BI-MILL DEPLOYED WITH DUAL-ACTION HYDRAULICALLY OPERABLE ANCHOR AND METHODS OF OPERATION AND MANUFACTURE FOR WELLBORE DEPARTURE MILLING
Sidetracking system including dual-action hydraulically operable anchor for positioning a whipstock in a wellbore and a bi-mill for milling an opening through a wellbore casing in a preplanned lateral drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis and through the wellbore casing or rock formation and in the direction of the drilling path. The anchor's upper and lower hydraulic pistons provide two compressive forces with a third mechanical force being applied from the attached whipstock and workstrin all forces being additive, to compressively set the floating mandrel. The three additive forces function to fix the anchor in the wellbore with extremely great force. The bi-mill mills an opening through a wellbore casing in a preplanned lateral drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis and through the wellbore casing or rock formation and in the direction of the drilling path. The bi-mill provides high-TFA fluid passages for increased fluid flow to the mill plateau, extremely dense cutting structure, and tuned debris removal channels for rapid milling with low torque. The synergistic operation of the anchor and buy mill function reduce rig time and ensure fast and reliable wellbore exit.
This application claims the benefit of the following patent applications:
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- U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/696,423 entitled “Dual-Action Hydraulically Operable Anchor,” filed on Jul. 11, 2018 with Attorney Docket No. WILD002USP, which is here expressly incorporated by reference;
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/696,750 entitled “Dual-Action Hydraulically Operable Anchor,” filed on Jul. 11, 2018, also with Attorney Docket No. WILD002USP, which is here expressly incorporated by reference;
- U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 16/509,461 entitled “Dual-Action Hydraulically Operable Anchor and Methods of Operation and Manufacture for Wellbore Exit Milling,” filed on Jul. 11, 2019, with Attorney Docket No. WILD006US0TR, which is here expressly incorporated by reference;
- U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/693,873 entitled “Bi-Mill For Milling An Opening Through A Wellbore Casing In Initiating With Helical Debris Channels And Dense Milling Inserts Configuration,” filed on Jul. 3, 2018 with Attorney Docket No. WILD003USP, which is here expressly incorporated by reference; and
- U.S. Non-Provisional patent application Ser. No. 16/503,444 entitled “A Bi-Mill For Milling An Opening Through A Wellbore Casing And In A Preplanned Lateral Drilling Path In Departure From The Wellbore Axis,” filed on Jul. 3, 2019 with Attorney Docket No. WILD003US0TR, which is here expressly incorporated by reference.
The present disclosure relates generally to oilfield drilling equipment and more particularly to wellbore departure, wellbore exit, or “sidetracking” tools. These tools include equipment for anchoring a whipstock or other tools in a desired position in a wellbore and for milling through wellbore casing, cement and/or rock formations in order to initiate lateral drilling operations. This disclosure relates to a unified system for wellbore departure and specifically includes an anchor and a bi-mill. The disclosed anchor is a hydraulically-actuatable expandable anchoring tool including methods for attaching to a wellbore wall as is commonly required in drilling operations. More particularly, the present invention relates to making and using expandable anchors that can be run into boreholes of varying diameters and then expanded to set against either a cased or open-hole wellbore wall to anchor another well tool for conducting downhole well operations. The disclosure further relates to oilfield milling equipment, including, more particularly, a bi-mill deployed concurrently with the hydraulically-expandable anchor, with said bi-mill being utilized for milling through a wellbore casing, cement and/or rock formations in order to initiate lateral drilling of a secondary borehole from an existing borehole.
The disclosure relates more specifically to a bi-mill for milling an opening through a wellbore casing or wall and in a preplanned lateral drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis using helical debris channels and dense milling insert configurations for initiating a lateral bore into a rock formation. Even more particularly, the bi-mill presently disclosed comprises an improved lead mill having a novel shear bolt cavity and shear bolt retaining pin configuration, permitting a greater total flow area (“TFA”) for debris clearance and permitting the placement of extra cutting structure on the lead mill, particularly at the lead mill's nose and plateau area. Additionally, the bi-mill is of an unusually robust construction, with a relatively long axial portion of the bi-mill, from the lead mill to the uphole portion of the follow mill, designed to resist flex. This rigid construction limits vibration and torque, enabling smooth milling under the most difficult conditions.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSUREDownhole wellbore departure tools include anchoring tools, whipstocks and mills. Before an exit milling operation can take place, a wellbore anchor is used to firmly fix a whipstock and similar equipment in the wellbore. Here, wellbore anchoring systems may be used to anchor drilling equipment downhole in order to permit certain wellbore operations. Once a main wellbore has been drilled, it is often necessary or desired to drill one or more additional boreholes that branch off, or deviate, from the main wellbore. Such lateral boreholes are typically directed toward different parts of the surrounding formation, with the intent of increasing the output of the well. The main wellbore can be vertical, angled or horizontal. Wellbore departure technology can be applied to both new and existing wells.
In order to drill a new borehole that extends outside an existing wellbore, the usual practice is to use a work string to run and set a whipstock via an anchor disposed at the lower end thereof. The upper end of the whipstock comprises an inclined face. The inclined face is designed to guide a window milling bit(s), or “mill,” radially outwardly with respect to the main wellbore axis as the milling bit is lowered, so that the milling bit creates an opening in the main wellbore and into adjacent formation rock. The main wellbore may have casing cemented in place or be without casing, known in the art as “open hole.” The lower end of the whipstock is connected, directly or indirectly, to an anchor so that when the anchor is locked in the wellbore it prevents both axial and rotational movement of the whipstock.
Wellbore departure technology provides operators several benefits and economic advantages. For example, wellbore departure and lateral drilling operations can access isolated pockets of hydrocarbons which might otherwise be left in the ground. In addition, lateral drilling technology improves reservoir drainage, increasing the volume of recoverable reserves and enhancing the economics of marginal pay zones. Anchors are a key component of wellbore departure operations.
Some disadvantages of known wellbore anchors include limited radial expansion capabilities and limited force for securing the anchor against the wellbore wall, especially in larger diameter wellbores. As such, prior art expandable anchors that support whipstocks for drilling sidetrack boreholes, for example, may be susceptible to small, but not insignificant amounts of movement. Hence, it would be desirable to provide an expandable anchor that effectively prevents an anchored whipstock from moving.
Examples of such systems include U.S. Pat. No. 7,377,328, entitled “Wellbore Anchoring System” shows an expandable downhole anchoring tool positionable within a wellbore for use in cooperation with drilling equipment. That system includes a body having a plurality of angled channels formed into a wall thereof, and a plurality of moveable slips disposed in the same radial plane around the body. There, the plurality of moveable slips are hydraulically translatable along the plurality of angled channels between a collapsed position and an expanded position. The disclosure further encompasses a method of setting an expandable anchor within a wellbore and includes running the anchor into the wellbore in a collapsed position. Then, expanding the anchor into gripping engagement with the wellbore, the anchor adapts to expand up to at least 1.5 times a collapsed diameter of the anchor.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,919,431, also entitled “Wellbore Anchoring System” shows a hydraulic wellbore anchoring system for use with whipstocks or other tools in either cased or open hole wellbores. The anchoring system includes an upper slip system and a lower slip system. The anchor system may be set using hydraulic pressure and withdrawn by a predetermined upward force. While the slips of the upper and lower slip systems may be set substantially simultaneously, the anchoring system enables sequential disengagement of the slips to reduce the force required for withdrawal.
With the anchoring systems referenced above certain limitations exist. First of all, a limitation relates to the susceptibility to shocks that frequently occur as the anchor system traverses down the wellbore. Contact with an uneven wellbore, debris, and other irregular or unexpected interferences may arise as the anchor trips into the wellbore. In some situations, slips and inserts may contact these interferences during the trip into the wellbore and sustain damage. Damage to these components can adversely affect the performance of an anchor system, including anchor placement and stability in the wellbore. The unfortunate result may be an anchor system that is improperly positioned or insecurely placed. This could jeopardize the entire wellbore departure operation and result in significant losses in terms of non-productive time and monetary capital.
Another limitation with existing anchor systems is relatively weak setting force. Many known anchors employ a single means of applying setting force. Some known hydraulic anchors may have means for applying two different types of setting force, but may do so in sequence, not applying these forces concurrently. The ability to apply additive force, such as means of applying three or more types of setting force, is not seen in the prior art. The failure to use additive setting forces results in a less than secure anchor that sets with less certainty in the wellbore.
In light of these considerations and others, which are here addressed, there is the need for an improved dual-action hydraulically operable anchor system and methods of operation and manufacture as here described and claimed.
This disclosure further applies in the field of wellbore departure milling. The novel features believed characteristic of the disclosed subject matter are set forth herein.
