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An apparatus for reducing the post-detonation pressure of a perforating gun, the apparatus including a perforating gun carrying at least one explosive charge, wherein when the explosive charge is detonated the explosive charge produces a pressurized detonation gas, and a mechanism for reducing the p

An apparatus for reducing the post-detonation pressure of a perforating gun, the apparatus including a perforating gun carrying at least one explosive charge, wherein when the explosive charge is detonated the explosive charge produces a pressurized detonation gas, and a mechanism for reducing the pressure of the detonation gas proximate the perforating gun. The detonation gas pressure is desirably reduced in a time frame sufficient to create a dynamic underbalance condition to facilitate a surge flow of fluid from a reservoir into a wellbore. The pressure reduction mechanism may include singularly or in combination a heat sink to reduce the temperature of the detonation gas, a reactant to recombine with the reactant gas and reduce the molar density of the detonation gas, and a physical compression mechanism to utilize the waste energy of the detonation gas to create work, simultaneously reducing the temperature of the gas and the molar density of the detonation gas.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for reducing the post-detonation pressure of a perforating gun, the apparatus comprising: the perforating gun carrying at least one explosive charge, wherein when the explosive charge is detonated the explosive charge produces a pressurized detonation gas;

The invention claimed is: 1. An apparatus for reducing the post-detonation pressure of a perforating gun, the apparatus comprising: the perforating gun carrying at least one explosive charge, wherein when the explosive charge is detonated the explosive charge produces a pressurized detonation gas; and a pressure reducer in functional connection with the perforating gun, the pressure reducer including a heat sink adapted for rapidly reducing temperature of the detonation gas. 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure reducer is positioned proximate the perforating gun. 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure reducer is positioned in the perforating gun. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the pressure reducer is part of the perforating gun. 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heat sink has a high thermal conductivity. 6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heat sink has a large heat capacity. 7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heat sink includes copper. 8. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the beat sink includes water. 9. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heat sink includes microencapsulated water beads. 10. An apparatus for reducing the post-detonation pressure of a perforating gun, the apparatus comprising: the perforating gun carrying at least one explosive charge, wherein when the explosive charge is detonated the explosive charge produces a pressurized detonation gas; and a pressure reducer in functional connection with the perforating gun, wherein the pressure reducer includes a reactant adapted for recombining with the detonation gas to reduce the molar density of the detonation gas. 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein in the reactant is selected from the group consisting of Al, Ca, Li, Mg, Ta, Ti, Zr, and combinations thereof. 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the pressure reducer further includes a pressure compression section in functional connection with the perforating gun. 13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the compression section includes a compressible material. 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the compressible material is a spring. 15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the compressible material is a solid. 16. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the compressible material is a fluid. 17. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the pressure reducer is positioned proximate the perforating gun. 18. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the pressure reducer is positioned in the perforating gun. 19. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the pressure reducer is part of the perforating gun. 20. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the pressure reducer is positioned proximate the perforating gun. 21. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the pressure reducer is positioned in the perforating gun. 22. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the pressure reducer is part of the perforating gun. 23. The apparatus of claim 10, further including a heat sink adapted to rapidly reduce the temperature of the detonation gas. 24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the heat sink includes copper. 25. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the heat sink includes water. 26. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the heat sink includes microencapsulated water beads. 27. A method of reducing the post-detonation pressure of a perforating gun comprising the steps of: providing the perforating gun with explosive charges; providing a heat sink in functional connection with the perforating gun; detonating the explosive charges producing a pressurized detonation gas; and reducing the detonation gas pressure proximate the perforating gun to encourage a surge flow from a reservoir formation by rapidly reducing the temperature of the detonation gas via the heat sink. 28. The method of claim 27, further including the steps of: providing a compression section in functional connection with the perforating gun; and further reducing the pressure of the detonation gas via the compression section. 29. The method of claim 28 wherein the compression section includes a compressible spring. 30. The method of claim 28 wherein the compression section includes a compressible fluid. 31. The method of claim 28 wherein the compression section includes a compressible solid. 32. The method of claim 27 wherein the heat sink includes copper. 33. The method of claim 27 wherein the heat sink includes water. 34. A method of reduce the post-detonation pressure of a perforating gun comprising the steps of: providing the perforating gun with explosive charges; providing a reactant adapted for recombining with the detonation gas from detonation of the explosive charges to form solids; detonation the explosive charges producing a pressurized detonation gas; and reducing the detonation gas pressure proximate the perforating gun, by recombining the detonation gas to form solid, to encourage a surge flow from a reservoir formation. 35. The method of claim 34 wherein the reactant is selected from the group consisting of Al, Ca, Li, Mg, Ta, Ti, Zr, and combinations thereof. 36. The method of claim 34, further including the steps of: providing a heat sink in functional connection with the perforating gun; and further reducing the temperature of the detonation gas. 37. The method of claim 36, wherein the heat sink includes copper. 38. The method of claim 36, wherein the heat sink includes water. 39. The method of claim 36, wherein the heat sink includes microencapsulaced water beads.