Wellbore drilling and completion systems using laser head
AssigneeSaudi Arabian Oil Company
InventorSameeh Issa Batarseh
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Wellbore drilling and completion systems implement a method of completing a wellbore. A laser head is mounted to a wellbore drilling assembly positioned within a wellbore formed in a subterranean zone. The laser head emits a first laser beam in a downhole direction within the wellbore to form the wellbore through the subterranean zone. Doing so causes portions of the subterranean zone to be released as drill cuttings into the wellbore. The laser head emits a second laser beam in a radial direction within the wellbore. The second laser beam is incident on a portion of the drill cuttings. The second laser beam causes the portion of the drill cuttings to consolidate and form a casing of the wellbore.
Claims20
A method of completing a wellbore, the method comprising:
- emitting, by a laser head mounted to a wellbore drilling assembly positioned within a wellbore formed in subterranean zone a first laser beam emitted in a downhole direction within the wellbore to form the wellbore through the subterranean zone, wherein emitting the first laser beam in the downhole direction causes portions of the subterranean zone to be released as drill cuttings into the wellbore;
- emitting, by the laser head, a second laser beam emitted in a radial direction within the wellbore, wherein the second laser beam is incident on a portion of the drill cuttings, wherein the second laser beam causes the portion of the drill cuttings to consolidate and form a casing of the wellbore;
- and
- acoustically guiding the drill cuttings towards an inner wall of the wellbore, wherein the second laser beam causes the portion of the drill cuttings acoustically guided to the inner wall of the wellbore to consolidate and form the casing of the wellbore.
(canceled)
A wellbore completion comprising:
- a wellbore drilling assembly configured to form a wellbore in a subterranean zone, wherein the wellbore drilling assembly comprises a laser head configured to generate:
- a first laser beam emitted in a downhole direction within the wellbore to form the wellbore through the subterranean zone, wherein emitting the first laser beam in the downhole direction causes portions of the subterranean zone to be released as drill cuttings into the wellbore;
- and
- a second laser beam emitted in a radial direction within the wellbore, wherein the second laser beam, when incident on a portion of the drill cuttings, causes the portion of the drill cuttings to consolidate and form a casing of the wellbore;
- and
- an acoustic source mounted to the wellbore drilling assembly, wherein the acoustic source is configured to transmit acoustic signals to acoustically guide the drill cuttings towards the inner wall of the wellbore.
(canceled)
A method of completing a wellbore, the method comprising:
- lowering a wellbore completion into a wellbore being formed in a subterranean zone, wherein the wellbore completion comprises:
- a wellbore drilling assembly configured to form the wellbore in the subterranean zone, wherein the wellbore drilling assembly comprises a laser head configured to generate:
- a first laser beam emitted in a downhole direction within the wellbore to form the wellbore through the subterranean zone, wherein emitting the first laser beam in the downhole direction causes portions of the subterranean zone to be released as drill cuttings into the wellbore;
- and
- a second laser beam emitted in a radial direction within the wellbore, wherein the second laser beam, when incident on a portion of the drill cuttings, causes the portion of the drill cuttings to consolidate and form a casing of the wellbore;
- using the first laser beam, continuing to form the wellbore in the subterranean zone;
- acoustically guiding, using acoustic signals transmitted by an acoustic source mounted near the wellbore drilling assembly, the drill cuttings towards an inner wall of the wellbore;
- using the second laser beam, heating the portion of the drill cuttings near the inner wall of the wellbore to form the casing of the wellbore.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.