Cementing whipstock assembly and running tool with releasably engaged cement tube for minimizing downhole trips during lateral drill sidetracking operations

A lateral drilling method using a sidetracking assembly for subterranean use in a wellbore, comprising the steps of:

• providing a whipstock and an anchor;
• positioning said whipstock positioned within a wellbore and comprising a plurality of shear screws, said shear screws inserted through said whipstock and extending radially inward into a central bore of said whipstock;
• said anchor positioned within a wellbore for securing aid whipstock securely within said wellbore;
• providing a running tool releasably supporting said whipstock and said anchor within said wellbore, and further comprising
• said running tool for engaging said whipstock and providing structural support for said whipstock and said anchor, said running tool housing a latch dog, said latch dog for securely engaging said whipstock and said running tool in a first position,
• providing in said running tool housing a shearably releasable locking sleeve, said locking sleeve containing a cavity for receiving and retaining said latch dog after said locking sleeve shearably releases from said running tool,
• providing said latch dog configured for disengaging from said whipstock upon shear release of said locking sleeve and moving to a second position of being partially received into said locking sleeve while retaining engagement with said running tool;
• providing a cement tube housed in said whipstock, said cement tube, comprising a concentric form of a first outside diameter and with a second outside diameter portion at a downhole end of said cement tube, said second outside diameter configured to be greater than said first outside diameter, in communication with and releasably attaching to said running tool and said anchor, wherein said first outside diameter is within an axial diameter defined by said plurality of shear screws, but said second outside diameter is larger than said axial diameter;
• releasing said running tool from said whipstock and thereby enabling limited axially uphole travel of said cement tube providing relative movement and indicating position of said cement tube within said whipstock, and
• raising said running tool and said cement tube through a sequence of predetermined distances along the central bore of said whipstock using three pulling forces, said three pulling forces comprising
• a cement tube raising force for applying at any time after setting said anchor and after releasing said running tool from engagement with said whipstock and upward within said central bore, and
• a shear screw contacting force, said shear screw contacting force greater than said cement tube raising force, for raising said cement tube to contact said plurality of shear screws while said cement tube still engages said whipstock, without shearing said plurality of shear screws;
• and
• a shear screw shearing force, said shear screw shearing force greater than said shear screw contacting force for applying to shear at least a subset of said plurality of shear screws and thereby removing the obstruction of said plurality of shear screws against said cement tube at said second outside diameters and thereby permitting withdrawal of said cement tube from engagement with said running tool and the wellbore.

A method of manufacturing a sidetracking assembly for subterranean use in a wellbore, comprising:

• forming a whipstock and an anchor;
• said whipstock positioned within a wellbore and comprising a plurality of shear screws, said shear screws inserted through said whipstock and extending radially inward into a central bore of said whipstock;
• said anchor positioned within a wellbore for securing aid whipstock securely within said wellbore;
• forming a running tool releasably supporting said whipstock and said anchor within said wellbore, and further comprising
• said running tool for engaging said whipstock and providing structural support for said whipstock and said anchor, said running tool housing a latch dog, said latch dog for securely engaging said whipstock and said running tool in a first position,
• said running tool housing a shearably releasable locking sleeve, said locking sleeve containing a cavity for receiving and retaining said latch dog after said locking sleeve shearably releases from said running tool,
• said latch dog configured for disengaging from said whipstock upon shear release of said locking sleeve and moving to a second position of being partially received into said locking sleeve while retaining engagement with said running tool;
• forming a cement tube housed in said whipstock, said cement tube, comprising a concentric form of a first outside diameter and with a second outside diameter portion at a downhole end of said cement tube, said second outside diameter configured to be greater than said first outside diameter, in communication with and releasably attaching to said running tool and said anchor, wherein said first outside diameter is within an axial diameter defined by said plurality of shear screws, but said second outside diameter is larger than said axial diameter;
• said running tool configured for releasing said running tool from said whipstock and thereby enabling limited axially uphole travel of said cement tube providing relative movement and indicating position of said cement tube within said whipstock, and
• wherein said running tool and said cement tube are configured to be raised through a sequence of predetermined distances along the central bore of said whipstock using three pulling forces, said three pulling forces comprising
• a cement tube raising force for applying at any time after setting said anchor and after releasing said running tool from engagement with said whipstock and upward within said central bore, and
• a shear screw contacting force, said shear screw contacting force greater than said cement tube raising force, for raising said cement tube to contact said plurality of shear screws while said cement tube still engages said whipstock, without shearing said plurality of shear screws;
• and
• a shear screw shearing force, said shear screw shearing force greater than said shear screw contacting force for applying to shear at least a subset of said plurality of shear screws and thereby removing the obstruction of said plurality of shear screws against said cement tube at said second outside diameters and thereby permitting withdrawal of said cement tube from said running tool and the wellbore.