Characterization of Shaped Charge Jet Erosion in Drilling Mud

Abstract

A test was configured to characterize the erosion of a shaped charge jet when penetrating drilling mud used in the oil and gas industry. Three Viper shaped charges were fired simultaneously to penetrate several different thicknesses of drilling mud. A stripper plate was used to reduce the velocity of the jets to approximate that of charges of interest in deep-sea drilling operations. Flash radiographs of the jets taken prior to entering the mud verified the simultaneity of the three jets, while a second radiograph taken after exiting the various thicknesses of mud clearly displayed the jet erosion as a function of thickness of mud penetrated. Observed jet erosion is compared with simulations of jet erosion to validate modeling of the phenomena. The conclusion is that jet erosion when penetrating drilling mud can be described simply based on the density of the drilling mud.