Steering device for forming radial horizontal well and operating method thereof

Abstract

The present invention discloses a steering device for forming a radial horizontal well and an operating method thereof, which relates to the technical field of oil and gas drilling equipment. The steering device comprises: a tubular body having a cavity, an opening at the upper end of the tubular body communicating with the cavity, and a notch in the tubular body; a steering gear disposed in the cavity, the steering gear having a first channel and a second channel, a sidewall of the steering gear having an opening corresponding to the notch, a common sidewall forming the first channel and the second channel having a connecting hole connecting the first channel and the second channel, the second channel being connected to the connecting hole; a windowing mechanism capable of entering the cavity from the opening into the first channel of the steering gear, the windowing mechanism having a drill bit mechanism, and when the windowing mechanism is located in the first channel of the steering gear, the drill bit mechanism corresponds to the position of the opening; and a drilling member capable of entering the cavity from the opening into the first channel of the steering gear, the drilling member having a conducting channel. The present application can simultaneously achieve the purposes of windowing and drilling.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of oil and gas drilling equipment, and in particular to a steering device for forming a radial horizontal well and an operating method thereof. Background Art

[0002] Radial horizontal well technology is a cutting-edge, economical, and efficient technology for increasing oil and gas well production. This technology enables the radial drilling of multiple radial branch wellbores from different layers within the vertical wellbore section of an oil and gas well, creating a three-dimensional oil and gas migration network within the reservoir characterized by "multiple layers per well, multiple branches per layer." This significantly improves oil and gas migration efficiency and increases single-well production. The key challenge lies in the need to switch from vertical to horizontal within a radius of less than 300mm, avoiding the impact of inclination and directional control, as well as complex wellbore trajectory control. Therefore, the steering device is particularly important.

[0003] The first radial horizontal well steering device was the Type I diverter proposed by W. Dickinson et al. This diverter utilizes a hydraulic cylinder to achieve directional changes through a 90-degree curved channel. However, this diverter requires casing forging and milling, as well as large-diameter borehole expansion, resulting in low efficiency and significant construction difficulties.

[0004] Later, W. Dickinson and others developed the Type III diverter, which featured a hyperbolic pipe and a borehole diameter half that of the Type I diverter. This diverter also enabled drilling of multiple radial wellbores in the same formation. However, these early diverters required forging and milling the casing and then reaming the borehole, resulting in a complex process, difficult positioning, and high risk. Consequently, they were gradually replaced by newer in-casing diverters.

[0005] Card Landers et al. proposed a diverter capable of steering within the casing. The operating pipeline steers from vertical to horizontal along the internal track of the casing, avoiding casing forging and milling and large-diameter hole expansion, resulting in shorter cycle times, reduced risks, and cost savings. Li Gensheng et al. designed a small-scale diverter capable of steering within the casing. Its internal track curve is smooth, significantly reducing resistance to the passage of the operating pipeline. Because the new diverter only performs vertical to horizontal steering within the casing, the track size is small, making it difficult to open casing windows and further limiting the hydraulic force transmitted to the wellbore. Therefore, efficiently opening larger holes in the casing has become a key component of radial horizontal well technology. Given the difficulty in controlling drilling pressure several kilometers downhole, rotary abrasive jet technology has become one of the primary techniques for opening casing windows. However, it still faces challenges such as complex processes and low success rates.

[0006] Taking into account the shortcomings of the above technologies, a more advanced steering device is needed to achieve the purpose of window opening and drilling at the same time. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to overcome the above-mentioned defects of the prior art, the technical problem to be solved by the embodiments of the present invention is to provide a steering device for forming a radial horizontal well and an operating method thereof, which can simultaneously achieve the purposes of window opening and steering drilling.

[0008] The specific technical solution of the embodiment of the present invention is:

[0009] A steering device for forming a radial horizontal well, the steering device for forming a radial horizontal well comprising:

[0010] A tube body having a cavity, an upper end of the tube body having an opening communicating with the cavity, and a side wall of the tube body having a notch;

[0011] A diverter is disposed in the cavity, the diverter having a first channel and a second channel, a side wall of the diverter having an opening corresponding to the notch, a common side wall forming the first channel and the second channel having a connecting hole connecting the first channel and the second channel, the second channel being connected to the connecting hole;

[0012] a window opening mechanism capable of entering the cavity from the opening into the first channel of the diverter, the window opening mechanism comprising a drill mechanism, and when the window opening mechanism is located in the first channel of the diverter, the drill mechanism corresponds to the position of the opening;

[0013] A drilling member capable of entering the cavity from the opening to the first channel of the diverter, the drilling member having a conducting channel. When the drilling member is located in the first channel of the diverter, one end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the opening, and the other end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the communicating hole, so that the second channel is connected to the opening through the conducting channel.

