Multi-Shot Perforating Charge with Shared Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current perforating guns used in oil and gas wells have limitations in the number and placement of perforation tunnels, leading to uneven productivity and efficiency, as they are constrained by the size and design of shaped charges, which restrict the ability to maximize well production and increase the number of perforation stages.
Innovation Solution
The development of multi-shot explosive charges with shared walls allows for multiple perforation tunnels to be created at the same lateral location within a single charge casing, increasing the number of perforations per unit length and enabling a smaller perforating gun to achieve the same or greater perforation efficiency as larger guns, by combining multiple charges within a single casing and utilizing colliding explosive forces to enhance perforating power.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional shaped charges are used with individual casings, then each charge can create a single perforation tunnel, but the number of perforations per unit length is limited and the gun size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple individual charge casings are merged into a single integrated charge casing containing multiple chambers. Each chamber holds a shaped charge, and all chambers are contained within one outer casing, enabling multiple perforations from a single gun component and increasing perforations per unit length while reducing overall gun size.
Solution Approach 2:
The charge arrangement transitions from a linear single-chamber design to a multi-chamber configuration within the same lateral footprint. By stacking chambers and utilizing shared walls, the system increases perforation density in the lateral dimension without proportionally increasing gun length or volume.
2Productivity
If more shaped charges are loaded into the perforating gun, then the number of perforation tunnels increases, but the structural integrity of the tubulars may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple charges are combined within a single reinforced outer casing rather than using multiple separate casings. This consolidation allows for optimized distribution of explosive forces and better structural support, maintaining tubular integrity while achieving higher perforation density.
Solution Approach 2:
The charge chambers are strategically positioned and oriented to direct explosive forces in specific patterns. By controlling the location and direction of each charge within the multi-chamber casing, the system maximizes perforation effectiveness while minimizing stress concentration on the tubular walls.
3Productivity
If the perforating gun is made larger to accommodate more charges, then more perforation stages can be achieved, but the ability to navigate wellbore turns is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system increases perforation capacity by utilizing multi-chamber configurations that pack more charges into the same lateral space rather than increasing gun length. This dimensional optimization allows the gun to maintain a compact profile suitable for navigating wellbore turns while achieving higher perforation stage density.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple charge chambers are nested within a single outer casing, with chambers arranged to share walls and maximize space utilization. This nested configuration allows more charges to be contained within a compact gun body, improving perforation density without increasing the overall envelope dimensions that would hinder wellbore navigation.
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
This design increases the efficiency of well creation by allowing more perforation tunnels to be formed over a given lateral length, reduces the size of the perforating gun required, and improves the performance and configuration of perforation charges, leading to enhanced oil and gas extraction.
Implementation Method 1
Explosive charges within the perforating gun are then detonated as the perforating gun is retracted a distance up the wellbore. Detonation of the charges creates high pressure, high velocity perforation jet from each charge
Implementation Method 2
The chambers are arranged within the casing such that multiple perforation tunnels can be generated through a perimetric surface of a single multi-shot explosive charge, with colliding explosive forces to enhance perforating power
Data Source
AI summary
A multi-shot explosive charge includes a plurality of chambers divided by shared walls between adjacent chambers. Explosive material within at least one of the chambers creates an explosive force in an outward direction upon detonation and a perforating jet through the open end of the chamber. A perforating charge includes at least one explosive material producing explosive forces, upon detonation that collide within the chamber to create a perforating jet. Such perforating charge may be a chamber(s) within a multi-shot explosive charge, or an individual charge. First and second explosive materials can have the same or different compositions and detonation rates that together with the arrangement of materials within the chamber create the collision of forces. A plurality of multi-shot explosive charge or stand-alone perforating charges with colliding forces can be interconnected in an array, and can be included in a perforating gun(s).