A method of using gas-dynamic laser technique to generate laser underground inside oil, gas and water wells.

Abstract

Well stimulation using a laser 13, the system comprises a gas mixing chamber 1, gas compressor 2, coiled tubing 3, a heater 5, a pressure control valve 6, hot gas reservoir 7, gas expansion nozzle 8,

Description

This invention proposes the use of laser in oil, gas and energy industry as an alternative to the conventional well stimulation techniques to improve well productivity and injectivity. The conventional well stimulation techniques including matrix stimulation, acidizing, chemical treatment, acid fracturing and hydraulic fracturing are the most effective techniques to enhance well productivity and injectivity in oil, gas and energy industry by improving reservoir porosity and permeability or removing formation damage around wellbore. However, there are many logistic, operational and environmental concerns associated with these techniques including the potential risk of underground drinking water contamination and earthquakes during hydraulic fracturing operation. This invention proposes the use of clean energy source and environmental friendly technique (laser) as an alternative to the conventional well stimulation techniques. This invention proposes a technique to generate laser inside oil, gas and water wells under downhole conditions using a system comprising of gas mixing chamber and gas compressor at surface, coiled tubing, swivel with timer, heater, pressure control valve, hot gas reservoir, gas expansion nozzle(s), laser cavity, diffuser, compressor and circulation pipe downhole as shown in the drawings document sheet 1 / 1. The proposed system starts by mixing the gases required to generate laser at surface, then gas mixture will be injected downhole via coiled tubing. The gas mixture will then be heated up to the desired temperature using the downhole heater, before passing through gas expansion nozzle(s) and laser cavity where laser can be produced to stimulate the desired formation downhole and improve porosity and permeability around wellbore. Swivel with timer or downhole motor are included in the system to provide the rotation required to distribute laser energy radially around wellbore while coiled tubing moving up and down to control the placement of laser beam in all direction downhole. The following is detailed description of each component with reference to the drawings document sheet 1 / 1: Component number 1: gas mixing chamber at surface. This chamber will be used to mix the gases required to generate laser, which can be Carbon dioxide (CO2), Nitrogen (N2) and water (H2O) mixture, or Carbon dioxide (CO2), Nitrogen (N2) and Helium (He) mixture, or Carbon monoxide (CO), Nitrogen (N2) and Argon (Ar) mixture, or any other gas mixtures, or any other types of gases, liquid or solids in which laser can be generated. Gas mixing chamber can be placed downhole and in this case, gases will be injected separately from surface via separate conduits and mixed downhole. Component number 2: gas compressor (or pumping unit) at surface to inject the gas mixture from gas mixing chamber to downhole via coiled tubing. Gases can be injected separately from surface and mixed downhole if gas mixing chamber placed downhole. Component number 3: coiled tubing will be used to inject gas mixture from surface to downhole, it can also include multiple conduits (concentric coiled tubing) to inject gases separately from surface if gas mixing chamber placed downhole. Coiled tubing can be any type of pipe(s), conduit(s) in which gases and liquids can be injected from surface to downhole. It can be used to deliver electricity to the downhole heater and other component in the system. Coiled tubing can also be used to deliver optical fibre and transmit laser energy downhole. Component number 4: swivel with timer or downhole motor (controlled from surface) in order to rotate the downhole equipment and distribute laser beam radially while coiled tubing moving up and down. Component number 5: downhole heater to heat the gas mixture up to the desired temperature. This can be electric heater, or any other device or equipment in which gases can be heated or hot gases can be produced. Chemical combustion gas generator can be used instead of heater in order to produce hot gas and in this case, gas generator fuel will be mixed in the gas mixing chamber and injected downhole via coiled tubing. Component number 6: pressure control valve to control the pressure downstream the heater and maintain the desired pressure inside the hot gas reservoir. Component number 7: hot gas reservoir equipped with sensors to ensure gas temperature and pressure are within the optimum operating condition prior to gas expansion nozzle(s). Component number 8: gas expansion nozzle (supersonic nozzle), or multiple gas expansion nozzles, required to rapidly expand and cool the gas mixture and create population inversion. Component number 9: laser cavity required to extract and produce laser. Laser cavity can be amplifiers, resonators or any other types and includes any type and configuration of mirrors, windows, holes orany other components. Lasercavity can be any lasertype including but not limited to gas lasers, metal vapor lasers, solid state lasers, chemical lasers, X-ray lasers, free electron lasers orany other laser types. Component number 10: diffuser required to decrease gas flow from supersonic to subsonic speed and increase gas pressure downstream the laser cavity so exhaust gas can be circulated. Component number 11: downhole compressor to circulate and inject the exhaust gas into the gas circulation pipe. Downhole compressor will be used if the diffuser exit pressure is not sufficient for gas circulation. Component number 12: gas circulation pipe to circulate the exhaust gas from the exit of the diffuser or the downhole compressor to the annulus between coiled tubing and well completion (casing or tubing). Component number 13: this demonstrates the laser beam produced by laser cavity and interacted with formation. Component number 14: this demonstrates the formation to be stimulated by laser to improve well productivity and injectivity. This could be oil, gas or water bearing formations, any rock type, any conventional or unconventional reservoirs used for production or injection. Component number 15: this demonstrates the well to be stimulated. This can be oil, gas or water well used for production or injection in oil, gas and energy industry. Energy industry including but not limited to geothermal wells, gas storage wells, carbon capture and storage wells. Component number 16: this demonstrates the surface or sea-level.

