Integrated detonators for use with explosive devices

• US 8,091,477 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2004
• Issued: 01/10/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/27/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Original Assignee: Schlumberger Technology Corporation (SLB)
• Inventors: Brooks, James E., Lerche, Nolan C., Veneruso, Anthony F.
• Primary Examiner(s): DAVID, MICHAEL D
• Application Number:
  US10/711,809
• Publication Number:
  US 20050178282A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,652 Days
• Field of Search: 102/202.5, 102/202.7, 102/202.14, 102/206, 102/207, 102/210, 102/215, 102/217, 102/218, 102/275.11, 361/248, 361/249, 361/251, 361/252
• US Class Current: 102/202.7
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/1185 Ignition systems
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/121 Initiators with incorporated integrated circuit
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/122 Programmable electronic delay initiators
• CPC Class Codes: F42D 1/055 specially adapted for firing multiple charges with a time delay
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/162 incorporating printed capacitors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/167 incorporating printed resistors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A detonator assembly includes a capacitor, an initiator, a transformer and an addressable chip. The initiator is electrically connected to the capacitor, the transformer is mechanically and electrically connected to the capacitor and the addressable chip is mechanically and electrically connected to the transformer. The initiator may be bonded or fused to the capacitor, and the transformer may be bonded or fused to the capacitor. The capacitor, initiator, transformer and addressable chip form a unified integrated detonating unit.

Claims

1. A detonator assembly, comprising:

a capacitor;

an initiator mechanically and electrically connected to the capacitor;

a transformer mechanically and electrically connected to the capacitor; and

an addressable digital chip mechanically and electrically connected to the transformer, wherein the capacitor, initiator, transformer, and addressable chip form a unified integrated detonating unit configured to respond to a command communicated from a remote source to activate an explosive;

wherein the detonator assembly is connected with a perforating string and a carrier line, the carrier line being at least one selected from a list comprising;

wireline, electrical cable, slickline, and tubing; and

the carrier line connecting with the detonator assembly and perforating string downhole and extending uphole, wherein the remote source of the command is uphole and the command is transmitted along the carrier line to the detonator assembly.

2. The detonator assembly of claim 1, further comprising a capacitor discharge unit, the capacitor discharge unit comprising the capacitor and a resistor.

3. The detonator assembly of claim 2, wherein the capacitor discharge unit further comprises a thick-film circuit that electrically connects the capacitor and the resistor.

4. The detonator assembly of claim 3, wherein the resistor comprises a bleeder resistor formed by thick-film deposition, the bleeder resistor adapted to bleed charge from the capacitor.

5. The detonator assembly of claim 4, wherein the resistor comprises a charging resistor formed by thick-film deposition, the charging resistor adapted to receive a charging voltage for the capacitor.

6. The detonator assembly of claim 2, wherein the capacitor discharge unit further comprises an integrated micro-switch, the micro-switch adapted electrically to couple the charge from the capacitor to the initiator when activated.

7. The detonator assembly of claim 6, wherein the micro-switch comprises one of a microelectromechanical system switch, a bistable microelectromechanical switch, a spark gap switch, a switch having nanotube electron emitters, a MOSFET, and an IGFET.

8. The detonator assembly of claim 2, wherein the initiator comprises an exploding foil initiator fused directly to the capacitor discharge unit.

9. The detonator assembly of claim 2, wherein the capacitor is fabricated from a dielectric ceramic material.

10. The detonator assembly of claim 2, wherein the resistor is selected from the group consisting of a thick-film resistor and a thin-film resistor.

11. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the initiator comprises one of a semiconductor bridge, exploding bridge wire, and exploding foil initiator.

12. The detonator assembly of claim 1, further comprising an explosive proximate the initiator.

13. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the transformer is a piezoelectric transformer.

14. The detonator assembly of claim 1, further comprising a second transformer adapted to generate a trigger pulse to fire the initiator.

15. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to identify one or more initiators from a set of initiators.

16. The detonator assembly of claim 15, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to selectively charge one or more initiators from the set of initiators.

17. The detonator assembly of claim 15, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to selectively delay for a predetermined time the charging of one or more initiators from the set of initiators.

18. The detonator assembly of claim 15, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to selectively fire one or more initiators from the set of initiators.

19. The detonator assembly of claim 15, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to selectively delay for a predetermined time the firing of one or more initiators from the set of initiators.

20. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to inactivate the initiator.

21. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to activate a sensor.

22. The detonator assembly of claim 21, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.

23. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to disconnect a bottom-fired initiator from a string of initiators.

