US 8,230,946 B2 · Apparatus and methods for sidewall percussion coring using a voltage activated igniter

Abstract

An apparatus and methods for sidewall percussion coring service are disclosed. In some embodiments, the side-wall percussion coring tool includes a voltage activated igniter, explosive material, and a core barrel in communication with the explosive material, wherein activation of the igniter causes detonation of the explosive material to propel the core barrel from tool. Some method embodiments for performing sidewall percussion coring service using the disclosed sidewall percussion coring tool include positioning the tool within a wellbore, activating the voltage activated igniter housed within the tool, detonating the explosive material within the tool with the voltage activated igniter, propelling a core barrel from the tool into the surrounding formation by detonation of the explosive material, retrieving the core barrel from the formation, and removing the tool from the wellbore.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A sidewall percussion coring tool including:

a tool housing;
an explosive material disposed within the tool housing;
a voltage activated igniter comprising:
an igniter housing that defines an internal volume;
a semiconductor bridge disposed within the internal volume;
a spark gap disposed within the internal volume and electrically coupled in series to the semiconductor bridge;
a capacitor disposed within the internal volume and electrically coupled in parallel with the spark gap and semiconductor bridge;
a resistor disposed within the internal volume and electrically coupled in parallel with the capacitor;
a pyrotechnic that abuts the semiconductor bridge, the pyrotechnic disposed within the internal volume;
an explosive charge that abuts the pyrotechnic, the explosive charge disposed within the internal volume;
and
a vent tube distinct from the igniter housing, the vent tube fluidly coupling the internal volume to the explosive charge into the explosive material;
and
a core barrel, the core barrel being propellable out of the housing by the detonation of the explosive material.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Apparatus and methods for sidewall percussion coring using a voltage activated igniter

Life of this patent

Apparatus and methods for sidewall percussion coring using a voltage activated igniter

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims12