Methods and apparatus for drilling holes laterally from a well

The method of drilling a hole laterally from a well, comprising:

• lowering into the well a drilling unit carried by a tubular string having a portion with a non-circular cross section enabling it to bend more readily in one direction than in a second direction;
• deflecting said drilling unit laterally by a whipstock to form a curving hole in the earth formation;
• and
• advancing said non-circular string slidably through a non-circular opening as the hole is drilled to retain the drilling unit in a predetermined orientation controlling the direction in which the drilling unit and string curve outwardly into the formation.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• turning said conductor to a changed position after drilling of said hole;
• and
• then advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the conductor in said changed position of the conductor to drill a second hole in a second lateral direction.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• lowering a whipstock within and relative to said tubular conductor after the conductor is at said position in the well and into engagement with orienting means carried by the conductor near said zone to orient the whipstock rotatively relative to the conductor for drilling of a hole in a lateral direction;
• advancing a drilling unit past said whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in said lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• turning the tubular conductor, after drilling of said hole, to a changed position;
• and
• subsequently advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by said tubular conductor in said changed position and oriented by said orienting means to drill a second hole in a second lateral direction.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• and
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• said tubular conductor having an opening formed in a side wall thereof before lowering of the conductor into the casing and through which the drilling unit advances laterally into the earth formation.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• withdrawing the drilling unit and whipstock from the well;
• lowering a second whipstock and a liner through said tubular conductor to said zone;
• and
• advancing said liner past said second whipstock and laterally into said hole.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• drilling a hole in said casing as the drilling unit is deflected laterally by the whipstock;
• withdrawing said drilling unit from the tubular conductor after drilling of said hole in the casing and said hole in the formation;
• then lowering into the conductor a second whipstock, a liner and a liner hanger;
• advancing said liner through said hole in the casing and into said hole in the formation;
• and
• seating said liner hanger in said hole in the casing.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• lowering an anchor into the well with said tubular conductor and at the lower end thereof;
• actuating said anchor to hold the lower end of the conductor in place;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• detaching the tubular conductor from the anchor after drilling of said hole;
• and
• withdrawing the conductor upwardly from the well.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• lowering into the well with said conductor an anchor and a rotatively adjustable connection between the anchor and a lower end of the conductor;
• setting the anchor;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• drilling said hole in the earth formation with said conductor and whipstock in a first rotary setting relative to the anchor in which the whipstock faces in said lateral direction;
• subsequently turning said conductor to a second rotary setting;
• and
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by said conductor in said second rotary setting of the conductor and thereby drilling a hole in the earth formation in a second lateral direction.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• lowering into the well with said conductor an anchor, a detachable connection between the anchor and the tubular conductor, and a rotatively adjustable connection between the anchor and conductor;
• setting the anchor;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• drilling said hole in the earth formation with said conductor and whipstock in a first rotary setting of said rotatively adjustable connection in which the whipstock faces in said lateral direction;
• subsequently turning said conductor to a second rotary setting of said rotatively adjustable connection;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by said conductor in said second rotary setting of the conductor and thereby drilling a hole in the earth formation in a second lateral direction;
• and
• thereafter releasing said detachable connection and withdrawing the tubular conductor upwardly from the well.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• said tubular conductor having an external diameter substantially smaller than the internal diameter of said casing;
• holding a lower portion of the tubular conductor containing a whipstock in an eccentric position with respect to the casing offset in a lateral direction toward a side of the casing;
• and
• advancing a drilling unit past said whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in said lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising;

