Mill blade torque support
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorSrinivasa Prasanna Vemuri
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An example whipstock assembly includes a whipstock providing a ramped surface and a longitudinal groove defined in the ramped surface. A lead mill is coupled to the whipstock with a shear bolt and having a slot defined therein, and a torque key is movable between an extended position, where the torque key is partially positioned within both the slot and the longitudinal groove, and a retracted position, where the torque key retracts into the slot. When the torque key is in the extended position, the torque key prevents the lead mill from rotating with respect to the whipstock.
Claims21
A whipstock assembly, comprising:
- a whipstock providing a ramped surface and a longitudinal groove defined in the ramped surface;
- a lead mill coupled to the whipstock with a shear bolt and having a slot defined therein;
- and
- a torque key movable between an extended position, where the torque key is partially positioned within both the slot and the longitudinal groove, and a retracted position, where the torque key retracts into the slot, wherein, when in the extended position, the torque key prevents the lead mill from rotating with respect to the whipstock.
A well system, comprising:
- an anchor assembly arranged within a wellbore;
- a whipstock assembly extendable within the wellbore to be secured to the anchor assembly, the whipstock assembly including a whipstock that provides a ramped surface and a longitudinal groove defined in the ramped surface, and a lead mill coupled to the whipstock with a shear bolt and having a slot defined therein;
- and
- a torque key movable between an extended position, where the torque key is partially positioned within both the slot and the longitudinal groove, and a retracted position, where the torque key retracts into the slot, wherein, when in the extended position, the torque key prevents the lead mill from rotating with respect to the whipstock.
A method, comprising:
- extending a whipstock assembly into a wellbore, the whipstock assembly including a whipstock that provides a ramped surface and a longitudinal groove defined in the ramped surface, and a lead mill coupled to the whipstock with a shear bolt and having a slot defined therein;
- applying a torsional load to the whipstock assembly;
- assuming the torsional load with a torque key disposed in an extended position where the torque key is partially positioned within both the slot and the longitudinal groove;
- and
- preventing the lead mill from rotating with respect to the whipstock with the torque key.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.