Oct 13, 2026

US12760629 - Self-shunting detonator for well perforating gun

Various well-perforating systems and methods are disclosed incorporating a self-shunting detonator. The detonator may include an electrically-conductive detonator body. A resistor initiator inside the detonator body includes first and second leads. A grounding element inside the detonator body couples the detonator body to the first lead. An electrically-conductive clip coupled to the second lead includes an arm biased to electrical contact with an external surface of the detonator body to shunt the detonator. The arm is moveable away from the detonator body to un-shunt the detonator, such as automatically in response to insertion into a detonator housing.

Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
Inventors: Kevin C. Cook, Matthew Craig Mlcak, Joseph Todd MacGillivray, Stuart Michael Wood
Filing date: 2025-03-28

detonatorwell-perforatingexplosivesafetymethod

The patent describes a self-shunting detonator designed for well-perforating systems, featuring a mechanism that allows the detonator to be safely shunted or un-shunted based on its insertion into a housing. This design enhances safety by preventing accidental detonation while enabling controlled activation of the explosive material.

Claim 1

1 . A well-perforating safety method, comprising: grounding a first lead of a resistor initiator to an electrically conductive detonator body housing an explosive material adjacent the resistor initiator; coupling a second lead of the resistor initiator to an electrically-conductive clip including an arm electrically contacting an external surface of the detonator body, thereby forming a shunted circuit path bypassing the explosive material; and moving the arm away from the detonator body to switch the shunted circuit path to an un-shunted circuit path along the clip to the resistor initiator. grounding a first lead of a resistor initiator to an electrically conductive detonator body housing an explosive material adjacent the resistor initiator; coupling a second lead of the resistor initiator to an electrically-conductive clip including an arm electrically contacting an external surface of the detonator body, thereby forming a shunted circuit path bypassing the explosive material; and moving the arm away from the detonator body to switch the shunted circuit path to an un-shunted circuit path along the clip to the resistor initiator.

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12760629

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12760629