Non frangible perforating gun system
A shaped charge assembly for use in a perforating gun that further comprises a charge carrier, and gun housing. The charge carrier substantially encapsulates the closed portion of the shaped charge and extends from the outer periphery of the shaped charge to the inner diameter of the associated gun housing. Encapsulating the shaped charge substantially reduces the introduction of debris into the wellbore resulting from detonation of the perforating gun shaped charges. The charge carrier can include a multiplicity of shaped charges therein.
1. A perforating gun comprising:
an annular gun housing;
a solid metal elongated charge carrier inserted into the gun housing, bores provided in an upper surface of the charge carrier, and a lateral surface on the charge carrier extending between opposing lateral sides of the upper surface, so that when the charge carrier is inserted into the gun housing substantially all of the lateral surface is in contact with the gun housing; and
shaped charges within the bores, each shaped charge having an open end, explosive in the open end, and a closed end, so that when the shaped charges are initiated, the configuration and composition of the charge carrier maintains the structural integrity of the shaped charge upon detonation of the explosive.
2. The perforating gun of claim 1 , wherein the charge carrier material density is at least about 19 g/cc.
3. The perforating gun of claim 2 , wherein said charge carrier is comprised of a substantially non-frangible substrate comprised of weblike links structurally interconnected.
4. The perforating gun of claim 1 , wherein the combined volume of the charge carrier and the shaped charge is about 65% of the total empty volume of the gun housing inner space and wherein the free volume within the gun housing is about 35% of the total empty volume of the gun housing inner space.
5. The perforating gun of claim 1 further comprising a gap in the region between the open end of the shaped charge and the gun housing.
6. The perforating gun of claim 1 further comprising a multiplicity of bores in the charge carrier with shaped charges therein.
7. The perforating gun of claim 6 , wherein the bores are arranged perpendicular to the axis of the charge carrier, and each of said bores are disposed at substantially the same radial location about the axis of the charge carrier.
8. The perforating gun of claim 6 , wherein each of said bores are arranged perpendicular to the axis of the charge carrier, and each of said bores are spaced about the axis of the charge carrier at multiple radial locations.
9. The perforating gun of claim 6 , wherein said bores form a spiral pattern along the outer surface of said charge carrier.
10. The perforating gun of claim 6 , wherein each of said multiplicity of shaped charges has an open end and wherein said shaped charge assembly further comprises a gap in the region between each of said open ends and the gun housing.
11. The perforating gun of claim 10 , further comprising explosive within each shaped charge, wherein said charge carrier maintains the structural integrity of each shaped charge upon detonation of the explosives.
12. The perforating gun of claim 1 , wherein said charge carrier comprises at least two modular segments.
13. A perforating gun comprising:
a gun housing;
a shaped charge housed within the gun housing, said shaped charge comprising a casing, a liner within the casing, and explosive between the casing and the liner, the casing having a base section and walls extending from the base section; and
a first charge carrier inserted into the gun housing, a bore provided in an upper surface of the first charge carrier, and a lateral surface on the first charge carrier extending between opposing lateral sides of the upper surface of the first charge carrier, so that when the charge carrier is inserted into the gun housing substantially all of the lateral surface is in contact with the gun housing;
a second charge carrier inserted into the gun housing having an upper surface that is disposed in a plane at an angle with respect to the upper surface of the first charge carrier, a bore provided in the upper surface of the second charge carrier, and a lateral surface on the second charge carrier extending between opposing lateral sides of the upper surface of the second charge carrier, so that when the charge carrier is inserted into the gun housing substantially all of the lateral surface of the second charge carrier is in contact with the gun housing;
a shaped charge within the bore in the first charge carrier and the bore in the second charge carrier, each shaped charge having an open end, explosive, and a closed end, so that when the shaped charges are initiated, the configuration and composition of the first and second charge carriers maintain the structural integrity of the shaped charges upon detonation of the explosive.
14. The perforating gun of claim 13 , wherein the charge carrier material density is at least about 19 g/cc.
15. The perforating gun of claim 14 , wherein said charge carrier is comprised of a substrate comprised of weblike links structurally interconnected.
16. The perforating gun of claim 13 , wherein the combined volume of the charge carrier and the shaped charge is about 65% of the total empty volume of the gun housing inner space and wherein the free volume within the gun housing is about 35% of the total empty volume of the gun housing inner space.
17. The perforating gun of claim 13 , wherein the first and second charge carriers each have planar sides that are in contact.
18. The perforating gun of claim 13 , wherein said charge carrier comprises at least two modular segments.
19. A method of perforating a wellbore comprising:
providing an annular perforating gun housing;
providing shaped charges each having a charge case with an open end and sides, a liner inserted into the open end, and explosive between the liner and charge case;
providing an elongated solid metal charge carrier having an upper surface along the length of the charge carrier defining lateral edges on opposing sides of the upper surface and a lower surface extending between the lateral edges that is profiled so that when the charge carrier is inserted into the gun housing, a substantial portion of the lower surface is in contact with the gun housing and a gap is between the upper surface and the gun housing;
forming bores in the upper surface of the charge carrier that are set apart a sufficient distance so that enough charge carrier material is between adjacent bores that prevents charge carrier fragmentation when the shaped charges are detonated within the bores;
disposing the shaped charges in the bore so that the charge carrier contactingly circumscribes sides of the shaped charges;
inserting the charge carrier with shaped charges into the gun housing;
disposing the gun housing with charge carrier and shaped charges into a wellbore;
detonating the shaped charges, and maintaining the structural integrity of the shaped charges upon detonation of the explosive by the configuration and composition of the charge carrier; and
removing the gun housing from the wellbore thereby also removing from the wellbore the charge carrier and substantially all of each charge casing.
20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising determining the amount of material required between adjacent bores so that the shaped charge detonation does not fragment the charge carrier.