As noted above, in modern drilling practices for oil and gas wells, it is common for a main wellbore to be drilled and for a sidetracking operation to be undertaken in order to drill a separate bore extending away from the main wellbore. In addition to employing anchors and whipstocks, these systems also utilize mills for milling through casing, cement and/or formation rock to initiate a lateral borehole. Examples of such systems include the following:
U.S. Pat. No. 8,122, 977, entitled “Cutting Device with Multiple Cutting Structures” shows a cutting device for downhole operations that includes a first cutting structure, and a second cutting structure. In that disclosure, at least the second cutting structure is selectively presentable for operation. The disclosure includes a method of performing a downhole cutting operation that includes running into a well bore a cutting device including a plurality of cutting structures and performing a first cutting operation with a first cutting structure of the cutting device. Then, the disclosure shows moving the first cutting structure to selectively present a second cutting structure of the cutting device, and performing a second cutting operation with at least the second cutting structure. The method may further include aligning movable cutting structures of the cutting device to allow the second cutting structure to be selectively presented.
U.S. Pat. No. 8,459,357, entitled “Milling System and Method of Milling” shows a mill for milling a window through metal casing in a well bore that includes a body having a plurality of blades. In that disclosure, a plurality of cylindrically bodied cutting elements are position on the blades. A plurality of diamond enhanced elements include a non-planar diamond working surface that initiates cutting into the casing for milling a window into well bore.
Even more related, U.S. Pat. No. 8,997,895, entitled “System and Method for Coupling an Impregnated Drill Bit to A Whipstock” shows a system and method that facilitate the drilling of one or more lateral wellbores while eliminating one or more trips downhole. The system uses a drilling assembly including an impregnated drill bit or other suitable drill bit. The impregnated drill bit couples to a whipstock by a connector for deployment downhole in a single trip. The connector includes a separation device which facilitates disconnection of the impregnated drill bit from the whipstock once the whipstock is anchored at a desired downhole location.
While the above and similar patents represented improvements at their time, today a need has arisen for a lead mill that makes efficient use of space to permit a greater total flow area (“TFA”) for debris clearance than in the prior art. Such an improved configuration also has the demand for providing extra cutting structures to be placed on the lead mill compared to prior art designs, particularly at lead mill's nose and plateau area. If such designs could be achieved, then the lead mill and follow mill could more efficiently and rapidly continue milling through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation wall and into the rock formation a distance sufficient to initiate the preplanned drilling path. These improvements will enhance the overall profitability of energy production projects, reduce energy production costs, and provide greater energy resources to the consuming public in general.
A critical advantage of the disclosed bi-mill is its rigid, robust, flex-resistant construction from the lead mill to the uphole portion of the follow mill. The lead mill has a box connection that threads onto the pin connection of the thick-walled follow mill. A flex groove is machined into the upper, uphole portion of the follow mill to permit flex. Thus the robust construction from the distal end of the lead mill to the flex groove maintains a proportionally long downhole axial portion of the bi-mill in a relatively rigid state during milling operations. This construction reduces vibration and enables smooth milling at low torque, providing the additional benefit of enabling placement of a large number of cutting inserts onto the lead mill, in turn ensuring faster milling. The robust construction virtually eliminates the risk of shearing off the lead mill under the most difficult milling conditions.
Finally, deployed as a unified system, the disclosed hydraulic anchor and bi-m ill offer the customer synergistic functional benefits. More than ever before, the oil and gas drilling industry is driven by reliability and cost. Sidetracking operations must be executed rapidly with minimal risk of failure. The disclosed hydraulic anchor and bi-mill are deployed concurrently in order to maximize the probability of successful initiation of a lateral borehole and to minimize time required to complete the operation. The anchor-setting and exit milling operations occur in a single trip, saving the customer rig time. Additionally, utilizing its very great setting force, the anchor fixes into place rapidly and securely, even in the worst open-hole conditions. The bi-mill design employs means for better debris clearing and smoother milling, enabling faster milling through even the toughest grades of casing. Deployed concurrently as a system, the anchor and bi-mill ensure extremely reliable, rapid initiation of a lateral borehole in a single trip, answering industry demands to reliably reduce rig time.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSUREThe present disclosure details a method, system, and fabrication method for a hydraulic anchor for use in securing a whipstock in position so that a wellbore departure or wellbore exit milling operation, utilizing a bi-mill further disclosed herein, may commence. In this exit milling operation, an opening through a wellbore wall is created and a bore is formed over a short distance in adjacent rock formation. The hydraulic anchor is essential in this process as it secures the whipstock in place so that the whipstock resists torsional and compressive forces that may be applied during exit milling and subsequent drilling operations.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is here provided a dual-action hydraulically operable anchor and methods of operation and manufacture for wellbore exit milling. The dual-action hydraulic anchor includes a hydraulic anchor body, and an upper hydraulic piston and an opposing lower hydraulic piston. The upper hydraulic piston and the lower hydraulic piston force slips outward to fixedly position, or “set,” the anchor in a wellbore. The anchor, when set, secures the whipstock and makes possible wellbore departure milling and guiding lateral drilling outside the wellbore.
The hydraulic anchor further includes an upper sub for slidably engaging and containing a floating mandrel, as well as a hydraulic upper piston that threadably attaches to the floating mandrel. A split clamp flexibly retains the upper sub and fixedly attaches to the hydraulic anchor body. The split clamp permits confined movement of the upper sub toward and hydraulic anchor body toward and away from each other. A lower cap fixedly couples to the hydraulic anchor body and includes a guide nose for guiding the hydraulic anchor within the wellbore and containing a threaded plug to hydraulically seal the the hydraulic anchor body.
A floating mandrel within the hydraulic anchor body includes an upper piston threadably attached at the floating mandrel's upper end and slidably moving within the upper sub and along the longitudinal axis of the fixed housing. A hydraulic lower piston with locking ratchet nut, upon anchor actuation, travels upward along the floating mandrel and applies a first force to move slips outward from the anchor body. Additionally, following the hydraulic lower piston's upward travel, the hydraulic upper piston applies compressive force to drive the floating mandrel downward to advance in opposition to the movement of the hydraulic lower piston and locking ratchet nut. Additionally further, the floating mandrel transmits additional downward compressive force deriving from mechanical force applied from a surface rig to the workstring and BHA components uphole and adjoining the hydraulic anchor.
The hydraulic lower piston is located below the hydraulic upper piston and operates from a first position to a second position along the floating mandrel using transmitted hydraulic fluid. A T-slot adapter engages the hydraulic lower piston. A slip engages the T-slot adapter and may slide within the fixed housing from a flush position along the fixed housing to an extended position along the fixed housing in response to movement of the T-slot adapter and the lower piston within the fixed housing. In response, the slip firmly engages the wellbore to hold the hydraulic anchor and the whipstock in a fixed position within the wellbore, thereby providing a path for lateral drilling outside the wellbore. A threaded locking ratchet nut attaches to the lower hydraulic piston and slidably moves along a threaded portion of the floating mandrel. The locking ratchet nut mechanically locks the lower hydraulic piston in a second position, with the slips being retained mechanically in the extended position engaging the wellbore wall.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, here are disclosed methods, devices, and systems to provide a hydraulic anchor having opposing upper and lower hydraulic pistons for extending slips outward with considerable force in order to fixedly position a whipstock in a wellbore. The whipstock enables wellbore exit milling and initial guiding of lateral drilling outside the wellbore. The hydraulic anchor includes an upper sub for loosely retaining a floating mandrel attached to a hydraulic upper piston. The upper sub houses the hydraulic upper piston to hydraulically engage and advance the floating mandrel with supplied hydraulic force, advancing the mandrel downward.
A Belleville spring stack abuts the lower external face of the upper sub, forcing the upper sub, upward to the point where it is retained by the inner face of the upper portion of a split clamp assembly in the absence of hydraulic or mechanical compressive force. The upper sub's housed hydraulic upper piston, attached to the upper end of the floating mandrel, is retained at the upper end of the upper sub by a threaded male connection end of a hinged connector or similar adjacent sub. The split clamp assembly loosely and slidably retains the upper sub to the hydraulic anchor body. A lower cap fixedly couples to the body and comprises a guide nose for guiding the hydraulic anchor within the wellbore, smoothing its travel around minor obstructions or uneven portions of the wellbore, with the lower cap and the hydraulic anchor body threadably connected, and the lower cap's central bore being closed with a plug, or open, depending on operational parameters. A floating mandrel extends from inside the upper sub to inside the lower cap with slidably moveable axial engagement of a locking ratchet nut within the hydraulic anchor housing.
Inside the floating mandrel, along its longitudinal axis, a flow of hydraulic fluid originating from a piston inside a running tool travels through the floating mandrel to actuate the lower piston disposed in the anchor body, forcing the mandrel upward and advancing the slips. A hydraulic lower piston located below the upper piston at the end of the floating mandrel distal from the upper piston actuates from a first position to a second position along the floating mandrel using hydraulic fluid supplied through the inner axial bore of the floating mandrel. This lower piston actuation forces the slips outward from the anchor body and concurrently advances a locking ratchet nut along a threaded portion of the floating mandrel. Additionally, the floating mandrel receives compressive force from the upper piston housed in the upper sub when hydraulic force is applied to the upper piston, forcing it downward against the floating mandrel and serving to advance the mandrel slidably against the locking ratchet nut, further increasing setting force.
