Propellant cartridge with restrictor plugs for fracturing wells
AssigneePropellant Fracturing & Stimulation, LLC
InventorJohn Tiernan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An apparatus for fracturing a well has a propellant charge held by a carrier, and upper and lower restrictor plugs secured to the carrier above and below the propellant charge, respectively. The restrictor plugs allow a restricted flow of combustion gases generated by the propellant charge to pass the restrictor plugs, but maintain sufficient pressure in the well between the restrictor plugs to fracture the formation surrounding the well.
Claims17
An apparatus for fracturing a well having a casing, said apparatus comprising:
- a carrier;
- a propellant charge held by the carrier;
- an upper restrictor plug secured to the carrier above the propellant charge allowing a restricted flow of combustion gases generated by the propellant charge to pass the upper restrictor plug;
- and
- a lower restrictor plug secured to the carrier below the propellant charge allowing a restricted flow of combustion gases generated by the propellant charge to pass the lower restrictor plug, whereby the upper and lower restrictor plugs maintain sufficient pressure in the well between the upper and lower restrictor plugs to fracture the formation surrounding the well.
An apparatus for fracturing a well having a casing, said apparatus comprising:
- a carrier;
- a propellant charge held by the carrier;
- an upper restrictor plug secured to the carrier above the propellant charge and having a diameter less than the inside diameter of the well casing to form a gap allowing a restricted flow of combustion gases generated by the propellant charge to pass the upper restrictor plug;
- and
- a lower restrictor plug secured to the carrier below the propellant charge and having a diameter less than the inside diameter of the well casing to form a gap allowing a restricted flow of combustion gases generated by the propellant charge to pass the lower restrictor plug, whereby the upper and lower restrictor plugs maintain sufficient pressure in the well between the upper and lower restrictor plugs to fracture the formation surrounding the well and the pressures exerted by the combustion gases on the upper and lower restrictor plugs are transmitted through the carrier to substantially offset one another.
An apparatus for fracturing a well having a casing, said apparatus comprising:
- a tubular carrier having perforations;
- a propellant charge held within the carrier, said perforations allowing the escape of combustion gases produced by the propellant charge from within the carrier;
- an upper restrictor plug secured to the carrier above the propellant charge allowing a restricted flow of combustion gases generated by the propellant charge to pass the upper restrictor plug;
- and
- a lower restrictor plug secured to the carrier below the propellant charge allowing a restricted flow of combustion gases generated by the propellant charge to pass the lower restrictor plug, whereby the upper and lower restrictor plugs maintain sufficient pressure in the well between the upper and lower restrictor plugs to fracture the formation surrounding the well.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.