thread. An alignment pin is positioned in the carrier extending through the reinforcing ring and into the interior of the carrier. A charge assembly includes a charge holder tube with upper and lower alignment fixtures. The lower alignment fixture includes an alignment slot for mating with the alignment pin and a shoulder for supporting the charge assembly on the sleeve. The upper alignment fixture has an alignment pin for mating with an alignment slot in the carrier. A retainer ring may be threaded into the upper female threads to prevent removal of the charge assembly from the carrier.

The perforation gun is comprised of a tubular carrier, a charge holder, a plurality of sealed charges, and a detonating cord. The tubular carrier has a length and a plurality of openings. The charge holder has a length and is comprised of a plurality of mounting locations which are each capable of receiving one of the sealed charges. The charge holder is capable of being secured within the carrier. The detonating cord is coupled to at least one sealed charge. In the mounted position and when the charge holder is secured within the carrier, the charges are aligned with the openings in the carrier such that, upon detonation, charge blasts emitted from the charges exit though the carrier openings and perforate a well casing and cement. In one aspect of the invention, the carrier openings are spirally arranged and spaced along the length of the carrier. In still another aspect of the invention, the openings are vertically arranged and spaced along the length of the carrier. In still another aspect of the invention, the carrier is closed at the top and bottom. In still another aspect of the invention, the carrier is capable of capturing debris created by a charge blast emitted from the sealed charges.

A system and method for making and using a multi-point initiation explosive device that produces an enhanced pressure wave for severing tubing, pipe or casing in an oil or gas well. At least two opposed initiators initiate a column of explosive material from opposite ends, thereby generating opposing pressure waves propagating toward a midpoint between the initial initiators. A shaped-charge assembly with a liner located at the midpoint initiates immediately prior to the arrival of the opposing pressure waves and forms a fast moving jet to pre-score the target pipe prior to the arrival of the pressure pulse propagating from the initial detonations.

A nuclear fusion reactor including a structure for placing at least a portion of a liquid into a tension state, the tension state being below a cavitation threshold of the liquid. The tension state imparts stored energy into the liquid portion. A cavitation initiation source provides energy to the liquid portion sufficient to nucleate at least one bubble having a bubble radius greater than a critical bubble radius of the liquid. A structure for imploding the bubbles produces imploded cavities. The temperature generated by the implosion process can be sufficient to induce a nuclear fusion reaction involving the liquid. A method of providing nuclear fusion tensions a liquid, cavitates the tensioned to form at least one bubble, then implodes the bubble, wherein a resulting temperature is generated that is sufficient to induce a nuclear fusion reaction involving the liquid.

A perforating gun assembly for use in a wellbore. The perforating gun assembly includes a carrier gun body and a charge holder disposed within the carrier gun body. A plurality of shaped charges are supported within the carrier gun body. A secondary pressure generator is operably associated with at least one of the shaped charges. The secondary pressure generator optimizes the wellbore pressure regime immediately after detonation of the shaped charges by controlling the dynamic underbalance created by the empty gun chambers to prevent excessive dynamic underbalance which may detrimentally effect the perforating operation.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods to stimulate subterranean production and injection wells, such as oil and gas wells, utilizing rocket propellants. Rapid production of high-pressure gas from controlled combustion of a propellant, during initial ignition and subsequent combustion, together with proper positioning of the energy source in relation to geologic formations, can be used to establish and maintain increased formation porosity and flow conditions with respect to the pay zone.

A perforating apparatus (100) includes a plurality of shaped charges (102) each having an initiation end and a discharge end. A detonating cord (116) is operably coupled to the initiation ends of the shaped charges (102). A carrier (106) contains the shaped charges (102). The carrier (106) includes at least one discharge location corresponding to the discharge ends of the shaped charges (102) when the perforating apparatus (100) is in its operable position. The discharge location has first and second material layers (122, 124) wherein the second material layer (124) exhibits resilient recovery such that an opening created by a jet formed from detonating one of the shaped charges (102) in the second material layer (124) is smaller than an opening created by the jet in the first material layer (122), thereby retaining debris in the perforating apparatus (100) with the second material layer (124).

After much experimentation, I have developed, a new, cost-effective, process for commercial-scale production of power by catalytic fusion of D2 gas, under moderate conditions of temperature and pressure. This process can be scaled up to any desired size, and can employ a variety of "hydrogenation" catalysts, both precious metal, and non-precious metal. Briefly, the process comprises absorbing D2 gas in or on the selected catalyst, then bringing the temperature into the range of very roughly 150° to 250° C., and then degassing the catalyst bed under reduced pressure. The process is necessarily run on a cyclic basis, with a multiplicity of catalyst bed entities, with one or more being in the D2-absorption mode, concurrently with one or more being in the heat-generation node.