24. The detonator assembly of claim 1, further comprising a housing adapted to house the unified integrated detonating unit.

25. The detonator assembly of claim 24, wherein the housing has an outer diameter of approximately 0.28 inches.

26. The detonator assembly of claim 24, wherein the housing is adapted to couple with a detonating cord having a predetermined diameter.

27. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the command is communicated to the unified integrated detonating unit via a stimulus comprising an electrical signal, a motion signal, a hydraulic pressure or pressure pulses.

28. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the remote source is disposed in a well.

29. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the remote source is disposed at the surface of a well.

30. The detonator assembly of claim 1, wherein the unified integrated detonating unit is adapted to be disposed in its entirety downhole in the well.

31. A detonator assembly, comprising:

a capacitor;

an initiator mechanically and electrically connected to the capacitor;

a transformer electrically connected to the capacitor, the transformer being bonded or fused to the capacitor; and

an addressable digital chip mechanically and electrically connected to the transformer, wherein the capacitor, initiator, transformer, and addressable chip form a unified integrated detonating unit configured to respond to a command communicated from a remote source to activate an explosive;

wherein the detonator assembly is connected with a perforating string and a carrier line, the carrier line being at least one selected from a list comprising;

wireline, electrical cable, slickline, and tubing; and

the carrier line connecting with the detonator assembly and perforating string downhole and extending uphole, wherein the remote source of the command is uphole and the command is transmitted along the carrier line to the detonator assembly.

32. The detonator assembly of claim 31, further comprising a capacitor discharge unit, the capacitor discharge unit comprising the capacitor and a resistor.

33. The detonator assembly of claim 32, wherein the capacitor discharge unit further comprises a thick-film circuit that electrically connects the capacitor and the resistor.

34. The detonator assembly of claim 33, wherein the resistor comprises a bleeder resistor formed by thick-film deposition, the bleeder resistor adapted to bleed charge from the capacitor.

35. The detonator assembly of claim 34, wherein the resistor comprises a charging resistor formed by thick-film deposition, the charging resistor adapted to receive a charging voltage for the capacitor.

36. The detonator assembly of claim 32, wherein the capacitor discharge unit further comprises an integrated micro-switch, the micro-switch adapted electrically to couple the charge from the capacitor to the initiator when activated.

37. The detonator assembly of claim 36, wherein the micro-switch comprises one of a microelectromechanical system switch, a bistable microelectromechanical switch, a spark gap switch, a switch having nanotube electron emitters, a MOSFET, and an IGFET.

38. The detonator assembly of claim 32, wherein the initiator comprises an exploding foil initiator fused directly to the capacitor discharge unit.

39. The detonator assembly of claim 32, wherein the capacitor is fabricated from a dielectric ceramic material.

40. The detonator assembly of claim 32, wherein the resistor is selected from the group consisting of a thick-film resistor and a thin-film resistor.

41. The detonator assembly of claim 31, wherein the initiator comprises one of a semiconductor bridge, exploding bridge wire, and exploding foil initiator.

42. The detonator assembly of claim 31, further comprising an explosive proximate the initiator.

43. The detonator assembly of claim 31, wherein the transformer is a piezoelectric transformer.

44. The detonator assembly of claim 31, further comprising a second transformer adapted to generate a trigger pulse to fire the initiator.

45. The detonator assembly of claim 31, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to identify one or more initiators from a set of initiators.

46. The detonator assembly of claim 45, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to selectively charge one or more initiators from the set of initiators.

47. The detonator assembly of claim 46, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to selectively delay for a predetermined time the charging of one or more initiators from the set of initiators.

48. The detonator assembly of claim 46, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to selectively fire one or more initiators from the set of initiators.

49. The detonator assembly of claim 46, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to selectively delay for a predetermined time the firing of one or more initiators from the set of initiators.

50. The detonator assembly of claim 31, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to inactivate the initiator.

51. The detonator assembly of claim 31, wherein the addressable chip is adapted to activate a sensor.

52. The detonator assembly of claim 51, wherein the sensor is a pressure sensor.

53. The detonator assembly of claim 31, wherein the command is communicated to the unified integrated detonating unit via a stimulus comprising an electrical signal, a motion signal, a hydraulic pressure or pressure pulses.

54. The detonator assembly of claim 31, wherein the remote source is disposed in a well.

55. The detonator assembly of claim 31, wherein the remote source is disposed at the surface of a well.

56. The detonator assembly of claim 31, wherein the unified integrated detonating unit is adapted to be disposed in its entirety downhole in the well.