SPE-188729-MS

Laser Perforation: Lab to the Field

Sameeh I. Batarseh, EXPEC-Advanced Research Center, Saudi Aramco; Ramona Graves, Colorado School of
Mines, Golden Colorado 80401; Damian P. San-Roman-Alerigi and Karam Chand, EXPEC-Advanced Research
Center, Saudi Aramco

Copyright 2017, Society of Petroleum Engineers

This paper was prepared for presentation at the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference held in Abu Dhabi, UAE, 13-16 November 2017.

This paper was selected for presentation by an SPE program committee following review of information contained in an abstract submitted by the author(s). Contents
of the paper have not been reviewed by the Society of Petroleum Engineers and are subject to correction by the author(s). The material does not necessarily reflect
any position of the Society of Petroleum Engineers, its officers, or members. Electronic reproduction, distribution, or storage of any part of this paper without the written
consent of the Society of Petroleum Engineers is prohibited. Permission to reproduce in print is restricted to an abstract of not more than 300 words; illustrations may
not be copied. The abstract must contain conspicuous acknowledgment of SPE copyright.

Abstract
This objective of this work is to improve well perforation by using non-damagingsafe (non-explosive) high
power laser perforation technology. For several years of research, high power lasers have been proven in
the lab to create controllable perforation tunnels with enhanced flow properties. This paper presents the
strategy of lab to field transformations to perforate horizontal well with two inches in diameter by twenty
four inches deep at 10,000 feet in horizontal well.
High power laser is an alternative and innovative technology to currently used shaped chargeperforation.
Lasers are advanced in several industries for their several unique properties such as power, precision, control
and reliability, with these properties; controllable non-damaged enhanced oriented perforated tunnels are
achieved. Laser power can be adjusted precisely to control the depth of the tunnel; the tool can be oriented
to create perforation in any direction regardless of the reservoir stress orientations as lasers are stress
independent.
Shale, Sandstones (including tight sandstones) and carbonate rocks have been perforated at different
conditions, the result from all rock types showed improvement in permeability and creation of controlled
geometry without any compactions or damage. The success of the lab experiments lead to field deployment
strategy to create the first in the industry laser perforation at 10,000 feet. Lab to field transformation is
presented at different stages, first prove of concept, then design and test lab prototype tool, followed by
improved field upscale downhole tool.
High power laser in downhole is a safe (non-explosive) perforation technology. The geometry, depth and
orientation can be controlled very precisely to create clean enhanced perforated tunnel. With a single trip,
several perforation shots can be made withoutthe need to load and unload the perforation tool. Laser source
is mounted on the surface on a coiled tubing unit and the beam is transmitted via fiber optics cable totarget,
the compact design of the tool make it suitable to fit in any slim hole.

Introduction
Recent development and enhancement of high power laser systems provide opportunities for different
downhole applications ranging from perforation to drilling. Current high power laser systems are compact,
efficient, commercially available and safer to operate. The evolution, development and advances in high
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power lasers were grown rapidly to meet high industrial demands. Previous high power laser systems
were chemical based and developed for defense and military applications which make them prohibited for
commercial use. The next paragraphs provide a background and anoverview of the technology.
Laser is an acronym that stands for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation." Laser beams
exhibit spatial and temporal coherence; this means that the beam is monochromatic, bright, unidirectional,
and coherent. The idea was posited by Einstein in 1916 (Einstein, 1916), and the first optical laser was
demonstrated by Theodore Maiman in 1960. That first laser produced short pulses with energy in the
microwatt range. In the decades that followed, new laser types were invented, and with them came a boost
in power output well beyond the megawatt range; Figs. 1 and 2 summarize this process and timeline. As
power output increased, versatility expanded, efficiency increased, and multiple industries took advantage
of laser light's unique properties

Figure 1—Timeline of laser evolution from Einstein to the first airborne laser.

Figure 2—Timeline evolution of laser output power for different laser types.

