Damian San Roman Alerigi
Research Science Specialist
Aramco
Research Science Specialist at Aramco’s EXPEC Advanced Research Center (EXPEC ARC) developing novel high-power laser applications for the energy industry. Damian leads research in optical power delivery and subsurface photonic and laser tools. His work has contributed to several industry breakthroughs, including the first downhole high-power laser perforation demonstration. He has several patents and publications. He holds a PhD in Electrical Engineering from KAUST and a BSc in Physics UNAM.
Participates in
TECHNICAL PROGRAMME | Energy Fuels and Molecules
Helium, Lithium, and Trace Metals Extraction
Forum 17 | Digital Poster Plaza 3
30
April
12:00
14:00
UTC+3
We investigate the application of high-power lasers (HPL) in mineral extraction and geothermal stimulation. Extensive research and field tests have proven that HPLs can perforate and fracture any formation regardless of rock type and stress state while improving permeability and reducing breakdown pressure. The technology provides the means for direct, precise, controlled, efficient, waterless, and contactless energy delivery to subsurface targets without affecting casing or surrounding formations. HPLs enable complex stimulation designs unattainable with traditional methods, such as creating long tunnels and intricate fracturing networks in any direction, reducing break-down pressure by up to fifty per cent, and improving the permeability of tight rocks.
The HPL technology has been tested in the lab and field. The former included thoroughly characterized tests in thousands of samples subject to different environmental conditions. These tests demonstrated HPL can controllably trigger physical and chemical changes in rocks (e.g., spalling, dissociation, retorting, micro-cracking, clay dehydration, mineral collapse, vaporization, or melting) and the organic matter and fluids within them. The results led to development of the first HPL tools for field applications, which were successfully demonstrated in descaling and shallow-depth perforating scenarios.
The HPL-induced physical-chemical transformations of rocks could enable selective mineral recovery and enhance the stimulation of geothermal formations. HPL illumination can reduce the compressive strength of hard rock formation between 40% and 80%, significantly decreasing the energy required for fracturing and drilling. HPL perforating process can penetrate any rock in any desired direction unconstrained by geological stress orientations, which could allow the development of complex tunnel and fracture networks. HPLs can controllably create micro-fractures and expand pores in rocks that increase permeability by at least 10%, enhancing the stimulated volume and increasing thermal contact and fluid flow. HPL heating can trigger chemical dissociation and retorting pathways that have shown to transform the mineral and organic content of the exposed rocks. Furthermore, high-power lasers will enable a new range of in-situ and contactless characterization methods to identify mineral deposits and sweet spots among other laser-based analyses.
HPL technology has been paradigm shift in many industries due to its accuracy, reduced energy intensity, and versatility. A single laser tool can replace conventional mechanical methods used to reach and extract energy resources (e.g., hydraulic fracturing, rotary drills, grinders, and perforating guns) with surgical precision. These features underscore the potential of HPL to transform mineral extraction and geothermal contact stimulation, heralding a new era of efficiency and sustainability in upstream operations.
Co-author/s:
Sameeh Batarseh, Senior Petroleum Engineering Consultant, Saudi Aramco.
Ahmed Alrashed, Senior Petroleum Engineering Consultant, Saudi Aramco.
Abdullah Harith, Scientist, Saudi Aramco.
The HPL technology has been tested in the lab and field. The former included thoroughly characterized tests in thousands of samples subject to different environmental conditions. These tests demonstrated HPL can controllably trigger physical and chemical changes in rocks (e.g., spalling, dissociation, retorting, micro-cracking, clay dehydration, mineral collapse, vaporization, or melting) and the organic matter and fluids within them. The results led to development of the first HPL tools for field applications, which were successfully demonstrated in descaling and shallow-depth perforating scenarios.
The HPL-induced physical-chemical transformations of rocks could enable selective mineral recovery and enhance the stimulation of geothermal formations. HPL illumination can reduce the compressive strength of hard rock formation between 40% and 80%, significantly decreasing the energy required for fracturing and drilling. HPL perforating process can penetrate any rock in any desired direction unconstrained by geological stress orientations, which could allow the development of complex tunnel and fracture networks. HPLs can controllably create micro-fractures and expand pores in rocks that increase permeability by at least 10%, enhancing the stimulated volume and increasing thermal contact and fluid flow. HPL heating can trigger chemical dissociation and retorting pathways that have shown to transform the mineral and organic content of the exposed rocks. Furthermore, high-power lasers will enable a new range of in-situ and contactless characterization methods to identify mineral deposits and sweet spots among other laser-based analyses.
HPL technology has been paradigm shift in many industries due to its accuracy, reduced energy intensity, and versatility. A single laser tool can replace conventional mechanical methods used to reach and extract energy resources (e.g., hydraulic fracturing, rotary drills, grinders, and perforating guns) with surgical precision. These features underscore the potential of HPL to transform mineral extraction and geothermal contact stimulation, heralding a new era of efficiency and sustainability in upstream operations.
Co-author/s:
Sameeh Batarseh, Senior Petroleum Engineering Consultant, Saudi Aramco.
Ahmed Alrashed, Senior Petroleum Engineering Consultant, Saudi Aramco.
Abdullah Harith, Scientist, Saudi Aramco.
