Powdered metal casing for perforating charge and its method of manufacture

Abstract

Disclosed herein is a powdered metal casing and an apparatus and method for making the powdered metal casing, which casing is useful for shaped explosive charges for perforating oil and gas wells.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A shaped charge casing formed solely of a green compact consisting of powdered metal sufficiently compressed to .[.form a jet.]. .Iadd.confine energy released .Iaddend.upon explosion of said shaped charge while being reduced to a powder by said explosion. 
     
     
       2. The casing of claim 1 wherein said powdered metal is compressed to approximately 120,000 PSI. 
     
     
       3. The casing of claim 1 wherein said compact is composed of about 80 percent by weight of a powdered metal having a diameter of approximately 100 microns, about 19 percent by weight of powdered lead having a diameter of approximately 100 microns, and about one percent by weight of graphite powder. 
     
     
       4. The casing of claim 3 wherein said powdered metal has an atomic number at least as great as iron.