Multi-stage perforating
Systems and methods for forming perforations in a wellbore include: a laser source operable to generate a laser beam; a perforating gun with shaped charges of at least two different sizes, the perforating gun controllably rotatable relative to the wellbore when deployed; and a cable extending between the laser source and the perforating gun, the cable including at least one fiber optic cable to carry the laser beam from the laser source to the perforating gun.
1 . A system for forming perforations in a wellbore, the system comprising:
a laser source operable to generate a laser beam;
a perforating gun controllably rotatable relative to the wellbore when deployed, the perforating gun comprising stacked arrays of shaped charges, each array of stacked charges comprising at least four different sizes shaped charges; and
a cable extending between the laser source and the perforating gun, the cable including at least one fiber optic cable to carry the laser beam from the laser source to the perforating gun.
2 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a gear, motor, and/or rotational joint operable to rotate the perforating gun when deployed.
3 . The system of claim 1 , wherein each shaped charge comprises an explosive and a material that heats up to at least 888° C. within 3 seconds when contacted with a laser beam.
4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fiber optic cable includes individual fiber optic cables attached to the individual shaped charges.
5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one fiber optic cable is a single fiber optic cable extending from the laser source to an optical component of the perforating gun.
6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the optical component of the perforating gun comprises a rotational reflector or a splitter.
7 . A system for forming perforations in a wellbore, the system comprising:
a laser source operable to generate a laser beam;
a perforating gun with shaped charges of at least two different sizes, the perforating gun controllably rotatable relative to the wellbore when deployed; and
a cable extending between the laser source and the perforating gun, the cable including at least one fiber optic cable to carry the laser beam from the laser source to the perforating gun;
wherein each shaped charge comprises an explosive and a material that heats up to at least 888° C. within 3 seconds when contacted with a laser beam.
8 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the shaped charges of at least two different sizes comprise four shaped charges of different sizes.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the shaped charges of at least two different sizes comprise stacked arrays, each array comprising four shaped charges of different sizes.
10 . The system of claim 8 , further comprising a gear, motor, and/or rotational joint operable to rotate the perforating gun when deployed.
11 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one fiber optic cable includes individual fiber optic cables attached to the individual shaped charges.
12 . The system of claim 7 , wherein the at least one fiber optic cable is a single fiber optic cable extending from the laser source to an optical component of the perforating gun.
13 . A method of forming perforations in a wellbore in a subsurface formation, the method comprising:
running a perforating gun into the wellbore;
operating a laser source to discharge a laser beam to the perforating gun to trigger a first shaped charge of the perforating gun to form a hole extending into the subsurface formation;
rotating the perforating gun in the wellbore to orient a second shaped charge of the perforating gun with the hole extending into the subsurface formation; and
operating the laser source to discharge a laser beam to the perforating gun to trigger a second shaped charge of the perforating gun to extend the hole extending into the subsurface formation.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein running the perforating gun into the wellbore comprises running the perforating gun into the wellbore on a cable comprising at least one fiber optic cable.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein operating the laser source to discharge the laser beam to the perforating gun to trigger the first shaped charge comprises discharging the laser beam into the at least one fiber optic cable.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one fiber optic cable includes individual fiber optic cables attached to the individual shaped charges.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the at least one fiber optic cable is a single fiber optic cable extending from the laser source to an optical component of the perforating gun.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the optical component of the perforating gun comprises a rotational reflector or a splitter.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the second shaped charge is smaller than the first shaped charge.