Perforating gun with self-orienting charge cartridge

Abstract

A perforating gun with a self-orienting charge cartridge is disclosed for use in oil and gas completions operations. In one or more embodiments, the perforating gun may include a carrier tube within which the self-orienting charge cartridge extends and a conductor sub coupled to the carrier tube. In one or more embodiments, the self-orienting charge cartridge includes a perforating charge and a bearing, and is configured so that the perforating charge is initiable via the conductor sub and the bearing rotationally supports the perforating charge within the carrier tube. A gun string including the perforating gun and one or more additional perforating guns substantially identical to the perforating gun is also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A perforating gun, comprising:
 a carrier tube;   a conductor sub from which the carrier tube extends;   one or more perforating charges extending within the carrier tube and initiable via the conductor sub; and   a bearing rotationally supporting the one or more perforating charges within the carrier tube;   wherein the bearing rotationally supporting the one or more perforating charges within the carrier tube extends entirely outside the conductor sub.   
     
     
         2 . The perforating gun of  claim 1 , further comprising a charge cartridge extending within the carrier tube, the charge cartridge comprising:
 a charge container containing the one or more perforating charges initiable via the conductor sub; and   the bearing rotationally supporting the one or more perforating charges within the carrier tube;   wherein the bearing rotationally supports the one or more perforating charges within the carrier tube by rotationally supporting the charge container within the carrier tube.   
     
     
         3 . The perforating gun of  claim 2 , wherein the charge cartridge further comprises an orienting weight; and
 wherein the orienting weight is adapted to be acted on by gravity to rotate the charge cartridge via the bearing in order to aim each of the one or more perforating charges in a desired direction.   
     
     
         4 . The perforating gun of  claim 3 , wherein axial movement of the bearing is restricted by the orienting weight. 
     
     
         5 . The perforating gun of  claim 3 , wherein the charge cartridge further comprises a retaining insert; and
 wherein the retaining insert retains the orienting weight.   
     
     
         6 . The perforating gun of  claim 5 , wherein the orienting weight is installed in the charge container in such a manner that the charge container impedes radially outward movement of the orienting weight; and
 wherein the retaining insert retains the orienting weight by impeding radially inward movement of the orienting weight.   
     
     
         7 . The perforating gun of  claim 5 , wherein axial movement of the bearing is restricted by the retaining insert. 
     
     
         8 . The perforating gun of  claim 2 , wherein the charge cartridge extending within the carrier tube defines opposing first and second end portions;
 wherein the charge cartridge further comprises a cap assembly coupled to the charge container at the first end portion; and   wherein the one or more perforating charges contained within the charge container is/are initiable via both the conductor sub and the cap assembly.   
     
     
         9 . The perforating gun of  claim 8 , wherein the charge container comprises a charge tube to which the cap assembly is coupled; and
 wherein the bearing rotationally supports the charge tube within the carrier tube.   
     
     
         10 . The perforating gun of  claim 8 , wherein the bearing rotationally supporting the charge container within the carrier tube is positioned between the cap assembly and the second end portion. 
     
     
         11 . The perforating gun of  claim 1 , wherein the bearing rotationally supporting the one or more perforating charges within the carrier tube is supported against the carrier tube. 
     
     
         12 . The perforating gun of  claim 1 , wherein the charge cartridge extending within the carrier tube further comprises a ground conductor that provides grounding electrical contact with the conductor sub in order to ground the charge cartridge to the conductor sub. 
     
     
         13 . The perforating gun of  claim 12 , wherein the ground conductor comprises a ground spring; and
 wherein the ground spring provides the grounding electrical contact with the conductor sub in order to ground the charge cartridge to the conductor sub.   
     
     
         14 . A charge cartridge adapted to extend within a carrier tube of a perforating gun, which carrier tube is adapted to extend from a conductor sub of the perforating gun, the charge cartridge comprising:
 a charge container containing one or more perforating charges; and   a bearing;   wherein, when the charge cartridge extends within the carrier tube of the perforating gun and the carrier tube extends from the conductor sub of the perforating gun:
 the bearing rotationally supports the charge container within the carrier tube; 
 the one or more perforating charges contained within the charge container is/are initiable via the conductor sub; and 
 the bearing extends entirely outside the conductor sub. 
   
     
     
         15 . The charge cartridge of  claim 14 , further comprising an orienting weight;
 wherein, when the charge cartridge extends within the carrier tube of the perforating gun and the carrier tube extends from the conductor sub of the perforating gun, the orienting weight is adapted to be acted on by gravity to rotate the charge cartridge via the bearing in order to aim each of the one or more perforating charges in a desired direction.   
     
     
         16 . The charge cartridge of  claim 14 , wherein axial movement of the bearing is restricted by the orienting weight. 
     
     
         17 . The charge cartridge of  claim 14 , further comprising a retaining insert;
 wherein the retaining insert retains the orienting weight.   
     
     
         18 . The perforating gun of  claim 17 , wherein the orienting weight is installed in the charge container in such a manner that the charge container impedes radially outward movement of the orienting weight; and
 wherein the retaining insert retains the orienting weight by impeding radially inward movement of the orienting weight.   
     
     
         19 . The perforating gun of  claim 17 , wherein axial movement of the bearing is restricted by the retaining insert. 
     
     
         20 . The charge cartridge of  claim 14 , wherein, when the charge cartridge extends within the carrier tube of the perforating gun and the carrier tube extends from the conductor sub of the perforating gun, the bearing rotationally supporting the charge container within the carrier tube is supported against the carrier tube. 
     
     
         21 . The charge cartridge of  claim 14 , wherein the charge cartridge defines opposing first and second end portions;
 wherein the charge cartridge further comprises a cap assembly coupled to the charge container at the first end portion; and   wherein, when the charge cartridge extends within the carrier tube of the perforating gun and the carrier tube extends from the conductor sub of the perforating gun, the one or more perforating charges contained within the charge container is/are initiable via both the conductor sub and the cap assembly.   
     
     
         22 . The charge cartridge of  claim 21 , wherein the charge container comprises a charge tube to which the cap assembly is coupled; and
 wherein, when the charge cartridge extends within the carrier tube of the perforating gun and the carrier tube extends from the conductor sub of the perforating gun, the bearing rotationally supports the charge tube within the carrier tube.   
     
     
         23 . The charge cartridge of  claim 21 , wherein, when the charge cartridge extends within the carrier tube of the perforating gun and the carrier tube extends from the conductor sub of the perforating gun, the bearing rotationally supporting the charge container within the carrier tube is positioned between the cap assembly and the second end portion. 
     
     
         24 . The charge cartridge of  claim 14 , wherein the charge cartridge further comprises a ground conductor;
 wherein, when the charge cartridge extends within the carrier tube of the perforating gun and the carrier tube extends from the conductor sub of the perforating gun, the ground conductor, the ground conductor provides grounding electrical contact with the conductor sub in order to ground the charge cartridge to the conductor sub.   
     
     
         25 . The charge cartridge of  claim 24 , wherein the ground conductor comprises a ground spring; and
 wherein when the charge cartridge extends within the carrier tube of the perforating gun and the carrier tube extends from the conductor sub of the perforating gun, the ground spring provides the grounding electrical contact with the conductor sub in order to ground the charge cartridge to the conductor sub.