Perforating string with longitudinal shock de-coupler

• US 8,397,800 B2
• Filed: 12/14/2011
• Issued: 03/19/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Rodgers, John P., Burleson, John D., Glenn, Timothy S., Eaton, Edwin A., Serra, Marco
• Primary Examiner(s): GAY, JENNIFER HAWKINS
• Application Number:
  US13/325,866
• Publication Number:
  US 20120152615A1
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 166/297, 166/377, 166/55, 166/168, 166/178, 166/242.1, 175/2
• US Class Current: 166/55
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 17/07 Telescoping joints for varying drill string lengths; Shock absorbers
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/1195 Replacement of drilling mud; decrease of undesirable shock waves

Abstract

A shock de-coupler for use with a perforating string can include perforating string connectors at opposite ends of the de-coupler, a longitudinal axis extending between the connectors, and a biasing device which resists displacement of one connector relative to the other connector in both opposite directions along the longitudinal axis, whereby the first connector is biased toward a predetermined position relative to the second connector. A perforating string can include a shock de-coupler interconnected longitudinally between components of the perforating string, with the shock de-coupler variably resisting displacement of one component away from a predetermined position relative to the other component in each longitudinal direction, and in which a compliance of the shock de-coupler substantially decreases in response to displacement of the first component a predetermined distance away from the predetermined position relative to the second component.

Claims

1. A shock de-coupler for use with a perforating string, the de-coupler comprising:

first and second perforating string connectors at opposite ends of the de-coupler, a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second connectors; and

at least first and second biasing devices which resist displacement of the first connector relative to the second connector in both of first and second opposite directions along the longitudinal axis, whereby the first connector is biased toward a predetermined position relative to the second connector, wherein the first biasing device is compressed in response to displacement of the first connector in the first direction relative to the second connector, and the second biasing device is compressed in response to displacement of the first connector in the second direction relative to the second connector.

2. A shock de-coupler for use with a perforating string, the de-coupler comprising:

first and second perforating string connectors at opposite ends of the de-coupler, a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second connectors; and

at least one biasing device which resists displacement of the first connector relative to the second connector in both of first and second opposite directions along the longitudinal axis, whereby the first connector is biased toward a predetermined position relative to the second connector,

wherein the biasing device is placed in compression in response to displacement of the first connector in the first direction relative to the second connector, wherein the biasing device is placed in tension in response to displacement of the first connector in the second direction relative to the second connector, and wherein the first connector is prevented from rotating relative to the second connector.

3. A shock de-coupler for use with a perforating string, the de-coupler comprising:

first and second perforating string connectors at opposite ends of the de-coupler, a longitudinal axis extending between the first and second connectors; and

at least one biasing device which resists displacement of the first connector relative to the second connector in both of first and second opposite directions along the longitudinal axis, whereby the first connector is biased toward a predetermined position relative to the second connector, and wherein a compliance of the biasing device substantially decreases in response to displacement of the first connector a predetermined distance toward the second connector.

4. A perforating string, comprising:

a shock de-coupler interconnected longitudinally between first and second components of the perforating string,

wherein the shock de-coupler variably resists displacement of the first component away from a predetermined position relative to the second component in each of first and second longitudinal directions,

wherein a compliance of the shock de-coupler substantially decreases in response to displacement of the first component a predetermined distance away from the predetermined position relative to the second component,

wherein the de-coupler comprises at least first and second perforating string connectors at opposite ends of the de-coupler, and at least first and second biasing devices which resist displacement of the first connector relative to the second connector in each of the longitudinal directions, whereby the first component is biased toward the predetermined position relative to the second component, and

wherein the first biasing device is compressed in response to displacement of the first connector in the first direction relative to the second connector, and the second biasing device is compressed in response to displacement of the first connector in the second direction relative to the second connector.

5. A perforating string, comprising:

a shock de-coupler interconnected longitudinally between first and second components of the perforating string,

wherein the shock de-coupler variably resists displacement of the first component away from a predetermined position relative to the second component in each of first and second longitudinal directions,

wherein a compliance of the shock de-coupler substantially decreases in response to displacement of the first component a predetermined distance away from the predetermined position relative to the second component,

wherein the de-coupler comprises at least first and second perforating string connectors at opposite ends of the de-coupler, and at least one biasing device which resists displacement of the first connector relative to the second connector in each of the longitudinal directions, whereby the first component is biased toward the predetermined position relative to the second component,

wherein the biasing device is placed in compression in response to displacement of the first connector in the first direction relative to the second connector, wherein the biasing device is placed in tension in response to displacement of the first connector in the second direction relative to the second connector, and wherein the first connector is prevented from rotating relative to the second connector.