Enhanced laser stimulation for downhole applications: a novel approach using enabler materials

The lack of permeability in hydrocarbon-bearing formations can significantly hinder the flow of hydrocarbons from the formation to the wellbore, thereby limiting oil and gas production. To address this challenge, a novel method has been developed that utilizes laser technology in conjunction with enablers, such as activated carbon, to effectively stimulate wellbore production. In a laboratory-scale study, a continuous-wave 1 kW laser was applied for 30 s to limestone under three scenarios: dry rock without activated carbon, dry rock with activated carbon, and water-wet rock with activated carbon. The measured peak surface temperature increased from 888 °C for the first scenario to 1795 °C with dry activated carbon, corresponding to a 102% increase. The water-wet activated-carbon condition reached 1564 °C, representing a 76% increase from the first scenario. Dry activated carbon also reduced the reported time to peak temperature from 9 s to almost 2 s and increased the heated area by more than fourfold. The incorporation of an activated agent increases the energy absorbed by the rock by inducing a greater thermal shock, thereby making laser stimulation more effective. High-power laser systems have already been field deployed for different upstream applications such as flowline pipe descaling and wellbore perforation. However, the combination of laser irradiation with activated carbon as an enabler, which is evaluated in this work, has been demonstrated only at laboratory scale and has not yet been field tested.