High-Power Laser Perforating Aligns Upstream Operations With Sustainable Technology

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 219258, “Aligning Upstream Operations With Sustainable Technology: High-Power Lasers,” by Safiyah Alghamdi, SPE, Sameeh I. Batarseh, SPE, and Abdullah M. Alharith, SPE, Saudi Aramco, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ This work examines the operational conditions of conventional stimulation methods and the first successful industrial deployment of a high‑power‑laser (HPL) perforation tool in the field with a focus on safety, logistics, environmental impact, surface footprint, and technology efficiency. The paper presents the effect on well integrity after the perforation process with the laser tool, including debris management, steel integrity, effect on the formation properties, and quality of perforation tunnels. Experimental data obtained from photomicrographs, acoustic testing, and imaging were used for validation and analysis. Sustainability in Upstream Operations With the evolving landscape of the energy industry, the implementation of practical sustainable practices in upstream operations has become a cornerstone in transitioning the oil and gas sector into a more sustainable, economically viable, and socially responsible sector. Asset integrity, occupational safety, and sustainable resources extraction also are key factors in that transition, leading to full implementation of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals in the energy industry. Traditionally, upstream operations have struggled with various environmental concerns that extend beyond gas emissions to include water usage, operation logistics and safety, asset integrity, and surface footprint (Fig. 1). Such factors are essential drivers of accelerating the transition to a sustainable upstream cycle. HPL Perforation HPL perforation presents an alternative to traditional approaches by inducing rapid and localized thermomechanical processes to alter the physical and chemical structure of rocks and their associated fluids. This technique uses a multikilowatt, continuous‑wave laser, typically in the near‑infrared spectrum, to bring about chemical and physical changes such as spallation, dissociation, melting or vaporization of the rock, and catalysis of chemical reactions. An important advantage of HPL perforation is its ability to operate independently of the stresses within the formation, in contrast with mechanical processes. This independence allows for precise control over the direction of the laser and, consequently, the perforation. As a result, users can target any wellbore region and create a tunnel in any orientation, facilitating the design of complex perforations.