PERFORATING GUN SYSTEM AND METHOD

• US 20190330962A1
• Filed: 11/30/2017
• Published: 10/31/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GeoDynamics, Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: GeoDynamics, Incorporated (Oil States International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hardesty, John T., Yang, Wenbo, Roessler, Dennis E.
• Granted Patent: US 10,641,068 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/117 Shaped-charge perforators E21B43/118 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/119 Details, e.g. for locating perforating place or direction

Abstract

A perforating gun system having gun sections coupled together with adapters. Each of the gun sections are adjustable to be offset relative to one another and each gun section is also decentralized with respect to the inside diameter of the wellbore casing. Each of the gun sections are movable in succession to an interval in the wellbore casing to create perforations such that the percentage of the casing openings is large for substantial fluid flow. The alignment and diameters of the gun sections are chosen to occupy the entire inner diameter of the casing.

Claims

1. A perforating gun system comprising:

at least two gun sections coupled together, one of the at least two gun sections configured to be angularly offset relative to another of the at least two gun sections;

wherein during use each of the at least two gun sections is configured to be movable in succession to a predetermined position, when deployed in a well casing.

2. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections is configured to be angularly offset relative to adjacent ones.

3. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein the at least two gun sections are coupled together such that an axial center line of each gun section is mechanically adjustable relative to an axial centerline of adjacent gun sections.

4. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections are positioned proximate to different circular arc sections of an inside surface of a well casing.

5. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections is configured to perforate different circular arc sections of an inside surface of a well casing.

6. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections is configured to create new perforations without overlapping perforations made from another of the at least two gun sections.

7. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections is configured to create new perforations overlapping at least one perforation made from another of the at least two gun sections.

8. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein a cross-section of the perforating gun system has an outer diameter that approximates an inner diameter of the well casing.

9. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein the at least two gun sections are connected together with adapters configured to prevent the gun sections from rotating or separating relative to each other.

10. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein the at least two gun sections are decentralized with respect to the well casing.

11. The perforating gun system of claim 10 further comprising a spacer attached to one or more of the at least two gun sections so each of the at least two gun sections are decentralized with respect to the well casing.

12. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein the perforating gun system is deployed with tubing conveyed perforating.

13. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein the perforating gun system is deployed with coil tubing.

14. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein a number of individual guns in each of the at least two gun sections ranges from 2 to 20.

15. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein a number of gun sections in the perforating gun system ranges from 2 to 3.

16. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined position spans an interval of perforating ranges from 20 feet to 600 feet.

17. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein a water gap between an outer diameter for each of the at least two gun sections and the inner surface of a well casing ranges from 0.1 inch to 15 inches.

18. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein an outer diameter of each of the at least two gun sections ranges from 5 inch to 12 inches.

19. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein a percentage of a well casing removal in the interval ranges from 1.5 to 10.

20. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein a range of angular offset of each of the at least two gun sections with respect an adjacent gun section ranges from 0 degrees to 180 degrees.

21. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections are individually actuated.

22. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections are self-isolating after perforating.

23. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections are armed by hydrostatic pressure in the well casing.

24. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections are armed using one or more timers.

25. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each of the at least two gun sections are connected to one or more control lines.

26. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein a portion of a circumference of each of the at least two gun sections are overlapping with circumferences of other gun sections within the well casing.

27. The perforating gun system of claim 1 wherein each gun section of the at least two gun sections is capable of a shot density of about 12 to 20 shot per foot.

28. A perforating method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing a perforating gun system comprising at least two gun sections coupled together, one of the at least two gun sections configured to be angularly offset relative to another of the at least two gun sections;

(2) deploying the gun system into a well casing;

(3) positioning a first gun section of the at least two gun sections at the predetermined position in the well casing;

(4) perforating the interval with the first gun section;

(5) moving a next gun section in the at least two gun sections to the predetermined position in the well casing;

(6) perforating the predetermined position with a next gun section; and

(7) repeating steps (5) and (6) until all the gun sections perforate at the predetermined position.

29. The perforation method of claim 28 wherein the step of perforating includes detonating the gun section.

30. The perforation method of claim 29 wherein the step of perforating includes detonating the gun section using a hydraulic connection.

31. The perforation method of claim 28 wherein the predetermined position in the well casing is at a point where a well is to be sealed and abandoned.

32. The perforation method of claim 28 further comprising the step of repositioning the perforating gun system without rotating the perforating gun system.

33. The perforation method of claim 28 further comprising the step of orienting each of the gun sections with respect to one another.

34. The perforation method of claim 28 wherein each of the at least two gun sections is fully loaded.

35. The perforation method of claim 28 wherein each of the at least two gun sections is partially loaded.

36. The perforation method of claim 28 wherein each of the at least two gun sections uses a spiral phasing of charge.