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US 11,028,647 B2Granted
Laser drilling tool with articulated arm and reservoir characterization and mapping capabilities
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorSameeh Issa Batarseh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
This application relates to systems and methods for stimulating hydrocarbon bearing formations using a downhole laser tool.
Claims22
A laser perforation tool configured for use in a downhole environment of a wellbore within a rock formation, the tool comprising:
- perforation means configured for perforating the wellbore, the perforation means comprising one or more optical transmission media, the one or more optical transmission media being part of an optical path originating at a laser generating unit configured to generate a raw laser beam, the one or more optical transmission media configured for passing the raw laser beam;
- a laser head coupled to the one or more optical transmission media and configured for receiving the raw laser beam, the laser head comprising an optical assembly for controlling at least one characteristic of an output laser beam;
- a purging assembly disposed at least partially within or adjacent to the laser head and configured for delivering a purging fluid to an area proximate the output laser beam;
- a plurality of orientation nozzles disposed about an outer circumference of the laser head, the plurality of orientation nozzles configured to control orientation of the laser perforation tool within the wellbore, the plurality of orientation nozzles being purge nozzles configured to provide thrust to the laser head to move the laser head within the wellbore and being movably coupled to the laser head to allow the orientation nozzles to rotate or pivot relative to the laser head to provide forward motion, reverse motion, rotational motion, or combinations thereof to the laser head relative to the wellbore;
- and
- a control system to control the plurality of orientation nozzles thereby controlling at least one of a motion or a location of the laser head.
3 more elements
A method of using a laser tool to stimulate a hydrocarbon-bearing formation, the method comprising the steps of:
- passing, through one or more optical transmission media, a raw laser beam generated by a laser generating unit at an origin of an optical path comprising the one or more optical transmission media;
- positioning a laser tool within a wellbore within the formation via an articulated arm, the laser tool coupled to the laser generating unit;
- orienting a laser head of the laser tool within the wellbore using a plurality of orientation nozzles disposed about an outer circumference of the laser head, the plurality of orientation nozzles configured to control orientation of the laser tool within the wellbore, the plurality of orientation nozzles being purge nozzles that are movably coupled to the laser head to allow the orientation nozzles to rotate or pivot relative to the laser head, the orienting comprising providing, by the purge nozzles, thrust to the laser head to move the laser head within the wellbore to provide forward motion, reverse motion, rotational motion, or combinations thereof to the laser head relative to the wellbore;
- delivering the raw laser beam to an optical assembly disposed within the laser head;
- manipulating the raw laser beam with the optical assembly to produce an output laser beam;
- and
- delivering the output laser beam to the formation.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.