As needed, the floating mandrel can receive a third force in the form of compressive force from mechanical force applied to the work string above and adjacent upstream BHA adjoining the hydraulic anchor, providing yet more force to advance the mandrel slidably against the locking ratchet nut. The two hydraulic forces and the mechanical force can be applied concurrently, making the three forces additive, and thereby setting the anchor with extreme force. At the upper, uphole end of the lower piston, a T-slot adapter engages the mandrel piston on the lower, downhole side of the T-slot adapter. A slip slidably engages the T-slot adapter on the upper side of the T-slot adapter within the anchor housing. With standard-sized slips, the slips advance from a first flush-with-anchor housing position through an opening in the anchor housing to a second, extended position extending outward from the anchor housing in response to movement of the T-slot adapter slidably engaged with the lower piston within the anchor housing.
Upon reaching its extended position, the slip firmly engages the wellbore to hold the hydraulic anchor and adjoining BHA components, including the whipstock, in a fixed position. A threaded locking ratchet nut attaches to the hydraulic piston and is slidably moveable along a lower, threaded portion of the floating mandrel, with locking ratchet nut engaging the threaded portion of the mandrel and mechanically locking the hydraulic piston in its second position, with the slips being retained mechanically, after hydraulic actuation has ceased, in the extended position engaging the wellbore wall. With the anchor fixedly secured against the wellbore casing or rock formation wall, a wellbore departure operation can be executed, subsequently providing a path for lateral drilling outside the main wellbore.
A technical advantage of the presently disclosed dual-action hydraulically operable anchor system includes an improved system that frictionally engages the inner wellbore wall with extreme force, cased or openhole as the case may be, with slidable slips moving outward from the anchor body to contact the wellbore wall once the anchoring tool reaches the desired depth and circumferential orientation.
A technical advantage of the presently disclosed dual-action hydraulically operable anchor system includes an improved system that frictionally engages the wellbore by delivering additive setting force in multiple ways. The subject matter of this disclosure applies three different setting forces, including two with opposing hydraulic cylinders and an additional compressive mechanical force from the workstring, if desired. The two opposing hydraulic cylinders allow the anchor to set with greater hydraulic force, when utilizing only hydraulic force, than prior art hydraulic anchors. The multiple means of applying force to set the anchor is also an improvement upon prior art anchors.
Another object of this disclosure is to absorb shocks that the anchor might experience while tripping downhole. This hydraulic anchor has a stack of Belleville springs that abut the lower end of its upper sub, with the upper sub being attached to the BHA/workstring. The Belleville springs keep the upper sub and anchor body spread apart under normal, static conditions, with the split clamps retaining the upper sub and body together. If the anchor experiences shocks as it travels downhole due to an uneven bore, debris, or other issues, the Belleville springs provide a cushioning effect that will help the anchor absorb shocks. The ability to absorb shocks can prevent damage to slips or insert buttons in the slips, and represents a departure from the prior art.
These and other objects of the present invention are achieved through a provision of a wellbore anchor tool, which comprises an anchor body, an elongated hollow mandrel disposed axially within the anchor body, an upper sub loosely engaged with the body and retained by a split clamp assembly, a Belleville spring stack compressed against the upper sub, a plurality of frictional members (“slips”) members positioned within the anchor body for slidable outward movement to frictionally engage an inner wellbore wall, a lower piston hydraulically actuated to advance the slips, an upper piston opposing the lower piston and hydraulically actuated to advance the mandrel, and a locking ratchet nut that slidably advances along the mandrel during lower piston and upper piston actuation with locking ratchet nut maintaining its position following application of opposing hydraulic forces.
Still further objects, technical aspects and advantages of the presently disclosed subject matter will become evident upon a full appreciation of the following specification, drawings, and claims.
The present disclosure additionally details a method, system, and fabrication method for a bi-mill for milling an opening through a wellbore casing and in a preplanned lateral drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis using helical debris channels and dense milling insert configurations for initiating a lateral bore into a rock formation.
According to one aspect of the present disclosure, there is here provided a bi-mill for milling an opening through a wellbore casing in initiating a preplanned lateral drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis and through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation, and further continuing into underground rock formation outside the wellbore and in the direction of the preplanned lateral drilling path and as guided by a wellbore whipstock. The bi-mill includes an assembly having a lead mill and a follow mill. The lead mill threadably attaches to the follow mill. The lead mill includes a body forming a structural base for the lead mill, and further includes a smooth bore in the lead mill into which a circumferentially-grooved shear bolt is inserted. A threaded end threadably attaches to the wellbore whipstock and with the unthreaded end inserts into the smooth bore. The lead mill further includes a plurality of fluid passageways wherein the smooth bore has a sufficiently shallow depth so as to not intersect with the internal fluid passageways and so as to not exit the distal side of the lead mill. The lead mill further includes an external bore and a retaining pin inserted through the external bore for intersecting the smooth bore.
The shear bolt includes a groove, wherein the retaining pin further inserts into the groove for retaining the shear bolt within the smooth bore. The lead mill further includes a nose and at least four fluid passageways leading from a central axial fluid passageway inside the lead mill and exiting a plateau defined as the end portion of the nose with an area perpendicular and obtuse in relation a central fluid passageway of the lead mill. A plurality of debris removal channels form recessed paths within the body and a plurality of exit paths for channeling milled debris away from the lead mill and in the direction of the follow mill. A plurality of milling inserts is positioned on the lead mill and in rows adjacent the debris removal channels for milling through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation and into the underground rock formation. At least three rows of milling inserts extend from the center of the plateau down the side of the lead mill in continuity.
The debris removal channels further form in a helical configuration for guiding debris milled by the inserts along the debris removal channels and away from the lead mill and in the direction of the follow mill. The lead mill and follow mill are configured to follow a path defined by the wellbore whipstock to continue milling through the wellbore casing and into the underground rock formation a distance sufficient to initiate the preplanned drilling path.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, here are disclosed methods, devices, and systems provide a bi-mill for milling an opening, guided by a wellbore whipstock, through a main wellbore casing, or wellbore rock formation wall, in order to initiate a preplanned subsequent drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis and through the wellbore casing, and further continuing into underground rock formation outside the main wellbore and in the direction of the preplanned lateral drilling path. The bi-mill includes a lead mill and a follow mill assembly, the lead mill attaches to the follow mill, and both are controlled by rotation of a work string or drill string. The lead mill includes a body forming a structural base for the lead mill. The follow mill also includes a body forming a structural base for the follow mill. The lead mill body includes a plurality of debris removal channels formed as recessed paths within the body and forming a plurality of exit paths for channeling milled debris away from the lead mill and in the direction of the follow mill.
A plurality of milling inserts are positioned on the lead mill and positioned in arcing rows of body material adjacent to the debris removal channels, creating a cutting structure for milling through the wellbore casing or rock formation wall and into the adjacent underground rock formation. A central, axial bore in the bi-mill carries fluid pumped from the surface during the milling operation, with the fluid exiting at a plurality of orifices located at the plateau of the lead mill's nose. The debris removal channels are further formed in a helical configuration for guiding debris milled by the inserts along the debris removal channels and away from the lead mill and in the direction of the follow mill.
The follow mill body has threaded ends, and does not therefore possess a “nose” such as the end of the lead mill. However, the follow mill also includes a plurality of debris removal channels formed adjacent to an arcing cutting structure as recessed paths within the body and forming a plurality of exit paths for channeling milled debris away from the follow mill and in an uphole direction. A plurality of milling inserts are positioned on the follow mill and positioned in rows adjacent to the debris removal channels, creating a cutting structure for milling through the wellbore casing or rock formation wall and into the underground rock formation. The debris removal channels are further formed in a helical configuration for guiding debris milled by the inserts along the debris removal channels and away from the follow mill and in an uphole direction.
Another aspect of the disclosed bi-mill is its rigid, robust, flex-resistant construction from the lead mill to the uphole portion of the follow mill. The lead mill has a box connection that threads onto the pin connection of the thick-walled follow mill. A flex groove is machined into the upper, uphole portion of the follow mill to permit flex. Thus the robust construction from the distal end of the lead mill to the flex groove maintains a significant axial downhole portion of the bi-mill in a relatively rigid state during milling operations. This construction reduces vibration and enables smooth milling at low torque, therefore permitting the placement of a large number of cutting inserts onto the lead mill, which in turn ensures faster milling. The robust construction virtually eliminates the risk of shearing off the lead mill under the most difficult milling conditions.
