Perforating Gun Debris Retention Sleeve
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Solution Overview
Problem
During wellbore perforation, perforating gun assemblies produce debris such as steel chunks and powdered zinc, which escape into the wellbore, leading to accumulation and potential clogging, especially in hostile deeper environments.
Innovation Solution
A perforating gun system with a first sleeve configured to radially expand upon charge detonation, misaligning its aperture with the hole in the gun body to retain debris within the system, thereby preventing ejection into the wellbore.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a conventional perforating gun assembly is used, then the perforation operation can be completed, but debris accumulates in the wellbore causing potential clogging
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the harmful debris from the wellbore environment by providing a retrieval assembly that selectively removes debris chunks from the wellbore. The retrieval assembly includes a retrieval tool that can be lowered into the wellbore to extract and remove debris, separating the harmful factor (debris) from the wellbore system while maintaining the productivity of the perforation operation.
2Ease of operation
If debris is allowed to escape into the wellbore, then the perforating gun can complete its function, but debris accumulates in horizontal zones and above packers
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies preliminary anti-action by providing a retrieval assembly that is prepared in advance to counteract the harmful effect of debris accumulation. The retrieval tool is positioned and configured to intercept and remove debris before it can accumulate to problematic levels in horizontal zones or above packers, preventing reliability issues before they occur.
Solution Approach 2:
The retrieval assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between the perforating gun and the wellbore environment. It selectively interacts with debris particles, removing them from the wellbore without interfering with the normal perforation operation, thus maintaining wellbore integrity while allowing the perforating gun to complete its function.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If a retrieval assembly is added to the perforating gun system, then debris accumulation can be prevented, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The retrieval assembly is segmented into distinct functional components: a retrieval tool for debris extraction, a positioning mechanism for accurate placement in the wellbore, and a control system for deploying and retrieving the tool. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system manageability despite the increased complexity.
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 system effectively reduces debris accumulation in the wellbore by obstructing the debris ejection pathway, maintaining wellbore integrity and enhancing perforation efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
The first sleeve is configured to undergo non-uniform expansion in response to the detonation of the at least one charge
Implementation Method 2
detonation of the at least one charge
Data Source
AI summary
A perforating gun system comprises at least one charge disposed within a gun body, and a first sleeve disposed within the gun body about the at least one charge. The first sleeve comprises a first expansion section, and the first sleeve is configured to undergo non-uniform expansion in response to the detonation of the at least one charge.