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• withdrawing the drilling unit from the well;
• lowering a liner downwardly through said tubular conductor and laterally into said hole in the formation;
• turning said conductor to a changed rotary position;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by said conductor in said changed rotary position to drill a second hole in the formation;
• withdrawing the drilling unit from the well;
• and
• then lowering a second liner through the conductor and into the second hole.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• withdrawing the drilling unit and whipstock from the well;
• lowering a liner and liner whipstock into the conductor and to said zone;
• advancing the liner past said liner whipstock and laterally into said hole in the formation;
• withdrawing said liner whipstock from the well;
• turning said conductor to a changed rotary position;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by said conductor in said changed rotary position to drill a second hole in the formation;
• withdrawing the drilling unit and whipstock from the well;
• lowering a second liner and a liner whipstock into the well;
• and
• then advancing said second liner past said liner whipstock and into the second hole.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• said drilling unit being carried by a string having a non-circular cross section enabling it to bend more readily in one direction than in a second direction;
• and
• passing said string slidably through a non-circular opening retaining the drilling unit in a predetermined rotary orientation to control the direction in which the drilling unit and string curve outwardly into the formation.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• removing the drilling unit from the well;
• lowering into the well and laterally into said hole in the formation a liner having a shoe at its end containing an opening through which fluid may discharge from the liner as it is advanced into the hole;
• and
• lowering a plug into the liner and closing said opening in the shoe by said plug.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• drilling a hole in said casing as the drilling unit is deflected laterally by the whipstock;
• removing the drilling unit from the conductor;
• lowering into the conductor a tubular string with a liner disposed thereabout having a shoe at the lower end of the liner connected to a lower end of the string with the string carrying a liner hanger, whipstock and liner hanger running tool;
• advancing the liner and shoe past the whipstock carried by the string and into said hole in the formation;
• setting the liner hanger in said hole in the casing by said running tool;
• detaching the string from the shoe;
• and
• withdrawing the string carrying said running tool from the conductor.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• lowering a drilling unit through said tubular conductor from near the surface of the earth to said zone;
• advancing said drilling unit past a whipstock at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• and
• holding said whipstock in position within the well by connection to a lower portion of said tubular conductor while the drilling unit is being deflected by the whipstock into the earth formation.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• lowering a whipstock through said tubular conductor from near the surface of the earth to said zone;
• advancing a drilling unit past said whipstock at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• and
• holding said whipstock in position in the well by connection to a lower portion of said tubular conductor while the drilling unit is being deflected by the whipstock into the earth formation.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising;

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• lowering a whipstock and a drilling unit through said tubular conductor from near the surface of the earth to said zone;
• advancing said drilling unit past said whipstock at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• and
• holding said whipstock in position within the well by connection to a lower portion of said tubular conductor while the drilling unit is being deflected by the whipstock into the earth formation.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• lowering a whipstock through said tubular conductor from near the surface of the earth to said zone;
• advancing a drilling unit past said whipstock at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral ad-rection from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• and
• withdrawing the whipstock upwardly from the well through said tubular conductor after drilling of said hole.

The method of enhancing production from a well having a casing extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor into said casing to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface;
• lowering into the well with said conductor an anchor, and connection means between the anchor and conductor releasable for detachment of the conductor from the anchor and rotatively adjustable to turn the conductor relative to the anchor;
• setting the anchor;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by the tubular conductor at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• drilling said hole in the earth formation with said conductor and whipstock in a first rotary setting of said connection means in which the whipstock faces in said lateral direction;
• subsequently turning said conductor to a second rotary setting of said connection means;
• advancing a drilling unit past a whipstock held by said conductor in said second rotary setting of the conductor and thereby drilling a hole in the earth formation in a second lateral direction;
• and
• thereafter releasing said connection means and withdrawing the tubular conductor supwardly from the well.

The method of enhancing production from a well extending downwardly toward a zone spaced beneath the surface of the earth, comprising:

• lowering a tubular conductor smaller in diameter than the well into said well to a position in which the conductor extends downwardly from near the surface of the earth to said zone beneath the surface of the earth;
• lowering a drilling unit through said conductor from near the surface of the earth to said zone;
• advancing said drilling unit past a whipstock at said zone, and thereby deflecting the drilling unit in a lateral direction from within the conductor into the earth formation about the conductor to drill a hole in the formation;
• holding said whipstock in position in the well by connection to a lower portion of the conductor while the drilling unit is being deflected by the whipstock into the earth formation;
• and
• subsequently removing said tubular conductor and said drilling unit and said whipstock from the well in preparation for production of fluid from the well.