US 12,000,282 B1
Systems and methods for microwave-based drilling employing coiled tubing waveguide
Ashley Bernard Johnson, Milton (GB)
Assigned to Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed by Schlumberger Technology Corporation, Sugar Land, TX (US)
Filed on Apr. 24, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/305,790.
Int. Cl. E21B 7/15 (2006.01); H05B 6/70 (2006.01); H05B 6/80 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 7/15 (2013.01) [H05B 6/70 (2013.01); H05B 6/80 (2013.01); H05B 2206/04 (2013.01)] 24 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for drilling a borehole into a subsurface formation, comprising:
a spool of coiled tubing, wherein the coiled tubing has a surface end disposed at the spool, and wherein the coil tubing extends from the spool into the borehole;
a microwave generator; and
a coupler for injecting microwave radiation generated by the microwave generator into the surface end of the coiled tubing, wherein the coiled tubing functions to guide propagation of the microwave radiation into the borehole, and wherein the coiled tubing has a continuous inner diameter surface having a diameter greater than two times the characteristic wavelength of the microwave radiation injected into the surface end of the coiled tubing.