Weatherford/lamb, Inc.

Weatherford U.s., Inc.

Homco International Inc.

Other

Thurman B Carter

William A Blizzard, Jr

John Douglas Roberts

David Michael Haugen

David J Brunnert

Guy LaMont McClung, Iii

Thomas M Redlinger

Charles W Pleasants

Robert Eugene Robertson

Shane P Hart

Thomas Floyd Bailey

Mark W Schnitker

Dale E Langford

Paul J Johantges

Carl D Reynolds

Richard Michael Ward

Hubert E Halford

Michael A Luke

Wei Xu

Frederick Thomas Tilton

David W Teale

Gary Duron Ingram

Timothy L Wilson

Douglas Glenn Durst

Steve R Delgado

Guy Lamonte McClung, Iii

Marc David Kuck

Christopher P Hutchinson

Christopher M Vreeland

Mark H Lee

Tom Unsgaard

Mark D Kuck

Teme Forrest Singleton

Martin Alfred Stulberg

Jerry W Fisher

William Alan Spielman

Courtney W Adkins

Monte Ira Johnson

Andrew Arthur Barry

Joseph D Mills

William Allen Blizzard, Jr

Jan Drechsler

Eirik Enerstvedt

Guy LaMonte McClung, Iii

Michael W Henson

Karl J Beagrie

David H Shubert

Bill Rhinehart

Robert W Taylor

Larry R Mundorf

Tom Salversen

Marty Stulberg

The present invention discloses a whipstock assembly for use in forming a lateral borehole from a parent wellbore. The whipstock assembly comprises a body and a deflection member above the body. The deflection member includes a concave portion for deflecting a milling bit during a milling operation. Disposed on a perforation plate portion of the concave portion is a raised surface feature. The raised surface supports a milling bit above the perforation plate portion during a milling operation. This, in turn, substantially prevents frictional contact between the milling bits and the perforation plate portion during a milling operation. The present invention also provides a novel method for manufacturing a whipstock in which a cavity portion is formed behind the perforation plate by milling out the backside of the deflection member and then joining a second back cover member to the whipstock body to complete the assembly.

Whipstock assembly for forming a window within a wellbore casing

A method of removing a restriction in a tubular located in a well includes providing a drilling assembly with a drill bit and a reamer, the reamer having a cutting structure for removing the restriction; drilling through a lower portion of the tubular; expanding the reamer at a location below the restriction; and urging the reamer back toward the restriction to remove the restriction.

Apparatus and methods of milling a restricted casing shoe

A method and apparatus for stabilizing a downhole tool during a downhole operation. The method and apparatus include a stabilizer having a stabilization member adapted to move between a retracted position and an extended position in order to engage a surface in a wellbore. The stabilizer also includes a plurality of actuators adapted to move the stabilization members from the retracted position to the extended position.

Apparatus and method for stabilization of downhole tools

Embodiments of the invention relate to an assembly for forming a cased well. The assembly may include an undercut drillable cementing shoe with a casing string connection at a first end. The shoe includes external tubing that forms a second end of the shoe and has a first section defining an enlarged inner diameter relative to a second section of the external tubing. The assembly may also include an earth removal member coupled to the second end of the shoe. The first section of the shoe is disposed between the earth removal member and the second section of the shoe. In another embodiment, the assembly may include a casing string having a first portion with a larger inner diameter than a second portion. The assembly may also include an earth removal member coupled to an end of the casing string. The first portion of the casing string is disposed between the earth removal member and the second portion of the casing string.

Full bore lined wellbores

A method is provided that allows the operator to re-enter a primary wellbore from a lateral wellbore after the lateral wellbore has been completed. The method generally comprises the steps of locating a cutting device such as a milling bit adjacent a tubular such as a liner within a wellbore, rotating the milling bit while maintaining an axial position of the milling bit relative to the liner to initiate an opening, and rotating and axially advancing the milling bit to complete the opening. In addition, a bottom hole assembly that facilitates re-entry into the primary wellbore from a lateral wellbore is provided. The bottom hole assembly generally includes a drill collar or other heavy pipe structure, and a mill. The mill has a body and cutting structures. The cutting structures apply lateral force against a surrounding pipe to form an initial lip through the wall of the pipe.

