Patent Publication Number: US-11377935-B2

Title: Universal initiator and packaging

Description:
PRIORITY 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/648,129 filed Mar. 26, 2018, that is incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The disclosure relates generally to wellbore operations. Specifically, safer and more reliable downhole perforating systems and methods of use are described. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In a typical oil and gas operation, well casing is installed in a borehole drilled into subsurface geologic formations. The well casing prevents uncontrolled migration of subsurface fluids between different well zones, and provides a conduit for installing production tubing in the well. The well casing also facilitates the running and installation of production tools in the well. 
     It is common practice in the completion of oil and gas wells to perforate the well casing and the surrounding formation to bring a well into production by the downhole detonation of shaped charges, i.e. explosives of high velocity. A gun-assembled body containing a plurality of shaped charges is lowered into a wellbore and positioned opposite the subsurface formation to be perforated. Electrical signals are then passed from a surface location through a wireline to one or more blasting caps located in the gun body, thereby causing detonation of the blasting caps. The exploding blasting caps in turn transfer a detonating wave to a detonator cord which further causes the shaped charges to detonate. The detonated shaped charges form an energetic stream of high pressure gases and high velocity particles which perforates the well casing and the adjacent formation to form channels. The hydrocarbons and/or other fluids trapped in the formation flow into the channels, into the casing through the orifices cut in the casing, and up the casing to the surface for recovery. 
     Due to the explosive and dangerous nature of shaped charges, great care must be taken to assure safety in assembly and operation of the perforating guns while maintaining their reliability. As such, many industrial improvements have been made to prevent premature ignition before the perforating gun is properly positioned. 
     For instance, accidental detonation of explosive devices has been avoided by transferring tools to the well site in an unarmed condition. The arming step is then performed at the well site. 
     Safety regulations have also been enacted to reduce the amount of manual handling of the perforating guns on a drill rig or handling by inexperienced persons. The American Petroleum Institute (API) developed guidelines for safe handling of the explosives, including the suspension of all surface operations during the arming and connection of the gun sting. 
     Unfortunately, many of the devices that are designed to increase safety and reliability also add new levels of complexity to the perforating gun. This, in turn, increases the risk of human error and handling issues. 
     Thus, what is needed in the art are methods and devices to improve the safety and reliability of the perforating guns without making the guns or their assembly more complex. Although wellbore perforations are quite successful, even incremental improvements in technology can mean the difference between safe and cost-effective production and unintended surface explosions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     The present disclosure includes any of the following embodiments in any combination(s) of one or more thereof: 
     In an embodiment of the present disclosure, a universal initiator for a perforating gun is provided. The initiator comprises an upper module having a detonator and a detonating cord affixed thereto. The initiator further comprises a lower module adapted for engagement of a wiring harness. The initiator further comprises a printed wiring assembly (PWA) between the upper module and the lower module. 
     In another embodiment of the present disclosure, the initiator comprises a multi-piece housing, a universal adaptor for engaging a loading tube affixed thereto at the downhole end of the housing, and a universal bulkhead at an up-hole end to engage a firing head. The multi-piece housing has an upper and lower module, each module having an inner and outer surface and an up-hole and downhole end, as well as upper and lower covers that attached to the outer surface of the upper and lower module. A detonator is installed during the manufacturing process and affixed to the outer surface of the upper module. A printed wiring assembly is between the upper and lower module. The printed wiring assembly has a least one microprocessor that is connected to the detonator and an RCA connector for connecting the initiator to the firing head. 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts that are further described below in the detailed description. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used as an aid in limiting the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure is best understood from the following detailed description when read with the accompanying figures. It is emphasized that, in accordance with standard practice in the industry, various features are not drawn to scale. In fact, the dimensions of various features may be arbitrarily increased or reduced for clarity of discussion. Commonly known details may also be omitted for clarity. 
         FIG. 1  shows as typical perforating system having an embodiment of the present disclosure installed within. 
         FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the universal initiator of the present disclosure coupled to a loading tube of a perforating gun. 
         FIG. 3A  is an exploded view of one embodiment of the presently disclosed initiator.  FIG. 3B  shows the universal initiator with the upper and lower outer covers removed.  FIG. 3C  shows the fully assembled universal initiator. 
         FIG. 4A  shows a more detailed view of the portion of the upper module of an embodiment of the present disclosure that includes fasteners or retaining barbs for securing the detonating cord.  FIG. 4B  provides a cross-sectional view of the initiator to show the proximity of the detonator to the detonating cord. 
         FIG. 5  shows a bottom view of the lower module showing the wiring harness affixed thereto. 
         FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of the universal initiator connected to a loading tube and a firing head. 
         FIG. 7A  is a top view of packaging for a case of twenty-four initiators.  FIG. 7B  is an exploded view of the packaging and partitions.  FIG. 7C  is a cut away of the side view of  FIG. 7A  showing the orientation of the detonator in the initiators. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     In the following description, numerous details are set forth to provide an understanding of some embodiments of the present disclosure. It is to be understood that the following disclosure provides many different embodiments, or examples, for implementing different features of various embodiments. Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. However, it will be understood by those of ordinary skill in the art that the system and/or methodology may be practiced without these details and that numerous variations or modifications from the described embodiments are possible. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but rather made merely for the purpose of describing general principles of the implementations. The scope of the described implementations should be ascertained with reference to the issued claims. 
     As used herein, the terms “connect”, “connection”, “connected”, “in connection with”, and “connecting” are used to mean “in direct connection with” or “in connection with via one or more elements”; and the term “set” is used to mean “one element” or “more than one element”. Further, the terms “couple”, “coupling”, “coupled”, “coupled together”, and “coupled with” are used to mean “directly coupled together” or “coupled together via one or more elements”. As used herein, the terms “up” and “down”; “upper” and “lower”; “top” and “bottom”; and other like terms indicating relative positions to a given point or element are utilized to more clearly describe some elements. Commonly, these terms relate to a reference point at the surface from which drilling operations are initiated as being the top point and the total depth being the lowest point, wherein the well (e.g., wellbore, borehole) is vertical, horizontal or slanted relative to the surface. 
     Further, as used herein, the terms detonator and blasting cap are used interchangeable to refer to the device used to trigger the explosion of the shaped charges. Likewise, “detonating cord” and “blasting cord” are used interchangeably. As used herein, the term “ferrites” refer to ceramics consisting of various metal oxides formulated to have very high permeability. Iron, manganese, manganese zinc (MnZn), and nickel zinc (NiZn) are the most commonly used oxides. A preferred ferrite for the present invention is composed of manganese oxide, zinc oxide and ferric oxide. Ferrites are used to suppress radio frequency (RF) interference and block induced signals from reaching the microprocessor, detonator, and other components mounted on or connected to the printed wiring assembly (PWA). As such, ferrites can be used in a variety of locations on the PWA. For example, ferrite can be located near the inputs or they can be located nearer the detonator connection. 
     As used herein, the surface command is understood to originate from a surface telemetry system, such as a wireline acquisition system or an off the shelf telemetry system used for downhole perforation operations. 
     Generally, the invention provides a universal initiator for a wellbore perforation system and methods of using such. The initiator provides features to increase safety, reliability, and ease of use, including a select fire system and simplified connectors. 
     The present initiator and methods are exemplified with respect to a high shot density perforating gun system using a single perforating gun. However, this is exemplary only, and the invention can be broadly applied to any perforating gun, irrespective of shot density, or a series of guns. Further, the present initiator and method may be used within cased hole or open hole environments and remain within the scope of the present disclosure. The following description and figures are intended to be illustrative only, and not unduly limit the scope of the appended claims. 
