# US 10,871,034 B2 · Whipstock assembly with a support member > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,871,034 B2 - Document ID: US10871034B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/060,370 - Filed: 2016-02-26 - Published: 2018-12-20 - Granted: 2020-12-22 - Earliest claimed: 2016-02-26 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: Wesley P. Dietz; William W. Dancer - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10871034B2 ## CPC - E21B 7/061: {the tool shaft advancing relative to a guide, e.g. a curved tube or a whipstock} - E21B 7/046: {horizontal drilling (drilling with mechanical conveying means E21B7/003)} - E21B 7/06: Deflecting the direction of boreholes - E21B 41/0035: {Apparatus or methods for multilateral well technology, e.g. for the completion of or workover on wells with one or more lateral branches} - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract A well apparatus includes a bottom hole assembly (BHA) comprising a cutting structure at one end of the BHA, a whipstock assembly for selectively deflecting the BHA to form a deviated wellbore, a whipstock connector releasably connecting the whipstock assembly to the BHA, and a whipstock support member extending between the BHA and the whipstock assembly and spaced from the whipstock connector. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A well apparatus, comprising: a bottom hole assembly (BHA) comprising a cutting structure at one end of the BHA; a whipstock assembly for deflecting the BHA to form a deviated wellbore, the whipstock assembly comprising a whipstock support member extending between the BHA and a deflector surface of the whipstock assembly; and a whipstock connector spaced from the whipstock support member and releasably connecting the whipstock assembly to the BHA; and wherein the whipstock support member is engageable with the BHA to transfer torque from the BHA through the whipstock support member to the whipstock assembly and reduce torque transferred through the whipstock connector. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the cutting structure comprises a mill for drilling the deviated wellbore upon release of the whipstock connector from the BHA. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the whipstock support member protrudes from a deflector surface of the whipstock assembly so as to be engageable with the BHA. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the support member comprises a material softer than that of the deflector surface of the whipstock assembly for the cutting structure to drill through the whipstock support member protruding from the deflector surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the whipstock support member is radially movably coupled to the whipstock assembly with respect to an axis of the BHA. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the whipstock support member is threadedly engaged with the whipstock assembly to move the whipstock support member with respect to the whipstock assembly. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the whipstock support member is circumferentially spaced from the whipstock connector with respect to an axis of the BHA. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the whipstock connector comprises a shear bolt. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the whipstock support member is not connected between the whipstock assembly and the BHA. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a plurality of whipstock connectors releasably connecting the whipstock assembly to the BHA; and a plurality of whipstock support members extending between the BHA and the whipstock assembly. ### Claim 11 A method of forming a wellbore, the method comprising: releasably connecting a bottom hole assembly (BHA) to a whipstock assembly with a whipstock connector; supporting the BHA from the whipstock assembly with a whipstock support member of the whipstock assembly that is engaged with the BHA to transfer torque from the BHA through the whipstock support member to the whipstock assembly and reduce torque transferred through the whipstock connector, the whipstock support member spaced from the whipstock connector; and lowering the BHA and the whipstock assembly into a wellbore. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising transferring torque between the BHA and the whipstock assembly through the whipstock support member while lowering the BHA and the whipstock assembly into the wellbore. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising: securing the whipstock assembly within the wellbore; disconnecting the BHA from the whipstock assembly in the wellbore; deflecting the BHA with the whipstock assembly; and drilling into a wall of the wellbore with the BHA to form a deviated wellbore. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, wherein disconnecting the BHA from the whipstock assembly comprises shearing a shear bolt. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the supporting the BHA comprises: connecting the whipstock support member to the whipstock assembly; and engaging the BHA with the whipstock support member. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, wherein the engaging the whipstock comprises radially moving the whipstock support member with respect to an axis of the BHA. ### Claim 17 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, further comprising removing at least a portion of the support member with a cutting structure of the BHA. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The method of claim 11, wherein the whipstock support member is circumferentially spaced from the whipstock connector with respect to an axis of the BHA. ### Claim 19 A well apparatus operable with a bottom hole assembly (BHA) within a wellbore, the apparatus comprising: a whipstock assembly for deflecting the BHA to form a deviated wellbore, the whipstock assembly comprising a whipstock support member extending between the BHA and a deflector surface of the whipstock assembly; a whipstock connector releasably connecting the whipstock assembly to the BHA, the whipstock connector circumferentially spaced from the whipstock support member; and wherein the whipstock support member is engageable with the BHA to transfer torque from the BHA through the whipstock support member to the whipstock assembly and reduce torque transferred through the whipstock connector.