Peforating gun cluster system for wellbore operations

Abstract

An improved perforating gun system is provided. The perforating gun system, referred to herein as a perforating gun cluster system, includes a central core and a plurality of perforating guns attached to the central core and spaced radially outwardly therefrom. Each perforating gun includes an outer gun barrel including a plurality of charge outlets and a contact housing on one end of the shaped charge positioning tube including an electrical connector plug protruding axially therefrom. The central core further includes a plurality of upper retaining arms, a plurality of lower retaining arms, and a connecting rod therebetween. Each upper retaining arm is paired with and connected to an upper end of the respective perforating gun. Each lower retaining arm is paired with and connected to a lower end of the respective perforating gun such that each perforating gun is retained in the perforating gun system.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A perforating gun cluster system, the system comprising:
 a central core; and   a plurality of perforating guns attached to the central core and spaced radially outwardly therefrom, each perforating gun comprising:
 an outer gun barrel including a plurality of charge outlets; and 
 a contact housing on one end of the shaped charge positioning tube and including an electrical connector plug protruding axially therefrom, wherein the central core includes a plurality of upper retaining arms, a plurality of lower retaining arms, and a connecting rod therebetween, wherein each upper retaining arm is paired with and connected to an upper end of the respective perforating gun and each lower retaining arm is paired with and connected to a lower end of the respective perforating gun such that each perforating gun is retained in the perforating gun cluster system. 
   
     
     
         2 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 1 , wherein the connecting rod rigidly couples the plurality of upper retaining arms to the plurality of lower retaining arms. 
     
     
         3 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 1 , wherein the system comprises between two and sixteen perforating guns. 
     
     
         4 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 3 , wherein the system comprises four perforating guns. 
     
     
         5 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of perforating guns are equally spaced about the central core. 
     
     
         6 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 1 , wherein each of the perforating guns defines an independently selected diameter of between 1″ to 7″. 
     
     
         7 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 1 , wherein the outer gun barrel of each perforating gun defines a charge outlet facing radially outward from the connecting rod. 
     
     
         8 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 7 , wherein the outer gun barrel of each perforating gun independently defines between 1 to 160 charge outlets. 
     
     
         9 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 7 , wherein the outer gun barrel of each perforating gun defines two charge outlets. 
     
     
         10 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 1 , wherein each perforating gun further comprises an at least one shaped charge. 
     
     
         11 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 3 , wherein the system comprises sixteen perforating guns. 
     
     
         12 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of upper retaining arms comprise an upper plate and wherein the plurality of lower retaining arms comprise a lower plate, the upper plate and the lower plate being rigidly coupled to the connecting rod. 
     
     
         13 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 12 , wherein each perforating gun is clamped between the upper plate and the lower plate. 
     
     
         14 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 12 , wherein the upper plate and the lower plate each define a plurality of perforating gun apertures, with each perforating gun corresponding to a respective perforating gun aperture in the upper plate and a respective perforating gun aperture in the lower plate. 
     
     
         15 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 11 , wherein the outer gun barrel of each perforating gun defines at least two charge outlets, and wherein the charge outlets face radially outward, away from the connecting rod. 
     
     
         16 . A perforating gun cluster system comprising:
 an upper plate including a first plurality of axial openings;   a lower plate including a second plurality of axial openings, the lower plate being axially spaced apart from the upper plate, such that the first plurality of axial openings are aligned with the second plurality of axial openings;   a connecting rod that rigidly couples the upper plate to the lower plate; and   a plurality of perforating guns disposed between the upper plate and the lower plate, such that each one of the plurality of perforating guns is aligned with a respective axial opening in the upper plate and a respective axial opening in the lower plate.   
     
     
         17 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 16 , wherein the upper plate and the lower plate are circular plates. 
     
     
         18 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 16 , wherein the upper plate and the lower plate each comprise a plurality of retaining arms. 
     
     
         19 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 16 , wherein the connecting rod is centrally disposed between the plurality of perforating guns. 
     
     
         20 . The perforating gun cluster system of  claim 16 , wherein the plurality of perforating guns are equally spaced about the connecting rod.