StarWars Laser Technology for Gas Drilling and Completions in the 21st Century (1999)

StarWars Laser Technology for Gas Drilling and Completions in the 21st Century D.G. O'Brien; D.G. O'Brien Solutions Engineering Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar R.M. Graves; R.M. Graves Colorado School of Mines Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar E.A. O'Brien E.A. O'Brien Pivotal Technologies Search for other works by this author on: This Site Google Scholar Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, Texas, October 1999. Paper Number: SPE-56625-MS https://doi.org/10.2118/56625-MS Published: October 03 1999 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Get Permissions Search Site Citation O'Brien, D.G., Graves, R.M., and E.A. O'Brien. "StarWars Laser Technology for Gas Drilling and Completions in the 21st Century" Paper presented at the SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition, Houston, Texas, October 1999. doi: https://doi.org/10.2118/56625-MS Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Reference Manager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentAll ProceedingsSociety of Petroleum Engineers (SPE)SPE Annual Technical Conference and Exhibition Search Advanced Search AbstractThis paper describes results of the second phase of a Gas Research Institute (GRI) funded research program. The overall purpose of this research is to advance a fundamental change in the methods currently used to drill and complete natural gas wells applying the U.S. Defense Department's Star Wars laser technology. Results of tests conducted at the U.S. Air Force's high power laser research facilities are presented. This phase of the research has used the Chemical Oxygen-Iodine Laser (COIL) high-powered laser invented by the U.S. Air Force in 1977 for air-to-air defense. Located at the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory's Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, COIL has gained notoriety as an airborne laser tactical weapon capable of tracking and destroying missiles. More than 100 rock samples - including sandstones, limestones, shales, salt, granites and concrete - were exposed to laser beams of varying power and duration. The results were encouraging in that the laser was able to penetrate all rock types. Samples saturated with water, brine, oil and gas were also tested to more accurately simulate the downhole drilling environment. The effects of vapor interference, gas atmosphere, confining rock stresses and operating the laser in continuous and chopped modes will be discussed.The basic research conducted on laser-rock-fluid interactions is helping provide the foundation on which to determine the benefits of using Star Wars laser technology for drilling and completing natural gas wells. Keywords: starwar laser technology, engineering, brien, specific energy, coil, cubic centimeter, application, sandstone, laser, natural gas well Subjects: Drilling Operations This content is only available via PDF. 1999. Society of Petroleum Engineers You can access this article if you purchase or spend a download.