Wellbore laser operations

• US 8,528,643 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 09/10/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/29/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Schultz, Roger L., East, Loyd E., Walters, Harold G., McDaniel, Billy Wilson, Soliman, Mohamed Y., Skinner, Neal Gregory
• Primary Examiner(s): GAY, JENNIFER HAWKINS
• Application Number:
  US13/614,556
• Publication Number:
  US 20130008656A1
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 166/297, 166/250.1, 175/11, 175/15
• US Class Current: 166/297
• CPC Class Codes: B33Y 80/00 Products made by additive manufacturing
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/02 by explosives or by thermal or chemical means freeing stuck objects by explosives E21B31/002
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/06 Cutting windows, e.g. directional window cutters for whipstock operations E21B29/005 and E21B29/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/11 Perforators; Permeators
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/12 Methods or apparatus for controlling the flow of the obtained fluid to or in wells E21B43/25 takes precedence; valve arrangements E21B34/00

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices related to downhole wellbore operations such as drilling and completing wells in an earth formation include a laser device. For example, a method may include characterizing a subterranean formation, selecting an orientation of an aperture based on characteristics of the subterranean formation, and using a laser to form an aperture of the selected orientation in the wall of the wellbore.

Claims

1. A method of producing fluids from a well, the well having an existing production profile and a specified production profile, the method comprising:

if the existing production profile does not match specified production profile, receiving location information on apertures selected to achieve the specified production profile;

running a laser tool into a wellbore of the well; and

operating the laser tool to change a flow distribution of the wellbore to cause the existing production profile to more closely match the specified production profile;

wherein operating the laser tool to change the flow distribution in the wellbore comprises sealing apertures in the wellbore using the laser.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein operating the laser tool to change the flow distribution of the wellbore comprises forming apertures in the wellbore using the laser.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein forming apertures in the wellbore using the laser comprises selecting an aperture geometry to filter solids from fluid from a subterranean zone around the wellbore, the aperture size selected based on a distribution of sizes of particles in the subterranean zone;

and using a laser to form slots with the selected aperture geometry in a casing installed in the wellbore in the subterranean zone.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein selecting the aperture geometry to filter particles from fluid in the subterranean zone comprises selecting the aperture geometry to control sand production including formation fines.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the flow distribution of the wellbore comprises balancing flow along a substantially horizontal wellbore by changing the distribution of apertures along a substantially horizontal wellbore.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the production profile of the wellbore over time comprises producing fluids from one subterranean zone and then forming apertures to access a second subterranean zone.

7. The method of claim 6, comprising sealing apertures providing fluid communication from the first mentioned subterranean zone to the wellbore.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a wall of the wellbore comprises a casing and wherein sealing apertures of the wellbore comprises sealing apertures in the casing.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein a wall of the wellbore is an open hole and sealing apertures of the wellbore comprises sealing an aperture in a side surface of the open hole.

10. A method of producing fluids from a well, the well having an existing production profile and a specified production profile and the existing production profile does not match specified production profile, the method comprising:

receiving location information on apertures selected to achieve the specified production profile;

operating a laser tool in a wellbore of the well to change a flow distribution of the wellbore to cause the existing production profile to more closely match the specified production profile;

wherein operating the laser tool to change the flow distribution in the wellbore comprises sealing apertures in the wellbore using the laser;

wherein a wall of the wellbore comprises a casing and wherein sealing apertures of the wellbore comprises sealing apertures in the casing.

11. A method of producing fluids from a well, the well having an existing production profile and a specified production profile and the existing production profile does not match specified production profile, the method comprising:

receiving location information on apertures selected to achieve the specified production profile;

operating a laser tool in a wellbore of the well to change a flow distribution of the wellbore to cause the existing production profile to more closely match the specified production profile;

wherein operating the laser tool to change the flow distribution in the wellbore comprises sealing apertures in the wellbore using the laser;

wherein a wall of the wellbore is an open hole and sealing apertures of the wellbore comprises sealing an aperture in a side surface of the open hole.