Pre-milled windows having a composite material covering

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10053940-B2
Application number	US-201315022894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 8, 2013
Priority date	Nov 8, 2013
Publication date	Aug 21, 2018
Grant date	Aug 21, 2018

Abstract

A casing section comprising: a body comprising a wall; a window, wherein the window is an opening in the wall of the body; and a covering, wherein the covering: (A) is composed of a composite material; (B) is located on the outer surface of the body; (C) covers the window; and (D) spans at least a sufficient distance beyond the perimeter of the window such that the casing section has a desired pressure rating at the location of the window. A method of creating a lateral wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising: introducing a casing string into a wellbore, wherein the casing string comprises at least one casing section; drilling through at least a portion of the covering from the inside of the casing string to expose the window; and forming the lateral wellbore adjacent to the exposed window.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A casing section comprising:
a body comprising a wall;
a window, wherein the window is an opening in the wall of the body; and
a covering, wherein the covering:
(A) is composed of a composite material; wherein the composite material comprises a first layer, wherein the first layer is a pressure-bearing layer that is capable of withstanding a specific pressure differential; wherein the first layer is impermeable and inert to fluids that come in contact with the first layer;
(B) is located on the outer surface of the body;
(C) covers the window; and
(D) spans at least a sufficient distance beyond the perimeter of the window such that the casing section has a desired pressure rating at the location of the window.

2. The casing section according to claim 1 , wherein the casing section is part of a casing string.

3. The casing section according to claim 1 , wherein the shape and size of the window are selected such that a lateral wellbore can be formed without having to enlarge the perimeter of the window.

4. The casing section according to claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the first layer is selected such that at least the first layer can withstand the specific pressure differential.

5. The casing section according to claim 1 , wherein the substance the first layer is made from and the thickness of the first layer are selected such that the first layer provides a desired pressure rating to the casing section at the location of the window.

6. The casing section according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material further comprises an additional pressure-bearing layer, and wherein the additional pressure-bearing layer increases the pressure rating of the composite material.

7. The casing section according to claim 1 , wherein the composite material further comprises a second layer, wherein the second layer is a structural layer, and wherein the structural layer provides a desired strength to the composite material.

8. The casing section according to claim 7 , wherein the desired strength is approximately the same strength as the casing section.

9. The casing section according to claim 8 , wherein the second layer comprises a high-strength material.

10. The casing section according to claim 9 , wherein the high-strength material is carbon fiber.

11. The casing section according to claim 7 , wherein the layers of the composite material, the substances making up each layer, and the thickness of each layer are selected such that the composite material has a desired pressure rating and a desired strength.

12. The casing section according to claim 11 , wherein the desired pressure rating is greater than or equal to the bottomhole pressure of a wellbore containing the casing section.

13. The casing section according to claim 11 , wherein the desired strength is less than, greater than, or equal to the strength of the casing section.

14. The casing section according to claim 1 , wherein the covering spans the entire length of the casing section.

15. A method of creating a lateral wellbore in a subterranean formation comprising:
introducing a casing string into a wellbore, wherein the casing string comprises at least one casing section, wherein the casing section comprises:
(A) a body comprising a wall;
(B) a window, wherein the window is an opening in the wall of the body; and
(C) a covering, wherein the covering:
(i) is composed of a composite material; wherein the composite material comprises two or more layers, and wherein one or more of the layers of the composite material undergo a phase transformation from a solid to a liquid or semi-liquid after introduction into the wellbore;
(ii) is located on the outer surface of the body;
(iii) covers the window; and
(iv) spans at least a sufficient distance beyond the perimeter of the window such that the casing section has a desired pressure rating at the location of the window;

drilling through at least a portion of the covering from the inside of the casing string to expose the window; and forming the lateral wellbore adjacent to the exposed window.

16. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the one or more of the layers of the composite material melt at the bottomhole temperature of the wellbore.

17. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the one or more of the layers of the composite material dissolve in a solvent.

18. The method according to claim 15 , wherein the lateral wellbore is completed after the step of forming the lateral wellbore.

19. The method according to claim 15 , further comprising producing a reservoir fluid from the subterranean formation, wherein the lateral wellbore penetrates the subterranean formation.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Coats Alan

Classifications

• E21B7/06 Primary

  Deflecting the direction of boreholes · CPC title

• E21B7/061

  the tool shaft advancing relative to a guide, e.g. a curved tube or a whipstock · CPC title

• E21B29/06 Primary

  Cutting windows, e.g. directional window cutters for whipstock operations ({E21B29/005 and} E21B29/08 take precedence) · CPC title

• E21B17/00

  Drilling rods or pipes; Flexible drill strings; Kellies; Drill collars; Sucker rods; {Cables;} Casings; Tubings · CPC title

• E21B29/10

  Reconditioning of well casings, e.g. straightening · CPC title