The lead mill makes efficient use of space with a novel shear bolt cavity and shear bolt retaining pin configuration, permitting a greater total flow area (“TFA”) for debris clearance than in the prior art. This space-saving configuration also permits extra cutting structure to be placed on the lead mill compared to prior art designs, particularly at lead mill's nose and plateau area.
Still further objects, technical aspects and advantages of the presently disclosed lead mill and follow mill configured to follow a path defined by the whipstock to continue milling through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation wall and into the rock formation a distance sufficient to initiate the preplanned drilling path will become apparent upon reading the technical description and considering the claims appearing below.
The present subject matter will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings, which are provided as illustrative examples of the subject matter so as to enable those skilled in the art to practice the subject matter. Notably, the FIGUREs and examples are not meant to limit the scope of the present subject matter to a single embodiment, but other embodiments are possible by way of interchange of some or all of the described or illustrated elements and, further, wherein:
Various embodiments of the dual-action hydraulically actuable anchor and bi-m ill and methods of use will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used for like features throughout the several views. The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of exemplary embodiments in which the presently disclosed subject matter can be practiced. The term “exemplary” used throughout this description means “serving as an example, instance, or illustration,” and should not necessarily be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. The detailed description includes specific details for providing a thorough understanding of the presently disclosed method and system. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the presently disclosed subject matter may be practiced without these specific details. In some instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in functional or conceptual diagram form in order to avoid obscuring the concepts of the presently disclosed method and system.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular assembly components. This document does not intend to distinguish between components that differ in name but not function. In the following discussion and in the claims, the terms “including” and “comprising” are used in an open-ended fashion, and thus should be interpreted to mean “including, but not limited to . . . ”.
Reference to up or down will be made for purposes of description with “up”, “upper”, or “upstream” meaning toward the earth's surface or toward the entrance of a well bore; and with “down”, “lower”, or “downstream” meaning toward the bottom of the well bore. In the drawings, the cross-sectional side views of the expandable anchor should be viewed from top to bottom, with the upstream end at the top of the drawing and the downstream end at the bottom of the drawing.
In the present specification, an embodiment showing a singular component should not be considered limiting. Rather, the subject matter preferably encompasses other embodiments including a plurality of the same component, and vice-versa, unless explicitly stated otherwise herein. Moreover, the applicant does not intend for any term in the specification or claims to be ascribed an uncommon or special meaning unless explicitly set forth as such. Further, the present subject matter encompasses present and future known equivalents to the known components referred to herein by way of illustration.
One or more embodiments of the disclosure are described below. It should be noted that these and any other embodiments are exemplary and are intended to be illustrative of the disclosure rather than limiting. While the disclosure is widely applicable to different types of systems, it is impossible to include all the possible embodiments and contexts of the disclosure in this disclosure. Upon reading this disclosure, many alternative embodiments of the present disclosure will be apparent to the person's ordinary skill in the art. [0050]The benefits and advantages that may be provided by the present disclosure has been described above with regard to specific embodiments. These benefits and advantages, and any elements or limitations that may cause them to occur or to become more pronounced are not to be construed as critical, required, or essential features of any of any or all of the claims. As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It is further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising” or “includes” and/or including”, or any other variation thereof, are intended to be interpreted as nonexclusively including the elements or limitations which follow those terms. Accordingly, a system, method, or other embodiment that comprises a set of elements is not limited to only those elements, and may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to the claimed embodiment. These terms when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more features, regions, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Hydraulic anchor 2, therefore, provides opposing upper and lower hydraulic pistons 13 and 22 for extending slips 4 outward with considerable force in order to fixedly position a whipstock 42 in a wellbore. Whipstock 42 enables wellbore exit milling and initial guiding of lateral drilling outside the wellbore. Hydraulic anchor 2 includes an upper sub 12 for loosely retaining a floating mandrel 20 attached to a hydraulic upper piston 13. Upper sub 12 houses hydraulic upper piston 13 to hydraulically engage and advance floating mandrel 20. Managing Member with supplied hydraulic force, advancing mandrel 20 downward.
Belleville spring stack 16 abuts the lower external face of upper sub 12, forcing upper sub 12 upward to the point where it is retained by the inner face of the upper portion of split clamp assembly 14 in the absence of hydraulic or mechanical compressive force. Upper sub 12 houses hydraulic upper piston 13, attached to the upper end of floating mandrel 20, is retained at the upper end of upper sub 12 by a threaded male connection end of a hinged connector or similar adjacent sub. Split clamp assembly 14 loosely and slidably retains upper sub 12 to hydraulic anchor body 6. Lower cap 5 fixedly couples to anchor body 6 and provides a guide nose for guiding the hydraulic anchor within the wellbore, smoothing its travel around minor obstructions or uneven portions of the wellbore, with lower cap 8 and hydraulic anchor body 6 threadably connected, and the lower cap 8 central bore being closed with a plug, or open, depending on operational parameters. Floating mandrel 20 extends from inside upper sub 12 to inside lower cap 5 with slidably moveable axial engagement of a locking ratchet nut 29 within hydraulic anchor body 6.
Inside floating mandrel 20, along its longitudinal axis, a flow of hydraulic fluid originating from a piston inside a running tool travels through floating mandrel 20 to actuate lower piston 22 disposed in anchor body 6, forcing the mandrel 20 upward and advancing the slips. Hydraulic lower piston 22 located below upper piston 13 at the end of floating mandrel 20 distal from upper piston 13 actuates from a first position to a second position along floating mandrel 20 using hydraulic fluid supplied through the inner axial bore of floating mandrel 20. Lower piston 22 actuation forces slips 4 outward from anchor body 6 and concurrently advances locking ratchet nut 28 along a threaded portion of floating mandrel 20. Additionally, floating mandrel 20 receives compressive force from the upper piston 13 housed in upper sub 12 when hydraulic force is applied to upper piston 12, forcing it downward against floating mandrel 20 and serving to advance mandrel 20 slidably against locking ratchet nut 28. [0057]As needed, floating mandrel 20 can receive compressive force from mechanical force applied to the work string above and adjacent upstream BHA adjoining hydraulic anchor 2, providing yet more force to advance mandrel 20 slidably against locking ratchet nut 28. The two hydraulic forces and the mechanical force can be applied concurrently, making the forces additive, and thereby setting anchor 2 with extreme force. At the upper, uphole end of lower piston 22, T-slot adapter 24 engages mandrel 20 piston on the lower, downhole side of T-slot adapter 24. A slip slidably engages T-slot adapter 24 on the upper side of T-slot adapter 24 within the anchor housing. With standard-sized slips 4, slips 4 advance from a first flush-with-anchor housing 6 position through an opening in anchor housing 6 to a second, extended position extending outward from anchor housing 6 in response to movement of T-slot adapter 24 slidably engaged with the lower piston within anchor housing 6.
Referring now to
Lower piston 22, inside anchor body 6, initially attaches to anchor body 6 by shear screws inserted through shear screw holes 10. When hydraulic power is applied and the lower piston 22 is actuated, it shears the shear screws in shear screw holes 10 and advances upward. The shear screws that fasten the lower piston 22 to the anchor body 6 serve to prevent accidental upward travel of the lower piston. Lower piston 22 drives T-slot adapters 24, slidably attached to the lower portions of slips 4 and fixedly attached to the upper portions of lower pistons 22, in an upward direction, with the T-slot adapter 24 forcing the slips outward from grooved pockets 18. The outward movement of the slips 4 is facilitated by the angle of the top of the grooved pocket 18 and the grooves themselves, as well as, on the lower end of the slips, the angle of the T-slot adapter 24. [0061]As the lower piston 22 travels upward, a threaded locking ratchet nut 28 abuts a ledge inside the lower piston 22 to be secured to lower piston 22 by shear screws (not shown) spaced circumferentially around lower piston 22 and intersecting locking ratchet nut 28. The locking ratchet nut 28 is circumferentially grooved to accept shear screws and secures itself and lower piston 22 together in the initial, unactuated position, until hydraulic force is applied and the locking ratchet nut 28 and lower piston 22 advance upward together. As the locking ratchet nut 28 travels upward across a threaded portion of the floating mandrel 20, it locks in place on floating mandrel 20 and thereby mechanically locks T-slot adapters 24 and slips 4 in place.
Immediately following hydraulic actuation of the lower piston 22, upper piston 13 also actuates and travels a short distance in a downward, downhole direction. Upper piston 13 applies downward force to floating mandrel 20, in opposition to the force exerted by lower piston 22, forcing floating mandrel 20 against locking ratchet nut 28 from above at the same time as locking ratchet nut 28 is being forced upward by lower piston 22. This dual action ensures that slips 4 of hydraulic anchor 2 will be extended to maximum feasible distance and contact the wellbore wall with considerable force and mechanically lock into place. The mechanical lock provided by the locking ratchet nut 28 engagement with threads on floating mandrel 20 ensures that slips 4 remain in place, compressed against the wellbore wall with significant force, after the hydraulic anchor-setting operation has ceased.
