METHOD OF INTERSECTING A FIRST WELL BORE BY A SECOND WELL BORE

• US 20140216744A1
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Published: 08/07/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Original Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services Incorporated (Halliburton Company)
• Inventors: Parlin, Joseph DeWitt
• Granted Patent: US 8,919,441 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 166/285
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 29/06 Cutting windows, e.g. directional window cutters for whipstock operations E21B29/005 and E21B29/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 33/1204 permanent; drillable
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/17 Interconnecting two or more wells by fracturing or otherwise attacking the formation E21B43/2405, E21B43/247 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/30 Specific pattern of wells, e.g. optimising the spacing of wells
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 43/305 comprising at least one inclined or horizontal well
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/04 Directional drilling
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/061 the tool shaft advancing relative to a guide, e.g. a curved tube or a whipstock

Abstract

In some general aspects, methods for intersecting a first, cased well bore include drilling a second well bore that has a distal end proximal to the first, cased well bore to be intersected, disposing a mill guiding device in the second well bore near a casing of the first, cased well bore, the mill guiding device being configured to direct a mill of a milling assembly away from a central axis of the second well bore and towards the first, cased well bore, inserting the milling assembly into the second well bore, operating the mill of the mill assembly and guiding the milling assembly along the mill guide and into the casing of the first well bore, and removing material from the casing of the first well bore until the first, cased well bore and the second well bore are fluidly connected.

Claims

1. A method for intersecting a first, cased well bore, the method comprising:

drilling a second well bore that has a distal end proximal to the first, cased well bore to be intersected;

disposing a mill guiding device in the second well bore near a casing of the first, cased well bore, the mill guiding device being configured to direct a mill of a milling assembly away from a central axis of the second well bore and towards the first, cased well bore;

inserting the milling assembly into the second well bore;

operating the mill of the mill assembly and guiding the milling assembly along the mill guide and into the casing of the first well bore; and

removing material from the casing of the first well bore until the first, cased well bore and the second well bore are fluidly connected.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising removing the milling assembly from the second well bore.

3. The method according to claim 1, further comprising inserting a plugging material into the first, cased well bore from the second well bore to form an obstruction.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the plugging material is cement.

5. The method according to claim 3, wherein the obstruction limits an amount of fluid that can pass through the first, cased well bore.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising running and setting an anchor packer assembly in the second well bore below the mill guiding device.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the disposing the mill guiding device comprising running and positioning the mill using a drill string.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mill guiding device is a wedge-like member that is arranged in the second well bore to force the mill towards the casing of the first well bore as the mill is inserted into the second well bore.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the mill comprises a rotating drill bit.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein the rotating drill bit is powered hydraulically.

11. A method for intersecting a first, cased well bore, the method comprising:

forming a second well bore that extends to a region of the first, cased well bore to be intersected;

arranging a mill guiding device in the second well bore near a casing coupling of a casing of the first, cased well bore;

inserting a milling assembly into the second well bore;

guiding the milling assembly along the mill guiding device and operating a mill of the mill assembly so that the mill first removes material from an upper surface of the casing coupling; and

removing material from the casing coupling and the adjacent casing until the first, cased well bore and the second well bore are fluidly connected.

12. The method according to claim 11, further comprising removing the milling assembly from the second well bore.

13. The method according to claim 11, further comprising inserting a plugging material into the first, cased well bore from the second well bore to form an obstruction.

14. The method according to claim 13, wherein the plugging material is cement.

15. The method according to claim 13, wherein the obstruction limits an amount of fluid that can pass through the first, cased well bore.

16. The method according to claim 13, further comprising running and setting an anchor packer in the second well bore below the mill guiding device.

17. The method according to claim 13, wherein the milling assembly comprises the mill guiding device and the mill guiding device is a wedge-like mill guiding device that is arranged in the second well bore to force the mill towards the casing of the first well bore as the mill is inserted into the second well bore.

18. The method according to claim 13, wherein the mill comprises a rotating drill bit.

19. The method according to claim 18, wherein the rotating drill bit is powered hydraulically.

20. A method for intersecting a first, cased well bore, the method comprising:

forming a second well bore that extends to a region of the first, cased well bore to be intersected;

inserting a milling assembly into the second well bore, the milling assembly comprising a mill guide, a mill, and a mill alignment device to align the mill and the mill guide as the mill advances along the mill guide;

operating the mill and guiding the mill along the mill guide and into a casing of the first, cased well bore; and

removing material from the casing until the first, cased well bore and the second well bore are fluidly connected.

