Laser systems and methods for the removal of structures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9089928-B2
Application number	US-201213565345-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 2, 2012
Priority date	Aug 20, 2008
Publication date	Jul 28, 2015
Grant date	Jul 28, 2015

Abstract

There is provided high power laser systems, high power laser tools, and methods of using these tools and systems for cutting, sectioning and removing structures objects, and materials, and in particular, for doing so in difficult to access locations and environments, such as offshore, underwater, or in hazardous environments, such as nuclear and chemical facilities. Thus, there is also provided high power laser systems, high power laser tools, and methods of using these systems and tools for removing structures, objects, and materials located offshore, under bodies of water and under the seafloor.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A method of removing a section of a member from an offshore structure comprising:
a. operably associating a high power laser system with an offshore structure, the high power laser system comprising a high power laser and a high power laser cutting tool;
b. the high power laser cutting tool defining a laser beam delivery path for delivery of a high power laser beam along the beam path;
c. positioning the laser cutting tool adjacent a member of the offshore structure, whereby the laser beam path extends from the cutting tool to the member;
d. propagating a high power laser beam along the beam path and moving the beam path and laser beam thereby cutting the member, whereby a section of the member is formed in a predetermined manner; and,
e. removing the section from the structure.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the member is located below a surface of a body of water.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the member is a tubular and the cut is an inside-to-outside cut.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the member is a tubular and the cut is an outside-to-inside cut.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the member is located above a surface of a body of water.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the member is located below a sea floor.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the member is in a sea floor.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam path is positioned in a body of water.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam path is positioned below a sea floor.

10. The method of claim 2 , wherein the laser beam propagated along the beam path is at least about 5 kW.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein the laser beam propagated along the beam path is at least about 10 kW.

12. The method of claim 4 , wherein the laser beam propagated along the beam path is at least about 15 kW.

13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam propagated along the beam path is at least about 5 kW.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the laser beam propagated along the beam path is at least about 10 kW.

15. The method of claim 1 , wherein the high power laser system comprises a laser cutting platform that is positioned above a surface of a body of water; the laser cutting platform, comprising: an operably associated device for hoisting; an operably associated laser cutting device for cutting; and, an operably associated device for holding; wherein the operably associated laser cutting device defines a second beam path; and, propagating a laser beam along the second beam path.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the laser beam propagated along the cutting tool beam path is at least 5 kW and the laser beam propagated along the second beam path is at least 5 kW.

17. The method of claim 1 , comprising hoisting the section from a body of water.

18. The method of claim 1 , comprising hoisting the section from below a sea floor.

19. The method of claim 1 , comprising verifying completion of a cut prior to removing the section.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the verifying is passive.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the verifying is real-time and based at least in part on monitoring the laser beam.

22. The method of claim 19 , wherein the verifying is based at least in part on laser range finding.

23. A method of cutting a member from an offshore structure comprising:
a. operably associating a high power laser system with an offshore structure, the high power laser system comprising a high power laser and a high power laser cutting tool;
b. the high power laser cutting tool defining a laser beam delivery path for delivery of a high power laser beam along the beam delivery path;
c. locating the laser cutting tool in a cutting position for cutting a member of the offshore structure, whereby the laser beam path extends from the cutting tool to the member;
d. propagating a high power laser beam along the beam path, thereby cutting the member, and changing a relative position of the member and the laser beam path in a predetermined laser beam delivery pattern, whereby the laser beam cuts the member in a predetermined pattern; and,
e. the laser beam having a power of at least about 5 kw.

24. The method of claim 23 , wherein the member is a tubular and the predetermined delivery pattern is a continuous ring around the inner circumference of the tubular, whereby a section of the member is formed.

25. The method of claim 23 , wherein the laser beam delivery pattern forms an opening for affixing a lifting device.

26. The method of claim 24 , wherein the cut is a complete cut.

27. The method of claim 26 , comprising passive verification of the complete cut.

28. The method of claim 27 , wherein the passive verification is real-time and based at least in part on monitoring the laser beam.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the passive verification is based at least in part on laser range finding.

30. The method of claim 23 , wherein the member is a platform jacket.

31. The method of claim 23 , wherein the member is a tubular extending below the sea floor, and the laser beam propagated along the beam path strikes a tubular below the sea floor.

32. The method of claim 23 , wherein the member is a tubular extending below the surface of a body of water, and the laser beam propagated along the beam path strikes a tubular below the surface of the body of water.

33. The method of claim 23 , wherein the laser beam propagated along the beam path strikes an inner tubular positioned in an outer tubular in a circular pattern.

34. The method of claim 23 , wherein the predetermined pattern comprises a land area and a cut area.

35. The method of claim 23 , wherein the predetermined pattern comprises a single pass pattern of beam delivery, wherein the laser beam completely severs a section of the member in a single pass of the laser beam.

36. The method of claim 35 , wherein the member is a selected from the group consisting of a single tubular, a conductor, a multistring tubular, and a multistring cemented tubular.

37. The method of claim 23 , wherein the laser beam is delivered in a predetermined beam delivery pattern comprising a substantially vertical beam path.

38. The method of claim 23 , wherein the laser beam is delivered in a predetermined beam delivery pattern comprising a substantially horizontal beam path.

39. The method of claim 23 , wherein the laser beam is delivered in a predetermined beam delivery pattern comprising a substantially vertical beam path and a substantially horizontal beam path.

40. The method of claim 23 , wherein the laser beam is delivered in a predetermined beam delivery pattern comprising a substantially axial beam path.

41. The method of claim 23 , wherein the laser beam is delivered in a predetermined beam delivery pattern comprising a substantially radial beam path.

42. The method of claim 23 , wherein the laser beam is delivered in a predetermined beam delivery pattern comprising a substantially axial beam path and a substantially radial beam path.

43. A method o

Assignees

• Zediker Mark S
• Grubb Daryl L
• De Witt Ronald A
• Deutch Paul D
• Moxley Joel F
• Marshall Scott A
• Linyaev Eugene J
• Schroit Sam N
• Kolachalam Sharath K
• Foro Energy Inc

Inventors

• Zediker Mark S
• Grubb Daryl L
• De Witt Ronald A
• Deutch Paul D
• Moxley Joel F
• Marshall Scott A
• Linyaev Eugene J
• Schroit Sam N
• Kolachalam Sharath K

Classifications

• B23K26/121 Primary

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B23K26/106

  inside the workpiece · CPC title

• B23K26/0639

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B23K26/0652

  comprising prisms · CPC title

• B23K26/0096

  Portable laser equipment, e.g. hand-held laser apparatus · CPC title