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7. Krypton Fluoride (excimer) Laser: Operates at laser powers, considerable energy is consumed by thermal
0.248 micrometer wavelength with power of 10KW. expansion, fracture formation and mineral decomposition
It can be operated in RP mode. In this laser, the leaving little energy left for destruction of rock material.
atoms of Krypton and Fluoride in KrF molecule are Hence, as power increases, rock removal gets more effective.
in excited state. Once melting starts, secondary effects begin to consume
additional energy and SE values increase. Therefore, it is
Lasers are characterized by laser parameters like laser type, desired for the laser to work within the spallation zone and as
wavelength, mode of operation (CW or RP), power density, close to the transition zone.
beam profile etc. Accordingly, decision needs to be taken over
the choice of the laser system to bring about most efficient Black body radiation and plasma screening effects can affect
drilling operation. the magnitude of specific energy while drilling. When rock
temperature becomes high upon lasing, it turns into an intense
Mechanism of rock destruction source of radiation (black-body). Result, a substantial amount
‘Specific Energy’ is defined as the energy required to move a of incident energy is emitted back. Else, ionized gas (plasma)
unit volume of rock for a given laser system. It has been found can form over the surface exposed to laser. This plasma layer
that usually specific energy is lowest for shale followed by formed just above the lased rock surface reduces the transfer
sandstone and limestone [1]. This is an important factor as of energy to rocks [2].
70% of formation encountered while drilling consists of shale.
Limestone has a high threshold energy compared to sandstone Laser based drilling system design
and shale [6]. The research team visualizes a drilling system that would
transfer light energy from a laser system placed on the surface,
Rock spallation: The laser radiations incident on the rocks are down a borehole by a fiber optic bundle, to a series of lenses
reflected, scattered or absorbed. Reflected and scattered beam that would direct the laser light to the rock face. Large hole
are the losses while it is the absorbed beam that is responsible can be created by overlapped lasing and creating small holes
for rock heating and destruction. Again, the absorbed energy is adjacent to each other. The exact method for getting the laser
utilized for fusion (melting), vaporization or spallation of the energy to the bottom of the hole is the subject of future paper;
rock. It has been found that rock spallation is the most hence some type of delivery system has to be designed.
efficient and hence, the desirable mode for rock destruction
[3]. During spallation, the rock absorbs heat resulting in One of the basic decisions in designing a laser based drilling
development of cracks within the rock. The rock weakens and system is over the choice of the laser system. Drilling rate may
breaks away. Spallation requires lesser specific energy and no longer depend on parameters like weight-on-bit, mud flow
rock removal is easier. For spallation, specific energy is found rate, rotary speed, bit design, bore size [1]. Laser parameters
to be inversely related to specific power. Rate of penetration is like laser type, wavelength, mode of operation (CW or RP),
related to specific power and specific energy by following power density, beam profile can be considered to develop the
relation [10]: most efficient laser drilling system. Near-infrared radiation
can be preferred over visible radiation as availability of high
ROP = SP / SE
power lasers is in the infrared [6].
Here, the basic difference between SP and SE simply lies in
the fact that SP is the power delivered to the laser system Method of creating big holes: Multiple overlapping beam
while SE is the amount of energy consumed for spallation of a shots may enable a larger hole (refer fig. 3 & 4). Geometric
given formation. Thus to improve rate of penetration, high pattern applications, beam overlap and spacing , focal distance
specific power and low specific energy should be used. Laser changes while lasing, thermal relaxation time between two
spallation mechanism satisfies the above criterion and hence is successive shots and beam intercept angle are some of the
preferable over conventional methods. Spallation is usually factors that could be considered for the above. Care could be
attributed to the thermal stresses induced in the rock upon taken for the following [6]:
lasing. The imperfections or flaws existing in rocks are 1. Chances of melting increases when CW is exposed to
aggravated upon application of heat via lasing. The rock fails a single point, thus relaxation time should be
along these flaw lines and finally spalls (figure 1). Sometimes, provided.
in case of thermally conductive rocks, lasing can lead to 2. Higher SE values are observed when the depth of a
dehydration of the water of crystallization associated with single-beam hole exceeds its diameter.
minerals present within the rock formation exposed to lasing. 3. Size of hole is a function of number of beams, their
These evaporated vapors expand within the rock volume arrangement and burst frequency.
inducing stresses leading to mechanical failure and hence 4. Hole separation should be varying so that to prevent
promotes spallation. formation of any ridge which may hinder downward
movement of laser head.
