System and method for coupling an impregnated drill bit to a whipstock
AssigneeSmith International, Inc.
InventorsShantanu N. Swadi, Philip M. Gregurek, Kenneth M. Nevlud, Charles H. Dewey, Michael G. Azar
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Abstract
A system and method to facilitate the drilling of one or more lateral wellbores while eliminating one or more trips downhole. The system utilizes a drilling assembly comprising an impregnated drill bit or other suitable drill bit. The impregnated drill bit is coupled to a whipstock by a connector for deployment downhole in a single trip. The connector comprises a separation device which facilitates disconnection of the impregnated drill bit from the whipstock once the whipstock is anchored at a desired downhole location.
Claims27
A system for facilitating drilling a sidetracked wellbore, comprising:
- an impregnated drill bit comprising a body and a plurality of cutting surfaces separated by junk slots, at least a portion of the impregnated drill bit comprising diamond impregnated material;
- a whipstock;
- and
- a connector coupling the whipstock to the impregnated drill bit, the connector comprising a separation device to facilitate disengagement of the impregnated drill bit from the whipstock after the whipstock is anchored at a desired downhole location,
- wherein the impregnated drill bit comprises a recess for receiving the connector, the recess being lined with a tougher material relative to a surrounding material of the impregnated drill bit.
A system for drilling a wellbore, comprising:
- a drill bit formed as a composite drill bit and comprising a body, cutting elements, a plurality of blades, and a whipstock connector recess sized to receive a whipstock connector pin, the whipstock connector recess being bounded by a radially inward portion formed of a tougher material than a surrounding material of the drill bit;
- a whipstock;
- and
- the whipstock connector pin coupling the whipstock to the composite drill bit, the whipstock connector pin comprising a shear region to facilitate disengagement of the drill bit from the whipstock once the whipstock is anchored at a desired location.
A method to facilitate drilling a sidetracked wellbore, comprising:
- coupling an impregnated drill bit of a drilling assembly to a whipstock via a connector;
- locking a turbine of the drilling assembly from rotation with a locking member;
- deploying the drilling assembly and the whipstock in a wellbore;
- anchoring the whipstock at a desired location;
- disengaging the drilling assembly from the whipstock by separating a separable portion of the connector;
- shearing the locking member to allow rotation of the turbine;
- and
- commencing drilling a sidetracked wellbore with the drilling assembly.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.