Abstract: A system for producing hydrocarbons from a subsurface formation includes a main wellbore, a first lateral extending off the main wellbore, the first lateral configured to produce hydrocarbons from the subsurface formation to a ground surface through the main wellbore, a second lateral extending off the main wellbore, tubing extending down the main wellbore into the second lateral, and a tool attached to the tubing.

Abstract: Wellbore drilling and completion systems implement a method of completing a wellbore. A laser head is mounted to a wellbore drilling assembly positioned within a wellbore formed in a subterranean zone. The laser head emits a first laser beam in a downhole direction within the wellbore to form the wellbore through the subterranean zone. Doing so causes portions of the subterranean zone to be released as drill cuttings into the wellbore. The laser head emits a second laser beam in a radial direction within the wellbore. The second laser beam is incident on a portion of the drill cuttings. The second laser beam causes the portion of the drill cuttings to consolidate and form a casing of the wellbore.

Abstract: An example system includes a laser tool configured for downhole movement. The laser tool includes an optical assembly configured to shape a laser beam for output. The laser beam may have an optical power of at least one kilowatt (1 kW). A housing contains the optical assembly. The housing is configured for movement to direct the output laser beam within a wellbore. The movement includes rotation of the laser tool around a longitudinal axis of the housing and tilting the housing relative to a longitudinal axis of the wellbore. A control system is configured to control at least one of the movement of the housing or an operation of the optical assembly to direct the output laser beam within the wellbore.

Abstract: A laser system for freeing downhole equipment includes a laser tool having an inner diameter larger than an outer diameter of the downhole equipment and a means for generating a ring-shaped collimated laser beam. The laser system further includes a work string with the inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the downhole equipment. The laser tool is installed on the work string and the work string is lowered around the downhole equipment. Upon lowering the work string to a position in which the laser tool is located proximate to an obstruction of the downhole tool, the laser tool emits the ring-shaped collimated laser beam so as to clear out an annulus space between the downhole equipment and a wellbore wall in order to free the downhole equipment.

Abstract: A tool that removes a scale inside a pipe includes: a laser tool including a laser head to output a laser beam, and a robotic arm that is articulated and that is connected to the laser head. The robotic arm includes segments that are connected by flexible robotic arm joints to enable movement of the laser head in six degrees of freedom, and a control system to control the robotic arm to direct output of the laser beam. The tool also includes a drilling shaft attached to the robotic arm of the laser tool.

Abstract: A laser tool system, which includes an optical fiber having an input end and an output end and a laser tool body, is described. The output end of the optical fiber may be optically connected to a laser source. The laser tool body may include a laser head optically connected to the laser output end, an activating chamber connected to the laser head, a heat transfer agent, an exit port, a nozzle connected to the exit port, and a fluid conduit. The fluid conduit may deliver a fluid into contact with the heat transfer agent. Methods for heating an aqueous fluid and heating a fluid in a reservoir are also described. The methods may include irradiating a heat transfer agent to provide an irradiated heat transfer agent, providing a fluid, and contacting the irradiated heat transfer agent with the fluid, thereby heating the fluid and forming a heated fluid mixture.

Abstract: Some embodiments may be directed to a drilling tool for drilling in a formation. This drilling tool may include an optical fiber having a laser input end and a laser output end and a laser source optically connected to the laser input end. Further, the drilling tool may include an activating agent conduit having an activating agent inlet and an activating agent outlet and an activating agent source connected to the activating agent inlet that supplies an activating agent. Finally, the drilling tool may include a drill head. In some embodiments, the drill head may include a nozzle connected to the activating agent outlet that discharges the activating agent on an area of the formation, and a laser head optically connected to the laser output end and arranged to lase at least a portion of the area of the formation having the activating agent.

Abstract: An apparatus can be used to separate drill cuttings from drilling fluid. The apparatus includes a receptacle, a screen, acoustic transducers, and a collection pan. The receptacle is configured to receive a mixture of the drill cuttings and the drilling fluid. The receptacle is configured to distribute the mixture of the drill cuttings and the drilling fluid across a first end of the screen. The acoustic transducers are attached to the screen. The acoustic transducers are configured to generate acoustic vibrations in a range of frequencies. The generated acoustic vibrations facilitate travel of the mixture across the screen and cause the drill cuttings to separate as the mixture travels across the screen. The collection pan is positioned at a second end of the screen opposite the receptacle. The collection pan is configured to receive at least a portion of the drill cuttings that have traveled across the screen.

Abstract: A monitoring device monitors deformation of a casing installed in a wellbore and housing a production tubing, and includes: a packer installed within an annulus between the casing and the production tubing; a deformable substrate that is disposed at an outer side of the annulus and contacts an inner surface of the casing to deform along with casing deformation; a light source that is disposed on the deformable substrate and emits light towards an inside of the annulus; an imaging device that is disposed in the packer to be opposite to the light source across the annulus and detects the light emitted from the light source; and a processor that produces a signal from the detected light, processes the produced signal, and transmits the processed signal to a surface control device that monitors the deformation of the casing based on the signal.

