Reusable perforating gun and port plug

Abstract

A perforating gun of unique port and port plug architecture. The gun may include ports with separate guide channel and engagement regions for receiving a port plug. Once more, the engagement region may be offset from the central axis of the guide channel and overall port. Thus, the engagement region of the port as well as the matching engaging mechanism of the port plug may be out of the direct line of fire when a perforating application takes place. The same may be true of a seal for the port plug. Therefore, achieving adequate engagement and sealing of the port with such plugs may be more effective, for example, in spite of the guide channel and other portions of the gun carrier beginning to exhibit post-perforation bulging.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A reusable perforating gun comprising:
 a carrier for accommodating a shaped charge at an interior thereof;   a defined guide port of said carrier adjacent the charge, said guide port having an inner guide channel adjacent the charge to receive a guide neck of a port plug for sealing off the interior relative said port, said guide port further having an engaging region offset from a central axis of the guide channel for secured engagement with the plug.   
     
     
         2 . The gun of  claim 1  wherein the port plug comprises an engaging mechanism for interface with the engaging region to achieve the secured engagement. 
     
     
         3 . The gun of  claim 2  wherein the guide channel is proximately aligned with the shaped charge at the interior of said carrier and the engaging region interfaces the engaging mechanism at an offset location therebeyond. 
     
     
         4 . The gun of  claim 3  wherein the port plug comprises a seal member for the sealing off of the interior at an offset location between the engaging region and the guide channel of said port. 
     
     
         5 . The gun of  claim 2  wherein the engaging mechanism is one of a threaded engagement, a twist-lock engagement, a latching engagement and a plastically deformable engagement. 
     
     
         6 . The gun of  claim 5  wherein the engaging mechanism is the latching engagement for interfacing the engaging region at an offset location more proximately aligned with the shaped charge at the interior of said carrier than the guide channel. 
     
     
         7 . A single use replaceable port plug for a reusable perforating gun, the plug comprising:
 a guide neck for reception by a carrier of the gun at a port guide channel aligned with a shaped charge disposed within the carrier; and   an engaging mechanism for securely interfacing an engaging region of the carrier at a location offset from a central axis of the guide channel and said neck.   
     
     
         8 . The plug of  claim 7  constructed of a zinc-based material. 
     
     
         9 . The plug of  claim 7  constructed of a fragmentable material. 
     
     
         10 . The plug of  claim 7  constructed of a material that is one of dissolvable and degradable upon exposure to well fluid. 
     
     
         11 . The plug of  claim 7  wherein at least a portion of said neck is hollowed out. 
     
     
         12 . The plug of  claim 7  wherein the engaging mechanism is one of a threaded engagement, a twist-lock engagement, a latching engagement and a plastically deformable engagement. 
     
     
         13 . The plug of  claim 12  wherein the plastically deformable engagement is manually shapable to moldably match morphology of the port. 
     
     
         14 . The plug of  claim 12  wherein the plastically deformable engagement is of a curable material. 
     
     
         15 . The plug of  claim 12  further comprising a seal member for sealing off the port of the carrier during the secure interfacing of said mechanism and the engaging region. 
     
     
         16 . The plug of  claim 15  wherein the seal member is an o-ring at a location offset from a central axis of the guide channel and said neck. 
     
     
         17 . The plug of  claim 15  wherein the engaging mechanism is the plastically deformable engagement, the plastically deformable engagement serving as the seal member. 
     
     
         18 . A charge sleeve for disposal in a carrier of a perforating gun, said sleeve comprising:
 a tubular body for retaining at least one shaped charge therein; and   a sleeve guide defined by said body and adjacent the shaped charge for alignment of the charge with a port of the carrier.   
     
     
         19 . The charge sleeve of  claim 18  wherein the carrier at the location of the port bulgingly forms a guide space and said tubular body retains a substantially uniform shape including adjacent the location. 
     
     
         20 . The charge sleeve of  claim 18  constructed of a foam-based material.