[0014] Preferably, the steering device for forming a radial horizontal well also includes: a guide member arranged in the cavity, the guide member is in the shape of a circular tube, the guide member is located between the opening and the diverter, the upper end of the guide member is in the shape of a slope, and the side wall of the guide member has a first track, the upper end of the first track is located at the lowest point of the upper end of the guide member in the shape of a slope, and the lower end of the first track extends all the way to the lowest end of the guide member.

[0015] Preferably, the outer side wall of the window opening mechanism has a first guide protrusion, which can be embedded in the first track of the guide member; there are at least two first guide protrusions, at least one of which is located at the lower end of the window opening mechanism, and when the lower end of the window opening mechanism just enters the first channel of the diverter, at least one of the first guide protrusions is still located in the first track.

[0016] Preferably, the outer side wall of the drilling member has a second guide protrusion, which can be embedded in the first track of the guide member; there are at least two second guide protrusions, at least one of which is located at the lower end of the drilling member, and when the lower end of the drilling member just enters the first channel of the diverter, at least one of the second guide protrusions is still located in the first track.

[0017] Preferably, the bottom of the first channel is a slope; the window opening mechanism includes: a window opening member, the lower end of the window opening member is a slope corresponding to the slope of the bottom of the first channel; a horizontal channel is provided on the side wall of the window opening member, and the window opening member has a vertical channel connected to the horizontal channel; the drill mechanism is provided in the horizontal channel; when the window opening member is located in the first channel and the slope of the lower end of the window opening member corresponds to the slope of the bottom of the first channel, the position of the horizontal channel corresponds to the opening.

[0018] Preferably, the cavity includes a steering gear accommodating portion, a middle accommodating portion and a guide member accommodating portion, and the middle accommodating portion is located between the steering gear accommodating portion and the guide member accommodating portion; the steering gear accommodating portion is used to accommodate the steering gear, and the guide member accommodating portion is used to accommodate the guide member; the inner diameter of the guide member accommodating portion is smaller than the inner diameter of the middle accommodating portion; the position of the notch corresponds to the steering gear accommodating portion.

[0019] Preferably, the first channel extends in a vertical direction, and a pipeline groove is formed at the upper end side wall of the drilling member, and the pipeline groove extends to the upper end surface of the drilling member. When the drilling member is located in the first channel of the diverter, the pipeline groove is connected to the conducting channel through the connecting hole and the second channel; the lower half of the second channel is arc-shaped toward the first channel, and the end of the second channel is connected to the connecting hole.

[0020] Preferably, the end of the second channel is higher than the bottom of the first channel and the opening; the side wall of the diverter forming the first channel has a second track; when the window opening mechanism enters the first channel of the diverter, the first guide protrusion enters the second track; when the drilling piece enters the first channel of the diverter, the second guide protrusion enters the second track.

[0021] Preferably, the window opening piece includes a first section of the window opening piece and a second section of the window opening piece located above the first section of the window opening piece, the radial size of the first section of the window opening piece is larger than the radial size of the second section of the window opening piece; the horizontal channel is located in the first section of the window opening piece, and the first section of the window opening piece cooperates with the first channel to be able to enter the first channel; the vertical channel passes through the entire second section of the window opening piece and part of the first section of the window opening piece; the first guide protrusion is located on the outer side wall of the first section of the window opening piece.

