An orientable perforating gun of a downhole tool and method. The orientable perforating gun includes a housing, a downhole component, and an orienting bearing assembly. The downhole component includes a detonation assembly positioned in the housing. The detonation assembly includes a charge assembly carrying shaped charges, and a detonator assembly carrying a detonator to ignite the shaped charges. The orienting bearing assembly includes a rotational bearing and an orienter. The rotational bearing is coupled to the downhole component, and supports the downhole component within the downhole tool. The orienter includes an offset counterweight coupled to the downhole component. The orienter gravitationally urges a portion of the downhole component to a weighted position within the downhole tool whereby the downhole component is positioned in a pre-determined oriented direction within the downhole tool.

An orientable perforating gun of a downhole tool and method. The orientable perforating gun includes a housing, a downhole component, and an orienting bearing assembly. The downhole component includes a detonation assembly positioned in the housing. The detonation assembly includes a charge assembly carrying shaped charges, and a detonator assembly carrying a detonator to ignite the shaped charges. The orienting bearing assembly includes a rotational bearing and an orienter. The rotational bearing is coupled to the downhole component, and supports the downhole component within the downhole tool. The orienter includes an offset counterweight coupled to the downhole component. The orienter gravitationally urges a portion of the downhole component to a weighted position within the downhole tool whereby the downhole component is positioned in a pre-determined oriented direction within the downhole tool.

In general, in one aspect, embodiments relate to a method, that includes lowering a tool string down into a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, where the tool string includes perforating charges, and one or more acoustic emitters, energizing the one or more acoustic emitters to form at least an acoustic signal while the tool string is being drawn up-hole, detecting the acoustic signal with a sensing cable disposed within the wellbore, determining an angular orientation of the tool string relative to the sensing cable based at least in part on the acoustic signal, and detonating at least one of the perforating charges when its firing direction is not directed at the one or more sensing cables.

In general, in one aspect, embodiments relate to a method, that includes lowering a tool string down into a wellbore extending into a subterranean formation, where the tool string includes perforating charges, and one or more acoustic emitters, energizing the one or more acoustic emitters to form at least an acoustic signal while the tool string is being drawn up-hole, detecting the acoustic signal with a sensing cable disposed within the wellbore, determining an angular orientation of the tool string relative to the sensing cable based at least in part on the acoustic signal, and detonating at least one of the perforating charges when its firing direction is not directed at the one or more sensing cables.

A perforating tool includes an encapsulated shaped charge that has a bulkhead with a reduced wall thickness section, a plate having a shallow recess, and a detonating cord having an energetic core. The energetic core forms the plate into an explosively formed perforator when detonated. The plate is positioned to direct the explosively formed perforator into the reduced wall thickness section.

A perforating tool includes an encapsulated shaped charge that has a bulkhead with a reduced wall thickness section, a plate having a shallow recess, and a detonating cord having an energetic core. The energetic core forms the plate into an explosively formed perforator when detonated. The plate is positioned to direct the explosively formed perforator into the reduced wall thickness section.

A downhole perforating gun system provides wireless electrical communication between an inner body conductor, a switch, a detonator, and a feedthrough, and further comprising a weight module and a bearing assembly wherein the weight module is rotatable by a weight via a bearing assembly based on gravity acting on one or more of the weights.

A dispenser includes a body that defines a chamber and a barrel that communicate with each other, and a penetrator assembly configured to be received in the chamber. The penetrator assembly includes a penetrator, a propellant operably positioned with respect to the penetrator, a primer in operable communication with the propellant, and an electrical conductor configured and arranged to carry electrical power to the primer. The dispenser may be positioned in a downhole location such as a wellbore, and the penetrator assembly may be fired so that the penetrator perforates a casing in the wellbore.

A dispenser includes a body that defines a chamber and a barrel that communicate with each other, and a penetrator assembly configured to be received in the chamber. The penetrator assembly includes a penetrator, a propellant operably positioned with respect to the penetrator, a primer in operable communication with the propellant, and an electrical conductor configured and arranged to carry electrical power to the primer. The dispenser may be positioned in a downhole location such as a wellbore, and the penetrator assembly may be fired so that the penetrator perforates a casing in the wellbore.

A perforating gun is disclosed with shaped charges at a preferential orientation. An example includes a gun body and a charge carrier disposed within the gun body. The charge carrier defines a longitudinal carrier axis and has a plurality of axially-spaced charge mounting locations. A plurality of charges are each pivotally mounted to the charge carrier at one of the respective charge mounting locations about a charge pivot axis transverse to the longitudinal carrier axis. The charges may preferentially align in response to gravity so their orientation remains constant throughout a range of inclination of the wellbore.