Granted Patent B2

US 11,906,278 · App. 17/547,016 · Granted Feb 20, 2024

Inventor: Shelby L. Sullivan (Minot, ND)

Assignee: XConnect, LLC

F42D1/05E21B43/117E21B43/1185F42B3/10F42D1/02

Abstract

Claims (75)

1. A bridged bulkhead assembly, comprising:

a first bulkhead;

a signal transmission pin residing within the first bulkhead;

a second bulkhead;

a detonator pin residing within the second bulkhead; and

a bridge fixedly connecting and spacing apart the first bulkhead and the second bulkhead;

and wherein the first bulkhead and the second bulkhead are configured to enter into respective first and second openings in an end plate for a perforating gun assembly.

2. The bridged bulkhead assembly of claim 1 , wherein:

the first bulkhead comprises a body having a first end, and a second end opposite the first end;

the second bulkhead also comprises a body having a first end, and a second end opposite the first end;

each of the first bulkhead and the second bulkhead is fabricated from an electrically non-conductive material; and

the bridge comprises a body having first and second through-openings, wherein the first through-opening of the bridge fixedly receives or is integral to the body of the first bulkhead, while the second through-opening of the bridge fixedly receives or is integral to the body of the second bulkhead.

3. The bridged bulkhead assembly of claim 2 , further comprising:

a signal transmission wire connected to the signal transmission pin at the first end of the first bulkhead, and extending through the bridge; and

a detonator wire connected to the detonator pin at the first end of the second bulkhead, and also extending through the bridge.

4. The bridged bulkhead assembly of claim 3 , wherein:

the second end of the signal transmission pin extends from the second end of the first bulkhead and comprises a banana clip; and

the second end of the detonator pin extends from the second end of the second bulkhead and also comprises a banana clip.

5. The bridged bulkhead assembly of claim 3 , wherein:

the first end of the first bulkhead is over-molded onto the signal transmission wire; and;

the first end of the second bulkhead is over-molded onto the detonator wire.

6. The bridged bulkhead assembly of claim 5 , wherein:

the body of the first bulkhead extends into the first opening of the end plate with the signal transmission pin;

the body of the second bulkhead extends into the second opening of the end plate with the detonator pin;

the end plate comprises:

a first end defining a first face;

a second end opposite the first end, and defining a second face;

the signal transmission pin is configured to transmit detonation signals through the end plate in a first direction; and

the detonator pin is configured to transmit the detonation signals back up through the end plate in a second direction opposite the first direction.

7. The bridged bulkhead assembly of claim 6 , wherein:

the end plate further comprises an opening along the second face configured to receive an end of a ground pin;

the banana clip of the signal transmission pin extends into the tandem sub; and

the banana clip of the detonator pin also extends into the tandem sub.

8. The bridged bulkhead assembly of claim 7 , wherein the end plate further comprises:

a flange residing between the first face and the second face;

and wherein an upstream carrier tube associated with a perforating gun extends over the first face and abuts the flange on a first side, and a downstream tandem sub holding an addressable switch extends over the second face and abuts the flange on a second side opposite the first side.

9. A method of detonating explosive charges associated with a perforating gun, comprising:

providing a bridged bulkhead assembly, comprising:

a first bulkhead;

a signal transmission pin residing within the first bulkhead;

a second bulkhead;

a detonator pin residing within the second bulkhead; and

a bridge fixedly connecting the first bulkhead with the second bulkhead,

connecting the bridged bulkhead to a carrier end plate such that the first bulkhead extends into a first opening of the carrier end plate and the second bulkhead extends into a second opening of the carrier end plate;

sending a detonation signal from a surface, down an electric line, and into a wellbore;

further sending the detonation signal through a perforating gun and through the carrier end plate by means of the signal transmission pin;

still further sending the detonation signal into an addressable switch, wherein the addressable switch determines whether the detonation signal is addressed to the perforating gun;

identifying that the detonation signal is addressed to the perforating gun, and in response, sending a detonation signal back through the carrier end plate by means of the detonator pin; and

sending the detonation signal to a detonator to initiate explosive charges residing within the perforating gun.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the carrier end plate isolates the addressable switch from wellbore fluids and a pressure wave generated in response to the detonation of the explosive charges in the perforating gun.

11. The method of claim 9 , wherein:

the first bulkhead comprises a body having a first end, and a second end opposite the first end;

the second bulkhead also comprises a body having a first end, and a second end opposite the first end;

each of the first bulkhead and the second bulkhead is fabricated from an electrically non-conductive material; and

the bridge comprises a body having first and second through-openings, wherein the first through-opening of the bridge fixedly receives or is integral to the body of the first bulkhead, while the second through-opening of the bridge fixedly receives or is integral to the body of the second bulkhead.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein:

the electric line extends through the bridge and is connected to the signal transmission pin at the first end of the first bulkhead;

a detonator wire extends through the bridge and is connected to the detonator pin at the first end of the second bulkhead; and

sending the detonation signal to a detonator to initiate explosive charges residing within the perforating gun comprises sending the detonation signal through the detonator wire.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein:

the second end of the signal transmission pin extends from the second end of the first bulkhead and comprises a banana clip;

the banana clip of the signal transmission pin is in electrical communication with the addressable switch; and

the second end of the detonator pin extends from the second end of the second bulkhead and also comprises a banana clip.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the carrier end plate comprises: a first end defining a first face; a second end opposite the first end, and defining a second face; an opening along the second face configured to receive an end of a ground pint.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the carrier end plate further comprises:

a flange residing between the first face and the second face;

and wherein an upstream carrier tube associated with the perforating gun extends over the first face and abuts the flange on a first side, and a downstream tandem sub holding the addressable switch extends over the second face and abuts the flange on a second side opposite the first side.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the first end of the first bulkhead is over-molded onto the electric line; and

the first end of the second bulkhead is over-molded onto the detonator wire.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the banana clip of the detonator pin is never in electrical communication with the banana clip of the electrical line.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein:

the banana clip of the signal transmission pin extends into the tandem sub; and

the banana clip of the detonator pin also extends into the tandem sub.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (11)

Cited By (6)

US 1,073,745 US 12,371,974 US 12,410,690 US 12,442,278 US 12,509,971 US 12,631,078