Note that in this embodiment, at the lower end of hydraulic anchor 2, a threadably attached lower cap 8, with central bore and beveled leading edges, serves as a guide for the anchor and BHA during wellbore entry. Additionally, lower cap 8 is shown in
After hydraulic anchor 2 is set in place, whipstock 42 will resist significant compression, tension and torsion and remain fixed in the correct orientation for milling. At this point, the wellbore departure milling operation can begin.
An important feature of this embodiment is the shock absorbing aspects of the anchor body 6 and upper sub 12. This hydraulic anchor 2 has a stack of Belleville springs 16 that abut the lower end of its upper sub 12 and with the upper sub being attached to the BHA/workstring. Belleville springs 16 apply compressive force to keep the upper sub 12 and anchor body 6 spread apart under normal, static conditions, with the split clamps retaining the upper sub 12 and anchor body 6 together. The trip into the wellbore can produce unexpected difficulties. hydraulic anchor 2, the leading end of the BHA, can experience bumps and shocks along the way. If hydraulic anchor 2 experiences shocks as it travels downhole due to an uneven bore, debris, or other issues, the Belleville springs provide a cushioning effect that will help the anchor absorb shocks. On occasion, it may be necessary to utilize oversized slips in anchor 2 in order to accommodate a wellbore of larger inside diameter than the standard anchor slips are intended for. If such oversized slips were to be utilized, the slips and inserts could protrude from anchor body 6, even in the initial, unactuated position. In such a situation, the ability to absorb shocks can prevent damage to slips or inserts in the slips.
Hydraulic anchor 2 also makes use of three types of additive force in setting. The two opposing pistons 13 and 22 apply force in opposite directions, one pushing slips 4, via upward force on T-slot adapters 24, and the other pushing mandrel 20 downward, with both forces serving to advance locking ratchet nut 28 against mandrel 20 threads. These forces are applied concurrently following actuation. Yet a third force can be applied after the first two hydro-mechanical forces have been initialized and advanced slips 4 to gain initial pressure against the wellbore wall. The third force is mechanical force applied downward from the rig on surface through the workstring and BHA, reaching upper sub 12. Upper sub 12 may be used to mechanically force mandrel 20 downward after slips 4 have gotten the initial “bite” in the wellbore wall. This third force can be applied concurrently with the hydraulic force exerted by the opposing pistons 13 and 22, making these forces additive, and furthermore setting anchor slips 4 with extreme force. This feature is unprecedented in , unprecedented in prior art.
The effect of acute and obtuse angles on the outward movement of the slips 4 is clearly shown in
Upon reaching its extended position, slips 4 firmly engage the wellbore to hold hydraulic anchor 2 and adjoining BHA components, including whipstock 42, in a fixed position. With the anchor fixedly secured against the wellbore casing or rock formation wall, a wellbore departure operation can be executed, subsequently providing a path for lateral drilling outside the main wellbore.
In summary, therefore, the present disclosure provides a dual-action hydraulically operable anchor 2 and methods of operation and manufacture for multilateral downhole drilling. The dual-action hydraulic anchor 2 includes hydraulic anchor body 6, and upper piston 13 and opposing lower piston 22. Upper piston 13 and lower piston 22 enable force slips 4 outward to fixedly position, or “set,” the hydraulic anchor 2 in a wellbore. The hydraulic anchor 2, when set, secures the whipstock 42 and makes possible wellbore departure milling and guiding lateral drilling outside the wellbore.
The hydraulic anchor 2 further includes an upper sub 12 for slidably engaging and containing a floating mandrel 20, as well a hydraulic upper piston 13 that threadably attaches to the floating mandrel 20. floating mandrel 20A split clamp 14 flexibly retains the upper sub and fixedly attaches to the hydraulic anchor body 6. The split clamp 14 permits confined movement of the upper sub 12 toward and hydraulic anchor body 6 toward and away from each other. A lower cap 8 fixedly couples to the hydraulic anchor body 6 and includes a guide nose for guiding the hydraulic anchor 2 within the wellbore and containing a threaded plug 9 to hydraulically seal the the hydraulic anchor body 6.
A floating mandrel 20 within the hydraulic anchor body 6 includes an upper piston 13 threadably attached at the floating mandrel's 20 upper end and slidably moving within the upper sub 12 and along the longitudinal axis of the hydraulic anchor body 6. A hydraulic lower piston 22 with locking ratchet nut 28, upon anchor actuation, travels upward along the floating mandrel 20 and applies a first force to move slips 4 outward from the anchor body 6. Additionally, following the hydraulic lower piston's 22 upward travel, the hydraulic upper piston 13 applies compressive force to drive the floating mandrel 20 downward to advance in opposition to the movement of the hydraulic lower piston 22 and locking ratchet nut 28. Additionally further, the floating mandrel 20 transmits additional downward compressive force deriving from mechanical force applied from a surface rig to the workstring and BHA components uphole and adjoining the hydraulic anchor 2.
The hydraulic lower piston 22 is located below the hydraulic upper piston 13 and operates from a first position to a second position along the floating mandrel 20 using transmitted hydraulic fluid. A T-slot adapter 24 engages the hydraulic lower piston 22. A slip 4 engages the T-slot adapter 24 and may slide within the hydraulic anchor body 6 from a flush position along the hydraulic anchor body 6 to an extended position along the hydraulic anchor body 6 in response to movement of the T-slot adapter 24 and the lower piston 22 within the hydraulic anchor body 6. In response, the slip 4 firmly engages the wellbore to hold the hydraulic anchor 2 and the whipstock 42 in a fixed position within the wellbore, thereby providing a path for lateral drilling outside the wellbore. A threaded locking ratchet nut 28 attaches to the lower hydraulic piston 22 and slidably moves along a threaded portion of the floating mandrel 20. The locking ratchet nut 28 mechanically locks the lower hydraulic piston 22 in a second position, with the slips 4 being retained mechanically in the extended position engaging the wellbore wall.
The foregoing description of embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the subject matter. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel principles and subject matter disclosed herein may be applied to other embodiments without the use of the innovative faculty. The claimed subject matter set forth in the claims is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. It is contemplated that additional embodiments are within the spirit and true scope of the disclosed subject matter.
Referring to details of the other key component of the disclosed system, the bi-mill, provided is a description of a bi-mill having a lead mill and follow mill configured to follow a path defined by the whipstock to continue milling through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation wall and into the rock formation a distance sufficient to initiate the preplanned drilling path. However, it should be understood that the description is by way of example only and is not to be construed in a limiting sense. It is contemplated that all such changes and additional embodiments are within the spirit and true scope of this disclosure, as claimed below.
This disclosure facilitates the exit from the casing, or rock formation, in the absence of casing, and creation of an initial bore over a short distance into the rock formation. In a main wellbore that is either “open hole,” i.e., without casing cemented in the wellbore, or “cased hole,” i.e., with casing cemented in the wellbore, a wellbore departure system requires an assembly that includes a few key components. An anchor, such as the dual-action hydraulically actuable anchor disclosed above, is deployed on a workstring and located below, i.e. farther downhole, from a whipstock on the same workstring.
After the anchor is set in place, a milling operation can begin. The mill(s) used for wellbore departure milling may be comprised of various components and configurations known in the art, usually an arrangement of two or three mills connected in close proximity. The milling system in this disclosure is a bi-mill, that is to say, a two-mill system. This bi-mill is comprised of a lead mill that is threadably connected to a follow mill, with the lead mill being positioned farther downhole.
In this disclosure, the bi-mill is attachably connected to the whipstock with a shearable fastener known as a “break bolt” or “shear bolt.” Attaching the bi-mill to the whipstock with a shearable item enables the whipstock-setting and wellbore departure milling operation to be completed in a single trip into the wellbore. After the anchor has been set in place as described above, and thereby the connected whipstock has been set in place, force, such as tension or compression from the workstring, is used to shear the shear bolt so that the connection between the whipstock and bi-mill is severed. Incidentally, the hydraulic tubular, an expendable item, connected to the mill, is destroyed at this stage or in the following initiation of milling. At this point, rotation of the bi-mill begins, and downhole compressive force is applied, forcing the bi-mill down the whipstock ramp and against the wellbore's internal casing wall or rock formation, as the case may be. In a cased well, the bi-mill creates an opening in the wellbore casing and a bore through any cement and into rock formation. When no casing is present, the bi-mill begins immediately boring into rock formation. The opening and new adjoining bore, separate from the main wellbore, are enlarged to a desired maximum diameter, or enlarged to “full gage,” in common oilfield terminology. The bi-mill bores a short distance in the new adjoining bore, forming a “rathole” in the rock formation in which the lateral bore will be drilled, and then ceases its operation and is withdrawn from the well. A drilling system designed for boring in rock formations is then tripped into the new adjoining bore in order to extend that bore a comparatively great distance. [0087]A bi-mill assembly has a lead mill, which mills through the casing or rock formation wall ahead of the adjoining follow mill. Although follow mills may be of different types and forms, and may be relied upon to perform a large or small part of the milling operation in terms of material removed, the lead mill in this disclosure performs the bulk of the milling, leaving mostly smoothing or “cleanup” work for the follow mill in most situations.
