Abstract: A hydrostatic setting tool, adapted for setting an anchored device in a wellbore, includes a housing having a pair of ports exposed to well fluid at hydrostatic pressure. The ports lead to a shoulder of a setting mandrel. A barrier is disposed diametrically across the setting tool and an oil chamber is disposed between the setting mandrel and the barrier. The barrier includes an oil metering orifice disposed through a center thereof. A selectively operable apparatus, initially disposed in a closed position and blocking the oil metering orifice, is adapted to change from the closed position to an open position in response to a current delivered thereto from the well surface. An air chamber is disposed on the other side of the barrier. The well fluid places hydrostatic pressure on the shoulder of the setting mandrel thereby placing the same pressure on the oil in the oil chamber.

Abstract: A shock absorber is adapted to be disposed within a perforating gun string or within the tubing string above the perforating gun and includes an energy absorbing element adapted to absorb and store mechanical energy during detonation of the perforating gun and to permanently deform in response to the storage of the mechanical energy, the stored energy being released in the form of heat, and not in the form of kinetic energy. Therefore, following absorption of the mechanical energy by the shock absorber, no further expansion of the shock absorber is experienced. The shock absorber includes an inner housing, an outer hosuing, a connection for interconnecting the inner and outer housing, and a break up charge for breaking the connection and releasing the inner housing from the outer housing when the perforating gun is detonated whereby the shock absorber is as strong as the tubing string before the connection is broken and is flexible after the connection is broken.

Abstract: A new method of standalone perforating comprises the steps of lowering a perforator part-way into a borehole on a tubing string; when perforating is desired, connecting a wireline to the perforator; disconnecting the perforator from the tubing string; lowering the perforator into the borehole to the desired depth; attaching the perforator to the borehole casing or formation by setting an anchor on the perforator; disconnecting all wireline and associated apparatus from the perforator; withdrawing the wireline apparatus to the well surface; with the perforator standing alone in the well, firing the perforator into the surrounding formation; and dropping the perforator to the bottom of the well. A new apparatus for releasing the perforator from the tubing string includes a neutral release latch mechanism, and a new anchoring apparatus includes two interleaved coil springs having beveled shaped surfaces.

Abstract: An exploding foil bubble activated detonator, adapted for use in a perforating gun, includes an exploding foil, the exploding foil including as neck section which vaporizes when a current of sufficient magnitude and duration flows therethrough, a layer of polyimide material deposited over said foil, and a spacer layer deposited over said layer of polyimide material, the spacer layer including a guiding hole disposed directly over the neck section of the foil. When the current flows through the neck section of the foil, a turbulence is caused to occur directly above the neck section. This turbulence causes a portion of the polyimide material to expand to form a bubble. The bubble is shaped and sized by the guiding hole in the spacer layer which is disposed directly over the neck section of the foil. The shaped and sized bubble in the polyimide material impacts an explosive thereby detonating the explosive.

Abstract: A perforating gun having no firing head and no primary explosives is attached to a tubing string and the tubing string is run into a borehole. A new pump apparatus, having a firing head, is run into the tubing string until the pump firing head is adjacent the perforating gun. The firing head in the pump apparatus detonates, firing the perforating gun. If the firing head fails to detonate, one need only remove the pump apparatus from the tubing string in order to gain access to the firing head, for repair and replacement thereof. One need not remove the tubing string to gain access to the firing head.

Abstract: A new method of standalone perforating comprises the steps of lowering a perforator part-way into a borehole on a tubing string; when perforating is desired, connecting a wireline to the perforator; disconnecting the perforator from the tubing string; lowering the perforator into the borehole to the desired depth; attaching the perforator to the borehole casing or formation by setting an anchor on the perforator; disconnecting all wireline and associated apparatus from the perforator; withdrawing the wireline apparatus to the well surface; with the perforator standing alone in the well, firing the perforator into the surrounding formation; and dropping the perforator to the bottom of the well. A new apparatus for releasing the perforator from the tubing string includes a neutral release latch mechanism, and a new anchoring apparatus includes two interleaved coil springs having beveled shaped surfaces.

Abstract: A perforating gun having no firing head and no primary explosives is attached to a tubing string and the tubing string is run into a borehole. A new pump apparatus, having a firing head, is run into the tubing string until the pump firing head is adjacent the perforating gun. The firing head in the pump apparatus detonates, firing the perforating gun. If the firing head fails to detonate, one need only remove the pump apparatus from the tubing string in order to gain access to the firing head, for repair and replacement thereof. One need not remove the tubing string to gain access to the firing head.

Abstract: A perforating gun having no firing head and no primary explosives is attached to a tubing string and the tubing string is run into a borehole. A new well apparatus, having a firing head, is run into the tubing string until the firing head is adjacent the perforating gun. The firing head in the well apparatus detonates, firing the perforating gun. If the firing head fails to detonate, one need only remove the well apparatus from the tubing string in order to gain access to the firing head, for repair and replacement thereof. One need not remove the tubing string to gain access to the firing head.

Abstract: A perforating gun, adapted to be disposed in a deviated borehole, includes an intra-gun swivel located between a first plurality of charges and a second plurality of charges of the perforating gun. The swivel includes a first housing, a second housing, and thrust and radial bearings disposed between the surfaces of the first and second housing for allowing the first housing to rotate with respect to the second housing and therefore the first plurality of charges to rotate with respect to the second plurality of charges of the perforating gun.

Abstract: A new method of standalone perforating comprises the steps of lowering a perforator part-way into a borehole on a tubing string; when perforating is desired, connecting a wireline to the perforator; disconnecting the perforator from the tubing string; lowering the perforator into the borehole to the desired depth; attaching the perforator to the borehole casing or formation by setting an anchor on the perforator; disconnecting all wireline and associated apparatus from the perforator; withdrawing the wireline apparatus to the well surface; with the perforator standing alone in the well, firing the perforator into the surrounding formation; and dropping the perforator to the bottom of the well. A new apparatus for releasing the perforator from the tubing string includes a neutral release latch mechanism, and a new anchoring apparatus includes two interleaved coil springs having beveled shaped surfaces.