     Disclosed herein is an improved perforating system that uses a universal initiator that has a printed wiring assembly (PWA) that is pre-wired with simplified connectors for quick connection to other parts of a perforating system. Embodiments of the universal initiator comprise universal adaptors on the up-hole and downhole end for easy assembly with other parts of the perforating system. The universal initiator includes a pre-installed detonator with features for engaging a detonating cord in proximity thereto. Additionally, the universal initiator has features to engage the wiring harness for select-fire operations. The universal initiator comprises a multi-piece housing that allows for quick access to the PWA and detonator. These features make the universal initiator a “plug and play” device, i.e. it does not require further reconfiguration or adjustment for use in conventional or select-fire operations and can be used in a wide range of sizes of perforating systems. 
     The easy attachment ability of both the universal initiator and the wiring reduces general human error, which results in decreased wiring mistakes at the wellbore and/or misruns. Further improvements to the universal initiator include safety features for preventing unintentional detonation and means of securing a detonating cord in proximity to the pre-installed detonator. Such improvements simplify on-site assembly of the system and prevent premature detonation while improving the reliability of the initiator. 
       FIG. 1  shows a typical perforating system  10  having an embodiment of the present disclosure installed within. As shown, the perforating system  10  comprises multiple universal initiators  100 A,  100 B engaged to the top end of respective loading tubes  151 A,  151 B. The universal initiators  100 A,  100 B are housed within adapters  140 A,  140 B. The upper adapter  140 A having a firing head  142  affixed thereto. The adapters  140 A,  140 B and the firing head  142  are sized based on the overall size of the perforating system  10 . Thus, the universal initiators  100 A,  100 B can be used for a wide range of perforating gun system sizes by use of varying sized adapters  140 A,  140 B. 
       FIG. 2  shows an embodiment of the universal initiator  100  of the present disclosure coupled to a loading tube  151  of a perforating gun, referred to generally as  150 . The initiator  100  is located at the top of the loading tube  151  of the perforating gun  150  and connected thereto using a universal intermediate housing  120 . In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the universal intermediate housing  120  is made of plastic but can be made of any suitable material and remain within the purview of the present disclosure. The intermediate housing  120  connects to both the upper alignment plate of the loading tube  151  and the universal initiator  100  itself by means of snap-fit features. In the embodiment of the present disclosure shown, the connection to the loading tube  151  is “floating” on a spring  153  to allow for tolerance stack up error. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the spring  153  is a coil spring but other types of springs, such as a wave spring, can be used instead of a coil spring. The spring  153  allows the universal initiator  100  to accommodate a wide range of loading tube dimensions. 
     An embodiment of the universal initiator  100  is described in more detail with reference to  FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C . As shown,  FIG. 3A  displays an exploded view of an embodiment of the universal initiator  100 ,  FIG. 3B  shows the universal initiator  100  with the upper and lower outer covers  101 A,  101 B removed, and  FIG. 3C  shows the fully assembled universal initiator  100 . 
     The shown embodiment of the universal initiator  100  is comprised of an upper outer cover  101 A, a lower outer cover  101 B, an upper module  103 A, a lower module  103 B, and a printed wiring assembly (PWA)  104 . As will be more fully described with reference to  FIGS. 4A and 4B , a conventional blasting cap  102  is housed in the upper module  103 A, and as will be more fully described with reference to  FIG. 5 , the lower module  103 B has features for routing gun-wires for select-fire operations. 
     As best understood with reference to the exploded view of  FIG. 3A , splitting the housing of the universal initiator  100  into an upper module  103 A and a lower module  103 B allows for reliable ballistic transfers and access to electronic features without adding complexity to the initiator  100 , and it provides the ability to include, modify, and replace design features such as retaining barbs as needed. Further, in embodiments using injection-molded plastics for the housing and its components lowers the cost of the initiator  100  while allowing the incorporation of conventional ballistics. 
     Housed between the upper module  103 A and the lower module  103 B is the PWA  104 . The PWA  104  is the heart of the initiator  100  as it establishes the link between the surface communications and the detonator  102 , includes many safety mechanisms to prevent unintentional detonation, and accepts RCA and IDC connectors for the initiator&#39;s plug-and-play capabilities. 
