Wellbore laser operations

• US 8,678,087 B2
• Filed: 09/13/2012
• Issued: 03/25/2014
• 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:
  US13/614,549
• Publication Number:
  US 20130008653A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• Field of Search: 166/297, 166/250.01, 166/277, 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

Systems, apparatuses, and methods for producing fluids from a wellbore wherein fluids may be communicated through an aperture in a wall of the wellbore. A laser can then be used to seal the aperture in the wall of the wellbore. The wall of the wellbore may include a casing, and the laser can be used to seal the aperture in the wall of the wellbore by fusing apertures in the casing shut. Fusing the aperture in the casing can involve heating the casing such that opposite sides of the aperture fuse together or can involve selectively laser sintering fusible powders. The wall of the wellbore can be an open hole and using a laser to seal the aperture can include sealing the aperture in side surfaces of the open hole by glazing the surface of hole extending into a subterranean formation.

Claims

1. A method of producing fluids from a wellbore, the method comprising:

communicating fluids through a first aperture in a wall of the wellbore; and

after communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore, using a laser to seal the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore;

wherein the wall of the wellbore comprises a casing and wherein using the laser to seal the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore comprises sealing an aperture in the casing,

wherein sealing the aperture in the casing comprises fusing apertures in the casing shut, and

wherein fusing an aperture in the casing shut comprises heating the casing such that opposite sides of the aperture fuse together.

2. The method of claim 1 comprising, after communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore, using a laser to form a second aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

3. The method of claim 2, comprising producing fluids through the second aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore comprises producing fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore comprises introducing fluids into a subterranean zone from the wellbore through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

6. A method of producing fluids from a wellbore, the method comprising:

communicating fluids through a first aperture in a wall of the wellbore; and

after communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore, using a laser to seal the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore;

wherein the wall of the wellbore comprises a casing and wherein using the laser to seal the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore comprises sealing an aperture in the casing,

wherein sealing the aperture in the casing comprises fusing apertures in the casing shut, and

wherein fusing an aperture in the casing shut comprises selectively laser sintering fusible powders.

7. The method of claim 6 comprising, after communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore, using a laser to form a second aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

8. The method of claim 7, comprising producing fluids through the second aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

9. The method of claim 6, wherein communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore comprises producing fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore comprises introducing fluids into a subterranean zone from the wellbore through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

11. A method of producing fluids from a wellbore, the method comprising:

communicating fluids through a first aperture in a wall of the wellbore; and

after communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore, using a laser to seal the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore;

wherein the wall of the wellbore is an open hole and using a laser to seal an aperture in the wall of the wellbore comprises sealing an aperture in side surfaces of the open hole by glazing the surface of the hole extending into a subterranean formation using the laser.

12. The method of claim 11 comprising, after communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore, using a laser to form a second aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

13. The method of claim 12, comprising producing fluids through the second aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

14. The method of claim 11, wherein communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore comprises producing fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore.

15. The method of claim 11, wherein communicating fluids through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore comprises introducing fluids into a subterranean zone from the wellbore through the first aperture in the wall of the wellbore.