Perforating System Shaped Charge Alignment for Minimum Stress Fractures
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing perforating systems in wellbores often create perforations that are helically arranged, leading to fractures that are not aligned with the plane of minimum stress, which reduces the effectiveness of fluid flow from the subterranean formation to the wellbore.
Innovation Solution
The system employs a perforating assembly with shaped charge assemblies having planar lateral sides and bulkheads, detonating to form perforations at substantially the same depth and angularly spaced, allowing for fractures to propagate in the plane of minimum stress when pressurized fluid is introduced.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If shaped charges are arranged in conventional perforating systems, then perforations are created in the wellbore, but the perforations become helically arranged causing fractures to be misaligned with the plane of minimum stress
Solution Approach 1:
The shaped charge assembly is divided into multiple individual shaped charges (first, second, third, and fourth shaped charges) with specific orientations. Each shaped charge is segmented to create perforations at different angular positions around the wellbore circumference, allowing precise control over fracture alignment while maintaining manageable complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The shaped charges are arranged asymmetrically with specific angular relationships. The first and second shaped charges are oriented at different angles, as are the third and fourth shaped charges. This asymmetric arrangement ensures that perforations are created at predetermined angular intervals that align fractures with the plane of minimum stress rather than creating a helical pattern.
2Productivity
If perforations are created to extend into the formation, then fluid flow from formation to wellbore is enabled, but the surface area of communication is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transitions from creating simple radial perforations to creating elongated fractures that extend in a specific directional dimension aligned with the plane of minimum stress. By orienting shaped charges to create perforations at specific angular positions and depths, the system generates three-dimensional fracture networks that dramatically increase the surface area of formation communication with the wellbore, thereby enhancing fluid flow capacity.
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 configuration increases the surface area of the formation in communication with the wellbore, enhancing hydrocarbon production by aligning fractures with the plane of minimum stress, thereby improving fluid flow.
Implementation Method 1
when the amount of explosive in each shaped charge assembly is detonated, each amount of explosive that is detonated forms a jet that forms a perforation
Implementation Method 2
shaped charge assemblies that each have an amount of explosive with a rearward side facing an axis of the perforating assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A perforating system for creating perforations that azimuthally circumscribe an inner wall of a wellbore, and that are at substantially the same depth in the wellbore. The perforating system includes perforating assemblies that are housed in a gun body and spaced axially apart. The perforating assemblies have shaped charges positioned at selective angles around an axis of the gun body and at substantially the same axial location in the gun body. Bulkheads are provided between adjacent shaped charges, so that initiating the shaped charges forms angularly spaced apart perforations in a tubular in which the perforating system is inserted. Pressurizing the wellbore with fracturing fluid extends the perforations into fractures, where the fractures are normal to an axis of the wellbore and in a plane of minimum stress.