21. The method according to claim 20, further comprising removing the milling assembly from the second well bore.

22. The method according to claim 20, further comprising running and setting an anchor packer assembly in the second well bore below the mill guide.

23. The method according to claim 20, further comprising inserting a plugging material into the first, cased well bore from the second well bore to form an obstruction.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the plugging material is cement.

25. The method according to claim 23, wherein the obstruction limits an amount of fluid that can pass through the first, cased well bore.

26. The method according to claim 20, wherein the mill alignment device comprises one of more grooved guide rails disposed longitudinally along the mill guiding device that force the mill towards the casing as the mill is inserted into the second well bore.

27. The method according to claim 26, wherein the mill comprises one or more tabs that are sized to slide within the grooved rails.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein, as the mill moves along the mill guide device, the grooved guide rails limit the extent to which the mill can move transverse to the longitudinal direction of the mill guide.

29. The method according to claim 20, wherein the mill comprises a rotating drill bit.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the rotating drill bit is powered hydraulically.

31. (canceled)

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38. A system for intersecting a first, cased well bore, the system comprising:

a drilling assembly that is configured to drill a second well bore having a distal end proximal to the first, cased well bore, the drilling assembly comprising;

a drill string; and

a drill bit disposed at an end of the drill string;

a milling assembly comprising;

a mill drill string; and

a mill disposed at an end of the mill drill string, the mill having a mill drill bit that is configured to cut and remove material from a casing wall of the first, cased well bore; and

a mill guiding device that is configured to direct the mill drill bit towards the casing wall of the first, cased well bore.

39. The system according to claim 38, further comprising a plugging material delivery device that is configured to deliver a plugging material into the first, cased well bore.

40. The system according to claim 39, wherein the plugging material is cement.

41. The system according to claim 38, further comprising an anchor packer assembly that is configured to be disposed at the distal end of the second well bore.

42. The system according to claim 38, wherein the mill guiding device is a wedge-like member.

43. A system for intersecting a first, cased well bore, the system comprising:

a drilling assembly that is configured to drill a second well bore having a distal end proximal to a casing coupling of the first, cased well bore, the drilling assembly comprising;

a drill string; and

a drill bit disposed at an end of the drill string;

a milling assembly comprising;

a mill drill string; and

a mill disposed at an end of the mill drill string, the mill having a mill drill bit that is configured to rest along a surface of a casing coupling of the first, cased well bore and cut and remove material from a casing wall of the first, cased well bore and the casing coupling of the first, cased well bore; and

a mill guiding device that is configured to direct the mill drill bit towards the casing wall of the first, cased well bore.

44. The system of claim 43, wherein the surface of the casing coupling is an upper, generally flat surface along which the mill drill bit can rest while beginning a cut into the casing wall.

45. The system of claim 43, wherein the mill guiding device is a wedge-like member.

46. The system of claim 43, further comprising a plugging material delivery device that is configured to deliver a plugging material into the first, cased well bore.

47. The system of claim 46, wherein the plugging material is cement.

48. The system of claim 43, further comprising an anchor packer assembly that is configured to be disposed at the distal end of the second well bore.

49. A system for intersecting a first, cased well bore, the system comprising:

a drilling assembly that is configured to drill a second well bore having a distal end proximal to the first, cased well bore, the drilling assembly comprising;

a drill string; and

a drill bit disposed at an end of the drill string;

a milling assembly comprising;

a mill drill string; and

a mill disposed at an end of the mill drill string, the mill having a mill drill bit that is configured to cut and remove material from a casing wall of the first, cased well bore; and

a mill guiding device that is configured to direct the mill drill bit towards the casing wall of the first, cased well bore, the mill guiding device comprising alignment features that are configured to limit the relative motion of the mill drill bit relative to the mill guiding device as the mill drill bit moves longitudinally along the mill guiding device.

50. The system of claim 49, wherein the alignment features comprise one of more grooved guide rails disposed longitudinally along the mill guiding device.

51. The system of claim 50, wherein the mill drill bit comprises one or more tabs that are sized to slide within the grooved rails.

52. The system of claim 51, wherein, as the mill drill bit moves along the mill guiding device, the grooved guide rails limit the extent to which the mill drill bit can move transverse to the longitudinal direction of the mill guiding device.

53. The system of claim 49, further comprising a plugging material delivery device that is configured to deliver a plugging material into the first, cased well bore.

54. The system of claim 53, wherein the plugging material is cement.

55. The system of claim 49, further comprising an anchor packer assembly that is configured to be disposed at the distal end of the second well bore.

56. The system of claim 49, wherein the mill guiding device is a wedge-like member.

57. (canceled)

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