Perforating Gun with Timed Self-Sealing Threads

Abstract

Using timed or clocked threads to seal a first perforating gun to a second perforating gun that aligns the scallops of both perforating guns in a desired configuration when the threads are fully engaged, such as in at least one example, using a positive stop that resist rotation of the threads beyond a predetermined point of thread engagement.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A perforating gun system comprising:
 a first perforating gun having a housing with a first end, a second end with first alignment mechanism, and a first set of scallops aligned with the alignment mechanism;   a second perforating gun having a housing with a first end with a second alignment mechanism coupled to the first alignment mechanism of the second end of the first perforating gun, and a second set of scallops aligned with the second alignment mechanism, wherein the coupling of the first perforating gun to the second perforating gun aligns the first set of scallops with the second set of scallops.   
     
     
         2 . The perforating gun system of  claim 1  wherein the first alignment mechanism is timed male threads. 
     
     
         3 . The perforating gun system of  claim 2  wherein the second alignment mechanism is timed male threads. 
     
     
         4 . The perforating gun system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one o-ring seal between the second end of the first perforating gun and the first end of the second perforating gun. 
     
     
         5 . The perforating gun system of  claim 1  further comprising a positive stop at the point of full engagement between the second end of the first perforating gun and the first end of the second perforating gun. 
     
     
         6 . The perforating gun system of  claim 5  wherein the positive stop is an angled face that resists rotation beyond a predetermined point of thread engagement. 
     
     
         7 . The perforating gun system of  claim 6  wherein the positive stop is a 45-degree angled face. 
     
     
         8 . The perforating gun system of  claim 3  wherein the timed male threads and timed female threads are self-sealing. 
     
     
         9 . The perforating gun system of  claim 3  further comprising a positive stop at the point of full engagement between the second end of the first perforating gun and the first end of the second perforating gun. 
     
     
         10 . The perforating gun system of  claim 9  wherein the positive stop is an angled face that resists rotation beyond a predetermined point of thread engagement. 
     
     
         11 . The perforating gun system of  claim 10  wherein the positive stop is a 45-degree angled face. 
     
     
         12 . A perforating gun system comprising:
 a first perforating gun having a housing with a first end, a second end with timed male threads, and a first set of scallops aligned with the timed male threads;   a second perforating gun having a housing with a first end with timed female threads coupled to the second end of the first perforating gun with timed threads, and a second set of scallops aligned with the timed female threads, wherein the full engagement of the timed male timed with the timed female threads aligns the first set of scallops with the second set of scallops.   
     
     
         13 . The perforating gun system of  claim 12  further comprising at least one o-ring seal between the second end of the first perforating gun and the first end of the second perforating gun. 
     
     
         14 . The perforating gun system of  claim 12  further comprising a positive stop at the point of full engagement between the second end of the first perforating gun and the first end of the second perforating gun. 
     
     
         15 . The perforating gun system of  claim 14  wherein the positive stop is an angled face that resists rotation beyond a predetermined point of thread engagement. 
     
     
         16 . The perforating gun system of  claim 15  wherein the positive stop is a 45-degree angled face. 
     
     
         17 . The perforating gun system of  claim 12  wherein the timed male threads and timed female threads are self-sealing. 
     
     
         18 . A method for assembling a perforating gun string comprising:
 threading a first timed threads of a first perforating gun into a second timed threads of a second perforating gun;   aligning a first set of scallops on the first perforating gun with a second set of scallops on a second perforating gun;   engaging the first timed threads of the first perforating gun with the second timed threads of the second perforating gun fully, wherein the full engagement of the first perforating gun with the second perforating gun aligns the first set of scallops with the second set of scallops.   
     
     
         19 . The method for assembling a perforating gun string of  claim 18  further comprising engaging a positive stop when engagig the first timed threads of the first perforating gun with the second timed threads of the second perforating gun. 
     
     
         20 . The method for assembling a perforating gun string of  claim 18  wherein the full engagement of the first perforating gun with the second perforating gun provides a pressure seal between the inside of the perforating gun string and the outside of the perforating gun string.