[0022] An operating method for forming a radial horizontal well using a steering device as described above, the operating method comprising:

[0023] Lowering the pipe body with the diverter into the position where the casing needs to have a window opened, and aligning the opening through the notch of the pipe body with the position where the casing needs to have a window opened;

[0024] The window opening mechanism is lowered into the opening of the pipe body through the coiled tubing, and enters the first channel of the steering gear through the opening of the pipe body and the cavity of the pipe body, with the drill bit mechanism of the window opening mechanism corresponding to the opening;

[0025] After the drill mechanism is aligned with the opening, the drill mechanism is driven to rotate so as to extend out of the casing to complete the windowing operation and form a window;

[0026] After the window opening operation is completed, the window opening mechanism is taken out through the coiled tubing;

[0027] The drilling piece is lowered into the opening of the tube body through the drilling pipeline, and enters the first channel of the steering device through the opening of the tube body and the cavity of the tube body. One end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the opening, and the other end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the connecting hole, so that the second channel is connected to the opening through the conducting channel, forming a drilling steering track corresponding to the window on the casing.

[0028] The technical solution of the present invention has the following significant beneficial effects:

[0029] When the windowing mechanism enters the cavity from the opening into the first channel of the diverter, and the drill bit mechanism corresponds to the position of the opening, the diverter device for forming a radial horizontal well can now use the windowing mechanism to perform a windowing operation on the casing to form a window. When the drilling member enters the cavity from the opening into the first channel of the diverter, and one end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the opening, the other end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the connecting hole, and the second channel is connected to the opening through the conducting channel, the diverter device for forming a radial horizontal well can now perform a diverting drilling operation, that is, using the drilling pipeline to enter the second channel, and then reach the opening after the conducting channel is turned, corresponding to the window, and then perform a drilling operation in the window. Therefore, the diverter device for forming a radial horizontal well in this application can simultaneously achieve the purposes of windowing and diverting drilling.

[0030] With reference to the following description and drawings, specific embodiments of the present invention are disclosed in detail, indicating how the principles of the present invention can be employed. It should be understood that the embodiments of the present invention are not limited in scope thereby. Features described and / or illustrated for one embodiment may be used in the same or similar manner in one or more other embodiments, combined with features in other embodiments, or substituted for features in other embodiments. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention in any way. In addition, the shapes and proportional dimensions of the various components in the drawings are merely illustrative and are used to help understand the present invention, and are not intended to specifically limit the shapes and proportional dimensions of the various components of the present invention. Those skilled in the art can select various possible shapes and proportional dimensions to implement the present invention according to specific circumstances under the guidance of the present invention.

[0032] Figure 1 This is a structural schematic diagram of a steering device for forming a radial horizontal well when the window opening mechanism enters the first channel in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0033] Figure 2 This is a schematic structural diagram of a steering device for forming a radial horizontal well when a drilling member enters a first channel according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0034] Figure 3 This is a schematic structural diagram of a tube body in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0035] Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of a tube body in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0036] Figure 5 Schematic diagram of the structure of the guide member in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0037] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the window opening mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0038] Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of a window opening mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0039] Figure 8 Schematic diagram of the structure of the drilling member in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a drilling member according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 10 A front view of a steering gear according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0042] Figure 11 A side view of a steering gear according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 12 2 is a cross-sectional view of a steering gear in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Reference numerals in the above drawings:

[0045] 1. Tube body; 11. Notch; 12. Opening; 13. Cavity; 14. Steering gear accommodating portion; 15. Middle accommodating portion; 16. Guide member accommodating portion; 2. Guide member; 21. First track; 3. Window opening mechanism; 31. Drill mechanism; 32. Window opening member; 321. First guide protrusion; 322. Horizontal channel; 323. Vertical channel; 324. First section of window opening member; 325. Second section of window opening member; 4. Drilling member; 41. Second guide protrusion; 42. Conducting channel; 43. Pipeline trough; 5. Steering gear; 51. First channel; 52. Second channel; 53. Opening; 54. Connecting hole; 55. Second track. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The details of the present invention can be more clearly understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and the description of the specific embodiments of the present invention. However, the specific embodiments of the present invention described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not to be construed as limiting the present invention in any way. Based on the teachings of the present invention, skilled artisans can conceive of any possible variations based on the present invention, all of which should be considered within the scope of the present invention. It should be noted that when an element is referred to as being "disposed on" another element, it can be directly on the other element or there can be an intermediate element. When an element is considered to be "connected to" another element, it can be directly connected to the other element or there can be an intermediate element. The terms "mounted," "connected," and "connected" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to mechanical or electrical connections, internal communication between two elements, direct connection, or indirect connection through an intermediary. Those skilled in the art will understand the specific meanings of these terms based on the specific circumstances. The terms "vertical," "horizontal," "upper," "lower," "left," "right," and similar expressions used herein are for illustrative purposes only and do not represent the only embodiments.