Claims

ims1.2.3.4.5.A method of using gas-dynamic laser technique to generate laser underground inside oil, gasand water wells comprising of gas mixing chamber and gas compressor at surface, tubing stringor coiled tubing, swivel with timer, heater, pressure control valve, hot gas reservoir, gasexpansion nozzle(s), laser cavity, diffuser, compressor and circulation pipe downhole.The method according to claim 1, in which gases required to generate laser can be mixed atsurface and injected downhole via tubing string or coiled tubing, then the gas mixture will beheated up downhole before passing through gas expansion nozzle(s) and then laser cavitywhere laser can be generated at the desired depth underground.The gases required to generate laser according to claim 2, can be carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen(N2) and water (H2O) mixture, or carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2) and helium (He) mixture,or carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen (N2) and argon (Ar) mixture, or any other types of gases.Heater according to claim 1, can be electric heater, or any other types of heaters or chemicalcombustion gas generator or any device or equipment in which hot gases can be produced.Gas expansion nozzle(s) according to claim 1, can be single, multiple nozzles or any otherconfigurations in which gas mixture can be rapidly expanded and cooled down.Application No: GB2106314.4Examiner: Mr Gary ClementsClaims searched: 1-23Date of search: 18 November 2021Patents Act 1977: Search Report under Section 17Documents considered to be relevant:Category Relevant to claims Identity of document and passage or figure of particular relevance X 1 at least WO2018 / 049367 Al (SCHLUMBERGER, et al)-See whole document, especially paragraphs 5 and 31. X 1 at least WO2020 / 092759 Al (TALCOTT)-See whole document. X 1 at least WO2015 / 089458 Al (SCHLUMBERGER, et al)-See whole document. X 1 at least GB1501848 A (US ENERGY)-See whole document. X 1 at least US4282940 A ((MAGNAFRAC)-See whole document.Categories:X Document indicating lack of novelty or inventive step A Document indicating technological background and / or state of the art. Y Document indicating lack of inventive step if P Document published on or after the declared priority date but combined with one or more other documents of before the filing date of this invention. same category. & Member of the same patent family E Patent document published on or after, but with priority date earlier than, the filing date of this application.Field of Search:International Classification:Subclass Subgroup Valid From E21B 0043 / 25 01 / 01 / 2006 E21B 0043 / 26 01 / 01 / 2006 E21B 0043 / 28 01 / 01 / 2006

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