     The PWA  104  is housed between the upper and lower modules  103 A,  103 B by a series of latches or other types of attachments added to the inner surface of either the upper or lower module  103 A,  103 B to secure the PWA  104  and prevent its movement during transport and deployment. In some embodiments, both the upper and lower modules  103 A,  103 B have a series of protrusions on the inner surface that sandwich the PWA  104  to maintain its position and prevent movement. As will be more fully discussed below, the upper and lower modules  103 A,  103 B have openings to allow for wiring and connectors to access the PWA  104 . 
     The PWA  104  of the present disclosure simplifies the design of the initiator  100  while improving its safety. To simplify the design of the electronic system and assembly of the perforation system, the currently described initiator  100  comes with pre-assembled PWA wiring such that simplified connectors can be used to connect the PWA  104  to other parts of the perforating system, such as the detonator  102 , loading tubes  151 , firing heads  142 , and wireline cables. For instance, the PWA  104  is connected to the pre-installed blasting cap detonator  102  during the manufacturing process using insulation-displacement connectors (IDC)  107 , removing the need for such connections to be performed at the well site. The PWA  104  can also be connected to an upper gun using an RCA connector  105 , and the PWA  104  can be connected to a select-fire loading tube&#39;s wiring  116  using an IDC connector  107 . The PWA  104  can also connect to a wireline cable by means of an RCA style connector at the up-hole end. Thus, with the attachment of these simplified connectors (IDC and RCA), the PWA  104  provides communication between the surface, detonator  102  and/or loading tube  121 , as well as relays status information for the initiator  100  and the perforating gun system itself. This greatly reduces the amount of human attention needed onsite, which adds another layer of safety for the prevention of unintended detonation. 
     The upper module  103 A utilizes novel features to house and maintain a conventional detonator or blasting cap  102  near and/or adjacent to a detonating cord used in conjunction with a perforating gun.  FIG. 4A  shows a more detailed view of the portion of the upper module  103 A that includes fasteners or retaining barbs  108  for securing the detonating cord  106  such that it can be installed and held in place near the detonator  102  during deployment. 
       FIG. 4B  provides a cross-sectional view of the initiator  100  from up-hole to show the close proximity of the detonator  102  to the detonating cord  106  when installed in the upper module  103 A. It should be understood that in embodiments of the present disclosure, any conventional detonating cord  106  known in the art can be used with the present universal initiator  100 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 4A , in some embodiments of the presently disclosed initiator  100  a crimp shell  109  is attached to the end of the detonating cord  106  to further secure the detonating cord  106  to the initiator  100  at its predetermined position. A detonating cord  106  is prone to shrinkage at elevated temperatures, and while the fasteners or retaining barbs  108  on the upper module  103 A may secure the detonating cord  106  during transportation and/or installations within certain temperature ranges, these features may not be sufficient to overcome the natural shrinkage of the detonating cord  106  at elevated temperatures. Excessive shrinkage of the detonating cord  106  can negatively impact the ballistic transfer during detonation. 
     The crimp shell  109  is used to counter the negative impact of shrinkage of the detonating cord  106 . In the event of shrinkage due to elevated temperature, the retaining barbs  108  catch the crimp shell  109  and prevent the detonating cord  106  from moving away from the detonator  102 . In some embodiments, additional features can be included on the inside of the upper outer cover  101 A (facing the detonating cord  106  and upper module  103 A) when needed to provide additional retention of the detonating cord  106  and/or blasting cap  102 . 
     The upper module  103 A also has at least one fastener  110  for affixing the blasting cap  102  installed during the manufacturing process to the outer surface of the upper module  103 A. The fastener  110  latches over the detonator  102  and maintains the location of the detonator  102  in close proximity to the detonating cord  106  during perforating gun assembly and wellbore deployment. The fastener  110  further presses the detonator  102  securely against the outer surface of the upper module  103 A to prevent movement during transport. A second fastener  111  can also be used at the up-hole end of the detonator  102  to prevent it from moving axially along the initiator  100 . 