[0047] Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this application pertains. The terms used herein in the specification of this application are intended only to describe specific embodiments and are not intended to limit this application. The term "and / or" as used herein includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0048] In order to achieve the purpose of window opening and steering drilling at the same time, this application proposes a steering device for forming a radial horizontal well. Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the structure of the steering device for forming a radial horizontal well when the window opening mechanism enters the first channel in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 FIG. 1 is a structural diagram of a steering device for forming a radial horizontal well when a drilling member enters a first channel according to an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the steering device for forming a radial horizontal well may include: a pipe body 1 having a cavity 13, an opening 12 communicating with the cavity 13 at the upper end of the pipe body 1, and a notch 11 on the side wall of the pipe body 1; a diverter 5 disposed in the cavity 13, the diverter 5 having a first channel 51 and a second channel 52, an opening 53 on the side wall of the diverter 5, the opening 53 corresponding to the notch 11, and a connecting hole 54 connecting the first channel 51 and the second channel 52 on the common side wall of the first channel 51 and the second channel 52, the second channel 52 being connected to the connecting hole 54; a window mechanism 3, which can enter the cavity from the opening 12 In the first channel 51 from the cavity 13 to the diverter 5, the window opening mechanism 3 has a drill mechanism 31. When the window opening mechanism 3 is located in the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, the drill mechanism 31 corresponds to the position of the opening 53; the drilling member 4 can enter the cavity 13 from the opening 12 to the first channel 51 of the diverter 5. The drilling member 4 has a conducting channel 42. When the drilling member 4 is located in the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, one end of the conducting channel 42 corresponds to the position of the opening 53, and the other end of the conducting channel 42 corresponds to the position of the connecting hole 54, so that the second channel 52 is connected to the opening 53 through the conducting channel 42.

[0049] When the windowing mechanism 3 enters the cavity 13 from the opening 12 and into the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, and the drill bit mechanism 31 corresponds to the position of the opening 53, the diverting device for forming a radial horizontal well can now use the windowing mechanism 3 to perform a windowing operation on the casing to form a window. When the drilling member 4 enters the cavity 13 from the opening 12 and into the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, and one end of the conducting channel 42 corresponds to the position of the opening 53, the other end of the conducting channel 42 corresponds to the position of the connecting hole 54, and the second channel 52 is connected to the opening 53 through the conducting channel 42, the diverting device for forming a radial horizontal well can now perform a diverting drilling operation, that is, using the drilling pipeline to enter the second channel 52, then follow the diversion of the conducting channel 42 to reach the opening 53, corresponding to the window, and then perform a drilling operation in the window. Therefore, the diverting device for forming a radial horizontal well in this application can simultaneously achieve the purposes of windowing and diverting drilling.

[0050] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the tube body in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the tube body in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. Figures 1 to 4As shown, the tube body 1 extends vertically and has a vertically extending cavity 13 within it. The upper end of the tube body 1 has an opening 12 that communicates with the cavity 13. The bottom of the tube body 1 can be sealed, either directly or with a plug. A notch 11 can be formed on the sidewall of the tube body 1. This notch 11 is designed to correspond to the opening 53 of the diverter 5, allowing the drill bit 31 of the window opening mechanism 3 in the diverter 5 to extend through the notch 11 and out of the tube body 1, thereby performing a window opening operation. Furthermore, the notch 11 allows the drilling line to enter the second channel 52 of the diverter 5, then travel along the conducting channel 42 and the opening 53 of the diverter 5, out of the tube body 1, through the notch 11, and out of the tube body 1, thereby performing a drilling operation in the window. The notch 11 can be elongated and vertically extending, and can be located in the lower middle portion of the tube body 1. There can be one or two notches 11, located on both sides of the tube body 1 that are symmetrical. The position of the notch 11 in the tube body 1 can be used to install the diverter 5. The side wall of the tube body 1 excluding the notch 11 can protect, support and fix the diverter 5. The length of the notch 11 in the vertical direction can be equal to or greater than the length of the diverter 5, and the width of the notch 11 can be equal to or slightly greater than the width of the diverter 5. The diverter 5 can be installed into the tube body 1 through the notch 11 and then fixed, such as by welding. Of course, the diverter 5 can also be installed into the tube body 1 from the bottom of the tube body 1, and then the bottom of the tube body 1 is sealed with a plug to achieve a blocked state.