The first target application is perforation. Current practice utilizing old explosive based technology
to connect the wellbore with the formation, the shaped charges. This method can result in reduction in
production due to the physical damage caused in the perforated tunnel wall and the adjacent compacted
SPE-188729-MS 3

zone. High velocity jet is released into the formation causing high shock pressure at the tunnel entrance and
the tip, crushing the rock formation, fracturing sand grains and pulverizing cement, this produces very fine
particles that plug the pore throat and reduce the flow and over all the production
The challenges of this method can be summarized as, (Batarseh, S. et al 2003):
1. Compaction of the rock formation and the near formation zone
2. Reduction in permeability due to the fine particles entering the formation pore throat
3. Debris production
4. Melt in the tunnel
5. Health and safety concerns in handling the explosives
The advantages of using high power laser in perforation applicationare the ability to control the tunnel
penetration depth and the geometry of the hole. It is a non-explosive and -damaging technology that hasbeen
proven to improve permeability and flow properties, (Batarseh, S. et al 2003).
The research targeted to answer questions such as the effect of laser on the geometry, permeability,
penetration of different rock types and stress, the following paragraphs present the result of the studies.
Geometry: Test was conducted to evaluate theability to control the tunnel geometry and the shape of the
hole by manipulating the shape of the beam, the result is presented in Fig. 3. Computer tomographic (CT)
images of different tunnel shapes created by different beam shapes. (Batarseh, S. 2001)

Figure 3—CAT scans show different hole shapes in different formation rocks;
laser type: chemical oxygenated iodine laser (COIL), continuous wave (CW).

Geometry control is important for the flow and sanding, asymmetrical geometry provide consistency in
the flow and reduces sand bridging and blocking the flow.
Permeability and porosity: Another tests were conducted to evaluate the effect of high power lasers on
permeability. The objective of the test is to compare the effect of shaped charges and high power laser
perforation on flow properties. The result is presented in table 1 and shows improvement inpermeabilities
and porosities in all types of rocks.

Table 1—Permeability and Porosity Increase Measurements of Pre and Post Laser

Sample Permeability increase % Porosity Increase %

Berea Yellow 2 57
Berea Gray 22 50
Reservoir Sandstone 171 150
Limestone 33 15
Shale 1 28 700
Shale 2 11 250

The permeability is also mapped in a Berea sand stones block, Fig. 4 shows lased rock sample and
the permeability at the perforation and bottom planes, the former is the middle plane the rock parallel to
the axis of the perforation. The results clearly display that the permeability is higher in the region of the
4 SPE-188729-MS

lased-perforation. Fig. 5 showsa comparisonamong the permeabilitiesofunlased, lased, and shaped charge
perforations. The results are plotted along the axis and confirmed that laser improves permeability in the
perforated tunnel, whereas shaped charge created a damage zone (Batarseh, 2001).

Figure 4—Laser perforation and permeability characterization. Image of the perforated Berea sandstone block (a), definition
of measurement grid (b), and contour maps of the permeability at the perforation (c) and bottom (d) planes (Batarseh, 2001).

Figure 5—Permeability comparison between unlased, lased and shaped charge perforation in
Berea sandstone, the measurement where taken in the perforated tunnel (Batarseh, S. 2001).

Rock type: This test is conducted to evaluate the limitations of high power laser in penetration of different
rock types. The results in Fig. 6 showed that laser penetrated all rock types regardless their compressive
strength and hardness, even in hard rocks such as granite (Batarseh 2001).
SPE-188729-MS 5

Figure 6—Extrapolated rate of penetration (ROP) for laser perforation in different rocks
types (Batarseh, 2001). (*ROP extrapolation is for illustration only and not to scale)

Confining stress: in current perforation techniques, the state of stressesare critical to determine tunnel
stability. A tri axial cell was designed to evaluate the performance of high power laser perforation of
saturated rock samples at varying compressive strengths, with a magnitude similar to downhole conditions.
The test was conducted on limestone and sandstone. The first test had no stress; then the [confining] stress
was increased to 1,000 psi and 2,000 psi, respectively. Then the samples were saturated with brine and oil,
and the specific energy (the amount of energy required to remove rock volume) were recorded (Gahan et
al. 2015). The result is presented in Fig. 7.

Figure 7—In-situ lasing perforation at different confined stress and

saturation for limestones and sandstone rock samples (Gahan et al. 2005)

Lab to the field

The results of the fundamental studies provided the knowledge and information to develop field deployment
strategy. To attain this goal, and to bring lab success downhole, it requires the development of unique
technological solutions, and a full characterization of the effects of subsurface conditions on the system
and applications. The latter is achieved through experimental tests and numerical studies (numerical will be
6 SPE-188729-MS

presented at different simulation studies). In the laboratory, in-situ tests encompass stress and transmission
of the laser in downhole fluids.
Advanced Stress Testing: The fundamental studies used a tri-axial cell to evaluate the net result of stress
(Fig. 7). However, these were limited to cylindrical rock samples, 4 inches in diameter by six inches in
length. To measure the effect in larger blocks, an advanced bi-axial frame (Fig. 8) was built and attached to
the laser system. The device uses a custom-made optical assembly (Fig. 9), and a loading frame capable of
producing anisotropic confining stresses up to 20,000 psi(Fig. 10). The optical assembly steers the beams
to simulate in-situ perforation along the plane of stresses. Several blocks of different rock types are in the
process of testing.

Figure 8—High power laser head attached to the biaxial loading frame

Figure 9—Special perforation laser head and prototype tool designed and
fabricated to withstand the in-situ conditions and fit in the bi-axial loading frame.
SPE-188729-MS 7

Figure 10—The perforation laser head mounted on the optical

head and lowering into the rock inside the bi-axial loading frame.

A single perforation shot was conducted from a vertical wellbore andthe result of the in-situ stress is
presented in Fig. 11. The perforation shows a very clean undamaged perforated tunnel with enhanced flow
properties at stressed conditions using prototype perforated tool attached to the biaxial.

Figure 11—In-situ perforation in vertical wellbore, enhanced perf under stress conditions

Fluid: Once the laser exits the optical assembly, it will interact with the downhole environment. This is
typically filled with fluids, cuttings, and other debris and contaminants that willinteract and block the beam.
In every case, the beam could be absorbed and scattered. Purging is used to ensure high power laser energy
delivery to the sample without absorption by wellbore contaminants. The test was designed to merge the
beam in the fluid media, the fluidwas tested to create a channel that guides the beam to the target. Such
fluid should have some fundamental properties:

• Higher refractive index than the downhole fluids

• Low optical absorption

• High thermal capacity

The higher refractive index would enable the laser beam to be confined within the propagating fluid.
Small optical absorption allows the beam to propagate without loss. Moreover, high thermal capacity means
8 SPE-188729-MS

the fluid will be relatively stable in temperature even if some absorption from the beam or the environment
occurs; this principle is called total internal reflection (TIR).
Total internal reflection (TIR):let n1 and n2denote the refractive indexes of two contiguous materials as
depicted in Fig.12. Light is incident fromthe material with refractive index n1 into the material with refractive
index n2 at some angle θ1. ThenusingSnell’s law we can determine the angleof the refracted (transmitted)
beam,θ2,as:

(1)

Figure 12—Fundamental laws of refraction and reflection. An incident beam can be refracted, reflected, and totally reflected

If n1 > n2, then Eq. 1 has real values only for a certain subset of incident angles. There is a critical angle,
θc, such that for any θ1 ≥ θc will result in a totally confined beam. The result for a set of different materials
is pictured in Fig. 13.

Figure 13—Angle of refraction for various substances to air. The maximum angle of incidence determines the critical angle, θc.

