Method and system for lining multilateral wells
First Claim
1. A system for lining a lateral wellbore, comprising:
- a main casing having a lateral wellbore window formed therein disposed within a main wellbore;
a whipstock having a longitudinal bore running therethrough and disposed within the main wellbore adjacent the lateral wellbore window, the whipstock comprising a deflecting surface for forming a lateral wellbore through the lateral wellbore window;
a tie-back assembly operable to dispose a lateral liner within the lateral wellbore, the tie-back assembly having a tie-back window formed therein; and
a latch mechanism operable to couple the tie-back assembly directly to the main casing and align the tie-back window with the longitudinal bore of the whipstock;
the deflecting surface being configured so that when the tie-back assembly is disposed into the main wellbore, the lateral liner and a portion of the tie-back assembly are deflected into the lateral wellbore by the deflecting surface that the tie-back window aligns with the longitudinal bore of the whipstock.
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Accused Products
Abstract
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a method for lining a lateral wellbore includes drilling a main wellbore extending from a surface to a subterranean zone, casing the main wellbore with a main casing having a plurality of lateral wellbore windows formed therein, positioning a whipstock having a longitudinal bore running therethrough adjacent a respective one of the lateral wellbore windows, forming a lateral wellbore through the respective lateral wellbore window using the whipstock, lining the first lateral wellbore with a lateral liner and a portion of a tie-back assembly that has a pre-milled lateral wellbore window formed therein, aligning the pre-milled lateral wellbore window with the longitudinal bore, and coupling the tie-back assembly to the main casing.
317 Citations
34 Claims
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1. A system for lining a lateral wellbore, comprising:
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a main casing having a lateral wellbore window formed therein disposed within a main wellbore; a whipstock having a longitudinal bore running therethrough and disposed within the main wellbore adjacent the lateral wellbore window, the whipstock comprising a deflecting surface for forming a lateral wellbore through the lateral wellbore window; a tie-back assembly operable to dispose a lateral liner within the lateral wellbore, the tie-back assembly having a tie-back window formed therein; and a latch mechanism operable to couple the tie-back assembly directly to the main casing and align the tie-back window with the longitudinal bore of the whipstock; the deflecting surface being configured so that when the tie-back assembly is disposed into the main wellbore, the lateral liner and a portion of the tie-back assembly are deflected into the lateral wellbore by the deflecting surface that the tie-back window aligns with the longitudinal bore of the whipstock. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for limiting a lateral wellbore, comprising:
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drilling a main wellbore extending from a surface to a subterranean zone; casing the main wellbore with a main casing having a plurality of lateral wellbore windows formed therein; positioning a whipstock having a longitudinal bore running therethrough adjacent a respective one of the lateral wellbore windows; forming a lateral wellbore through the respective lateral wellbore window using the whipstock; lining the first lateral wellbore with a lateral liner and a portion of a tie-back assembly, the tie-back assembly having a pre-milled lateral wellbore window formed therein; aligning the pre-milled lateral wellbore window with the longitudinal bore; and coupling the tie-back assembly to the min casing by engaging a latching mechanism that is operable to couple the tie-back assembly directly to the main casing and align the tie-back window with the longitudinal bore of the whipstock. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method for lining a lateral wellbore, comprising:
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drilling a main wellbore extending from a surface to a subterranean zone; casing the main wellbore with a main casing having a plurality of lateral wellbore windows formed therein; positioning a whipstock having a longitudinal bore running therethrough adjacent a respective one of the lateral wellbore windows, the whipstock comprising a deflecting surface extending around the full perimeter of the whipstock; forming a lateral wellbore through the respective lateral wellbore window using the whipstock; lining the first lateral wellbore with a lateral liner and a portion of a tie-back assembly, the tie-back assembly comprising an intermediate section having a pre-milled lateral wellbore window formed therein; aligning the pre-milled lateral wellbore window with the longitudinal bore; and coupling the tie-back assembly to the main casing by engaging a latching mechanism that is operable to couple the tie-back assembly directly to the main casing and align the tie-back window with the longitudinal bore of the whipstock. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A system, comprising:
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a well bore having a casing disposed at least partially therein; two or more lateral bores coupled to the well bore and extending at least partially into a coal seam, two or more of the lateral bores each having a lateral liner disposed at least partially therein; and a tie-back assembly between one of the lateral liners and the casing, the tie-back assembly having a tie-back window formed therein and a latch mechanism operable to couple the tie-back assembly directly to the main casing and align the tie-back window with a longitudinal bore of the casing. - View Dependent Claims (27, 28, 29, 30)
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31. A method, comprising:
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positioning a casing within a well bore; coupling a first lateral liner to the casing, the first lateral liner disposed at least partially in a first lateral well bore that extends at least partially into a coal seam; coupling the first lateral liner to a tie-back assembly having a tie-back window formed therein; coupling the tie-back assembly directly to the casing a latching mechanism operable to couple the tieback assembly directly to the main casing and align the tie-back window with a longitudinal bore of the casing; and coupling a second lateral liner to the casing, the second lateral liner disposed at least partially in a second lateral well bore. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33, 34)
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Specification