Downhole Perforating Gun Tube And Components
Patent No. US11976539 (titled "Downhole Perforating Gun Tube And Components") was filed by Swm International Inc on Feb 16, 2023.
What is this patent about?
’539 is related to the field of downhole perforating guns used in oil and gas wells. These guns are lowered into wellbores to create perforations in the casing and surrounding concrete, allowing fluids to flow from the formation into the wellbore. The challenge is to accurately position the shaped charges within the gun so that they perforate in the desired direction.
The underlying idea behind ’539 is to use gravity-induced rotation to orient the shaped charges in a perforating gun. By incorporating weights within the gun tube, the tube will naturally rotate until the weights are at the bottom of the wellbore. This allows for predictable positioning of the shaped charges before detonation, ensuring perforations are created in the intended direction.
The claims of ’539 focus on a downhole perforating gun that includes an outer casing, an inner body with explosive charge receptacles and offset weight, and an arrangement of a collar, support, and bearing assembly that allows the inner body to rotate relative to the outer casing. The bearing assembly is key to enabling the gravity-driven radial orientation of the inner body.
In practice, the gun tube is assembled with weights positioned such that their gravitational pull will orient the tube in a specific way when it's horizontal in the wellbore. The bearing assembly, consisting of a housing and ball bearings, allows the tube to freely rotate within the outer collar and support structure. This ensures that the shaped charges are facing the desired direction when they are detonated.
This design differentiates itself from prior approaches by providing a simple and reliable method for orienting the shaped charges. Instead of relying on complex mechanical or electronic systems, it leverages the consistent force of gravity. The rotational end fittings and internal weights work together to ensure accurate and repeatable positioning of the perforations, improving the efficiency of fluid extraction from the formation.
How does this patent fit in bigger picture?
Technical landscape at the time
In the late 2010s when ’539 was filed, wellbore perforation at a time when shaped explosive charges were typically deployed within a carrier lowered into the wellbore. At that time, systems commonly relied on wireline or similar conveyance to position and actuate the charges. Hardware constraints made precise directional control of the explosive charges non-trivial.
Novelty and Inventive Step
The examiner approved the application because the prior art does not disclose or suggest the claimed arrangement including a collar, a support, and a bearing assembly disposed concentrically about the longitudinal axis of the inner body. The bearing assembly supports the longitudinal axis of the inner body aligned along the longitudinal center axis of the outer casing. The bearing assembly is laterally supported between the first and second lateral portions and is configured to prevent longitudinal movement of the first and second lateral portions towards one another.
Claims
This patent contains 20 claims, with independent claims numbered 1, 18, and 20. The independent claims are directed to downhole perforating guns and apparatuses that include an outer casing, an inner body with an offset weight, and an arrangement of a collar, support, and bearing assembly. The dependent claims generally elaborate on the specific features and configurations of the downhole perforating guns and apparatuses described in the independent claims.
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Date
Description
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US11976539
- Application Number
- US18110804
- Filing Date
- Feb 16, 2023
- Status
- Granted
- Expiry Date
- Mar 5, 2039
- External Links
- Slate, USPTO, Google Patents