Insensitive High Explosive Perforating Shaped Charges

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional perforating systems for oil and gas wells using traditional high explosives are prone to unintended detonation in accident scenarios, such as fires, during transport, and handling, posing safety risks due to their sensitivity.

Innovation Solution

The use of insensitive high explosives with high impedance confinement and superfine particle sizes, combined with detonating cord initiators, bi-directional boosters, and shaped charges, enhances detonation reliability and safety by employing materials like steel, copper, and specific explosive configurations to manage shock waves effectively.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If traditional high explosives are used in perforating systems, then detonation power and perforation effectiveness are improved, but safety is worsened due to high sensitivity to accidental detonation during handling, transport, and accident scenarios

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveperforation effectivenessVSAvoidaccidental detonation risk

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the explosive material from traditional high explosives (PETN, RDX, HMX) to insensitive high explosives (TATB, DATB, HNS, NONA, HNAB, BRX). This parameter change fundamentally alters the sensitivity characteristics while maintaining detonation performance, thereby resolving the contradiction between perforation effectiveness and safety.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs composite explosive formulations combining insensitive high explosives with specific binders and additives to achieve both the desired detonation performance for effective perforation and the reduced sensitivity for safe handling. The composite structure allows optimization of both contradictory requirements simultaneously.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

2Object-affected harmful factors

If insensitive high explosives are used, then safety is improved by reducing accidental detonation risk, but detonation reliability may be worsened due to lower sensitivity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccidental detonation riskVSAvoiddetonation reliability

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent introduces detonating cord initiators as intermediary devices that reliably initiate the insensitive high explosive charges. The detonating cord acts as a mediator between the ignition source and the main charge, ensuring reliable detonation initiation despite the lower sensitivity of insensitive explosives, thus resolving the contradiction between safety and detonation reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent employs preliminary confinement of the insensitive high explosive within wellbores or containers before detonation. This preliminary action ensures proper containment and pressure buildup, facilitating reliable detonation initiation and propagation of insensitive explosives that would otherwise be difficult to detonate due to their low sensitivity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If superfine particle sizes are used in insensitive high explosives, then detonation reliability is improved, but manufacturing complexity is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedetonation reliabilityVSAvoidmanufacturing complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent changes the particle size parameter of the insensitive high explosive to superfine dimensions, which significantly improves detonation reliability by ensuring more uniform energy distribution and faster detonation propagation. Although this increases manufacturing complexity, the parameter change is essential to overcome the inherent difficulties of detonating insensitive explosives.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The solution improves safety by reducing the likelihood of accidental detonation during handling, transport, and in accident scenarios, while ensuring reliable perforation of wellbores with controlled detonation, thus enhancing operational safety and performance.

Implementation Method 1

The shaped charge includes an insensitive high explosive and is operable to perforate a wellbore

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDetonation: Detonation

Implementation Method 2

combined with detonating cord initiators, bi-directional boosters, and shaped charges, enhances detonation reliability and safety by employing materials like steel, copper, and specific explosive configurations to manage shock waves effectively

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectShock wave: Shock Wave

Data Source

PatentUS10677572B2Perforating systems with insensitive high explosive

Publication Date: 2020.06.09 HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES INC

AI summary

The disclosure relates to perforating systems for perforating the casing of a wellbore. The perforating systems contain insensitive high explosives. The disclosure also relates to shaped charges containing insensitive high explosives for use in such perforating systems. The disclosure further relates to methods of using such perforating systems to perforate the casing of a wellbore.