Abstract: An initiator head assembly may include a body and an electrical contact component positioned proximal to the body. The body may include a head extending from a base, and a platform extending from the head, and the body may be injection molded as a unitary component. The electrical contact component may include a line-in portion positioned proximal to the platform and a ground portion positioned proximal to the head. The electrical contact component may be formed integrally with the body such that it is anchored in a fixed position in the body. An initiator for a perforating gun assembly may include the initiator head assembly and a shell coupled to the initiator head assembly.

Abstract: A tandem seal adapter (TSA) for use with a wellbore tool may include a TSA body including a first end and a second end opposite the first end in an axial direction, a bore extending through the TSA body from the first end to the second end, an electrical contact assembly provided within the bore, the electrical contact assembly being configured to provide electrical connectivity through the bore. The electrical contact assembly may include a bulkhead provided within the bore. An axial position of a maximum outer diameter of the TSA body may overlap with the bulkhead in the axial direction. A portion of the bore overlapping in the axial direction with an entirety of the TSA body having an outer diameter equal to the maximum outer diameter may have a constant bore diameter.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments may relate to perforating gun assemblies configured for use in unconventional wells, for example in rock formations with low permeability. In some embodiments, the perforating gun assembly may include a perforating gun housing and at least one shaped charge positioned in the perforating gun housing. The shaped charge and the perforating gun housing may be jointly configured to improve total target penetration in unconventional wells by 20-100%. Related method embodiments may be used to improve the performance of unconventional wells.

Abstract: A perforating gun module may include a gun housing including a housing chamber and a shaped charge positioning device provided in the housing chamber. The shaped charge positioning device may include a shaped charge holder and a detonator holder provided axially adjacent to the shaped charge holder. The shaped charge positioning device may be a singular and monolithic piece of non-metal material. A perforating gun module string may include a first perforating gun module directly coupled to a second perforating gun module. Each perforating gun module may include a gun housing with a housing chamber, a shaped charge holder provided in the housing chamber, and a detonator holder provided axially adjacent to the shaped charge receptacle. The shaped charge holder and the detonator holder may comprise a singular and monolithic piece of non-metal material.

Abstract: A perforating gun system may include a first gun carrier and a second gun carrier connected to the first gun carrier. A perforating gun assembly may be provided in each gun carrier, the perforating gun assembly including a top connector, a plurality of charge holders, and at least one bottom connector. Upon rotation of the top connector, the one or more charge holders of the first gun carrier may be aligned in a zero-degree phasing with the plurality of charge holders in the second gun carrier, and the position of the top connector may be locked along the length of the second gun carrier.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments may relate to perforating gun assemblies configured for use in unconventional wells, for example in rock formations with low permeability. In some embodiments, the perforating gun assembly may include a perforating gun housing and at least one shaped charge positioned in the perforating gun housing. The shaped charge and the perforating gun housing may be jointly configured to improve total target penetration in unconventional wells by 20-100%. Related method embodiments may be used to improve the performance of unconventional wells.

Abstract: A shaped charge closure member for encapsulating a slotted shaped charge is described. The closure member includes a body having a closed upper portion, and a lower portion opposite the upper portion. The closure member has first and second side walls, a front wall, and a back wall. Each wall tapers from the lower portion to the upper portion. A skirt having a substantially rectangular cross-section extends vertically away from each of the walls, at the lower portion of the body. The skirt engages with an open portion of a slotted shaped charge case, thereby forming an encapsulated slotted shaped charge. The encapsulated slotted shaped charge may be used in an exposed perforating gun system.

Abstract: A drone conveyance system for deploying drones into an oil or gas wellbore is described. The system includes a platform, a drone magazine, a platform receiver, a conveyance, and a wellhead receiver. A drone magazine contains a plurality of the drones and selectively releases/feeds the drones into the platform receiver. More than one drone magazine, each containing different drone types, may supply drones to the platform receiver such that different drones may be ordered for disposal into the wellbore. The platform receiver prepared the drones to be moved from the platform to the wellhead by the conveyance. The wellhead receiver accepts the drones from the conveyance and prepares each received drone for dropping into the wellbore via the wellhead.

Abstract: A modular, stackable charge holder for a perforating gun assembly. The charge holder may include a retention socket for locking a detonating cord in place, and a male connector end and a female connector end for connecting to other modular component(s). The retention socket may include oppositely disposed retention arms, each having a shaped sidewall portion and a corresponding flange extending transversely from a top section of the retention arm. The male and female connector ends may respectively include a phasing protrusion and a phasing hole arranged to facilitate various phase angles between components, and a centrally oriented knob connector and a central bore adapted to interconnect.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, an autonomous perforating drone for downhole delivery of a wellbore tool, and associated systems and methods, are disclosed. In an aspect, the wellbore tool may be a plurality of shaped charges that are arranged in a variety of configurations, including helically, in one or more single radial planes, or opposing around a perforating assembly section, and detonated in a top-to-bottom sequence when the autonomous perforating drone reaches a predetermined depth in the wellbore. In another aspect, the shaped charges may be received in shaped charge apertures within a body of a perforating assembly section, wherein the shaped charge apertures are respectively positioned adjacent to at least one of a receiver booster, detonator, and detonating cord for directly initiating the shaped charges.