The present invention is concerned with severing tubing, pipe or casing in an oil or gas well, and more particularly with a system and method for making and using a multi-point initiation explosive device that produces an enhanced pressure wave for severing tubing, pipe or casing in an oil or gas well. One embodiment uses at least two opposed initiators to initiate a column of explosive material from opposite ends, thereby generating opposing pressure waves propagating toward a midpoint between the initial initiators and a shaped-charge assembly with a liner located at the midpoint that initiates immediately prior to the arrival of the opposing pressure waves and that is intended to form an initial, fast moving jet to pre-score the target pipe prior to the arrival of the pressure pulse propagating from the initial detonations.

A shaped charge includes a charge case; a liner; an explosive retained between the charge case and the liner; and a primer core disposed in a hole in the charge case and in contact with the explosive, wherein at least one of the case, the liner, the primer core, and the explosive comprising a material soluble in a selected fluid. A perforation system includes a perforation gun, comprising a gun housing that includes a safety valve or a firing valve, wherein the safety valve or the firing valve comprises a material soluble in a selected fluid.

An adapter is provided for holding and mounting a shaped charge having a non-standard size into a standard loading tube of a hollow carrier gun. The adapter may include a housing assembly having an interior bore to hold a relatively small shaped charge and an exterior surface sized for mounting in a standard loading tube via a standard jacket. Alternatively, the adapter may include an improved jacket having interior ribs for supporting a relatively small shaped charge and an exterior surface for mounting the shaped charge in a standard loading tube of a relatively large gun.

A nuclear fusion reactor comprising a spherical reaction chamber with a mirrored interior surface filled with a nuclear fusible and laser active gaseous medium such as deuterium. Using rapid gaseous expansion caused by a focused pulsed laser source and / or timed oscillations from piezoelectric transducer, a harmonic spherical acoustic wave pattern centered within the reaction chamber is created. This wave pattern is created near a desired frequency and centered in the sphere. The wave pattern contains a central gaseous ball of high-density, pressure, and temperature that causes ionization and radiation to occur. This radiation causes the mirrored chamber to activate a spherical laser effect focused on the high pressure plasma at the center of the reaction chamber. This spherical laser pulse acting on high pressure high-density of the central standing wave produces ignition of the gas and fusion. The tremendous energy from fusion drives the acoustic process which ideally allows for a self sustaining ignition temperature plasma requiring the addition of fuel only.

A perforating apparatus (100) includes a plurality of shaped charges (102) each having an initiation end and a discharge end. A detonating cord (116) is operably coupled to the initiation ends of the shaped charges (102). A carrier (106) contains the shaped charges (102). The carrier (106) includes at least one discharge location corresponding to the discharge ends of the shaped charges (102) when the perforating apparatus (100) is in its operable position. The discharge location has first and second material layers (122, 124) wherein the second material layer (124) exhibits resilient recovery such that an opening created by a jet formed from detonating one of the shaped charges (102) in the second material layer (124) is smaller than an opening created by the jet in the first material layer (122), thereby retaining debris in the perforating apparatus (100) with the second material layer (124).

A shaped charge assembly for use in a perforating gun that comprises a shaped charge holder, two or more shaped charges, slots formed to receive the shaped charges, and an impedance barrier disposed between adjacent shaped charges. The impedance barrier can comprise a gap formed in the shaped charge holder, where the impedance barrier runs across the shaped charge holder. The impedance barrier can be a void formed on the surface of the shaped charge holder, or can include shock attenuating material therein, such as wood, cork, cotton, polymeric materials, and combinations thereof, to name a few.

The present invention relates to apparatus and methods to stimulate subterranean production and injection wells, such as oil and gas wells, utilizing rocket propellants. Rapid production of high-pressure gas from controlled combustion of a propellant, during initial ignition and subsequent combustion, together with proper positioning of the energy source in relation to geologic formations, can be used to establish and maintain increased formation porosity and flow conditions with respect to the pay zone.

A method and apparatus for stimulating producing strata in oil or gas wells. The formation is penetrated using shaped charges, and an oxygen-rich material then is introduced into the producing formation. Thus, oxygen is available within the formation to sustain an explosive reaction with the existing formation hydrocarbons acting as fuel. This explosive reaction will cause fracturing of the formation and will counteract plugging that often results from the use of conventional shaped charges. In one embodiment, a container encloses shaped charges surrounded by oxygen-rich material. Alternately, the oxygen can be a part of the shaped charge and projected into the formation with the shaped charge to accomplish the same results. Still further, oxygen-rich material can be pumped into the well in bulk in a liquid or paste form.

