APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR DRY INJECTING BALLS FOR WELLBORE OPERATIONS

摘要

A system and method are provided for storing and dry launching one or more balls into a wellbore having reduced ball drop height and ball drop stages relative to existing systems and methods. Balls are individually stored in cartridges of a ball launcher in communication with the wellbore via an axial bore, and are isolated from fluids and pressure in the axial bore by seals located on the cartridge. A selected ball can be injected into the wellbore by isolating the axial bore from the wellbore, establishing a launching pressure in the axial bore, actuating the cartridge of the selected ball to a launch position to stage the ball in the axial bore, retracting the cartridge to a sealing position, establishing a release pressure in the axial bore, and then re-establishing communication between the axial bore and wellbore to allow the ball to be injected.