Abstract: A power charge for actuating a wellbore tool. Combustion of the power charge generates gas and corresponding gas pressure within the wellbore tool and the power charge and wellbore tool are configured for providing a path to an expansion chamber for the gas pressure. A body of the power charge may have the shape of a regular polygonal cylinder, thus defining flow-paths for the expanding gas. The power charge may include a cylinder of energetic material and an interior space formed within the energetic material and configured for receiving an igniter and/or ignition material. Ignition of the igniter or ignition material results in combustion of the power charge.

Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of an instantaneously expanding, ballistically actuated wellbore plug and associated systems and methods are disclosed. Exemplary embodiments of an instantaneously expanding, ballistically actuated wellbore plug include, among other things, a ballistic carrier carrying ballistic components and an initiator and housed within a hollow interior chamber of an outer carrier having an unexpanded form and an expanded form. Exemplary embodiments for a method for setting the plug within a wellbore casing include initiating the ballistic components with the initiator and causing the outer carrier to instantaneously transition from the unexpanded form to the expanded form, in which the outer carrier is in frictional, sealing engagement with the wellbore casing.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments relate to weight modules for use in a wellbore tool string. In some embodiments, the weight module may comprise a conductive body, extending in an axial direction, and an insulating cover. The conductive body may be configured to fit within a hollow interior of a weight module housing, and the insulating cover may be configured to electrically isolate the conductive body from the weight module housing. In some embodiments, the conductive body may have a first contact portion, provided at a first end of the conductive body, and a second contact portion, provided at a second end of the conductive body, with the first contact portion in electrical communication with the second contact portion through the conductive body.

Abstract: A detonating cord for using in a perforating gun includes an explosive layer and an electrically conductive layer extending around the explosive layer. The electrically conductive layer is configured to relay a communication signal along a length of the detonating cord. In an embodiment, a protective jacket extends around the electrically conductive layer of the detonating cord. The detonating cord may be assembled in a perforating gun to relay a communication signal from a top connector to a bottom connector of the perforating gun, and to propagate a detonating explosive stimulus along its length to initiate shaped charges of the perforating gun. A plurality of perforating guns, including the detonating cord, may be connected in series, with the detonating cord of a first perforating gun in communication with the detonating cord of a second perforating gun.

Abstract: An orientable perforating gun assembly may include a gun housing with a charge carrier and shaped charge positioned within an interior space of the gun housing, in fixed orientation relative to the gun housing. An orientation alignment ring may be connected to a first end of the gun housing. The orientation alignment ring and the gun housing may be rotatable relative to each other when the orientation alignment ring is in an unfixed connection state. The gun housing may be in a fixed orientation relative to the orientation alignment ring in a fixed connection state. A locking ring may be connected to the gun housing first end. A method may include orienting the perforating gun housing relative to the orientation alignment ring and other perforating gun assemblies in a string.

Abstract: According to some embodiments, a bulkhead and a tandem seal adapter is presented. The bulkhead may include a fixed body having a fixed body surface and a cover surrounding a portion of the fixed body. A seal element may be provided on the exterior fixed body surface and may protrude through a gap formed in the cover. A first electrical contact may extend from a first end of the cover, and a second electrical contact may extend from a second end of the cover. A tandem seal adapter may include a TSA body, a bore extending through the TSA body, and a bulkhead provided within the bore. The seal element may be in contact with the TSA body to form a seal that prevents transfer of fluid and pressure through the tandem seal adapter.

Abstract: A drone conveyance system and a wellhead receiver for deploying drones into an oil or gas wellbore includes a platform, a drone magazine, a platform receiver, a conveyance, and a wellhead receiver. The wellhead receiver prepares the drone to be inserted into the wellbore via the wellhead. Preparation of the drone to be inserted into the wellbore includes adjusting the physical conditions surrounding the drone to approximate the physical conditions in the wellbore. The preparation may be performed using fluid inputs and outputs connected to a compartment of the wellhead receiver. Other preparation processes may also take place in the wellhead receiver such as assuring the appropriate drone is being inserted, that the drone has been programmed appropriately, that safety devices have been deactivated and charging an onboard power supply of the drone.

Abstract: A drone conveyance system and a wellhead receiver for deploying drones into a wellbore is described. The system includes a platform, a drone magazine, a platform receiver, a conveyance, and a wellhead receiver. The wellhead receiver prepares the drone to be inserted into the wellbore via the wellhead. Preparation of the drone may include adjusting the physical conditions surrounding the drone to approximate the physical conditions in the wellbore, which may be done with fluid inputs and outputs connected to a compartment of the wellhead receiver. Other preparation processes may also take place in the wellhead receiver, such as assuring the appropriate drone is being inserted, that the drone has been programmed appropriately, that safety devices have been deactivated and charging an onboard power supply of the drone.

Abstract: A shaped charge positioning device may include a shaped charge holder, an initiator holder coupled to the shaped charge holder via a first rotation coupling, and a shaped charge receptacle provided on the shaped charge holder. The shaped charge receptacle may be rotatable around a central longitudinal axis of rotation of the shaped charge positioning device relative to the initiator holder. A perforating gun assembly may include a shaped charge holder provided in a gun housing chamber and rotatable relative to the gun housing. A wellbore tool string may include a first gun housing including a first shaped charge holder rotatably coupled to a second gun housing including a second shaped charge holder. An initiator provided in the first gun housing may be electrically coupled to an initiator provided in the second gun housing.