Abstract: Wellbore drilling and completion systems implement a method of completing a wellbore. A laser head is mounted to a wellbore drilling assembly positioned within a wellbore formed in a subterranean zone. The laser head emits a first laser beam in a downhole direction within the wellbore to form the wellbore through the subterranean zone. Doing so causes portions of the subterranean zone to be released as drill cuttings into the wellbore. The laser head emits a second laser beam in a radial direction within the wellbore. The second laser beam is incident on a portion of the drill cuttings. The second laser beam causes the portion of the drill cuttings to consolidate and form a casing of the wellbore.

Abstract: Wellbore drilling and completion systems using a laser head implement methods of completing a wellbore. A wellbore drill bit is rotated through a subterranean zone to form a wellbore. Rotating the wellbore drill bit through the subterranean zone causes portions of the subterranean zone to be released as drill cuttings into the wellbore. A laser head, attached to the wellbore drill bit, emits a laser beam that is incident on a portion of the drill cuttings. The laser beam heats the portion of the drill cuttings to consolidate and form a casing of the wellbore.

Abstract: Systems and methods for cutting objects within a subterranean well include a laser system having a laser drilling head located at a terminal downhole end of a laser tool body directing a head laser beam in a direction downhole. A laser scanner assembly located within the laser tool body has a scanner head directing a scanner laser beam and can move both axially along a length of the laser tool body and rotate around a central axis of the laser tool body. A laser cutter assembly located within the laser tool body has a cutter head directing a cutter laser beam and can rotate around the central axis of the laser tool body. A cable bundle formed of a plurality of fiber optic cables extends from an uphole end of the laser tool body to each of the laser drilling head, the laser scanner assembly, and the laser cutter assembly.

Abstract: A tool includes a main body with one or more segments. Each of the one or more segments includes an outer wall, an inner volume defined within the outer wall and a pre-perforated spear mounted at the outer wall. The tool also includes one or more acoustic transducers which induce sonoluminescence in the inner volume, wherein pressure resulting from the induced sonoluminescence causes the pre-perforated spear to be ejected from the outer wall. A related method includes providing such a tool, inserting it to a wellbore and ejecting it from the outer wall as noted.

Abstract: Wellbore drilling and completion systems implement a method of completing a wellbore. A laser head is mounted to a wellbore drilling assembly positioned within a wellbore formed in a subterranean zone. The laser head emits a first laser beam in a downhole direction within the wellbore to form the wellbore through the subterranean zone. Doing so causes portions of the subterranean zone to be released as drill cuttings into the wellbore. The laser head emits a second laser beam in a radial direction within the wellbore. The second laser beam is incident on a portion of the drill cuttings. The second laser beam causes the portion of the drill cuttings to consolidate and form a casing of the wellbore.

Abstract: An example laser tool is configured to operate within a wellbore of a hydrocarbon-bearing rock formation. The laser tool includes one or more optical transmission media. The one or more optical transmission media are part of an optical path originating at a laser generator configured to generate a laser beam having an axis. The one or more optical transmission media are for passing the laser beam. The laser tool includes an optical element that is part of the optical path. The optical element is for receiving the laser beam from the one or more optical transmission media and for output to the hydrocarbon-bearing rock formation. The laser tool includes a color applicator head for discharging one or more coloring agents to a surface in the wellbore in a path of the laser beam.

Abstract: This application relates to systems and methods for directional drilling through hydrocarbon bearing formations using a downhole laser tool. The technologies can be used to steer or direct a drill bit or drill string to a new drilling direction in the formation through controlled activation of a laser beam discharged from a laser head mounted on a drill string or drill bit.

Abstract: A downhole tool includes a housing configured to couple to a downhole conveyance; a laser tool positioned in the housing and configured to transmit a laser beam sufficient to form a tunnel in a subterranean formation; a chamber positioned in the housing and configured to enclose a shaped members that include at least two laser reflective surfaces; and a perforating head coupled to the housing. The perforating head includes an optical pathway formed to receive the laser beam from the laser tool and output the laser beam toward the subterranean formation through an outlet of the perforating head; and at least one conduit separate from the optical pathway and configured to receive the shaped members from the chamber and output the shaped members through the outlet of the perforating head.

Abstract: Systems and methods include a computer-implemented method for providing a photonic sensing system to perform an automated method to characterize displacement of equipment surfaces and monitor changes in real-time. A three-dimensional (3D) point cloud of one or more objects is generated by an analysis and presentation system using light information collected through structured light illumination by an array of structured-light sensors (SLSes) directed toward the one or more objects. Generating the point cloud includes defining points of the 3D point cloud that are relative to reference points on the one or more objects. Real-time contactless 3D surface measurements of the one or more objects are performed using the 3D point cloud. Changes in one or more parts of the one or more objects are determined by the an analysis and presentation system by analyzing the real-time contactless 3D surface measurements.

Abstract: A tool that removes a scale inside a pipe includes: a laser tool including a laser head to output a laser beam, and a robotic arm that is articulated and that is connected to the laser head. The robotic arm includes segments that are connected by flexible robotic arm joints to enable movement of the laser head in six degrees of freedom, and a control system to control the robotic arm to direct output of the laser beam. The tool also includes a drilling shaft attached to the robotic arm of the laser tool.

Abstract: A heater includes an energy source, a heating element connected to the energy source via an electric heating cable, a moisture collector positioned proximate a first axial side of the heating element, and a housing holding the heating element and the moisture collector in an axially spaced apart configuration. The moisture collector includes a wall and a filament opening encircled by and defined by the wall.