Method for Perforating a Wellbore in Low Underbalance Systems
AssigneeGeodynamics, Inc.
InventorsMatthew Robert George Bell, David S. Wesson, Nathan Garret Clark, John Thomas Hardesty
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Abstract
By substantially eliminating the crushed zone surrounding a perforation tunnel and expelling debris created upon activation of a shaped charge with first and second successive explosive events, the need for surge flow associated with underbalanced perforating techniques is eliminated. The break down of the rock fabric at the tunnel tip, caused by the near-instantaneous overpressure generated within the tunnel, further creates substantially debris-free tunnels in conditions of limited or no underbalance as well as in conditions of overbalance.
Claims10
A method for perforating a wellbore in balanced, over-balanced, or low underbalanced conditions, said method comprising the steps of:
- a) loading at least one reactive shaped charge within a charge carrier;
- b) positioning the charge carrier down a wellbore adjacent to an underground hydrocarbon bearing formation;
- c) detonating the shaped charge without the deliberate application of a pressure differential between the wellbore and reservoir to create a first and second explosive event, wherein the first explosive event creates at least one perforation tunnel within the adjacent formation, said perforation tunnel being surrounded by a crushed zone, and wherein the second explosive event eliminates a substantial portion of said crushed zone and expels debris from within said perforation tunnel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.