System for forming a window and drilling a sidetrack wellbore
AssigneeWeatherford/Lamb, Inc.
InventorsDavid M. Haugen, John D. Roberts
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention discloses and claims a system for forming an opening, or window, in a downhole tubular for the subsequent formation of a lateral wellbore. In the system of the present invention, an apparatus is run into the parent wellbore which includes at least a tubular having a drill bit, a diverter such as a whipstock releasably connected to the drill bit, an anchoring device such as a packer, and a milling device. This apparatus allows for the milling of a window in the parent wellbore, and the drilling of a lateral wellbore through that window, in a single trip.
Claims24
A method of forming a lateral wellbore, comprising:
- running an apparatus into the wellbore to a predetermined location, the apparatus including a tubular string, a drill bit, a diverting device, and a device to form an aperture in wellbore casing;
- creating the aperture in the casing;
- disconnecting the device to form the aperture from the drill bit and tubular string;
- directing the drill bit through the aperture;
- and
- commencing the drilling of the lateral wellbore.
A method for forming a lateral borehole from a parent wellbore, the parent wellbore being lined with casing, the system comprising the steps of:
- running an apparatus into the parent wellbore, the apparatus comprising a tubular, a drill bit in fluid communication with said tubular at a lower end thereof, a diverter releasably connected to said drill bit, and a milling device;
- lowering said apparatus such that said milling device is located at a predetermined depth and orientation in the parent wellbore;
- activating said milling device to form a window through the casing of the parent wellbore at the predetermined depth and orientation;
- repositioning said apparatus such that said diverter is adjacent to said window in the parent wellbore and is oriented to divert said drill bit towards said window in the casing;
- releasing said drill bit from said diverter;
- urging said drill bit downwardly against said diverter;
- and rotating said drill bit through said window in order to form said lateral borehole.
22 The method of claim 21, further comprising a regulator connecting said fluid outtake line to said fluid source for controlling pressure in said fluid intake line.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.