     The upper module  103 A additionally has  107 A openings to allow wires, cables and connectors, such as the IDC connectors  107  shown, to pass through to provide communication between the PWA  104  and the detonator  102 . Additionally, the upper module  103 A may have fasteners or retaining barbs to secure the communication wiring, cables and connectors. 
     Embodiments of the lower module  103 B of the universal initiator  100  have features for routing and securing wiring to and from the PWA  104  to other parts of the perforating gun system. For example, perforating guns with electronic select-fire loading tubes  151  can utilize a pre-assembled wiring harness  116  that connects to the PWA  104  in the initiator  100  using IDC style connectors  107 . 
       FIG. 5  provides a bottom view of the lower module  103 B showing the wiring  118  of the wiring harness  116  affixed thereto. As shown, the wires  118  are routed from the PWA  104  and extend beyond the universal initiator  100  for connection to the firing head of the next perforating gun. In an embodiment of the present disclosure, the termination of the wiring harness is an RCA connection  117  (shown in  FIG. 3A ). 
     The pre-assembled wiring harness  118 , and IDC style connectors  107 , along with RCA style connectors  105  on the up-hole end of the PWA  104 , eliminate wiring mistakes, inadvertent disconnection of wiring during deployment and system assembly, and the reliability problems associated with alternative electrical connections (e.g. Scotch locks, ground lugs, wire nuts, and the like) typically used by perforating guns, all while greatly simplifying the firing operations or allowing for selective firing operations. Universal wiring harnesses for a given length of a perforating gun can be pre-assembled and utilized to aid in the ability to easily incorporate the initiator  100  into the perforating system. This wiring assembly harness can then be secured to the lower module half  103 B using a series of fasteners. In embodiments of the present disclosure, the lower module half  103 B can also comprise one or more openings for running wiring therethrough to the PWA  104 . 
     Referring back to  FIGS. 3A, 3B, and 3C , upper and lower outer covers  101 A,  101 B protect the upper and lower modules  103 A,  103 B, the gun wiring  118 , detonator  102 , and detonating cord  106 . Both covers  101 A,  101 B can include one or more attachment points for attaching the initiator  100  to an adapter (protective cover)  140  or other pieces of the assembly. 
     In embodiments of the present disclosure, the multi-piece modular plastic housing (outer covers  101 A,  101 B and modules  103 A,  103 B) are injection molded and preferably made out of a thermoplastic with high temperature stability such as polyamide, polyethylene, polyphenylene oxide, polyphenylene sulfide, polypropylene, polyetherimide, polyether ether ketone, polyether sulfone, or polybenzimidazole. However, other thermally stable polymers can be used as well. 
     Further, the pieces of the modular housing can be reversibly attached using any means known in the art, such as a snap fit. This type of attachment allows for the quick and easy dis-arming of the initiator  100  or access to the electronics (e.g. PWA  104  or connectors  107 ) housed by the initiator  100 . For instance, the upper cover  101 A and module  103 A may have a series of protrusions that mate with holes on the lower cover  101 B and module  103 B or vice versa. Alternatively, a hinge can connect the upper and lower covers and/or the upper and lower module such that the pieces can be closed and snapped together at one location. In yet another alternative, the pieces of the modular housing can be molded together to form a single piece and make use of living hinges to form the joints. 
     The features of the modular housing that retain the various initiator components (e.g. detonator  102 , detonating cord  106 , wiring  118 , PWA  104 ) can be part of the mold for the modular housing or may be reversibly attached to the modular housing using snap fits or screw fits. 
       FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of the universal initiator  100  connected to a loading tube  151 , loading tube carrier  152  and a firing head  552 . As described above, the initiator  100  connects to the loading tube  151  via an intermediate housing  120 . At the up-hole end of the initiator  100 , electrical connection from the firing head  552 , an up-hole gun (not shown), wireline cable (not shown) or other electrical source is made by means of the RCA connector  501  and disposable brass feedthrough  502  housed in a universal bulkhead  503 . Universal bulkheads  503  between guns are simple one-wire feed-throughs to simplify the initiator  100 . The universal bulkhead  503  enables easy access to the disposable brass feedthrough  502  for replacement, if needed, after each shot. The universal bulkhead  503  is capable of withstanding high temperature and pressures, and it protects the connectors (e.g.  501 ) from exposure from wellbore fluids. 
       FIG. 6  also shows the adapter, or protective covering,  520  for the initiator  100 . This protective covering  520  protects the initiator  100  and its components from exposure to wellbore fluids and enables the initiator  100  to accommodate many sizes and combinations of loading tubes  151 , carriers  152 , and perforating gun systems. The protective covering  520  itself may include one or more retaining tabs sized and shaped to mate with corresponding holes or recesses on the firing head  552  and loading tube  151  or loading tube carrier  152  to ensure proper alignment of the initiator  100  in the loading tube  151  or loading tube carrier  152 . Alternatively, threaded type connections can be used to connect the protective covering  520  and firing head  552  or loading tube  151  or loading tube carrier  152  This simple firing head  552  and adapter  520  design reduces the total cost of ownership of the initiator  100  while improving the reliability of the system. 
     In addition to the features that improve the ‘plug and play’ ability of the initiator  100 , in embodiments of the present disclosure, the PWA  104  may also include a number of mechanisms for preventing unintended detonation, including an addressable-switch firing system (ASFS) and ferrite beads. 
     ASFS technologies, which use a series of microprocessors on the PWA  104  to operationally check and arm a digital switch for each detonator, are readily incorporated into the presently disclosed initiator  100 . The PWA  104  has at least one microprocessor controlled electronic switch associated with the pre-installed detonator  102 . Each electronic switch has a unique address that will have to be positively identified by a command originating from the surface prior to activating the initiator  100 , and the unique address must be confirmed by the microprocessor to arm the initiator  100 . This two-way communication and confirmation between the PWA  104  and the surface is required to shoot any gun, which limits unintended detonation. 
     The PWA  104  also has one or more passive ferrite components  112  (shown in  FIG. 3A ) as another means to prevent unintended detonation. Passive ferrite components suppress high frequency noise by converting it to a negligible amount of heat and will impart a high level of RF safety to the current initiator  100 . They also block induced signals from reaching the microprocessor, detonator, and other components mounted on or connected to the PWA  104 . The addition of ferrite components on the PWA is less complicated and more reliable than the Electronic Foil Initiator (EFI) design. 
     The PWA  104  has at least one ferrite bead adjacent to each input to suppress radio frequency interference and at least one ferrite bead near the detonator  102 . Ferrite is a passive electric component that prevents interference both to the PWA  104  and from the PWA  104 . This, in turn, adds an additional level of safety as it limits unintended detonation due to stray RF frequencies. Iron, manganese, manganese zinc (MnZn), and nickel zinc (NiZn) are the most commonly used ferrite oxides. A preferred ferrite for the present invention is composed of manganese oxide, zinc oxide and ferric oxide. Ferrite beads are also preferred as they are capable of being mounted directed to the PWA  104 . However, other ferrite shapes such as cores or rings can be used. In addition to being mounted on the PWA  104 , ferrite can be mounted on the ends of any wire or cable attached to the PWA  104  as an added level of safety. 
     Finally, embodiments of the initiator  100  also eliminate pressure bleed ports. In previously designed perforating systems, o-rings have been a source of reliability problems. By eliminating the pressure bleed ports and reducing the number of o-rings, the reliability of the initiator  100  can be improved. 