The critical angle can be found by solving:

SPE-188729-MS 9

(2)

For air, n = 1, and silica glass n = 1.5, this results in θc = 41.8 deg; meaning that any beam impinging at
theboundary between these two materials at an angle greater than 41.8deg will be completely reflected.
Absorption of the beam: Every material will absorb light. Ideally, the transmission fluid should possess
a low absorption coefficient. In the best possible scenario, the beam will only experience linear optical
absorption. In this case, the power, P, after some propagation length, l, would be given by Lambert’s law as:
(3)
Where Po (W) is the initial power and α (m−1) is the absorption coefficient.
This power loss is critical because it will be transferred as heat to the fluid. Thus, the requirement of
high heat capacity.
Fluid experimental design: A test was designed to simulate wellbore conditions and laser transmission
in fluid environments. It uses a unique head developed and built to achieve total internal reflection of the
laser beam propagating in the purging fluid. Fig. 14 shows the testing tank and the tool prototype.

Figure 14—Testing tank and special prototype tool for total internal reflection, A beam is off and B beam is on.

Perforation through formation prototype tool

Laser perforation through the casing, cement, and into the formation requires an optical assembly that
collimates the beam (beam size does not change), keeping the energy density constant all the way to the
target zone and deeper into the formation. Fig. 15 shows the prototype tool with different heads that has
been designed and built for this purpose. Fig. 15-A illustrates the collimator together with purging nozzles,
and Fig. 15-B shows the purging system mounted on the eight-axis robot, which is used to manipulate the
laser head for experimental work.

Figure 15—Collimator heads used to generate fixed size beam for deeper perforation (A),
and special purging system mounted in the eight-axis robot during an experiment (B).
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Field deployment elements

In the field, the beam of the surface laser should propagate with minimum [optical] loss over several of
kilometers in the downhole, enduring a harsh environment, before it can reach the laser head. The result
will depend on the interplay between three vital components(Fig. 16):

• Surface laser and support systems

• Optical fiber assembly

• Optical bottom-hole-assembly (oBHA)

Figure 16—Field deployment elements

Surface system: At the surface, the laser and support systems are similar to those used in the laboratory.
These include generators, chillers, purging fluids and gases, semiconductor and solid-state lasers, laser-to-
fiber(s) couplers, electronics for control, and sensing units. All the parts fit together in a confined footprint,
and they fit in a trailer or coil-tubing unit.
Fiber-based lasers are the candidate (currently) for field operations. These are a subtype of solid-state
lasers originally conceived as amplifiers in optical telecommunications networks. In recent years they have
evolved to become a pivotal technology with significant advantages for oil and gas applications:

• Alignment-free and direct light coupling, enables easy delivery to focusing elements making it
idea for industrial applications
• High output power, range between 100 W to 100 kW; due to the large surface area to volume ratio
which allows efficient cooling
• Compact and flexible by nature, long paths can be achieved in constraint space

• Reliability, highly stable and unperturbed by mechanical vibrations

Optical fibers
The first generation of laser perforation tools will use optical fibers to transmit the high-power laser beam
from the surface unit to the subterranean target. The optical cable should be designed to fit in a coiled tubing
SPE-188729-MS 11

unit, shielded and packaged to withstand the unique characteristics of the downhole environment. Also,
the fiber design should mitigate the effects ensuing from transmitting a high-power laser beam through a
kilometer-long fiber.
Materials absorb, reflect, transmit, and scatter light at different magnitudes depending on the
environmental conditions and the wavelength, or frequency, of the incident light. In an optical fiber, the
primary challenges to overcome are attenuation, scattering, and material degradation.
Attenuation or loss refers to the reduction in intensity of the light beam as it propagates through a medium.
It is measured in units of dB/km, and it is one of the critical factors limiting the transmission distance and
power that a given system can withstand. In optical fibers, it is due primarily to absorption and [non-]linear
scattering. The former arises from the intrinsic properties of the material, its electronic and molecular
arrangements. The latter ensues from the micrometric defects inherent to any fabrication process. Fig. 17
shows the intensity vs. distance for a 10kW beam propagating in different fiber types: Silica, ZBLAN, and
hollow core.

Figure 17—Optical loss of different fiber types as a function of distance for a 10kW laser beam.