Conditions need to be identified under which the laser energy
will break and remove rock without significant melting (refer Rock removal: Technologies may have to be developed to
fig. 2).The zone on the left is spallation zone occurring at clean the hole of the gas, similar to the use of drilling fluids in
lower average power. Melting zone is on the right. Specific rotary drilling, thus increasing the ROP. For this, water jet can
energy for spallation is lowest just before melting. At low be used [5]. Also, nitrogen gas can be used as a purging gas to
SPE/IADC 102017 3
blow the ejected gases and debris from the rock surface and to Fishing: The laser based system is expected to be associated
clean the hole [10]. Rock spallation produces chips which with lesser fishing jobs because of use of lighter components
have to be removed from the bore. Conventional drilling instead of the bulky drill string. Even in case of tool-lost or
practices use drilling fluids for the same (removal of drill fish in the well, we expect lesser chances of the need to side
cuttings) while working of laser in presence of drilling fluids track the well as the fish may be melted or spalled by lasing.
is yet to be researched. Hence, efficiency of lasers in fluids
and design of gas purging system and other such systems for Conclusion
cleaning of bore hole remain to be the topics for future There is still no substitute for drilling which remains the only
projects. way to have an access to reservoir fluids and a very important
source to gather lithological, geological and various such
Results information. Conventional rotary drilling practices are very
A laser based system will have numerous advantages over expensive and new concept of laser drilling technique can
conventional methods. Need for concentric casings may be revolutionize the current state of oil industry. A typical
eliminated. A single diameter hole might be drilled with or onshore well could cost around $400,000 to drill. Laser
without the need for a casing string. Rig size may be reduced, drilling technique offers 10-100 times higher ROP values.
casing cost reduced (if any). Deviation of well from the Even a 10 times faster system designed will reduce the rig
desired profile is least expected as photons in laser move in time by one-tenth, thereby the rig cost by one-tenth. Hence, a
straight paths. Laser drilling is expected to reduce or eliminate properly designed laser based drilling system can drastically
the use of bits, hence reducing the costs due to trip time. Most bring down the drilling costs. Clearly, the lure of laser drilling
important, much higher than conventional ROP values can be has been its speed. Also, laser drilling could make previously
achieved bringing down the drilling costs [1]. Also, MWD uneconomic resources commercially attractive. Laser
operations could be easier and more efficient. In case of technology might also perform horizontal drilling and clear
drilling salt sections, oil based mud has to be used in debris from a well bore. However, the actual implementation
conventional methods. Further, cuttings need more treatment of above concepts into a real drilling system remains the next
before disposal with non-aqueous base fluids. However, laser major challenge.
drilling method is expected to be more environment friendly in
such cases. Recommendations
Research needs to be done on the following:
Effects of Laser drilling on permeability: Both porosity and 1. During laser drilling, formation of gases in the hole
permeability were found to be increased after the application affects ROP and may be a health hazard also.
of laser on rock; however the extent of increment depends 2. Considering simultaneous effects of reservoir
upon thermal conductivity of the rock [7]. Significant increase pressure and temperature. While stress in rock
in permeability was noticed in case of sandstones having high increases the specific energy [3], high thermal
thermal conductivity, while insignificant change in conductivity results in a wide range of temperature
permeability was observed in case of rocks with low thermal distribution resulting in improved porosity and
conductivity like limestone. This is because in case of high permeability and decreased rock strength [8].
thermal conductivity rocks, the heat transfer is more compared 3. In all rock types, young’s moduli, shear moduli, bulk
to low thermal conductivity rocks thus causing expansion of moduli and combined moduli are found to reduce on
some constituents of mineralogy such as water in clays which being lased [8].
vaporizes thus increasing pressure resulting in fractures [8]. 4. Decision is yet to be made on use of chopped or
The porosity increment was 50% in case of Berea sandstone, continuous laser beams. Gas purging system, laser
and 150% in case of shaly sandstone. Lower increment in beam delivery system need to be designed and laser-
porosity was observed in case of limestone (about 20%). The mud interaction needs to be studied with special
permeability increase was also greatest in case of shaly attention to rock removal mechanism.
sandstone (of the order of 170%). Less permeability increase
was observed in limestone (35%) [7]. Acknowledgement
The authors would like to thank the Society of Petroleum
Laser perforation: Perforation with lasers if ever Engineers for providing strong technical feedback regarding
implemented would not require any perforators. It might also the paper. We are also thankful to the faculty and the students
prevent the formation damage caused by conventional of Department of Petroleum, Indian School of Mines for their
perforating methods. Debris resulting due to use of perforating technical discussions and contributions. Special thanks to
guns may plug the pores in the formation and further needs Rejith M. Rajan, ISM for his technical inputs to the paper.
stimulation or work over. In conventional methods,
unintended fractures may be created connecting other zones to Nomenclature
perforated zone. Casing may also get fractured. Laser CW = Continuous Wave
perforation is expected to overcome above problems and RP = Repetitively Pulsed
provide a more efficient and economic method. A little more ROP = Rate of Penetration
innovation with lasers can enable us to think of lasers being SP = Specific Power
used for making casing exit windows and other such SE = Specific Energy
operations at the drill site. MWD = Measurement While Drilling
4 SPE/IADC 102017