# US 11,994,008 B2 · Loaded perforating gun with plunging charge assembly and method of using same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,994,008 B2 - Document ID: US11994008B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/585,446 - Filed: 2022-01-26 - Published: 2022-05-12 - Granted: 2024-05-28 - Earliest claimed: 2018-08-10 - Assignees: GR Energy Services Management, LP - Applicants: GR Energy Services Management, LP - Inventors: James William Anthony; Cameron Michael Bryant; Vadim Akhmadikin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11994008B2 ## CPC - E21B 43/116: Gun or shaped-charge perforators - E21B 43/117: Shaped-charge perforators (E21B43/118 takes precedence) - E21B 43/119: Details, e.g. for locating perforating place or direction - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A loaded perforating gun and/or downhole perforating tool are assembled and used for perforating a wellbore. The loaded perforating gun includes a gun housing, a detonator assembly, and a plunging charge assembly. The plunging charge assembly includes a charge tube, a shaped charge, and a plunger. The plunger includes a receiving cap, and a detonator cord supported in the receiving cap. The shaped charge is operatively connected to the detonator cord. The detonator is selectively connected to the detonator cord by the plunger. The plunging charge assembly is movable between a disarmed position with the detonator cord disconnected from the detonator assembly and an armed position with the detonator cord operatively connected to the detonator assembly whereby, when the detonator can selectively pass a detonation signal via the detonator cord to the shaped charges. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A loaded perforating gun positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the loaded perforating gun comprising: a gun housing; a detonator assembly positioned in the gun housing, the detonator assembly comprising a detonator and a detonation switch; and a plunging charge assembly positioned in the gun housing, the plunging charge assembly comprising: a charge tube, a shaped charge supported in the charge tube, and a plunger comprising a receiving cap and a detonator cord, the receiving cap connected to the charge tube, the detonator cord supported in the receiving cap, the shaped charge operatively connected to the detonator cord; wherein the plunging charge assembly is selectively movable between a disarmed position with the detonator cord disconnected from the detonator assembly and an armed position with the detonator cord operatively connected to the detonator of the detonator assembly whereby the detonator can selectively pass a detonation signal to the shaped charge; and wherein the plunger further comprises a compression mechanism. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The loaded perforating gun of claim 1, wherein the detonator assembly comprises a detonator housing, the compression mechanism compressible between the plunging charge assembly and the detonator housing. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The loaded perforating gun of claim 1, further comprising a bulkhead assembly at one end of the gun housing and an endcap at an opposite end of the gun housing. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The loaded perforating gun of claim 3, wherein the bulkhead assembly is connected to the detonator assembly. ### Claim 5 (depends on 3) The loaded perforating gun of claim 3, wherein the endcap is connected to the plunging charge assembly. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The loaded perforating gun of claim 1, wherein the detonation switch is communicatively connected to the detonator and a surface unit to pass activation signals therebetween. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The loaded perforating gun of claim 1, wherein the detonator assembly further comprises a detonator housing and a detonator nose, the detonator supported in the detonator housing and the detonator nose. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The loaded perforating gun of claim 7, wherein the detonator nose supports the detonator therein, the detonator nose extendable into the receiving cap and slidably movable about the receiving cap for selective engagement between the detonator and the detonator cord. ### Claim 9 A downhole perforating tool positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the downhole perforating tool comprising: a tool housing; and a loaded perforating gun positionable about the tool housing, the loaded perforating gun comprising: a gun housing; a detonator assembly positioned in the gun housing, the detonator assembly comprising a detonator and a detonation switch; and a plunging charge assembly positioned in the gun housing, the plunging charge assembly comprising: a charge tube, a shaped charge supported in the charge tube, and a plunger comprising a receiving cap and a detonator cord, the receiving cap connected to the charge tube, the detonator cord supported in the receiving cap, the shaped charge operatively connected to the detonator cord; wherein the plunging charge assembly is selectively movable between a disarmed position with the detonator cord disconnected from the detonator assembly and an armed position with the detonator cord operatively connected to the detonator of the detonator assembly whereby the detonator can selectively pass a detonation signal to the shaped charge; and wherein the plunger further comprises a compression mechanism. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The downhole perforating tool of claim 9, wherein the detonator assembly comprises a detonator housing, the compression mechanism compressible between the plunging charge assembly and the detonator housing. ### Claim 11 A method of assembling a downhole perforating gun, comprising: positioning a plunging charge assembly and a detonator assembly in a tool housing; connecting a detonation cord between a plunger of the plunging charge assembly and a shaped charge in the plunging charge assembly; and selectively arming the detonator assembly by selectively moving the plunging charge assembly between a disarmed position with the detonator cord disconnected from a detonator in the detonator assembly and an armed position with the detonator cord connected to the detonator; wherein the selectively arming the detonator comprises shifting the plunging charge assembly to the disarmed position such that the detonator is isolated from the plunging charge assembly. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the selectively arming the detonator assembly comprises selectively moving the detonator into contact with the detonator assembly by compressing the plunger against the detonator assembly. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the selectively arming the detonator assembly comprises communicatively connecting the detonator to the shaped charge by shifting the plunging charge assembly to the armed position. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising communicatively connecting a communication link from a surface unit to a switch of the detonator assembly. ### Claim 15 A method of perforating a wellbore, comprising: providing a loaded perforating gun comprising a gun housing with a plunging charge assembly and a detonator assembly therein, the detonator assembly comprising a detonator; shifting the plunging charge assembly to a disarmed position such that the detonator is isolated from the plunging charge assembly; selectively moving the plunging charge assembly from the disarmed position to an armed position such that, in the armed position, a detonator cord in the plunging charge assembly is connected to a shaped charge in the plunging charge assembly and to a detonator in the detonator assembly; positioning the loaded perforating gun in the wellbore with the plunging charge assembly in the armed position; and while the plunging charge assembly is in the armed position, detonating the shaped charge by sending a detonation signal from the detonator and to the shaped charge via the detonator cord. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, further comprising selectively connecting a communication link from a surface unit to a detonator switch and from the detonator switch to the detonator. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, wherein, in the armed position, the communication link is connected to the detonator and in the disarmed position the communication link is disconnected from the detonator. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The method of claim 16, further comprising sending a trigger signal from the surface unit to the detonator via the communication link. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the selectively moving the plunging charge assembly comprises shifting the plunging charge assembly while compressing a compression mechanism between the plunging charge assembly and the detonator assembly. ### Claim 20 A loaded perforating gun positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the loaded perforating gun comprising: a gun housing; a detonator assembly positioned in the gun housing, the detonator assembly comprising a detonator and a detonation switch; and a plunging charge assembly positioned in the gun housing, the plunging charge assembly comprising: a charge tube, a shaped charge supported in the charge tube, and a plunger comprising a receiving cap and a detonator cord, the receiving cap connected to the charge tube, the detonator cord supported in the receiving cap, the shaped charge operatively connected to the detonator cord; wherein the plunging charge assembly is selectively movable between a disarmed position with the detonator cord disconnected from the detonator assembly and an armed position with the detonator cord operatively connected to the detonator of the detonator assembly whereby the detonator can selectively pass a detonation signal to the shaped charge; and wherein the detonator assembly further comprises a detonator housing and a detonator nose, the detonator supported in the detonator housing and the detonator nose. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The loaded perforating gun of claim 20, wherein the detonator nose supports the detonator therein, the detonator nose extendable into the receiving cap and slidably movable about the receiving cap for selective engagement between the detonator and the detonator cord. ### Claim 22 A downhole perforating tool positionable in a wellbore penetrating a subterranean formation, the downhole perforating tool comprising: a tool housing; and a loaded perforating gun positionable about the tool housing, the loaded perforating gun comprising: a gun housing; a detonator assembly positioned in the gun housing, the detonator assembly comprising a detonator and a detonation switch; and a plunging charge assembly positioned in the gun housing, the plunging charge assembly comprising: a charge tube, a shaped charge supported in the charge tube, and a plunger comprising a receiving cap and a detonator cord, the receiving cap connected to the charge tube, the detonator cord supported in the receiving cap, the shaped charge operatively connected to the detonator cord; wherein the plunging charge assembly is selectively movable between a disarmed position with the detonator cord disconnected from the detonator assembly and an armed position with the detonator cord operatively connected to the detonator of the detonator assembly whereby the detonator can selectively pass a detonation signal to the shaped charge; and wherein the detonator assembly further comprises a detonator housing and a detonator nose, the detonator supported in the detonator housing and the detonator nose. ### Claim 23 (depends on 22) The downhole perforating tool of claim 22, wherein the detonator nose supports the detonator therein, the detonator nose extendable into the receiving cap and slidably movable about the receiving cap for selective engagement between the detonator and the detonator cord.