An adapter is provided for holding and mounting a shaped charge having a non-standard size into a standard loading tube of a hollow carrier gun. The adapter may include a housing assembly having an interior bore to hold a relatively small shaped charge and an exterior surface sized for mounting in a standard loading tube via a standard jacket. Alternatively, the adapter may include an improved jacket having interior ribs for supporting a relatively small shaped charge and an exterior surface for mounting the shaped charge in a standard loading tube of a relatively large gun.

The arrangement for generating EUV radiation based on electrically triggered gas discharges with high repetition rates and high average outputs. The object of the invention, to find a novel possibility for generating EUV radiation based on a gas discharge pumped plasma which permits the generation of EUV pulse sequences with a pulse repetition frequency of greater than 5 kHz at pulse energies of at least 10 mJ / sr without having to tolerate increased electrode wear, is met according to the invention in that a plurality of source modules of identical construction, each of which generates a radiation-emitting plasma and has bundled EUV radiation, are arranged in a vacuum chamber so as to be uniformly distributed around an optical axis of the source in its entirety in order to provide successive radiation pulses at a point on the optical axis, so that a reflector device which is supported so as to be rotatable around the optical axis deflects the radiation delivered by the source modules in the direction of the optical axis successively with respect to time. A synchronization device triggers the source modules in a circularly successive manner depending upon the actual rotational position of the reflector device and adjusts a preselected pulse repetition frequency by means of the rotating speed.

Controlled Buoyancy Perforating technology for highly deviated and substantially horizontal wellbores may include long perforating guns assembled on a rig floor from a multiplicity of light weight and highly engineered shaped charge carrier joints. Tubular housings for such light weight joints may be fabricated from composite materials having steel transition collars. The collars are designed for an angularly coordinated, bayonet assembly and, in most cases, rapid disassembly. The internal volume of each joint is environmentally sealed by a plurality of O-rings. Barbs carried by collet fingers projecting from opposite ends of a sealing sleeve that externally bridges a transition collar union plane secures the union by meshing with detent channels in the respective collars. Individual shaped charge units and cooperative fusing are assembled in a light weight inner loading tube having an alignment collar to secure the angular and axial position of the loading tube relative to the transition collars.

Method and apparatus for stimulating a subterranean formation that is penetrated by a well bore in fluid communication with the formation. At least one length of propellant is assembled with at least one shaped explosive charge that is aimed axially along the well bore toward the propellant. Detonation of the explosive charge ignites the propellant and any successive explosive charge positioned in the well bore. Detonation of the successive explosive charge ignites the next successive length of propellant and next successive explosive charge.

The present invention is an improvement in the design of a perforating gun to perforate the casing in oil and gas wells. Perforating guns have a cylindrical body member with explosive charges at specified intervals designed to shoot outwardly through the body member, the well casing, cement sheath, and into the rock formation. There are recessed areas, scallops, on the outer surface of the body member where the perforating jets, formed by the explosive charges, exit the body member. The present invention uses the strength of an arching geometric shape for the recessed area to be able to further reduce the thickness of steel for minimal resistance to the perforating jet. Minimizing the resistance to the perforating jet increases the depth of penetration into the rock formation and increases the hole size.

Methods are provided for detecting chemical, biological and / or nuclear attacks in large areas such as cities, states and nations. The system protects the public before significant exposure occurs, utilizing a preventive approach rather than a purely reactive approach. Modeling is conducted to selectively position sensors for the on-going collection of real-time detection data, such as contaminant types and concentrations, weather conditions, terrain data, dispersion data and the like. The detection data is compared to background data and modeled data to detect unsafe contaminant levels and immediately activate a response system. The integrated modeling and simulation component may function to interface with real-time data from the sensors providing integrated real-time plume depiction, prediction, and verification, as well as real-time response and mitigation. This is testable and serves as an advanced redundant scientific control. The response system may implement a variety of protective measures, including, but not limited to, medical response procedures for emergency rooms and hospitals, warning alarms, instructions for personal protection, sealing of buildings, introduction of positive pressure in buildings, and introduction of clean air in confined spaces. An IT infrastructure may connect the modeling, detection and response components.

A perforating apparatus (100) includes a plurality of shaped charges (102) each having an initiation end and a discharge end. A detonating cord (116) is operably coupled to the initiation ends of the shaped charges (102). A carrier (106) contains the shaped charges (102). The carrier (106) includes at least one discharge location corresponding to the discharge ends of the shaped charges (102) when the perforating apparatus (100) is in its operable position. The discharge location has first and second material layers (122, 124) wherein the second material layer (124) exhibits resilient recovery such that an opening created by a jet formed from detonating one of the shaped charges (102) in the second material layer (124) is smaller than an opening created by the jet in the first material layer (122), thereby retaining debris in the perforating apparatus (100) with the second material layer (124).