Perforating Gun Safety Clamp No-Go Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional safety clamps for perforating guns are ineffective in preventing damage when the guns are unintentionally dropped during deployment through the wellhead production tree, as they can land on and obstruct elevators or other components within the assembly, potentially preventing wellhead shut-in.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a no-go landing profile in the deployment riser and mating safety clamps that engage this profile, preventing the perforating guns from landing on elevators or other restrictions, and allowing secure deployment and retrieval of multiple perforating guns through the wellhead production assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional safety clamps are used to prevent perforating guns from dropping, then the guns can be secured during deployment, but the clamps may land on elevators or other components within the wellhead production assembly, causing damage or preventing wellhead shut-in
Solution Approach 1:
A no-go landing profile is introduced as an intermediary component within the deployment riser. This profile acts as a designated landing zone that intercepts the perforating gun assembly before it can reach harmful components like elevators or blowout preventers. The safety clamp engages with this intermediary structure, redirecting the potential harm away from critical wellhead components.
Solution Approach 2:
The no-go landing profile is positioned in advance within the deployment path to prevent the harmful action of the gun assembly landing on critical components. By establishing this preliminary barrier, the system proactively counteracts the potential damage before it can occur, ensuring that even if the safety clamp fails or is removed, the gun assembly cannot reach harmful components.
2Reliability
If safety clamps are designed to engage with elevators or slips at the surface, then the guns can be securely held, but this design prevents the wellhead from being shut in by blowout preventers
Solution Approach 1:
The wellhead production assembly is segmented into distinct functional zones: a no-go zone containing the landing profile that prevents gun assembly intrusion, and an operational zone containing the blowout preventers and elevators. This segmentation allows the safety function to operate independently in one zone without interfering with the shut-in capability in another zone, resolving the conflict between secure holding and wellhead adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The no-go landing profile serves as an intermediary structure that provides the secure holding function previously achieved by engagement with elevators or slips. By transferring the engagement interface from critical components (elevators/BOPs) to a dedicated no-go profile, the system maintains reliable gun assembly securing while preserving the operational versatility of the wellhead shut-in system.
Data Source
AI summary
Devices and methods for deploying perforating guns through a wellhead production assembly and into a wellbore. In particular embodiments, the invention provides devices and methods for deploying multiple perforating guns through a wellhead production assembly. In the event that the perforating gun assembly is dropped into the wellhead production assembly, a safety clamp will land upon a landing profile within a deployment riser, preventing the perforating gun assembly from falling into the wellbore.