[0051] Figure 10 This is a front view of the steering gear in the embodiment of the present invention, Figure 11 This is a side view of a steering gear in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 12 FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a steering gear according to an embodiment of the present invention, Figures 1 to 2 、 Figures 10 to 12As shown in , the diverter 5 is arranged in the cavity 13 and can be located at the bottom of the cavity 13. The diverter 5 has a first channel 51 and a second channel 52. The first channel 51 can extend completely in the vertical direction, and the first channel 51 extends straight down from the upper end surface of the diverter 5. The upper half of the second channel 52 can extend completely in the vertical direction, and the upper half of the second channel 52 can be arranged parallel to the first channel 51, or the second channel 52 can extend straight down from the upper end surface of the diverter 5. The side wall of the diverter 5 has an opening 53, and the opening 53 corresponds to the notch 11. The common side wall forming the first channel 51 and the second channel 52 has a connecting hole 54 connecting the first channel 51 and the second channel 52, and the second channel 52 is connected to the connecting hole 54. The lower half of the second channel 52 is arc-shaped toward the first channel 51, and the end of the second channel 52 is connected to the connecting hole 54. The connecting hole 54 is located at the lowest end of the second channel 52. In this way, after the drilling pipeline enters the second channel 52, it can go straight down through the arc-shaped second channel 52 to turn from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction, and then completely turn into the horizontal direction through the conducting channel 42 of the drilling member 4.

[0052] The window opening mechanism 3 can enter the cavity 13 from the opening 12 and into the first passage 51 of the diverter 5. The window opening mechanism 3 extends vertically and is generally cylindrical. The window opening mechanism 3 includes a drill mechanism 31. When the window opening mechanism 3 is located in the first passage 51 of the diverter 5, the drill mechanism 31 corresponds to the position of the opening 53.

[0053] like Figure 1 and Figure 12 As shown, the bottom of the first channel 51 is an inclined surface. Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the window opening mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 7 is a cross-sectional view of the window opening mechanism in an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. Figure 6 and Figure 7 As shown, the window opening mechanism 3 may include a window opening member 32. The lower end of the window opening member 32 has an inclined surface corresponding to the inclined surface of the bottom of the first channel 51. The window opening member 32 has a horizontal channel 322 on its sidewall, and a vertical channel 323 connected to the horizontal channel 322. The horizontal channel 322 contains a drill mechanism 31. The drill mechanism 31 is retractable in the radial direction. After the drill mechanism 31 extends out of the horizontal channel 322, the opening 53, and the notch 11, it can be used to perform a windowing operation on the casing using a rotating abrasive to form a window.

[0054] When the window opening member 32 is located in the first channel 51 and the inclined surface at the lower end of the window opening member 32 corresponds to the inclined surface at the bottom of the first channel 51, the angle between the window opening member 32 and the first channel 51 in the circumferential direction is determined. At this time, the position of the horizontal channel 322 corresponds to the opening 53, so that the drill mechanism 31 can extend out of the opening 53 to perform the window opening operation.

[0055] As a feasible method, the steering device for forming a radial horizontal well may include: a guide member 2 arranged in the cavity 13. Figure 4 As shown, the cavity 13 of the tube body 1 may include a steering gear accommodating portion 14, a middle accommodating portion 15 and a guide member accommodating portion 16 from bottom to top. Figure 1 and Figure 2 As shown, the guide member accommodating portion 16 is used to accommodate and secure the guide member 2. The inner diameter of the middle accommodating portion 15 is larger than that of the guide member accommodating portion 16. The middle accommodating portion 15 serves to divert the window opening mechanism 3 and the drilling member 4 to a certain extent before entering the first passage 51 of the diverter 5, thereby causing the window opening mechanism 3 and the drilling member 4 to deviate slightly from the centerline of the tubular body 1, thereby allowing their lower ends to enter the first passage 51 of the diverter 5. The diverter accommodating portion 14 is used to accommodate the diverter 5, and the position of the notch 11 corresponds to the diverter accommodating portion 14.

