Oil Well Perforators

Abstract

An oil and gas well shaped charge perforator capable of providing an exothermic reaction after detonation is provided, comprising a housing (2), a high explosive (3), and a reactive liner (6) where the high explosive is positioned between the reactive liner and the housing. The reactive liner (6) is produced from a reactive composition which is capable of sustaining an exothermic reaction during the formation of the cutting jet. The composition is a pressed i.e. compacted particulate composition comprising at least two metals, wherein one of the metals is present as spherical particulate, and the other metal is present as a non-spherical particulate. There may also be at least one further metal, which is not capable of an exothermic reaction with the reactive composition, present in an amount greater than 10% w/w of the liner. To aid consolidation a binder may also be added.

1 . A method of using a compacted particulate reactive composition in an oil and gas well shaped charge perforator liner, the reactive composition being a composition of at least two metals and comprising a substantially spherical metal particulate and a non-spherical metal particulate. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 placing the shaped charge perforator liner within a housing of a shaped charge perforator;   providing a high explosive material between the shaped charge perforator liner and the housing;   positioning the shaped charge perforator in a saturated substrate of an oil or gas well;   detonating the high explosive material;   in response to detonating the high explosive material:
 causing an exothermic reaction of the compacted particulate reactive composition; 
 producing an electron compound; and 
 forming, from the compacted particulate reactive composition, a high velocity jet of material to penetrate into a well casing of the oil or gas well. 
   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the spherical metal particulate comprises aluminium, wherein the exothermic reaction involves an interaction between the non-spherical metal particulate and the aluminium, wherein the aspect ratio of the non-spherical metal particulate is greater than that of the aluminium, and wherein the shaped charge perforator liner comprises a threshold pressure of 6 GPa or less to cause the exothermic reaction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 perforating the well casing of the oil or gas well so as to improve inflow from the oil or gas well.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein producing the electron compound comprises producing a Hume-Rothery compound. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein the housing is formed partially or wholly from a reactive composition, wherein the reactive composition comprises the composition of the shaped charge perforator liner; wherein the method further comprises:
 consuming the housing by the exothermic reaction.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein positioning the shaped charge perforator comprises positioning the shaped charge perforator in a down hole configuration. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein positioning the shaped charge perforator comprises positioning the shaped charge perforator such that, upon detonation, the high velocity jet of material expands substantially perpendicular to a sidewall of the well casing. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the compacted particulate reactive composition comprises a substantially stoichiometric mixture of the at least two metals. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 coupling a plurality of shaped charge perforator liners within respective housings of respective shaped charge perforators;   providing a high explosive material between the respective shaped charge perforator liners and their respective housings;   positioning the plurality of shaped charge perforators within a perforator gun;   positioning the perforator gun in a saturated substrate of an oil or gas well;   detonating the respective high explosive materials;   in response to detonating the high explosive materials:
 causing an exothermic reaction of the compacted particulate reactive composition; 
 producing an electron compound; and 
 forming, from the compacted particulate reactive composition, high velocity jets of material that penetrate into a well casing of the oil or gas well. 
   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein positioning the plurality of shaped charge perforators comprises positioning the plurality of shaped charge perforators perpendicular to each other such that the respective high velocity jets will converge, intersect or collide at or near the same point. 
     
     
         12 . A method of manufacturing a reactive shaped charge liner, the method comprising:
 providing a composition of at least two metals; and   compacting the composition of at least two metals to form a liner, wherein the composition comprises a spherical metal particulate and a non-spherical metal particulate.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein compacting the composition of at least two materials forms a green compact. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein compacting the composition of at least two materials comprises compacting the composition of at least two materials in a die set. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein compacting the composition of at least two materials comprises compacting the at least two materials into a near net shape so as to allow sintering or infiltration processes to take place, wherein the near net shape provides for placement of the liner into a housing of a shaped charge perforator. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 providing at least one other metal, wherein the at least one other metal comprises a high density metal; and   mixing and uniformly dispersing the high density metal within the composition.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 producing a layer of at least one further metal;   covering the layer with a layer of the composition; and   compacting the layers to form a consolidated liner.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12 , further comprising:
 providing a binder material, wherein the binder material is a powdered soft metal or a non-metal material;   mixing the binder material with the composition; and   compacting the mixture of the binder material and the composition.   
     
     
         19 . A method of testing samples of reactive liner materials for use in a method of improving fluid outflow from an oil or gas well comprising:
 placing a test sample in an explosive anvil system comprising a steel anvil, a steel cover plate, an explosive, and a detonator, wherein the test sample is placed in a recess, subjected to shock, and recovered for analysis, wherein the analysis comprises X-ray diffraction.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the test sample comprises a compacted particulate composition comprising a spherical metal particulate and a non-spherical metal particulate.