However, the lead mill may experience some wear and breakage as it leads the milling operation, contacting, milling and penetrating the casing ahead of the follow mill. Significant wear on the lead mill, should it occur, can cause the lead mill's diameter to decrease from the desired full gage. The follow mill, which has been engaged in relatively light duty compared to the lead mill, helps to ensure that full gage is achieved in the main wellbore opening and in the adjoining bore created beyond the main wellbore. After creating the opening in the main wellbore and departing into the new, adjoining bore, the bi-mill bores a short distance in rock formation before being withdrawn from the well.
Referring now to
The disclosed invention is an apparatus for milling an opening in wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation and creating a bore beyond the casing that is discrete from the main wellbore. The subject matter of this disclosure is a bi-mill 108. The bi-mill 108 is comprised of a lead mill 112 with a single follow mill 110. Each of these mills, lead mill 112 and follow mill 110, is comprised of a body with an arcing “cutting structure” in relief from debris removal channels 138 that includes an arrangement of rows of cylindrical inserts 130 of a hard material brazed into pockets in the body, and recessed debris removal channels 138 formed between the rows of inserts. The lead mill 112 has a body with recessed debris removal channels 138 and fluid delivering orifices, potentially including three nozzle ports and a tubular connection port for flushing debris, with these ports being located on the plateau, or nose, of the lead mill. When used in conjunction with a hydraulic anchor, the nozzle ports are capped with capped shearable nozzles 128 so that fluid will not escape through these ports and may be supplied under pressure through one port connected to a hydraulic tubular 118 for hydraulic anchor 116 actuation.
The nozzle ports 134 are designed with threaded connections recessed below the surface of the mill body and shear points or circumferential grooves positioned at or below the surface of the mill body so that the nozzles break off flush with the surface of the adjacent area. A smoothly bored area within the upper inside diameter of the nozzle ports 134 is sized to accept the hex head portion of a threaded nozzle. This smoothly bored area may exceed the diameter of the threaded area of the nozzle port 134 if necessary. The smoothly bored portion of nozzle port 134 permits the hex head portion of the threaded nozzle to be fully submerged below the surface of the debris removal channel 138 or other surface area of lead mill 112. This leaves the shear groove of the capped shearable nozzle 128 or threaded break-off nozzle 137 in position to break off flush with the upper edge of nozzle port 134. Flush breaking off of the nozzles permits the enhanced debris removal, smoother cutting and longer lead mill life as detailed in
Placement of a recessed shear bolt cavity 123 that is bored to a shallow depth in the lead mill body, i.e. not bored to the central axial fluid carrying bore within the lead mill 112 or bored through to exit the other side of the lead mill, and held by a threaded retaining pin 126, preserves sufficient internal space at the plateau of the lead mill 112. This is sufficient to enable efficient geometric placement of three nozzles and a tubular connection, or alternatively, two large diameter nozzles and a tubular connection, or four nozzles at the plateau of the lead mill 112. Regardless of the number of orifices at the plateau, these orifices can be of larger diameter than in the prior art due to the novel use of the lead mill's internal space. The ability to place more nozzles at the plateau, and to increase total flow area (“TFA”) at the plateau, is critical in achieving efficient debris removal, reducing required torque and reducing potential for slip-stick. Slip-stick occurs when a mill or bit binds during workstring rotation, stores energy until it releases, and then releases with unwanted rotational acceleration, causing vibratory and potentially destructive effects.
In this embodiment, cylindrical inserts 130 with a diameter of 13.437 mm are used, with the inserts being composed of a sintered carbide with a polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) layer on top of the cylinder at its cutting face, or, alternatively, utilizing no PCD layer but simply tungsten carbide containing cobalt of 10.5% for improved breakage resistance and longer wear. The portion of the milling operation in which the bi-mill contacts steel casing involves significant vibration and interrupted, inconsistent contact with the casing. Such conditions necessitate employing a breakage-resistant carbide that must be somewhat softer, i.e., contain more cobalt, than a normal machining grade of carbide insert.
The lead mill's recessed debris removal channels 138 benefit from three shearable nozzles 128 and a tubular connection hole 132 at the plateau of the lead mill 112. Three shearable nozzles 128 with nozzle ports 134, in addition to a tubular connection hole 132 located at the plateau provide for significantly increased total flow area (“TFA”) at the plateau when compared to the prior art. The increased TFA provides for maximal upflow of milled debris, and a resultant reduction in required torque, producing a smoother milling operation. The greater TFA and torque reduction provides less opportunity for vibration destructive slip-stick. Slip-stick occurs when a mill or bit binds during workstring rotation, stores energy until it releases, and then releases with unwanted rotational acceleration, causing vibratory and potentially destructive effects.
The lead mill 112 possesses a novel geometry that makes efficient use of space and enables greater TFA at the nose of the mill. The lead mill 112 employs a recessed, blind cavity, not through-bored to opposite side of the lead mill as in prior art, nor bored to the fluid-carrying axial bore inside the lead mill, but rather with shear bolt cavity 123 bored transverse to the lead mill's axial plane, and with the shear bolt 124 is held in place by retaining pin 126. The internal space saved by utilizing a short, shallow, blind bore in the shear bolt cavity 123 leaves enough internal space to bore three fluid nozzle ports 134 and a tubular connection hole 132 to exit on the plateau of the nose of the lead mill 112. Furthermore, the fluid-delivering orifices, in this embodiment fluid nozzle ports 134 and tubular connection hole 132 are of larger diameter than similar prior art orifices. This use of space both concentrates and increases flow at the plateau. All exterior connecting parts, such as shearable nozzles 128 or hydraulic tubular 118, are fastened with recessed bolt heads and with shear points flush with the adjoining area of the lead mill 112. These parts break off flush when the milling operation begins, leaving no obstruction to milling or debris flow paths, and thereby providing maximum flow efficiency for removal of milled debris.
The lead mill 112 body, when machined, leaves substantial insert cutting structure after creation of the debris removal channels 138. Improving upon prior art cutting structure, the lead mill 112 body has three complete rows of inserts from the center plateau of the nose of the lead mill 112 and extending completely down along the side of the lead mill 112. The extra insert cutting structure at the plateau is achieved by recessing the hex heads and shear points of all shearable nozzles 128 or hydraulic tubular 118 parts, as described above in this disclosure. Recessing these hex heads allows more body to remain in place, i.e. leaving more body in relief as debris removal channels 138 are milled in manufacturing, providing sufficient strength to increase body area that may be utilized as insert cutting structure. The lead mill 112 body has six complete rows of inserts 130 from the nose (including the three rows from plateau, above) and extending completely down the side of the lead mill 112. Three additional segments of the lead mill 112 body along the side of the lead mill 112 offer additional insert cutting structure. Altogether, the lead mill 112 body in this embodiment contains nine rows of inserts 130.
The lead mill and follow mill inserts 130 are made of a hard material designed to resist wear and breakage, while still maintaining the ability to mill through steel and bore at least a short distance in rock formation to create a “rat hole” for accepting a rock drilling assembly following the milling operation. The hard insert material may be a polycrystalline diamond (PCD) sintered as a layer on top of a given type of carbide, or what is commonly known as a polycrystalline diamond compact (PCD) insert. Alternatively, a type of sintered carbide, such as tungsten carbide or a tungsten carbide insert (TCI) material containing cobalt content of at least 10.5% may be utilized. Additionally, PCD inserts may be used in conjunction with carbide inserts, such as TCI inserts, in a varied array of different material inserts placed into the lead mill 112.
When executing a milling operation to create an opening in casing, the lead mill's nose, the narrower portion of the lead mill 112 that is less than “full gage,” travels along a whipstock 114, initially contacting the whipstock 114 as the full gage and near-full gage portions of the lead mill 112 engage the casing without engaging the whipstock 114. The novel features of this lead mill 112 are its efficient use of space at its nose so as to create concentrated fluid passageways for fluid orifices, such as three nozzle ports 134 and tubular connection hole 132 at the plateau and large recessed debris removal channels 138 to accommodate the flow of debris from those orifices. Key to making efficient use of space is the lead mill shear bolt cavity 123 that is not bored through from one side of the lead mill to the other, nor is it bored into the axial fluid-carrying bore inside the lead mill 112.
An additional novel feature is that the lead mill and follow mill bodies may have their recessed debris removal channels 138 timed to match each other, enabling a more efficient milling and debris removal operation. In other words, the lead mill and follow mill may have the same number of debris removal channels and furthermore these debris channels may be aligned, such that debris channels of the lead and follow mills are the same in number and furthermore the trailing ends of debris channels from the lead mill align with leading ends of debris channels from the follow mill for improved flow of debris and for smoother milling.
