Perforating apparatus, firing assembly, and method

• US 7,350,448 B2
• Filed: 05/22/2006
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Shell Oil Company (Shell Plc)
• Inventors: Cernocky, Edward Paul, Bell, Matthew Robert George, Burres, Christopher, Lindfors, Allen, Ekelund, Aron, Murphy, Eugene
• Primary Examiner(s): JOHNSON, STEPHEN
• Application Number:
  US11/419,707
• Publication Number:
  US 20060196693A1
• Time in Patent Office: 680 Days
• Field of Search: 89/11.5, 102/207, 166/63, 175/4.55, 175/4.6
• US Class Current: 89/1.15
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/116 Gun or shaped-charge perforators
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/117 Shaped-charge perforators E21B43/118 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/1185 Ignition systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/119 Details, e.g. for locating perforating place or direction

Abstract

A firing assembly for activating a perforating device comprising a module having a first chamber and a second chamber. The firing assembly comprises a firing head for transferring ballistic energy to the perforating device, said firing head having a detonator and a plurality of ballistic charges, said detonator coupled to at least one of said first gun assembly and said second gun assembly a remote telemetry device for sending a detonation signal, a transmission medium for transmitting said detonation signal to said firing head, and a receiving device for receiving said detonation signal and a processor for interpreting said detonation signal and activating said detonator.

Claims

1. A firing assembly for activating a perforating device and perforating a subterranean earth formation through a wellbore lined with casing, said perforating device comprising a module having a first chamber and a second chamber, said first chamber including a first gun assembly and said second chamber including a second gun assembly, said firing assembly comprising:

a firing head for transferring ballistic energy to the perforating device, said firing head having a detonator and a plurality of ballistic charges, said detonator coupled to at least one of said first gun assembly and said second gun assembly;

a remote telemetry device for sending a detonation signal

a transmission medium for transmitting said detonation signal to said firing head; and

a receiving device for receiving said detonation signal and a processor for interpreting said detonation signal and activating said detonator, said detonator causing at least one of said plurality of ballistic charges to explode and detonate at least one of the first gun assembly and the second gun assembly

an isolating device to prevent short circuiting of said remote signaler after detonation of the at least one of the first gun assembly and the second gun assembly;

wherein said firing head is further comprised of;

a low voltage power source; and

a high-voltage device, said high-voltage device elevating a low voltage delivered from said low voltage power source to a higher voltage sufficient to activate said detonator.

2. The firing assembly of claim 1, wherein said detonation signal comprises at least one electronic, electromagnetic, acoustic, seismic, hydraulic, optical, and radio component.

3. The firing assembly of claim 1, wherein said transmission medium comprises at least one continuous and non-continuous connection.

4. The firing assembly of claim 3, wherein the at least one continuous and non-continuous connection comprises at least one of the casing, a cable, and wellbore fluid.

5. The firing assembly of claim 1, wherein the detonator is an exploding bridge wire device.