Oriented perforating system
AssigneeDynaEnergetics Europe GmbH
InventorsChristian Eitschberger, Gernot Uwe Burmeister
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An orientable perforating gun assembly includes a gun housing and a charge carrier positioned within an interior space of the gun housing. The charge carrier supports a shaped charge in a fixed rotational orientation relative to the gun housing. The orientable perforating gun assembly further includes an orientation alignment ring rotatably connected to a first end of the gun housing.
Claims17
An orientable perforating gun assembly, comprising:
- a gun housing including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an intermediate portion extending between the first end and the second end, the intermediate portion of the gun housing defining an interior space, the first end being integrally formed with or attached to the intermediate portion such that the first end of the gun housing is configured to rotate with the intermediate portion of the gun housing;
- a charge carrier positioned in the interior space in a fixed rotational orientation relative to the gun housing, the charge carrier including a first end positioned adjacent to the first end of the gun housing, and a second end opposite the first end of the charge carrier and positioned adjacent to the second end of the gun housing;
- and
- an orientation alignment ring connected to and positioned about the first end of the gun housing, wherein the orientation alignment ring and the gun housing are configured to rotate relative to each other;
- wherein the charge carrier includes an initiator holder positioned at the second end of the charge carrier and configured for receiving an initiator assembly in a fixed rotational orientation relative to the charge carrier;
- and
- the initiator assembly includes an orientation sensor.
An orientable perforating gun assembly, comprising:
- a gun housing including a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, the gun housing defining an interior space that extends between the first end and the second end;
- a charge carrier positioned in the interior space of the gun housing, the charge carrier including a body having a first end, a second end opposite the first end of the body, and a shaped charge receptacle positioned between the first end of the body and the second end of the body, the shaped charge receptacle being configured to support a shaped charge therein, the charge carrier including an initiator holder positioned at the second end of the charge carrier;
- and
- an initiator assembly positioned in the initiator holder, wherein the initiator assembly includes an orientation sensor configured to determine an orientation of the initiator assembly within a wellbore.
A method for orienting a first perforating gun assembly relative to a second perforating gun assembly, the method comprising:
- rotating a gun housing of the first perforating gun assembly and an orientation alignment ring of the first perforating gun assembly relative to one another while the orientation alignment ring is coupled to and positioned about a first end of the gun housing;
- fixing a selected rotational orientation of the orientation alignment ring relative to the first end of the gun housing;
- inserting an initiator assembly including an orientation sensor into an initiator holder that is positioned at an end of a charge carrier of the first perforating gun assembly, the charge carrier supporting a shaped charge therein;
- and
- connecting the first perforating gun assembly to the second perforating gun assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.