Scattering is a physical phenomenon exhibited by waves when they are deviated from their original
trajectory into a path manifold due to localized defects or irregularities in the medium they propagate;
e.g., particles, or the interface between two materials. In optics scattering also includes cases where light
reflection occurs in different trajectories than the one predicted by the law of reflection. According to their
mechanism and energy conservation scattering can be divided into linear (elastic) scattering, where the
energy of the incident and scattered beam are preserved; and nonlinear (inelastic) scattering where energy
transfer from the incident wave to the medium takes place (Born and Wolf 1999). The former can be
mitigated by improving the manufacturing process and reduce defects. The latter, however, depends on the
inherent electromagnetic properties of the material and poses a fundamental challenge.
Nonlinear scattering processes rely on the power of the laser beam. They can grow exponentially, and
in some instances, like stimulated Brillouin scattering (SBS), they can grow large enough to kill the wave
propagation (Kovalev et al. 2006, Zmuda 2007). The situation can be mitigated using different means; for
12 SPE-188729-MS

example (Roberts, P. J. et al., 2005; Liu, A. 2007; Andrews, L. C., and R. L. Philips, 2005; Sprangle, P. et
al., 2007; Fu, X. et al., 2011; Sun, C. et al., 2012; Poulton, C. G. et al.; 2013; Tithi, F. H. et al. 2014, Poletti
et al., 2014,Michieletto, M. et al., 2016):

• Physical modifications of the fiber structure (core area, photonic crystal fibers, random media,
temperature gradients and differential pressure)
• Multi-wave mixing, chaotic amplitude modulation

• Acoustic and mechanical modulation

• Photonic crystals and hollow core fiber designs

Finally, material degradation occurs due to physical flaws, and the thermal and mechanical stresses
induced by the high-power beam and environmental conditions. Intrinsically, if the imperfections are small
in size and number, compared to the wavelength, then they will not affect the performance of the waveguide.
However, as power increases the defects may absorb more energy leading to heating and expansion of the
material, resulting in degradation of the optical signal. High temperature and fluids can also change the
material, causing darkening and physical deterioration.
Therefore, to abate and control these effects the solution will reside in a careful combination of materials,
fabrication methods, and fiber designs.

Optical assembly
Based on the prototype tools, a field-ready optical BHA (oBHA) will be manufactured and tested in the
field. It will incorporate optics, purging nozzles, and electronic systems needed to perforate a notch, 2 inches
in diameter by 24 inches deep; including:

• Out-couple the laser beam in the fiber

• Transform the beam and its profile (focusing, defocusing, collimation, transformation)

• Control and guide purging fluids

• Manipulate the light to target

• Monitor the interaction between the laser beam, the environment, and the rock

• Sense the environment properties and changes

Like fibers, the optical elements are also affected by absorption, [non-]linear scattering, and degradation.
To mitigate them it is necessary to select materials and photonic structures that can withstand the optical
energy, decrease fabrication defects, keep a controlled temperature, and separate them from the environment.
Often, optical elements are also coated with thin films to avoid unwanted reflections, maximize
transmission, and improve performance. However, these may be damaged due to the energy of the laser
beam or degraded by the high temperatures downhole. The current solution involves a careful design of the
coatings and control of the various beam parameters. An alternative is to create photonic structures directly
on the surface of the optical materials (Burek et al., 2016).
Lab testing was conducted to perforate two inches in diameter hole by 24 inches deep, the sample shows
in Fig.18. Small laser beam size was used to create deep and large holes. The sample has grids for pre and
post measurements.
SPE-188729-MS 13

Figure 18—Rock sample perforation by using small spot size to create two inches hole in diameter by 24 inches deep.

Conclusions
Previous studies provided the platforms and information needed to move forward towardsfield deployment.
The selection of the laser systems, tool design and in-situ testing is the key for field deployment. In-situ
conditions testing provided the tools for downhole prediction and tool performance.
Recent advancement in high power systems is promising. It hasprovided the means to create a non-
damaging and environmentally friendly technology that will change the industry. Laser perforation is the
target for the first application; the technique has significant advantages over shaped charge perforation,
it improves the flow properties, control over the perforated tunnel geometry and depth. Laser fluid
transmission by total internal reflection is efficient to deliver the energy to the target with minimum power
loss though wellbore fluids.

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