In summary, therefore, the present disclosure provides for a wellbore departure system including a hydraulic anchor for securing a whipstock in place and a bi-mill for milling an opening through a wellbore casing in initiating a preplanned lateral drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis and through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation, and further continuing into underground rock formation outside the wellbore and in the direction of the preplanned lateral drilling path and as guided by a wellbore whipstock. The bi-mill includes an assembly having a lead mill and a follow mill. The lead mill threadably attaches to the follow mill. The lead mill includes a body forming a structural base for the lead mill, and further includes a smooth bore in the lead mill into which a circumferentially-grooved shear bolt is inserted. A threaded end threadably attaches to the wellbore whipstock and with the unthreaded end inserts into the smooth bore. The lead mill further includes a plurality of fluid passageways wherein the smooth bore has a sufficiently shallow depth so as to not intersect with the internal fluid passageways and so as to not exit the distal side of the lead mill. The lead mill further includes an external bore and a retaining pin inserted through the external bore for intersecting the smooth bore.
The shear bolt includes a groove, wherein the retaining pin further inserts into the groove for retaining the shear bolt within the smooth bore. The lead mill further includes a nose and at least four fluid passageways leading from a central axial fluid passageway inside the lead mill and exiting a plateau defined as the end portion of the nose with an area perpendicular and obtuse in relation a central fluid passageway of the lead mill. A plurality of debris removal channels form recessed paths within the body and a plurality of exit paths for channeling milled debris away from the lead mill and in the direction of the follow mill. A plurality of milling inserts positioned on the lead mill and in rows adjacent the debris removal channels for milling through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation and into the underground rock formation. At least three rows of milling inserts extend from the center of the plateau down the side of the lead mill in continuity.
The debris removal channels further form in a helical configuration for guiding debris milled by the inserts along the debris removal channels and away from the lead mill and in the direction of the follow mill. The lead mill and follow mill are configured to follow a path defined by the wellbore whipstock to continue milling through the wellbore casing and into the underground rock formation a distance sufficient to initiate the preplanned drilling path.
The disclosed bi-mill is of a rigid, robust, flex-resistant construction from the lead mill to the uphole portion of the follow mill. The lead mill has a box connection that threads onto the pin connection of the thick-walled follow mill. A flex groove is machined into the upper, uphole portion of the follow mill to permit flex. Thus the robust construction from the distal end of the lead mill to the flex groove maintains a proportionally long downhole axial portion of the bi-mill in a relatively rigid state during milling operations. This construction reduces vibration and enables smooth milling at low torque, providing the additional benefit of enabling placement of a large number of cutting inserts onto the lead mill, in turn ensuring faster milling. The robust construction virtually eliminates the risk of shearing off the lead mill under the most difficult milling conditions.
The foregoing description of embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the subject matter. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the novel principles and subject matter disclosed herein may be applied to other embodiments without the use of the innovative faculty. The claimed subject matter set forth in the claims is not intended to be limited to the embodiments shown herein but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein. It is contemplated that additional embodiments are within the spirit and true scope of the disclosed subject matter.
Claims
1. A wellbore departure system for deploying a dual-action hydraulically operable anchor in cooperation with a bi-mill for wellbore exit milling, comprising:
- a hydraulic anchor comprising a hydraulic anchor body, and an upper hydraulic piston and an opposing lower hydraulic piston, said upper hydraulic piston and said lower hydraulic piston for fixing an anchor in a wellbore to fixedly position whipstock in a wellbore, said whipstock for wellbore exit milling and for guiding lateral drilling outside the wellbore, said hydraulic anchor further comprising:
- an upper sub for slidably engaging and housing a floating mandrel, said upper sub also housing said upper hydraulic piston;
- a split clamp flexibly retaining said upper sub and fixedly retaining said hydraulic anchor body with confined movement toward and away from said upper sub and hydraulic anchor body;
- a lower cap fixedly coupled to said hydraulic anchor body and comprising a guide nose for guiding said hydraulic anchor within said wellbore, said lower cap and said hydraulic anchor body forming a fixed housing;
- a floating mandrel comprising a mandrel with threadably attached upper hydraulic piston and slidably moveable within said upper sub and said fixed housing and along the longitudinal axis of said fixed housing for transmitting a hydraulic fluid into said fixed housing or, alternatively, for transmitting compressive force from said upper hydraulic piston, or alternatively, for transmitting compressive force deriving from mechanical force applied to the work string and adjoining bottomhole assembly above and adjoining the hydraulic anchor;
- said lower hydraulic piston located below said upper hydraulic piston and operable from a first position to a second position along said floating mandrel using said transmitted hydraulic fluid;
- a T-slot adapter engaging said mandrel piston;
- a slip engaging said T-slot adapter and slidable within said fixed housing from a flush position along said fixed housing to an extended position along said fixed housing in response to movement of said T-slot adapter and said mandrel piston within said fixed housing, such that said slip firmly engages the wellbore to hold said hydraulic anchor and said whipstock in a fixed position within the wellbore, thereby providing a path for lateral drilling outside the wellbore: and
- a threaded ratchet nut attached to said lower hydraulic piston and slidably moveable along a threaded portion of the floating mandrel, said threaded ratchet nut mechanically locking said lower hydraulic piston in a second position, with said slips being retained mechanically in the extended position engaging the wellbore wall; and
- further comprising a bi-mill for milling an opening through a wellbore wall or casing in initiating a preplanned lateral drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis and through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation, and further continuing into underground rock formation outside the wellbore and in the direction of the preplanned lateral drilling path and as guided by a wellbore whipstock.
2. The wellbore departure system of claim 1, wherein said bi-mill further comprises:
- an assembly comprising a lead mill and a follow mill, said lead mill threadably attached to said follow mill, said lead mill comprising;
- a body forming a structural base for said lead mill, and further comprising:
- a smooth bore in the lead mill for receiving a circumferentially-grooved shear bolt, said shear bolt comprising a threaded end threadably attached to the wellbore whipstock and with the unthreaded end inserted into said smooth bore, said lead mill comprising a plurality of fluid passageways wherein said smooth bore comprises a sufficiently shallow depth so as to not intersect with internal fluid passageways and so as to not exit the distal side of said lead mill, said lead mill further comprising an external bore and a retaining pin inserted through said external bore for intersecting said smooth bore; and
- said shear bolt comprising a groove, wherein said retaining pin further inserts into said groove for retaining said shear bolt within said smooth bore;
- said lead mill further comprising a nose and wherein at least four fluid passageways lead from a central axial fluid passageway inside said lead mill and exit at a plateau defined as the end portion of said nose with an area perpendicular and obtuse in relation a central fluid passageway of said lead mill;
- a plurality of debris removal channels formed as recessed paths within said body and forming a plurality of exit paths for channeling milled debris away from said lead mill and in the direction of said follow mill;
- a plurality of milling inserts positioned on said lead mill and positioned in rows adjacent said debris removal channels for milling through said wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation and into said underground rock formation, with at least three rows of milling inserts originating contiguously from the center, and extending from the center, of said plateau down the side of said lead mill in continuity;
- said debris removal channels further formed in a helical configuration for guiding debris milled by said inserts along said debris removal channels and away from said lead mill and in the direction of said follow mill;
- said lead mill and said follow mill configured to follow a path defined by the wellbore whipstock to continue milling through said wellbore casing and into the underground rock formation a distance sufficient to initiate said preplanned drilling path.
3. The wellbore departure system of claim 1, further comprising a Belleville spring assembly for keeping said upper sub and said anchor body spread apart under normal, static conditions, wherein said split clamps retain said upper sub and said anchor body together.
4. The wellbore departure system of claim 3, wherein said Bellevile spring assembly provides a cushioning effect for aiding in helping said anchor body to absorb shocks as said anchor moves within the wellbore prior to setting.
5. The wellbore departure system of claim 1, further comprising a castellated top matching a similar form at the bottom portion of upper sub and for allowing smooth, slidable, torque resistant movement between said anchor body and a matching castellated lower portion of said upper sub.
6. The wellbore departure system of claim 1, wherein actuation of said lower piston forces said slips outward from said anchor body and concurrently advances said locking ratchet nut along a threaded portion of said floating mandrel.
7. The wellbore departure system of claim 1, wherein said upper piston and said lower piston apply forces in opposite directions for pushing said slips outward from said anchor body using said upper piston and pushing said floating mandrel downward and using said lower piston to advance slidably attached T-slot adapter upward advancing slidably attached slips outward, with compressive force applied from a surface rig pushing said floating mandrel downward concurrently with said piston forces, the three said forces being concurrently applied and additive.
8. The hydraulic anchor of claim 7, wherein said slips moving outward from said anchor body cause said slips to contact and engage the wellbore wall once the hydraulic anchor reaches a desired depth and circumferential orientation.