Method of developing a re-entry into a parent wellbore from a lateral wellbore, and bottom hole assembly for milling

Embodiments of the present invention generally provide methods and apparatus for forming a tubular-lined wellbore which does not decrease in diameter with increasing depth or length. Methods and apparatus for forming a substantially monobore well while drilling with casing are provided. In one aspect, a portion of a second casing is expanded into a portion of a first casing having a larger inner diameter than the remaining portion of the first casing string. In another aspect, the portion of the second casing is expanded into a portion of the first casing having a compressible member therearound. In another aspect, a lined lateral wellbore may be constructed by forming a lateral wellbore extending from a main wellbore lined with casing. A diameter of at least a portion of the lateral wellbore may be expanded. An expandable tubular element may be run into lateral wellbore and expanded to have an inner diameter equal to or larger than an inner diameter of the main wellbore casing. Embodiments provide a fluid path around casing before sealing the casing within a wellbore or within a well casing, even after the casing has been hung within the wellbore or from the well casing.

The present invention discloses a whipstock assembly () for use in forming a lateral borehole from a parent wellbore. The whipstock assembly comprises a body () and a deflection member) above the body. The deflection member includes a concave portion () for deflecting a milling bit during a milling operation. Disposed on a perforation plate () portion of the concave portion is a raised surface feature (). The raised surface supports a milling bit above the perforation plate portion during a milling operation. This, in turn, substantially prevents frictional contact between the milling bits and the perforation plate portion during a milling operation. The present invention also provides a novel method for manufacturing a whipstock in which a cavity portion is formed behind the perforation plate by milling out the backside of the deflection member and then joining a second back cover member to the whipstock body to complete the assembly.

Whipstock assembly and method of manufacture

The invention provides an apparatus for actuating a downhole tool by utilizing a pressure differential created by fluid flowing through a conduit. The conduit is in communication with a pressure sensing line that is selectively exposable to areas of the conduit having different pressures. By exposing the pressure sensing line to a portion of the conduit having a predetermined pressure therein, the pressure sensing line causes actuation of a hydraulic tool therebelow.

Apparatus to actuate a downhole tool

A new wellbore apparatus has been invented which, in certain aspects, has anchor apparatus for anchoring the wellbore apparatus in a bore, the anchor apparatus actuated by fluid under pressure supplied thereto, and sealing apparatus selectively inflatable to close off the bore to fluid flow therethrough, and temperature compensating apparatus for maintaining a desired fluid pressure in the sealing apparatus to prevent it from bursting or deflating. A method for closing off a bore in a well has been invented which, in certain aspects, includes installing wellbore apparatus in the bore, the wellbore apparatus comprising anchor apparatus for anchoring the wellbore apparatus in a bore, the anchor apparatus actuated by fluid under pressure supplied thereto, and sealing apparatus interconnected with the anchor apparatus and selectively inflatable with fluid under pressure to close off the bore to fluid flow therethrough, and the wellbore apparatus upon anchoring in the bore and inflation of the sealing apparatus including a primary barrier in the bore.

Wellbore primary barrier and related systems

New wellbore milling systems and methods of their use have been developed, the milling system in one aspect including at least one mill, at least one stabilizing member connected to and above the at least one mill, and the at least one stabilizing member for maintaining position of the at least one mill for milling through the liner into the main wellbore. In certain aspects multiple spaced-apart stabilizers are used above a mill which, in one aspect, may include one or more reaming stabilizers. In one aspect the lowermost stabilizer is spaced-apart from a mill so that the stabilizer does not enter a bend portion of a liner to be milled until milling has commenced.

Wellbore milling methods

A wellbore mill has been invented that, in certain aspects, has a body having a top and a bottom and, optionally, a fluid flow channel extending therethrough from top to bottom with, optionally, one or more fluid jetting ports in fluid communication with the fluid flow channel, milling apparatus on the body including a plurality of milling inserts, each insert mechanically secured in a corresponding recess in the body, said mechanical securement sufficient for effective milling in a wellbore. A wellbore milling method for milling an opening in a selected tubular of a tubular string in a wellbore has been invented that includes installing and using such a mill.

Mills for wellbore operations

A wellbore mill has been invented having a flexible main body, and at least one milling apparatus secured on the flexible main body. A wellbore mill has been invented having a main body with a top end and a bottom end, at least one milling structure on the mill body, and a stinger projecting down from and releasably secured to the bottom end of the mill body. Methods have been invented for milling wellbore tubulars with such mills. A method for eliminating tubular offset in a wellbore has been invented, and the method includes positioning a wellbore mill in a tubular offset of a tubular string in a wellbore, the wellbore mill comprising a flexible main body and at least one milling apparatus secured on the flexible main body, and rotating the wellbore mill to mill at least part of the tubular offset.

Flexible wellbore mill

A wellbore mill has been invented which has milling apparatus with a starting mill and a finishing mill, the starting mill having a central channel extending longitudinally therethrough, the central channel having an interior surface with carbide cutters thereon. A milling method has been invented for finishing a window in a casing in a wellbore, the window having been begun with a first mill, the method including inserting a second mill apparatus into the wellbore adjacent the window, the second mill apparatus having a milling system with a starting mill and a finishing mill, the starting mill having a central channel extending longitudinally therethrough, the central channel having an interior surface with carbide cutters thereon, rotating the second mill apparatus to finish the window. A two-trip milling operation has also been invented for milling a finished window in a casing in a cased wellbore, the wellbore having installed therein an anchoring-orientation device, the operation using the wellbore mill described above. In one aspect the mill(s) mill off high center producing a piece of casing which enters into the hollow portion of the mill(s).

Wellbore milling method

A wellbore motion control apparatus for controlling the motion of a tubular wellbore string (in one aspect with an additional item and/or apparatus connected thereto) in a wellbore extending from a surface down into the earth has been invented which has, in one aspect, a central mandrel connected to the tubular wellbore string, a housing with a hollow interior and fluid therein, at least one fluid passage apparatus disposable in the hollow interior and having a fluid flow channel extending therethrough, and the at least one fluid passage apparatus secured to the central mandrel, the housing surrounding the central mandrel, the at least one fluid passage apparatus disposed for movement in a chamber defined by an inner surface of the housing and an outer surface of the central mandrel, the at least one fluid passage apparatus positioned within the chamber so that fluid therein is flowable therethrough permitting movement of the fluid passage apparatus within the chamber and thereby controlling movement of the mandrel and therefore of the tubular wellbore string in the wellbore. In one aspect, the apparatus has a first upper piston and a second lower piston, each movably disposed in the chamber, the first upper piston secured to the central mandrel so the central mandrel moves with the first upper piston, each piston having a fluid passage apparatus, the first upper piston movable about at least one rod connected to the second lower piston so that the first upper piston is movable downwardly on the at least one rod as fluid passes therethrough to move to abut the second lower piston. In one aspect the pistons move at different rates.

Movement control system for wellbore apparatus and method of controlling

Wellbore apparatus has been invented that includes a whipstock with a top and a bottom, the whipstock disposed in a wellbore extending down from an earth surface into the earth, the wellbore having an inner surface, a mill guide with a body having an upper end, a lower end, and a channel therethrough from the upper end to the lower end, and a portion of the lower end of the mill guide disposed between and held between the inner surface of the wellbore and an outer surface of the top of the whipstock. A method for stabilizing a mill guide in a wellbore extending from an earth surface into the earth has been invented, the wellbore having an inner surface, the method including setting a whipstock at a location in the wellbore, the whipstock having a top and a bottom, moving a mill guide down into the wellbore to contact the whipstock, the mill guide having a body with an upper end, a lower end, and a channel therethrough from the upper end to the lower end, and positioning the mill guide so that a portion of the lower end of the mill guide is stabilizinglyconnected to and/or received and held between the inner surface of the wellbore and an outer surface of the top of the whipstock. A method has been invented for milling within a whipstock set in a wellbore extending from an earth surface down into the earth, the whipstock having a body with a top and a bottom, the method including introducing a mill guide into the wellbore above the whipstock, moving the mill guide into stabilizing contact with the whipstock, the mill guide having a top and a bottom and a channel therethrough from top to bottom, guiding a mill with the mill guide to mill down into the whipstock and through at least a longitudinal portion thereof, the mill having at least a portion thereof in contact with the mill guide while milling the at least a longitudinal portion of the whipstock.

Whipstock mill

Growing community of inventors

Houston, TX, United States of America

Thurman B Carter