Laser Technology for Downhole Applications; Past, Present and Future

Abstract

The objective of this work is to provide an overview of high power laser program since it is inception and to provide the strategy to make it reality. An overview of the past two decades, current and future plan to deploy the technology in the field. Laser attracted the oil and gas industry as an innovative non-damaging technology and alternatives to current practices. The lab success conducted over the past 20 years performing experiments on thousands of representative rock samples proved the key parameter for successful laser operation in the field. The technology is not only a non-damaging but also improves flow properties and communication between the wellbore and the hydrocarbon bearing formation. For the past two decades, researchers attempted to deploy high power laser technology for several downhole applications due to its unique properties such as accuracy, precision, and power. The power of the earlier laser generation was insufficient to penetrate subsurface formations. Recent advancement in the high power laser technology generates new and evolved systems that are more compact, efficient, and cost effective for downhole applications. Thousands of rocks have been exposed to high power lasers radiations for several downhole applications such as perforation, drilling and heating. The success of the technology demonstrated that in all rock types, the flow properties were enhanced regardless of their compressive strength and hardness. Laser also has unique futures such as the precision in controlling and orienting the energy in any direction regardless of the reservoir stress orientation and magnitude. The beam is generated at the surface and delivered downhole via fiber optics cable, it can be targeted directly to the pay zone to enable production from challenging zones that cannot and could not be achieved with current technology. The technology provides small footprint and environmentally friendly technology, it provides waterless technology as an alternative to water base fracturing technology.