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US 10,480,249 B2Granted
Hybrid mechanical-laser drilling equipment
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsRobello Samuel, Aniket
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Systems and methods for utilizing hybrid mechanical-laser drilling tools, such as drill bits and hole-openers, are provided. Such drilling tools may include mechanical cutters in addition to laser cutting mechanisms designed to focus laser beams toward a subterranean formation. The mechanical cutters and laser cutting mechanisms may work in combination to advance a wellbore through the subterranean formation. The drilling tools may be controlled to vary the amount of energy output through the mechanical drilling via the cutters and through the laser-assisted drilling via the lasers.
Claims19
A system, comprising:
- a laser-mechanical hybrid drill bit, comprising:
- first mechanical cutters for selectively applying mechanical force to a subterranean formation to drill a wellbore through the subterranean formation;
- and
- a first laser cutting mechanism for selectively directing a first laser beam toward the subterranean formation to drill the wellbore;
- a laser-mechanical hybrid hole-opener, comprising:
- second mechanical cutters for selectively applying mechanical force to a wall of the wellbore through the subterranean formation to shape the wellbore;
- and
- a second laser cutting mechanism for selectively directing a second laser beam toward the wall to shape the wellbore;
- and a controller communicatively coupled to the laser-mechanical hybrid drill bit and the laser-mechanical hybrid hole-opener,
- wherein the controller is configured to perform an engineering analysis and to control the relative amounts of energy output to the subterranean formation by the first and second mechanical cutters and the first and second laser cutting mechanisms all at the same time based on the engineering analysis.
7 more elements
A method, comprising:
- performing a drilling operation via a system comprising a laser-mechanical hybrid drill bit and a laser-mechanical hybrid hole-opener to advance a wellbore through a subterranean formation,
- wherein the laser-mechanical hybrid drill bit comprises:
- first mechanical cutters for selectively applying mechanical force to a subterranean formation to drill a wellbore through the subterranean formation;
- and
- a first laser cutting mechanism for selectively directing a laser beam toward the subterranean formation to drill the wellbore;
- wherein the laser-mechanical hybrid hole-opener comprises:
- second mechanical cutters for selectively applying mechanical force to a wall of the wellbore through the subterranean formation to shape the wellbore;
- and
- a second laser cutting mechanism for selectively directing a second laser beam toward the wall to shape the wellbore;
- receiving data indicative of a formation property of a subterranean formation, a real-time property of the drilling operation, or both via a controller, wherein the drilling operation includes operation of both the laser-mechanical hybrid drill bit and the laser-mechanical hybrid hole-opener;
- performing an engineering analysis of the data indicative of the formation property, the real-time property of the drilling operation, or both via the controller;
- outputting a first one or more control signals to operate the first and second mechanical cutters to output an amount of mechanical energy from the first and second mechanical cutters based on the engineering analysis;
- and
- outputting a second one or more control signals to a laser power source to operate the first and second laser cutting mechanisms to output an amount of laser energy from the first and second laser cutting mechanisms based on the engineering analysis;
- and
- controlling a relative amount of energy output to the subterranean formation from the first and second mechanical cutters and from the first and second laser cutting mechanisms all at the same time based on the engineering analysis.
13 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.