US 11,905,832 B2 · Laser tool configured for downhole movement

Abstract

An example system includes a laser tool configured for downhole movement. The laser tool includes an optical assembly configured to shape a laser beam for output. The laser beam may have an optical power of at least one kilowatt (1 kW). A housing contains the optical assembly. The housing is configured for movement to direct the output laser beam within a wellbore. The movement includes rotation of the laser tool around a longitudinal axis of the housing and tilting the housing relative to a longitudinal axis of the wellbore. A control system is configured to control at least one of the movement of the housing or an operation of the optical assembly to direct the output laser beam within the wellbore.

Claims7

Dependent claims

A method comprising:

lowering a laser tool downhole in a wellbore, wherein a housing of the laser tool is configured to tilt relative to a longitudinal axis of the wellbore and to rotate around the longitudinal axis of the housing, and wherein the wellbore is a vertical wellbore, the laser tool for outputting a laser beam within the wellbore;
tilting at least the housing of the laser tool within the wellbore to direct the laser beam to a wall in the wellbore to form an inclined wellbore to a hydrocarbon deposit;
rotating at least the housing of the laser tool within the wellbore to form the inclined wellbore;
and
extracting hydrocarbons through the inclined wellbore.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

17/411,355Filed 25 Aug 2021 · division

Priority

29 Oct 2018

Published

US 2021/0381316 A19 Dec 2021

Granted

20 Feb 2024

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

E21B 7/15
Drilling by use of heat, e.g. flame drilling: of electrically generated heat
B23K 26/0006
Working by laser beam, e.g. welding, cutting or boring: taking account of the properties of the material involved
B23K 26/032
Observing, e.g. monitoring, the workpiece: using optical means
B23K 26/0648
By means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms: comprising lenses

Family

Application16/173,308Parent of this division · filed 29 Oct 2018

US 2021/0381316 A1Pre-grant publication · published 9 Dec 2021

US 11,142,956 B2Parent of this division

US 2020/0131854 A1Published application

US 11,905,832 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Laser tool configured for downhole movement

Life of this patent

Laser tool configured for downhole movement

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims7