Method of intersecting a first well bore by a second well bore

• US 8,919,441 B2
• Filed: 07/03/2012
• Issued: 12/30/2014
• 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
• Primary Examiner(s): GAY, JENNIFER HAWKINS
• Application Number:
  US14/241,346
• Publication Number:
  US 20140216744A1
• Time in Patent Office: 910 Days
• Field of Search: 166/285, 166/298, 166/117.6, 166/255.1, 166/363, 166/364, 175/61, 175/75
• 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

A method and system for intersecting a first, cased well bore, includes forming a second well bore that extends to a region of the first, cased well bore to be intersected. A mill guiding device is positioned in the second well bore and a milling assembly is inserted into the second well bore. The milling assembly is guided along the mill guiding device and contacts an upper external shoulder of a casing coupling of a casing in the first, cased well bore. The mill preferentially removes material from a convex portion of the casing above and adjacent to the upper external shoulder the casing coupling; and removes material from the casing coupling and the adjacent casing 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:

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;

inserting a milling assembly into the second well bore;

guiding the milling assembly along the mill guiding device and contacting with a mill of the milling assembly an upper external shoulder of a casing coupling of a casing in the first, cased well bore;

operating the mill of the mill assembly so that the mill preferentially removes material from a convex portion of the casing above and adjacent to the upper external shoulder 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.

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 3, further comprising running and setting an anchor packer in the second well bore below the mill guiding device.

7. The method according to claim 3, wherein the milling assembly comprises the mill guiding device and the mill guiding device is a wedge 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.

8. The method according to claim 3, wherein the mill comprises a rotating drill bit.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the rotating drill bit is powered hydraulically.

10. 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 contacting an upper external shoulder of a casing coupling of a casing of the first, cased well bore; and

externally removing material from a convex portion of the casing above and adjacent to the casing coupling until the first, cased well bore and the second well bore are fluidly connected.

11. The method according to claim 10, further comprising removing the milling assembly from the second well bore.

12. The method according to claim 10, further comprising running and setting an anchor packer assembly in the second well bore below the mill guide.

13. The method according to claim 10, 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 10, wherein the mill alignment device comprises one of more grooved guide rails disposed longitudinally along the mill guiding device that direct the mill towards an exterior surface of the casing of the first well bore as the mill is inserted into the second well bore.

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the mill comprises one or more tabs that are sized to slide within the grooved guide rails.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein, as the mill moves along the mill guide device, the grooved guide rails limit movement of the mill transverse to a longitudinal direction of the mill guide.

19. The method according to claim 10, wherein the mill comprises a rotating drill bit.

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