Fluid activated detonating system
AssigneeConoco Inc.
InventorMalak E. Yunan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid actuated detonating device is shown being used to activate explosive devices in a borehole. The detonating device has an explosive detonation charge arranged in a housing wherein a rupture disc in the wall of the housing separates the explosive charge from a fluid environment so that when pressure in the fluid environment is raised to a sufficient level the rupture disc fails and communicates a sudden pressure wave to the explosive to detonate the explosive.
Claims15
A fluid activated detonating system comprising:
- housing means, wherein at least a portion of the housing means is in communication with a fluid environment;
- detonator means in said housing, said detonator means being activated in responsive to a pressure pulse;
- rupture means closing a portion of said housing which would otherwise communicate said detonator means with the fluid environment;
- and
- explosive means for generating a pressure wave in said fluid environment to rupture said rupture means and thereby expose said detonator means to a pressure pulse.
A method of detonating an explosive device in a fluid environment, comprising the steps of:
- providing a housing for an explosive device, wherein the housing has a rupture portion that is weakened to permit rupture at a predetermined fluid pressure outside said housing;
- said housing having a detonator charge arranged therein, which detonator charge is activated by a sudden exposure to pressure and wherein said housing is arranged in the wall of a pipe:
- positioning the pipe in a borehole penetrating earth formations;
- and
- generating a pressure wave in the borehole to increase the pressure on the exterior of the housing to rupture the rupture portion on the housing and suddenly expose the detonator charge to the force of the pressure rupturing said rupture portion.
A detonating system for use in a wellbore comprising;
- housing means for carrying a detonator charge into the wellbore, said housing means having at least one opening therein;
- rupture means covering said at least one opening, said rupture means arranged for rupturing when subjected to a pressure pulse;
- said detonator charge arranged to be detonated in response to rupture of said rupture disc by a sudden pressure pulse generated outside said housing;
- and
- shaped charge means in said housing means and activatable in response to detonation of said detonator charge.
A fluid activated detonating system comprising:
- housing means wherein at least a portion of the housing means is in communication with an external fluid environment;
- said housing means enclosing at least one explosive charge, said explosive charge being activated in response to a pressure wave;
- at least one portion of said housing means being in the form of a rupture means;
- said rupture means being in communication with said external fluid environment;
- explosive means for generating a pressure wave in said external fluid environment to breach said rupture means and thereby expose said explosive charge to the pressure wave.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.