Modular Perforating Gun Containers for Reusable Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
The onshore oil and gas industry faces challenges in efficiently transporting, storing, and disposing of perforating gun assemblies due to the limitations of current wooden transport boxes, which are often damaged, difficult to standardize, and result in excessive packaging waste.
Innovation Solution
A modular storage container system designed for tubular structures, featuring a plurality of fixation panels with aligned openings to securely retain and support perforating gun assemblies, allowing for efficient transportation and storage while minimizing waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wooden transport boxes are used for perforating guns, then the guns can be transported and stored, but the boxes are easily damaged during handling and opening processes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the material parameter of the transport container from wood to high-density polyethylene (HDPE) plastic. This material substitution provides superior durability, impact resistance, and structural integrity while maintaining the container's protective function for perforating guns during transport and handling operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The container employs composite construction with HDPE plastic as the primary material, potentially combined with reinforcing elements. This composite approach enhances the container's strength-to-weight ratio and resistance to damage during handling, opening, and closing operations compared to traditional wooden boxes.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wooden transport boxes are used for perforating guns, then the guns can be transported, but the boxes are difficult to standardize due to different gun lengths
Solution Approach 1:
The container is designed with a modular structure featuring segmented components including a removable lid, dividers, and standardized panels. This segmentation allows the same container design to accommodate multiple gun lengths (1-shot to 8-shot configurations) by adjusting internal dividers, achieving standardization without sacrificing adaptability to different gun specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The container is designed as a universal platform that can transport various perforating gun configurations (1-shot through 8-shot) using the same basic container design. Internal dividers and positioning elements can be reconfigured to accommodate different gun lengths, eliminating the need for multiple specialized container types.
3Loss of substance
If traditional packaging and shipment crates are used for perforating guns, then the guns can be transported, but excessive amounts of packaging waste are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The HDPE plastic container is designed for recovery and reuse rather than disposal. After transporting used perforating guns back to the surface, the container can be cleaned and reused for subsequent operations. This eliminates the single-use packaging waste problem associated with traditional wooden boxes and metal crates, reducing material loss and environmental impact.
4Productivity
If pre-configured perforating gun assemblies are shipped, then operational efficiency is improved, but the shipping and receiving logistics become more critical
Solution Approach 1:
Perforating guns are pre-configured and pre-assembled into complete tool strings before being placed in containers for transport. This preliminary preparation of the tool strings, including attaching all necessary components and explosives, allows for rapid deployment at the wellsite without requiring time-consuming assembly operations, thus improving productivity while managing logistics efficiently.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed embodiments relate to devices and methods for storage and/or transport of tubular structures, such as perforating guns for use in wellbores. Some embodiments relate to modular storage containers, for example which may be height adjustable depending on the length of the tubular structure to be held therein. Some embodiments relate to mobile storage banks, which may be configured for use with the modular storage containers. In some embodiments, the storage bank may further be configured with one or more longitudinal compartments configured to hold used tool strings or portions thereof.