The production of lipids using oleaginous microorganisms is widely studied to develop the next generation of renewable fuels. Now, the extraction of intracellular lipids has been identified as one of the crucial elements that have the largest impact on the cost of microalgal bio-refinery process. In this context, a new electric field based technique is studied to disrupt cell membranes and to extract their content. High voltage electrical pulses are used without any transducer to create underwater spark discharges that produce a high-pressure plasma/vapor bubble whose expansion, collapse and rebounds generate shockwaves. The high induced variations of pressure produce a cloud cavitation above the electrode; bubbles collapses are known to destroy mechanically cells membranes. Moreover, the pressure rise induced by the process can be used to renew the solution containing destroyed cells at each pulse. We showed that underwater spark discharges can extract chlorophyll and lipids from Phaeodactylum tricornutum and Nannochloropsis gaditana and also DNA from bacteria such as Bacillus subtilis. The present communication presents results of a parametric study of the process. It is shown that efficiencies depends on the microorganisms’ concentration and the water height above the electrodes. The rise of temperature due to the process can be controlled with the pulses frequency.