[0056] Figure 5 FIG. 1 is a schematic structural diagram of a guide member in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 5 As shown, the guide member 2 is tubular and positioned between the opening 12 and the diverter 5. The upper end of the guide member 2 is inclined, and a first track 21 is formed on the sidewall of the guide member 2. The upper end of the first track 21 is located at the lowest point of the inclined upper end of the guide member 2, and the lower end of the first track 21 extends all the way to the lowest end of the guide member 2. The guide member 2 must be fixed to the tube body 1, preventing rotation between the two. The outer wall of the guide member 2 can be tightly attached to the inner wall of the tube body 1 to secure it.

[0057] like Figure 6As shown, the outer wall of the window opening mechanism 3 has a first guide protrusion 321, which can be embedded in the first track 21 of the guide member 2. In other words, the outer wall of the window opening member 32 has a first guide protrusion 321. When the window opening mechanism 3 enters the cavity 13 from the opening 12, the lower end of the window opening mechanism 3 first enters the interior of the guide member 2 and continues to move downward. The first guide protrusion 321 will contact the upper end surface of the guide member 2. Since the upper end of the guide member 2 is inclined, the first guide protrusion 321 moves at a lower position along the upper end surface of the guide member 2. During the movement, the window opening mechanism 3 rotates in the circumferential direction with the guide member 2 until the first guide protrusion 321 reaches the lowest point of the upper end surface of the guide member 2, and then enters the first track 21. Through the above process, the angle between the window opening mechanism 3 and the guide member 2 is adjusted, so that the window opening mechanism 3 can easily enter the first channel 51 of the diverter 5 in the later stage, and after entering the first channel 51, the drill mechanism 31 of the window opening mechanism 3 can correspond to the position of the opening 53 of the diverter 5.

[0058] Furthermore, there may be at least two first guide protrusions 321, at least one of which is located at the lower end of the window opening mechanism 3. When the lower end of the window opening mechanism 3 has just entered the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, at least one first guide protrusion 321 is still located in the first track 21. This ensures that when the lower end of the window opening mechanism 3 has just entered the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, the circumferential angle of the entire window opening mechanism 3 is fixed, and no additional rotation occurs, which would cause the drill mechanism 31 of the window opening mechanism 3 to fail to correspond to the opening 53 of the diverter 5 after further entering the first channel 51 of the diverter 5.

[0059] Alternatively, the window member 32 may include a first window member 324 and a second window member 325 located above the first window member 324. The first window member 324 has a larger radial dimension than the second window member 325. A horizontal channel 322 is located within the first window member 324, cooperating with the first channel 51 to allow access thereto. A vertical channel 323 passes through the entire second window member 325 and a portion of the first window member 324. The first guide protrusion 321 is located on the outer wall of the first window member 324. With this structure, the radial dimension of the first window member 324 ensures that the drill mechanism 31 can be installed within the radially oriented horizontal channel 322. The radial dimension of the second window member 325 only needs to be sufficient to form the vertical channel 323, thereby injecting pressurized fluid into the horizontal channel 322 to drive the drill mechanism 31 for window opening. In addition, the upper end of the window piece 32 can be threadedly connected to a feed pipeline such as a continuous oil tubing, so that when the window piece 32 is fed into the inner cavity of the tube body 1 using a feed pipeline such as a continuous oil tubing, the first section of the window piece 324 enters the middle accommodating portion 15, and the second section of the window piece 325 is still located in the guide member 2, the entire window piece 32 is prone to some deflection. Since the first channel 51 and the second channel 52 are both set away from the center line of the diverter 5, this facilitates the subsequent entry of the first section of the window piece 324 into the first channel 51 of the diverter 5.

[0060] Figure 8 This is a structural diagram of a drilling component in an embodiment of the present invention. Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view of a drilling member according to an embodiment of the present invention, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 、 Figures 8 and 9 As shown, the drilling member 4 can enter the cavity 13 from the opening 12 and into the first passage 51 of the diverter 5. The drilling member 4 has a conductive passage 42, which can be curved, allowing the drilling pipeline to enter the second passage 52 and then completely transition to a horizontal orientation through the conductive passage 42 of the drilling member 4. When the drilling member 4 is located in the first passage 51 of the diverter 5, that is, when the lower end of the drilling member 4 reaches the bottom of the first passage 51 of the diverter 5, one end of the conductive passage 42 corresponds to the position of the opening 53, and the other end of the conductive passage 42 corresponds to the position of the connecting hole 54, thereby connecting the second passage 52 to the opening 53 through the conductive passage 42.