     Thus, the initiator  100  provides top tier features (addressability, selectivity, and RF immunity) using conventional blasting cap detonators and injection molded plastic housings in place of the more expensive to manufacture EFI style detonator. As the assembly of the entire initiator  100 , including installation of the detonator  102 , occurs at the manufacturer, this improves reliability of the initiator  100  by eliminating miswiring mistakes at the wellsite, improving ballistic transfer, and reducing unintentional detonation. 
     The initiator  100  further includes a number of attachment points on its upper and lower modules  103 A,  103 B to snap-fit adapters used to couple the initiator  100  to the loading tube, wireline, firing head or another perforating system. 
     In an ASFS application, once connected, the perforating gun with the described initiator  100  can be conveyed downhole via wireline. At this point, the initiator  100  is not operational in the sense that it is unable to signal the detonator  102 . Rather, the initiator  100  is only able to receive communication from the surface and send status updates for the system. 
     Upon reaching the desired downhole depth, a unique, specific command can be transmitted from the surface system power source to the initiator  100  to activate an ASFS. As mentioned above, each electronic switch for the blasting cap  102  has a unique address that must be positively identified prior to shooting. Once the specific command for the intended switch is received and the unique address is confirmed by the microprocessors on the PWA  104 , the system is armed and activated. At this point, an electric current is able to pass through the electronics and initiate the explosive blasting cap  102 . The blasting cap  102  detonates, transferring ballistically to the detonating cord  106 , and then from the detonating cord  106  to each successive shaped charge of the perforating gun. The explosively formed jet of the gun&#39;s shaped charges perforate the wellbore casing and cement and then penetrate deep into the reservoir formation, allowing trapped fluids to flow freely into the wellbore and be communicated to surface. 
     Embodiments of the universal initiator  100  of the present disclosure allow for a quick and easy attachment of the initiator  100  to the remaining pieces of the perforating systems at the location of the wellbore. These quick connections remove many of the human errors experienced with the typically on-site assembly of perforating systems and reduce the risk of mis-wiring the initiator  100  to the system. 
     Further, the safety mechanisms in the currently described initiator  100  are simple additions to the device and do not unduly complicate the system or its assembly. 
     Additionally, by pre-arming the initiator  100  in manufacturing with a detonator  102  and splitting the plastic confinement (upper and lower outer covers  101 A,  101 B and upper and lower modules  103 A,  103 B), the initiator  100  has a more reliable ballistic transfer. The housing as well as novel design features also simplify the gun-arming process, which decreases the risk of unintended detonation or an inability to detonate. 
     Similarly, dis-arming the initiator  100  is also simplified and does not require any additional cutting or crimping of the detonating cord  106 . Rather, the disarming signal can be sent to the PWA  104  while it is downhole, and the detonator  102  can be removed once the device is at the surface by simply removing the upper outer cover  101 A then separating the initiator  100  from the loading tube  151  and loading tube carrier  152  and/or interface plastics. 
     To overcome issues related to transport of the initiator  100  with a preinstalled detonator  102  from the manufacturing site to the wellbore site, the initiators  100  are packaged and shipped in a fiberboard box  300  in a specific orientation. In one embodiment shown in  FIG. 7A , twenty-four (24) initiators are packaged in a single UN 4G fiberboard box  300 , which is a heavy duty, double walled box. Additional fiberboard pads and dividers  301 , shown in  FIG. 7B , are used to satisfy the regulations of Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations as issued by the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) and classified per UN Explosive Hazard Classification Systems as Class 1.4s (DOT Reference #EX2017030549). This hazard classification allows for transportation of the initiator via both cargo and commercial aircraft. 
     The initiators  100  themselves are all oriented in the same position in a partition tray, with the blasting cap  102  in the twelve (12) o&#39;clock position, vertically above the detonating cord channel  106 A per  FIG. 7C . This described orientation adds a layer of procedural control, particularly for US DOT classification assessment. However, other orientations can be utilized. 
     While the foregoing is directed to embodiments of the present invention, other and further embodiments of the invention can be devised without departing from the basic scope thereof, and the scope thereof is determined by the claims that follow.