Perforating gun assembly with performance optimized shaped charge load
Disclosed embodiments may relate to perforating gun assemblies configured for use in unconventional wells, for example in rock formations with low permeability. In some embodiments, the perforating gun assembly may include a perforating gun housing and at least one shaped charge positioned in the perforating gun housing. The shaped charge and the perforating gun housing may be jointly configured to improve total target penetration in unconventional wells by 20-100%. Related method embodiments may be used to improve the performance of unconventional wells.
1. A perforating gun assembly, comprising:
a perforating gun housing having an outer diameter of 3.35 inches to 3.75 inches; and
at least one open shaped charge positioned in the perforating gun housing, each open shaped charge of the at least one open shaped charge comprising an explosive load having a weight of 26 grams to 35 grams.
2. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein each open shaped charge of the at least one shaped charge comprises an explosive load having a weight of 28 grams to 35 grams.
3. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein the perforating gun housing has an outer diameter of 3.5 inches.
4. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein the explosive load comprises at least one of octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine, cyclotrimethylenetrinitramine, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, hexanitrostibane, and 2,6-Bis(picrylamino)-3,5-dinitropyridine.
5. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein the perforating gun housing comprises a wall thickness of 0.3375-0.4125 inches.
6. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein the perforating gun housing comprises a hollow interior having an inner diameter of 2.625 inches to 2.9 inches, and wherein the at least one open shaped charge is configured to be disposed within the hollow interior.
7. The perforating gun assembly of claim 2 , wherein the perforating gun housing comprises a steel material having a minimum impact strength of 70 Joule and one or more of the following properties: minimum steel hardness of 250 HBW or 25 HRC(Rockwell), minimum yield strength of 650 MPa, and minimum tensile strength of 900 MPa.
8. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein the perforating gun housing comprises a steel material having two or more of the following properties: minimum steel hardness of 250 HBW or 25 HRC(Rockwell), minimum yield strength of 650 MPa, minimum tensile strength of 900 MPa, and minimum impact strength of 70 Joule.
9. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein:
the at least one open shaped charge comprises a plurality of open shaped charges;
the plurality of open shaped charges are oriented to fire outward at different radial locations around a circumference of the perforating gun housing to create perforation holes in a target; and
each perforation hole of the perforation holes includes an open area that is open to flow of wellbore fluid and has a size that is substantially constant between both centralized and decentralized conditions of the perforating gun housing in a casing of the wellbore.
10. The perforating gun assembly of claim 1 , wherein the perforating gun housing is configured so that, upon discharge of the at least one open shaped charge, the outer diameter of the perforating gun housing expands to a swell diameter, and the swell diameter is between 3.6 inches to 3.78 inches.
11. A perforating gun assembly, comprising:
a perforating gun housing comprising steel and having an outer diameter of 3.35 inches to 3.75 inches; and
an open-ended shaped charge positioned in the perforating gun housing, the open-ended shaped charge comprising an explosive load having a weight of 28 grams to 35 grams,
wherein the open-ended shaped charge is configured to form a perforation tunnel in a low permeability rock formation having a permeability of 10 millidarcy or less.
12. The perforating gun assembly of claim 11 , wherein the open-ended shaped charge is configured to form the perforation tunnel in a low permeability rock formation having a permeability of less than 1 millidarcy.
13. The perforating gun of assembly claim 11 , wherein the open-ended shaped charge is configured to form the perforation tunnel with a perforation hole diameter of 0.30 inches to 0.85 inches in a steel casing of a wellbore.
14. The perforating gun assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the perforating gun housing comprises steel having two or more of the following properties: minimum steel hardness of 250 HBW or 25 HRC(Rockwell), minimum yield strength of 650 MPa, minimum tensile strength of 900 Mpa, and minimum impact strength of 70 Joule.
15. The perforating gun assembly of claim 11 , wherein:
the open-ended shaped charge comprises a plurality of open-ended shaped charges;
the plurality of open-ended shaped charges are oriented to fire outward at different radial locations around a circumference of the perforating gun housing to create perforation holes in a target; and
each perforation hole of the perforation holes includes an open area that is open to flow of wellbore fluid and has a size that is substantially constant between both centralized and decentralized conditions of the perforating gun housing in a casing of the wellbore.
16. The perforating gun assembly of claim 15 , wherein the perforating gun assembly includes a shot density of 2 to 6 shots per foot.