Whipstock for use with a mill bit including varying material removal rates

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024376784-A1
Application number	US-202418781749-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 23, 2024
Priority date	Jul 12, 2021
Publication date	Nov 14, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

Provided is a whipstock and well system. The whipstock, in one aspect, includes a coupling section having a first radius of curvature, the coupling section configured to engage with a mill bit when running in hole. The whipstock, in accordance with this aspect, further includes a casing breakthrough section having a second radius of curvature, and a controlled exit section having a third radius of curvature, wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the third radius of curvature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A whipstock, comprising:
a coupling section having a first radius of curvature, the coupling section configured to engage with a mill bit when running in hole; a casing breakthrough section having a second radius of curvature; and a controlled exit section having a third radius of curvature, wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the third radius of curvature.

2 . The whipstock as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second radius of curvature is at least 5% less than the third radius of curvature.

3 . The whipstock as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second radius of curvature is at least 10% less than the third radius of curvature.

4 . The whipstock as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second radius of curvature is at least 25% less than the third radius of curvature.

5 . The whipstock as recited in claim 1 , wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the first radius of curvature.

6 . The whipstock as recited in claim 5 , wherein the third radius of curvature is less than the first radius of curvature.

7 . The whipstock as recited in claim 1 , wherein the coupling section has a first ramp rate, the casing breakthrough section has a second ramp rate, and the controlled exit section has a third ramp rate.

8 . The whipstock as recited in claim 7 , wherein the first ramp rate is less than the second ramp rate but greater than the third ramp rate.

9 . The whipstock as recited in claim 8 , wherein the second ramp rate is at least six times the first ramp rate.

10 . The whipstock as recited in claim 9 , wherein the controlled exit section includes a downhole portion with a downhole portion ramp rate and an uphole portion with an uphole portion ramp rate, and further wherein a downhole portion ramp rate is less than an uphole portion ramp rate.

11 . A well system, comprising:
a wellbore extending through one or more subterranean formations; wellbore casing located in at least a portion of the wellbore; a whipstock located within the wellbore radially inside of the wellbore casing, the whipstock including:
a coupling section having a first radius of curvature, the coupling section configured to engage with a mill bit when running in hole;
a casing breakthrough section having a second radius of curvature; and
a controlled exit section having a third radius of curvature, wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the third radius of curvature; and
a bottom hole assembly extending within the wellbore adjacent the whipstock.

12 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the second radius of curvature is at least 5% less than the third radius of curvature.

13 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the second radius of curvature is at least 10% less than the third radius of curvature.

14 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the second radius of curvature is at least 25% less than the third radius of curvature.

15 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the second radius of curvature is less than the first radius of curvature.

16 . The well system as recited in claim 15 , wherein the third radius of curvature is less than the first radius of curvature.

17 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the coupling section has a first ramp rate, the casing breakthrough section has a second ramp rate, and the controlled exit section has a third ramp rate.

18 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the first ramp rate is less than the second ramp rate but greater than the third ramp rate.

19 . The well system as recited in claim 18 , wherein the second ramp rate is at least six times the first ramp rate.

20 . The well system as recited in claim 19 , wherein the controlled exit section includes a downhole portion with a downhole portion ramp rate and an uphole portion with an uphole portion ramp rate, and further wherein a downhole portion ramp rate is less than an uphole portion ramp rate.

21 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , further including a lateral wellbore extending from the wellbore proximate the whipstock.

22 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , further including a mill bit located proximate the whipstock, the mill bit including:
a tubular having an uphole end and a downhole end; a first cutting section having one or more first cutting surfaces disposed about the tubular, the first cutting section having a first material removal rate and configured to engage with wellbore casing disposed within a wellbore; and a second cutting section having one or more second cutting surfaces disposed about the tubular, the second cutting section having a second material removal rate less than the first material removal rate and configured to engage with a whipstock disposed within the wellbore.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Dietz Wesley P
• Steele David Joe
• Grace Christopher

Classifications

• E21B7/061

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

• E21B41/0035

  Apparatus or methods for multilateral well technology, e.g. for the completion of or workover on wells with one or more lateral branches · CPC title

• E21B29/06 Primary

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

• E21B10/567

  with preformed cutting elements mounted on a distinct support, e.g. polycrystalline inserts · CPC title

• E21B10/26

  Drill bits with leading portion, i.e. drill bits with a pilot cutter; Drill bits for enlarging the borehole, e.g. reamers (percussion drill bits with leading portion E21B10/40) · CPC title