Application prospect of arc plasma technology in petroleum engineering

Arc plasma technology is widely used in many industrial fields, such as material, machinery and national defense, but it is less applied in petroleum engineering. In this paper, the basic theories of arc plasma technology and its application advantages in petroleum engineering were introduced. Then, the application status of arc plasma technology in petroleum engineering abroad was investigated, and its application prospect for ROP (rate of penetration) increasing, borehole strengthening, low-permeability reservoir stimulation and casing milling in competent strata was analyzed. And the key technologies involved in its application in petroleum engineering were put forward, including long-life high-reliability electrode, low wave impedance pulse transmission cable, high energy storage density capacitance and impulsive discharge parameter optimization. The research results provide the reference and thought for the application of arc plasma technology in domestic petroleum industry to increase oil and gas exploration and development efficiency and decrease operation cost.