Laser Plug and Abandon Method

Abstract

A well is abandoned by locating a plug in casing preferably at a location above where the quality of the cement job or the casing is questionable. A high powered laser is run in preferably on wireline and at a location above the plug is activated and rotated with the effect that the casing, cement behind the casing and the formation about the cement becomes molten and flows onto the plug where the mass cools and solidifies into a cohesive mass that spans the borehole and extends laterally into the formation. The mass is impervious and the abandonment procedure is complete. The plug can be bare or it can have layers above such as cement to protect the plug from molten temperatures until the mass cools sufficiently and solidifies.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A plug and abandon method, comprising:
 providing a support in a borehole to be plugged and abandoned;   operating a laser adjacent said support;   melting a tubular wall circumferentially with said laser;   extending the melting beyond said tubular wall with said laser;   supporting the melted mass on said support until solidification into an anchored plug;   spanning said borehole with said solidified mass.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 using a packer or bridge plug as said support.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 using at least one of sand and cement as said support.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 melting cement outside said tubular with said laser.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 melting part of the formation outside said tubular with said laser.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 melting cement and a surrounding formation outside said tubular with said laser.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 severing said tubular and melting beyond said severed tubular to create a molten mass.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , comprising:
 severing and melting for a range of 360 degrees.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2 , comprising:
 using at least one of sand and cement as said support.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 rotating said laser during operation thereof.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 running in said laser on wireline.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , comprising:
 positioning said laser with flow or a tractor into a horizontal borehole.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 circulating fluid through the borehole while operating said laser.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , comprising:
 creating a molten mass in the borehole supported by said support until said mass solidifies and spans beyond said borehole.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , comprising:
 melting cement outside said tubular with said laser.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15 , comprising:
 melting part of the formation outside said tubular with said laser.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , comprising:
 severing said tubular and melting for a range of 360 degrees.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising:
 using at least one of sand and cement as said support.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , comprising:
 circulating fluid through the borehole while operating said laser.