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US 12,747,656 B1Granted
Downhole perforating gun tube and components
AssigneeSWM International, LLC
InventorsDawna Mauldin, Sidney W. Mauldin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A gun tube for a downhole perforating gun assembly includes a body having a cavity and one or more weights in the cavity. Gravity acts on the weights, which causes the tube body to rotate around its longitudinal axis so the weights are adjacent the lower part of the wellbore in which the gun assembly is positioned when oriented horizontally. This position shape charges in the gun tube in a desired position prior to the shape charges being fired. The gun tube may also include one or more end connectors with electrical contacts having a first, extended position, and a second, contracted position, and/or end connectors that can be assembled by hand without the use of tools.
Claims20
A downhole perforating gun system, comprising:
- an outer body configured to connect to the downhole perforating gun system;
- an inner body disposed inside the outer body and having at least one explosive charge receptacle, the inner body having a longitudinal axis and having a center of gravity offset from the longitudinal axis of the inner body;
- a first rotational assembly comprising a first structure and a second structure, the first and second structures being rotatable relative to one another, the first structure engaged with at least a portion the inner body, the second structure engaged with at least a portion of the outer body, the first rotational assembly rotatably supporting the inner body relative to the outer body and being configured to permit radial orientation of the inner body about the longitudinal axis relative to the outer body based on the center of gravity of the inner body;
- and
- an electrical connection having a first portion and a second portion, the first portion being configured to conduct electrical communication of the downhole perforating gun system through the first rotational assembly, the second portion being configured to conduct the electrical communication at least partially through the inner body.
2 more elements
A downhole perforating gun system, comprising:
- an outer body comprising an outer casing and a first sub-assembly, the outer casing having first and second ends and defining an interior therein, the first sub-assembly being configured to connect the first end of the outer casing to the downhole perforating gun system;
- an inner body disposed in the interior of the outer casing and having at least one explosive charge receptacle, the inner body having a longitudinal axis and having a center of gravity offset from the longitudinal axis of the inner body;
- a first rotational assembly comprising a first structure and a second structure, the first and second structures being rotatable relative to one another, the first structure engaged with at least a portion of the inner body, the second structure engaged with at least a portion of the first sub-assembly, the first rotational assembly rotatably supporting the inner body relative to the outer body and being configured to permit radial orientation of the inner body about the longitudinal axis relative to the outer body based on the center of gravity of the inner body;
- and
- an electrical connection being configured to conduct electrical communication of the downhole perforating gun system through the first rotational assembly, the electrical connection comprising:
- a first electrical conductor associated with the inner body and being configured to conduct the electrical communication at least partially through the inner body, and
- a second electrical conductor associated with the first sub-assembly, the second electrical conductor being in electrical contact with the first electrical conductor.
4 more elements
A downhole perforating gun system, comprising:
- an outer body comprising an outer casing and a first sub-assembly, the outer casing having first and second ends and defining an interior therein, the first sub-assembly being configured to connect the first end of the outer casing to the downhole perforating gun system;
- an inner body disposed in the interior of the outer casing, the inner body having a longitudinal axis and having at least one explosive charge receptacle;
- one or more weight elements disposed on the inner body and providing the inner body with a center of gravity offset from the longitudinal axis of the inner body;
- a first rotational assembly comprising a first structure and a second structure, the first and second structures being rotatable relative to one another, the first structure engaged with at least a portion of the inner body, the second structure engaged with at least a portion of the first sub-assembly, the first rotational assembly rotatably supporting the inner body relative to the outer body and being configured to permit radial orientation of the inner body about the longitudinal axis relative to the outer body based on the center of gravity provided by the one or more weight elements;
- and
- an electrical connection being configured to conduct electrical communication of the downhole perforating gun system through the first rotational assembly, the electrical connection comprising:
- a first electrical contact associated with the inner body and being configured to conduct the electrical communication at least partially through the inner body, and
- a second electrical contact associated with the first sub-assembly, the second electrical contact being in electrical contact with the first electrical contact.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.