Perforating Gun Systems and Charges
We provide the two major types of perforating gun systems, customized systems, and other perforating guns for special applications, such as tubing punchers. Regardless of the type of gun or perforating application, gun performance is optimized through design and manufacturing QC, as verified by testing.
The shaped charge is the most critical gun system component to manufacture with maximum quality consistency. Shaped charges are made by assembling four components: case, main explosive pellet, primer, and liner. We manufacture each component to exact tolerances to ensure that the liner collapses to form the jet according to the design of the charge. For routine manufacturing production runs, each charge must perform to a minimum target penetration standard related to API RP 19B Section 1.
Capsule Gun Perforating Systems
Capsule guns—also called "capsule-charge guns"—are exposed gun systems, with the individual shaped charges sealed in pressure-tight protective capsules mounted on a carrier strip or links that are exposed to the well environment.
Capsule guns are typically used in through-tubing perforation applications and generate superior performance compared with hollow carrier guns of the same diameter. Schlumberger capsule guns are developed through an extensive engineering and manufacturing program. They are holistically designed as a system, comprising the carrier strips or links, charges, and detonating cords, to provide maximum perforator performance. The entire capsule gun system is then manufactured following rigorous Schlumberger QA standards.
There are two designs of capsule guns: expendable (the charges and mounting assembly are left as debris after firing) and retrievable (debris is left, but the mounting is recovered). The latter design is also called semiexpendable. Some capsule gun systems have a selectivity option that allows shooting more than one zone per run.
PowerSpiral
The PowerSpiral retrievable perforating gun system for through-tubing wireline operations incorporates shock-absorbing material between the charges to attenuate shock waves during the detonation and significantly increase shot performance.
Enerjet
Enerjet high-performance exposed capsule gun systems for through-tubing operations are available in retrievable and expendable versions.
Pivot Gun
Pivot Gun systems are wireline through-tubing guns with excellent performance, ideal for workover reperforating or shooting past deep formation damageHollow Carrier Gun Perforating Systems
Hollow carrier guns are pressure-tight steel tubes in which shaped charges are positioned. For gun ODs of 2 7/8 in and larger, hollow carrier guns perform better than exposed guns because they use larger charges, optimized phasing, and increased shot density. Hollow carrier guns are also used when debris is unacceptable and in hostile conditions that preclude using exposed guns.Schlumberger hollow carrier guns are designed as systems, comprising specific carriers, charges, detonating cords, and boosters, to provide maximum perforator performance. All Schlumberger gun systems are manufactured to our rigorous QA standards. The main types of hollow carrier guns are
PowerJet Omega Deep Penetrating Shaped Charge
PowerJet Omega deep penetrating shaped charge is the latest-generation PowerJet shaped charge from Schlumberger.
PURE Perforating System for Clean Perforations
The PURE system optimizes dynamic underbalance in the well to consistently eliminate or minimize perforation damage.
HSD High Shot Density Gun Systems
HSD guns have a high shot density of 4 spf or higher with optimum phasing patterns and the largest high-performance charges available for natural, stimulated, and sand control completions. For applications that require a large AOF, the Bigshot 21 gun system provides a shot density of 21 spf.
Port Plug Guns and HEGS High-Efficiency Gun Systems
Port Plug guns shoot the charges through replaceable plugs in a reusable gun carrier and feature highly flexible multiple-gun selectivity for remote operations, enabling the perforation of large intervals with minimal hardware. HEGS High-Efficiency Gun Systems are similar to Port Plug guns, with longer, expendable hollow carriers that are faster to load and run.
OrientXact Oriented Perforating System
Setting new standards for alignment accuracy and verification of charge orientation, the OrientXact tubing-conveyed oriented perforating system is ideally suited for long and high-deviation wells.
Frac Gun Perforating Systems
Engineered for the fracture stimulation of wells, Frac Gun systems have additional applications in slimhole wells, sand control operations, and coalbed methane (CBM) wells.
P4 Post-Perforation Propellant Pulse
The pressure pulse generated from downhole ignition of the gas produced by propellant burning has multiple applications in the oil industry. Propellant is an energetic material that generates a large amount of gas while burning. Of the many energetic materials available, Schlumberger uses a solid propellant chosen on the basis of its safety record, stability, predictable burn, and more than double the volumetric energy of the leading industry propellant.
Schlumberger P4 post-perforation propellant pulse system delivers the maximum energy produced to the formation to enhance nearwellbore treatments. Conveyable on wireline, tubing, or coiled tubing, the P4 system is run stand-alone or in combination with a perforating gun system for a one-step process.
The patented ignition device uses a radially inward burn to produce a predictable burn rate that results in complete deflagration (a fast burn). Because the propellant deflagrates instead of detonating like an explosive, the generated pressure pulse is powerful enough to break the formation without damaging the casing or adjacent plugs or packers. This highly effective method surgically treats intervals that otherwise would not be reached by a standard hydraulic fracturing job; it can also be used as a near-wellbore treatment tool for depleted reservoirs.
Applications
- Prefracturing treatment to reduce fracturing pressure and improve perforation breakdown
- One-step enhanced perforating method
- Wells with zonal isolation complications where other stimulation techniques are not possible
- Near-wellbore stimulation to bypass skin and improve productivity in depleted reservoirs, horizontal wells, or large intervals requiring local treatment
WPP Wireline Perforating Platform
The WPP Wireline Perforating Platform integrates a rugged arsenal of sensors and actuators for optimizing well productivity while perforating. Use of the WPP platform maximizes flexibility inpositioning perforating guns and enables real-time monitoring of results. Safer, more reliable perforating results from the system’s intelligent control of the downhole power supply.
WPP oriented perforating service provides single-trip conveyance and orientation of perforating guns on wireline, coiled tubing, or a tractor system through tubing into vertical or deviated wells. The WPP motor system rotates the guns into firing position relative to the preferred fracture plane to optimize hydraulic fracturing operations.
The completion imaging configuration of the WPP platform is used to shoot through a tubing string in a multiple completion without hitting parallel strings. The "mapper” tool’s multiple completion string detection and selective shooting of multiple guns provides perforation and production access to reservoirs that would otherwise require a costly and time-consuming workover.
Borehole temperature and pressure data can be acquired by the WPP platform before, during, and after perforating. Interpretation of these real-time data can provide a good indication of the formation pressure and reservoir parameters (permeability and skin effect) to guide operations. Data acquisition is not interrupted by detonator initiation. Up to 20 guns can be connected to the bottom of the tool for selective firing through the use of addressable switch technology