9. A method for operating a wellbore departure system comprising a dual-action hydraulically operable anchor cooperating with a bi-mill for wellbore exit milling, comprising the steps of:
- providing a hydraulic anchor comprising a hydraulic anchor body, and an upper hydraulic piston and an opposing lower hydraulic piston, said upper hydraulic piston and said lower hydraulic piston for fixing an anchor in a wellbore to fixedly position a whipstock in a wellbore, said whipstock for wellbore exit milling and for guiding lateral drilling outside the wellbore, said hydraulic anchor further comprising:
- engaging and housing a floating mandrel within an upper sub, said upper sub also housing said upper hydraulic piston;
- flexibly retaining said upper sub and said hydraulic anchor body using a split clamp to provide confined movement toward and away from said upper sub and hydraulic anchor body;
- guiding said hydraulic anchor within said wellbore using a lower cap fixedly coupled to said hydraulic anchor body and a guide nose, forming a fixed housing comprising said lower cap and said hydraulic anchor body;
- providing a floating mandrel comprising a mandrel with a threadably attached hydraulic piston slidably moveable within said upper sub and fixed housing and along the longitudinal axis of said fixed housing or, alternatively, for transmitting compressive force from said upper hydraulic piston using said floating mandrel, or alternatively, for transmitting compressive force deriving from mechanical force applied to the a workstring adjoining a bottom hole assembly adjoining said hydraulic anchor using said floating mandrel;
- operating said lower hydraulic piston located below said upper hydraulic piston from a first position to a second position along said floating mandrel using said transmitted hydraulic fluid;
- engaging said mandrel piston using a T-slot adapter;
- engaging said T-slot adapter within said fixed housing from a flush position along said fixed housing to an extended position along said fixed housing in response to movement of said T-slot adapter and said mandrel piston within said fixed housing using a slip for slidably, such that said slip firmly engages the wellbore to hold said hydraulic anchor and said whipstock in a fixed position within the wellbore, thereby providing a path for lateral drilling outside the wellbore; and
- slidably and movably attaching a threaded ratchet nut to said lower hydraulic piston along a threaded portion of the floating mandrel, and mechanically locking said lower hydraulic piston in a second position with said threaded ratchet nut, said slips being retained mechanically in the extended position engaging the wellbore wall;
- and further comprising the step of milling an opening through a wellbore casing in initiating a preplanned lateral drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis and through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation, and further continuing into underground rock formation outside the wellbore and in the direction of the preplanned lateral drilling path and as guided by a wellbore whipstock.
10. The method for operating a wellbore departure system of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:
- providing a bi-mill comprising an assembly, said assembly further comprising a lead mill and a follow mill, said lead mill threadably attached to said follow mill, said method further comprising the steps of;
- providing a structural base for said lead mill using a body, and further comprising the steps of;
- providing a smooth bore in the lead mill into which a circumferentially-grooved shear bolt is inserted, with a threaded end threadably attached to the wellbore whipstock and with the unthreaded end inserted into said smooth bore, said lead mill comprising a plurality of fluid passageways wherein said smooth bore comprises a sufficiently shallow depth so as to not intersect with internal fluid passageways and so as to not exit the distal side of said lead mill, said lead mill further comprising an external bore and a retaining pin inserted through said external bore for intersecting said smooth bore; and
- providing said shear bolt to comprise a groove, and further inserting said retaining pin into said groove for retaining said shear bolt within said smooth bore;
- providing a nose on said lead mill wherein at least four fluid passageways lead from a central axial fluid passageway inside said lead mill and exit at a plateau defined as the end portion of said nose with an area perpendicular and obtuse in relation a central fluid passageway of said lead mill;
- providing a plurality of debris removal channels formed as recessed paths within said body and channeling milled debris away from said lead mill and in the direction of said follow mill using a plurality of exit paths associated with said debris removal channels;
- milling through said wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation and into said underground rock formation using a plurality of milling inserts positioned on said lead mill, said plurality of milling inserts positioned in rows adjacent said debris removal channels for, with at least three rows of milling inserts originating contiguously from the center, and extending from the center, of said plateau down the side of said lead mill in continuity;
- guiding debris milled by said inserts along a plurality of debris removal channels and away from said lead mill and in the direction of said follow mill using debris removal channels formed in a helical configuration on said lead mill;
- directing said lead mill and said follow mill to follow a path defined by the wellbore whipstock to continue milling through said wellbore casing and into the underground rock formation a distance sufficient to initiate said preplanned drilling path.
11. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of keeping said upper sub and said anchor body spread apart under normal, static conditions using a Belleville spring assembly, and further retaining said upper sub and said anchor body together using said split clamps.
12. The method of claim 11, further comprising the step of providing a cushioning effect for aiding in helping said anchor body to absorb shocks as said anchor moves within the wellbore prior to setting using said Bellevile spring assembly.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step using a castellated top matching a similar form at the bottom portion of upper sub allowing smooth, slidable, torque resistant movement between said anchor body and a matching castellated lower portion of said upper sub.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step actuating said lower piston for forcing said slips outward from said anchor body and concurrently advances said locking ratchet nut along a threaded portion of said floating mandrel.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step using said upper piston and said lower piston for applying forces in opposite directions for pushing said slips outward from said anchor body using said upper piston and pushing said floating mandrel downward using said lower piston.
16. The method of claim 15, further comprising the step of moving said slips outward from said anchor body for causing said slips to contact and engage the wellbore wall once the hydraulic anchor reaches a desired depth and circumferential orientation.
17. A dual-action hydraulically operable anchor for wellbore exit milling, comprising:
- a hydraulic anchor comprising a hydraulic anchor body, and an upper hydraulic piston and an opposing lower hydraulic piston, said upper hydraulic piston and said lower hydraulic piston for fixing an anchor in a wellbore to fixedly position whipstock in a wellbore, said whipstock for wellbore exit milling and for guiding lateral drilling outside the wellbore; and
- a bi-mill for milling an opening through a wellbore casing in initiating a preplanned lateral drilling path in departure from the wellbore axis and through the wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation, and further continuing into underground rock formation outside the wellbore and in the direction of the preplanned lateral drilling path and as guided by a wellbore whipstock, comprising:
- an assembly comprising a lead mill and a follow mill, said lead mill threadably attached to said follow mill, said lead mill comprising;
- a body forming a structural base for said lead mill, and further comprising:
- a smooth bore in the lead mill for receiving a circumferentially-grooved shear bolt, said shear bolt comprising a threaded end threadably attached to the wellbore whipstock and with the unthreaded end inserted into said smooth bore, said lead mill comprising a plurality of fluid passageways wherein said smooth bore comprises a sufficiently shallow depth so as to not intersect with internal fluid passageways and so as to not exit the distal side of said lead mill, said lead mill further comprising an external bore and a retaining pin inserted through said external bore for intersecting said smooth bore; and
- said shear bolt comprising a groove, wherein said retaining pin further inserts into said groove for retaining said shear bolt within said smooth bore;
- said lead mill further comprising a nose and wherein at least four fluid passageways lead from a central axial fluid passageway inside said lead mill and exit at a plateau defined as the end portion of said nose with an area perpendicular and obtuse in relation a central fluid passageway of said lead mill;
- a plurality of debris removal channels formed as recessed paths within said body and forming a plurality of exit paths for channeling milled debris away from said lead mill and in the direction of said follow mill;
- a plurality of milling inserts positioned on said lead mill and positioned in rows adjacent said debris removal channels for milling through said wellbore casing or wellbore rock formation and into said underground rock formation, with at least three rows of milling inserts originating contiguously from the center, and extending from the center, of said plateau down the side of said lead mill in continuity;
- said debris removal channels further formed in a helical configuration for guiding debris milled by said inserts along said debris removal channels and away from said lead mill and in the direction of said follow mill;
- said lead mill and said follow mill configured to follow a path defined by the wellbore whipstock to continue milling through said wellbore casing and into the underground rock formation a distance sufficient to initiate said preplanned drilling path.
18. The wellbore departure system of claim 17, wherein said plurality of milling inserts further comprise cylindrical inserts on both said lead mill and follow mill, said cylindrical inserts comprised of a tungsten carbide with a high percentage (10.5%-12%) of cobalt.
19. The bi-mill of claim 17, wherein said plurality of milling inserts further comprise cylindrical inserts on both said lead mill and follow mill, said cylindrical inserts comprised of a top layer of polycrystalline diamond (“PCD”) on an exposed cutting face.
20. The wellbore departure system of claim 17, wherein said bi-mill attachably connects to the wellbore whipstock with a shearable fastener for enabling wellbore whipstock-setting and wellbore departure milling to be completed in a single trip into the wellbore.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 23, 2020
Publication Date: Oct 8, 2020
Inventors: John Lloyd Crabb (Bastrop, TX), Antonio Garza (Tomball, TX), Charles H. Dewey (Houston, TX), Kenneth Nevlud (The Woodlands, TX)
Application Number: 16/909,931
