A electrocrushing drill bit may include a bit body; an electrode coupled to a power source and the bit body, the electrode having a distal portion for engaging with a surface of a wellbore; a ground ring coupled to the bit body proximate to the electrode and having a distal portion for engaging with the surface of the wellbore, the electrode and the ground ring positioned in relation to each other such that an electric field produced by a voltage applied between the ground ring and the electrode is enhanced at a portion of the electrode proximate to the distal portion of the electrode and at a portion of the ground ring proximate to the distal portion of the ground ring; and an insulator coupled to the bit body between the electrode and the ground ring.

A electrocrushing drill bit may include a bit body; an electrode coupled to a power source and the bit body, the electrode having a distal portion for engaging with a surface of a wellbore; a ground ring coupled to the bit body proximate to the electrode and having a distal portion for engaging with the surface of the wellbore, the electrode and the ground ring positioned in relation to each other such that an electric field produced by a voltage applied between the ground ring and the electrode is enhanced at a portion of the electrode proximate to the distal portion of the electrode and at a portion of the ground ring proximate to the distal portion of the ground ring; and an insulator coupled to the bit body between the electrode and the ground ring.

A system and method fritter rock inside a cellar around a wellhead using high energy electromagnetic beams. The system includes a high energy electromagnetic emitter, an emitter controller, and a control loop. The high energy electromagnetic emitter is configured to aim a high energy electromagnetic beam into a cellar at the Earth's surface surrounding a wellhead, and to generate the high energy electromagnetic beam to be incident on a rock in the cellar, wherein the high energy electromagnetic beam fritters the rock. The emitter controller is configured by software therein to control an operation and the direction of the high energy electromagnetic beam. The control loop is configured to maintain alignment of the high energy electromagnetic beam with the cellar throughout the frittering to ensure beam/cellar coincidence.

A system and method fritter rock inside a cellar around a wellhead using high energy electromagnetic beams. The system includes a high energy electromagnetic emitter, an emitter controller, and a control loop. The high energy electromagnetic emitter is configured to aim a high energy electromagnetic beam into a cellar at the Earth's surface surrounding a wellhead, and to generate the high energy electromagnetic beam to be incident on a rock in the cellar, wherein the high energy electromagnetic beam fritters the rock. The emitter controller is configured by software therein to control an operation and the direction of the high energy electromagnetic beam. The control loop is configured to maintain alignment of the high energy electromagnetic beam with the cellar throughout the frittering to ensure beam/cellar coincidence.

An optical fiber includes an optical fiber core for high-power laser transmission, an optical cladding disposed radially around the optical fiber core, and at least one harvesting cell disposed axially along the optical fiber core, the harvesting cell including an anode surrounding the optical cladding, a photovoltaic layer having a polymer-based photovoltaic material disposed radially around and electrically connected to the anode, and a cathode disposed radially around the photovoltaic layer and electrically connected to the photovoltaic layer.

An optical fiber includes an optical fiber core for high-power laser transmission, an optical cladding disposed radially around the optical fiber core, and at least one harvesting cell disposed axially along the optical fiber core, the harvesting cell including an anode surrounding the optical cladding, a photovoltaic layer having a polymer-based photovoltaic material disposed radially around and electrically connected to the anode, and a cathode disposed radially around the photovoltaic layer and electrically connected to the photovoltaic layer.

A pulse power drilling system includes a pulse power drill string to be positioned in a borehole formed in a subsurface formation. The pulse power drill string is to drill the borehole based on periodic pulsing of an electrical discharge into the subsurface formation. The pulse power drill string includes a generator to generate electrical power, an electrode to emit the electrical discharge out to the subsurface formation based on the electrical power, and a controller communicatively coupled to the generator and the electrode. The controller is to control at least one discharge parameter of the electrical discharge to encode a data communication within the electrical discharge.

A pulse power drilling system includes a pulse power drill string to be positioned in a borehole formed in a subsurface formation. The pulse power drill string is to drill the borehole based on periodic pulsing of an electrical discharge into the subsurface formation. The pulse power drill string includes a generator to generate electrical power, an electrode to emit the electrical discharge out to the subsurface formation based on the electrical power, and a controller communicatively coupled to the generator and the electrode. The controller is to control at least one discharge parameter of the electrical discharge to encode a data communication within the electrical discharge.

An electrocrushing drill bit, comprising a bit body, an electrode coupled to a power source and the bit body, the electrode having a distal portion for engaging with a surface of a wellbore; a ground ring coupled to the bit body proximate to the electrode and having a distal portion for engaging with the surface of the wellbore, the electrode and the ground ring positioned in relation to each other such that an electric field produced by a voltage applied between the ground ring and the electrode is enhanced at a portion of the electrode proximate to the distal portion of the electrode and at a portion of the ground ring proximate to the distal portion of the ground ring. wherein the ground ring further includes a fluid flow port; and an insulator coupled to the bit body between the electrode and the ground ring.

An electrocrushing drill bit, comprising a bit body, an electrode coupled to a power source and the bit body, the electrode having a distal portion for engaging with a surface of a wellbore; a ground ring coupled to the bit body proximate to the electrode and having a distal portion for engaging with the surface of the wellbore, the electrode and the ground ring positioned in relation to each other such that an electric field produced by a voltage applied between the ground ring and the electrode is enhanced at a portion of the electrode proximate to the distal portion of the electrode and at a portion of the ground ring proximate to the distal portion of the ground ring. wherein the ground ring further includes a fluid flow port; and an insulator coupled to the bit body between the electrode and the ground ring.