High power laser flow assurance systems, tools and methods

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10301912-B2
Application number	US-201414214304-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Aug 20, 2008
Publication date	May 28, 2019
Grant date	May 28, 2019

Abstract

A high power laser system for providing laser beams in various laser beam patterns along a laser beam path that is positioned to provide for the in situ laser processing of materials in tubulars, such as pipes in a hydrocarbon producing well. Laser treating for providing flow assurance by direct and indirect laser processing of materials interfering with flow.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A high power laser system for performing laser operation on a material in a borehole in the earth, the system comprising:
a. a high power laser having the capability of providing a laser beam having at least about 20 kW of power;
b. a long distance high power transmission cable for providing the high power laser energy deep within a borehole hole; and,
c. a down hole high power laser tool having an outer structure capable of withstanding down hole conditions and having a high power laser optic assembly to provide an annular laser beam pattern to the interior of a borehole surface; the optic assembly comprising a collimator to provide a collimated circular laser beam, which follows ray trace lines to enter an axicon, wherein the laser beam travels through the axicon and whereby the laser beam exits the axicon in a beam pattern that initially is characterized as a Bessel pattern and then expands and becomes an annular ring pattern on the inner borehole surface; whereby the laser beam removes a material on the inner borehole surface.

2. A high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of a material in a borehole in the earth, the system comprising:
a. a laser capability of providing a laser beam having at least about 20 kW of power;
b. a long distance high power transmission cable for transmitting the high power laser;
c. a high power in situ processing laser tool optically associated with the transmission cable and the laser;
d. the laser tool positioned in the borehole adjacent an area of likely flow impediment; and,
e. the high power laser tool comprising: (i) a high power laser optic to provide the laser beam in a laser beam pattern and along a laser beam path; (ii) a laser flow passage, contained within the high power laser tool, the flow passage configured to operationally influence a flowing hydrocarbons in the borehole;
f. wherein the laser beam path, at least in part, travels through the laser flow passage, wherein flowing hydrocarbons are capable of being processed by the laser beam delivered along the laser beam path in the laser beam pattern, whereby the hydrocarbons are process within the laser flow passage.

3. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the laser tool is located at least about 1,000 feet from a surface of the borehole.

4. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the laser tool is located at least about 2,000 feet from a surface of the borehole.

5. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the laser tool is located at least about 3,000 feet from a surface of the borehole.

6. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the laser tool is located at least about 1,000 feet from a surface of the borehole and the system comprises a second high power laser tool comprising a high power laser optic to provide the laser beam in a laser beam pattern and along a laser beam path, a laser flow passage, the flow passage configured to, at least in part, operationally influence the flowing hydrocarbons in the borehole.

7. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the laser tool is located at least about 1,000 feet from a surface of the borehole and the system comprises a polished stinger sub and a sealing member.

8. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the laser tool is located at least about 10,000 feet from a surface of the borehole and the system comprises a polished stinger sub, a sealing member, and a second high power laser tool comprising a high power laser optic to provide the laser beam in a laser beam pattern and along a laser beam path, a laser flow passage, the flow passage configured to, at least in part, operationally influence the flowing hydrocarbons in the borehole and a third high power laser tool comprising a high power laser optic to provide the laser beam in a laser beam pattern and along a laser beam path, a laser flow passage, the flow passage configured to, at least in part, operationally influence the flowing hydrocarbons in the borehole.

9. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein hydrocarbons are flowing in the borehole and the flowing hydrocarbon has at least about 0.4 wt % asphaltene.

10. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein hydrocarbons are flowing in the borehole and wherein the flowing hydrocarbon has at least about 1 wt % asphaltene.

11. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein hydrocarbons are flowing in the borehole and the flowing hydrocarbon has at least about 1.2 wt % asphaltene.

12. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein hydrocarbons are flowing in the borehole and the flowing hydrocarbon has at least about 4 wt % asphaltene.

13. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein hydrocarbons are flowing in the borehole and the flowing hydrocarbon has at least about 6 wt % asphaltene.

14. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein hydrocarbons are flowing in the borehole and the flowing hydrocarbon has at least about 10 wt % asphaltene.

15. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the system is capable of increasing the S-value of the flowing hydrocarbon by at about 0.05.

16. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the system is capable of increasing the S-value of the flowing hydrocarbon by at about 0.01.

17. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the system is capable of increasing the S-value of the flowing hydrocarbon by at about 0.02.

18. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the system is capable of increasing the S-value of the flowing hydrocarbon by at about 1.

19. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 2 , wherein the system is capable of increasing the S-value of the flowing hydrocarbon by at about 2.

20. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of claim 3 , wherein hydrocarbons are flowing in the borehole and the flowing hydrocarbon has at least about 0.4 wt % asphaltene.

21. The high power laser system for performing in situ high power laser processing of flowing material in a borehole of c

Assignees

• Foro Energy Inc

Inventors

• De Witt Ronald A
• Nehlsen James P
• Moxley Joel F
• Zediker Mark S
• Rinzler Charles C
• Faircloth Brian O
• Grubb Daryl L
• Deutch Paul D

Classifications

• B23K26/38

  by boring or cutting · CPC title

• B23K26/064

  by means of optical elements, e.g. lenses, mirrors or prisms · CPC title

• B23K26/106

  inside the workpiece · CPC title

• B23K26/0652

  comprising prisms · CPC title

• E21B29/02

  by explosives or by thermal or chemical means {(freeing stuck objects by explosives E21B31/002)} · CPC title