Modulated formation perforating apparatus and method for fluidic jetting, drilling services or other formation penetration requirements

• US 9,388,684 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2013
• Issued: 07/12/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robertson Intellectual Properties, Llc
• Original Assignee: Robertson Intellectual Properties, Llc
• Inventors: Robertson, Michael C., Boelte, William F., Streibich, Douglas J.
• Primary Examiner(s): LOIKITH, CATHERINE A
• Application Number:
  US13/815,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20140262270A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,216 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/11 Perforators; Permeators
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/09 Locating or determining the position of objects in boreholes or wells , e.g. the position of an extending arm; Identifying the free or blocked portions of pipes

Abstract

Apparatus, systems, and methods, for perforating a downhole object while minimizing collateral damage to other objects, include use of a perforating device having a body, at least one fuel source having a characteristic that produces a selected mass flow rate, a selected burn rate, or combinations thereof, and an initiator for reacting the fuel to project a force through at least one port in the body. Characteristics of the at least one fuel source can include use of differing fuel types, shapes, and placement to achieve the desired mass flow rate or burn rate, and thus, a controlled force from the apparatus. An anchor or similar orienting device can be used to control the direction and position from which the force exits the apparatus. Openings formed in downhole objects can include a chamfered profile for facilitating future orientation or for injecting or removing substances from a formation.

Claims

1. A perforating apparatus comprising:

a body configured to contain;

at least one non-explosive fuel source disposed in the body comprising a first fuel type configured to produce a first mass flow rate and a first burn rate, and a second fuel type configured to produce a second mass flow rate and a second burn rate, wherein at least one of the first flow rate and the first burn rate is different from the second mass flow rate and the second burn rate;

an initiator configured to initiate a burn of said at least one non-explosive fuel source, causing said at least one non-explosive fuel source to produce a force comprising a selected mass flow rate, a selected burn rate, or combinations thereof, that selectively changes from the first mass flow and the first burn rate to the second mass flow and the second burn rate while the non-explosive fuel source is burning; and

a port configured to project the force to form an opening in a first downhole object while minimizing collateral damage to at least one second downhole object, wherein the at least one port is configured to direct the force as change occurs in the selected mass flowrate, the selected burn rate, or combinations thereof.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one port comprises a matrix of openings spaced such that flow through a first opening provides an additive effect when combined with flow through at least one second opening.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one port comprises a closable opening.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one fuel source comprises thermite.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the selected mass flow rate, the selected burn rate, or combinations thereof is determined by a characteristic of said at least one fuel source, wherein the characteristic comprises a type of fuel, a physical geometry of fuel, a position of a first type of fuel relative to a second type of fuel, a position of said at least one fuel source relative to said at least one port, or combinations thereof.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first downhole object comprises a tubular conduit.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said at least one second downhole object comprises cement, a producing formation, a geological formation, or combinations thereof.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the initiator comprises a thermal generator.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising an anchor secured to the body, wherein the anchor is adapted to secure the body at a selected depth within a wellbore, to provide a selected rotational orientation to the body for directional perforation operations, or combinations thereof.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the anchor comprises a pressure balance anchor.

11. A method for perforating a downhole object, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a perforating apparatus having at least one non-explosive fuel source disposed therein, wherein said at least one non-explosive fuel source comprises a first fuel type configured to produce a first mass flow rate and a first burn rate, and a second fuel type configured to produce a second mass flow rate and a second burn rate, wherein at least one of the first mass flow rate and the first burn rate is different from the second mass flow rate and the second burn rate;

reacting said at least one fuel source to produce a force comprising a selected mass flow rate, a selected burn rate, or combinations thereof that selectively changes from the first mass flow rate and the first burn rate to the second mass flow rate and the second burn rate while the non-explosive fuel source is burning; and

directing the force from the perforating apparatus through a port configured to direct the force as change occurs in the selected mass flow rate, the selected burn rate, or combinations thereof, to form an opening in a first downhole object while minimizing collateral damage to at least one second downhole object.

12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of providing a plurality of types of fuel, a selected physical geometry of fuel, a position of a first type of fuel relative to a second type of fuel, or combinations thereof, into the perforating apparatus to provide the selected mass flow rate, the selected burn rate, or combinations thereof.

13. The method of claim 11, wherein the first downhole object comprises a tubular conduit, and wherein said at least one second downhole object comprises cement, a producing formation, a geological formation, or combinations thereof.

14. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of securing the perforating apparatus at a fixed depth, a fixed rotational orientation, or combinations thereof.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the step of securing the perforating apparatus at the fixed depth, the fixed rotational orientation, or combinations thereof, comprises using an anchor in communication with the perforating apparatus.

16. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of directing the force from the apparatus to form the opening in the first downhole object comprises forming a chamfered opening in the first downhole object.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising using the chamfered opening to orient a downhole object, inject a substance into a well through the chamfered opening, remove a substance from a formation through the chamfered opening, or combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of directing the force from the perforating apparatus to form the opening in the first downhole object comprises projecting the force in an upward direction.

19. The method of claim 11, further comprising positioning the perforating apparatus in a substantially horizontal region of a wellbore.

20. The method of claim 11, wherein the perforating apparatus includes at least one opening, and wherein the step of directing the force from the perforating apparatus to form the opening comprises at least partially occluding said at least one opening in the perforating apparatus.