Systems and methods for managing milling debris

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9297227-B2
Application number	US-201313862561-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 15, 2013
Priority date	Jul 11, 2012
Publication date	Mar 29, 2016
Grant date	Mar 29, 2016

Abstract

An exemplary milling system includes a mill arranged within a shroud and configured to translate axially with respect to the shroud once detached therefrom, a guide block is coupled to a distal end of the mill and supports the mill while the mill forms the casing exit. A guide support arranged within the shroud defining one or more longitudinal channels configured to accumulate cuttings and debris. The shroud defines a plurality of perforations arranged as first and second axial perforation sets, and a sleeve is arranged therein and defines one or more piston guides that align one or more pistons with either the first or second axial perforation sets, depending on the amount of cuttings and debris.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A milling system for forming a casing exit, comprising:
a mill arranged within a shroud and configured to translate axially with respect to the shroud once detached from the shroud;
a guide block coupled to a distal end of the mill to guide and support the mill while the mill forms the casing exit; and
a guide support arranged within the shroud and providing a ramp portion that transitions into a planar portion, wherein at least one of the ramp portion and the planar portion provides an arcuate surface that supports the mill while forming the casing exit, and wherein one or more longitudinal channels are defined into the arcuate surface to accumulate cuttings and debris generated by the mill as the mill traverses above the one or more longitudinal channels.

2. The milling system of claim 1 , wherein the guide support forms an integral part of the shroud.

3. The milling system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more longitudinal channels are defined on the planar portion of the guide support.

4. The milling system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more longitudinal channels are defined on both the ramp portion and the planar portion of the guide support.

5. The milling system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more pockets arranged longitudinally within the longitudinal channels and defining an entrance at a downhole end to capture cuttings and debris.

6. The milling system of claim 5 , wherein the one or more pockets are mesh-like structures.

7. The milling system of claim 1 , further comprising one or more magnets arranged within the one or more longitudinal channels and being configured to magnetically attract the cuttings and debris as the mill traverses the one or more longitudinal channels.

8. A method for managing cuttings and debris while forming a casing exit, comprising:
introducing a milling system downhole, the milling system having a mill arranged within a shroud and a guide block coupled to a distal end of the mill;
guiding the mill downhole with respect to the shroud using a guide support arranged at least partially within the shroud, the guide support providing a ramp portion that transitions into a planar portion, wherein at least one of the ramp portion and the planar portion provides an arcuate surface;
urging the mill into contact with a casing string as the mill is supported atop the arcuate surface and thereby initiating the formation of the casing exit;
advancing the mill downhole as supported by the arcuate surface to continue milling the casing exit; and
accumulating cuttings and debris generated by the mill within one or more longitudinal channels defined into the arcuate surface as the mill axially traverses above the one or more longitudinal channels.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein guiding the mill downhole comprises supporting the mill with the guide block which engages the guide support.

10. The method of claim 8 , further comprising capturing the cuttings and debris within one or more pockets arranged longitudinally within the one or more longitudinal channels, each pocket defining an entrance at a downhole end of each pocket.

11. The method of claim 8 , further comprising magnetically-attracting the cuttings and debris into the one or more longitudinal channels with one or more magnets arranged within the one or more longitudinal channels.

12. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
retracting the mill back toward the shroud; and
maintaining the cuttings and debris out of the path of the mill in the one or more longitudinal channels as the mill is retracted.

13. The method of claim 8 , further comprising:
retracting the mill back toward the shroud, the shroud defining a plurality of engagement locations configured to rotationally and axially lock the mill to the shroud;
engaging and receiving a collet and key assembly defined on the stem with one or more piston guides defined on a sleeve arranged within the shroud;
rotationally aligning with the one or more piston guides the collet and key assembly with the plurality of engagement locations; and
advancing the collet and key assembly within the one or more piston guides until axially and rotationally locking the collet and key assembly with at least one of the plurality of engagement locations.

Assignees

• Halliburton Energy Services Inc

Inventors

• Saurer Dan

Classifications

• E21B27/00 Primary

  Containers for collecting or depositing substances in boreholes or wells, e.g. bailers, {baskets or buckets} for collecting mud or sand; Drill bits with means for collecting substances, e.g. valve drill bits · CPC title

• E21B21/002

  Down-hole drilling fluid separation systems (containers comprising collecting means with a strainer E21B27/005; subsoil filtering E21B43/02; down-hole production separators E21B43/38) · CPC title

• E21B7/064

  specially adapted drill bits therefor · CPC title

• E21B27/005 Primary

  Collecting means with a strainer · CPC title

• E21B7/061

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