[0061] Similarly, the outer wall of the drilling member 4 is provided with a second guide protrusion 41. When the drilling member 4 enters the cavity 13 from the opening 12, the lower end of the drilling member 4 first enters the interior of the guide member 2 and continues to move downward. The second guide protrusion 41 contacts the upper end surface of the guide member 2. Since the upper end of the guide member 2 is inclined, the second guide protrusion 41 moves at a lower position along the upper end surface of the guide member 2. During this movement, the drilling member 4 rotates circumferentially relative to the guide member 2 until the second guide protrusion 41 reaches the lowest point of the upper end surface of the guide member 2, after which it enters the first track 21. The above process realizes the adjustment of the angle between the drilling member 4 and the guide member 2, so that the drilling member 4 can easily enter the first channel 51 of the diverter 5 later. After entering the first channel 51, one end of the conducting channel 42 of the drilling member 4 corresponds to the position of the opening 53, and the other end of the conducting channel 42 corresponds to the position of the connecting hole 54, so that the second channel 52 is connected with the opening 53 through the conducting channel 42.

[0062] Furthermore, there are at least two second guide protrusions 41, at least one of which is located at the lower end of the drilling member 4. When the lower end of the drilling member 4 has just entered the first passage 51 of the diverter 5, at least one of the second guide protrusions 41 is still located in the first track 21. This ensures that when the lower end of the drilling member 4 has just entered the first passage 51 of the diverter 5, the circumferential angle of the entire drilling member 4 is fixed, and no additional rotation occurs, which would cause the guiding passage 42 of the drilling member 4 to fail to correspond to the position of the opening 53 or the connecting hole 54 of the diverter 5 after further entering the first passage 51 of the diverter 5.

[0063] A pipeline groove 43 is formed on the upper side wall of the drilling member 4, and the pipeline groove 43 extends to the upper end surface of the drilling member 4. When the drilling member 4 is located in the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, the pipeline groove 43 is connected to the conducting channel 42 through the connecting hole 54 and the second channel 52. The drilling pipeline can enter the first channel 51 through the pipeline groove 43, then pass through the connecting hole 54 and enter the second channel 52, all the way to the bottom, extend into the end of the second channel 52, and then turn and enter the connecting hole 54, and then enter the conducting channel 42 of the drilling member 4. In the above structure, the connecting hole 54 is long in the vertical direction, allowing the drilling pipeline to enter the second channel 52 from the first channel 51, and then enter the conducting channel 42 from the second channel 52. The upper edge of the communication hole 54 may be inclined, which can guide the drilling pipeline, so that the drilling pipeline has a tendency to move from the pipeline groove 43 to the second passage 52, so that it can enter the second passage 52. Of course, in other feasible embodiments, the drilling pipeline can also directly enter the second passage 52 from the upper end surface of the diverter 5.

[0064] The end of the second channel 52 is higher than the bottom of the first channel 51 and the opening 53. This ensures that after the drilling pipeline enters the second channel 52 and extends downward to the end of the second channel 52, it can turn and enter the connecting hole 54 on its own, and then enter the conducting channel 42 of the drilling member 4. Thereafter, it turns to a horizontal direction and extends out from the opening 53 and the notch 11, thereby performing drilling operations at the window position.

[0065] Furthermore, the side wall of the diverter 5 forming the first channel 51 has a second track 55. Figure 10 As shown, the second track 55 extends vertically, with its upper end extending to the upper end surface of the diverter 5 and its lower end extending to the height of the first guide protrusion 321 and the second guide protrusion 41 after the window opening mechanism 3 and the drilling member 4 have fully entered the bottom of the first channel 51 of the diverter 5. The second track 55 is used to maintain the angle between the window opening mechanism 3 and the drilling member 4 and the diverter 5 when the window opening mechanism 3 and the drilling member 4 enter the first channel 51 of the diverter 5. This further ensures that the drill bit 31 of the window opening mechanism 3 aligns with the opening 53, one end of the guide channel 42 of the drilling member 4 aligns with the opening 53, and the other end of the guide channel 42 aligns with the connecting hole 54. When the window opening mechanism 3 enters the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, the first guide protrusion 321 enters the second track 55; when the drilling member 4 enters the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, the second guide protrusion 41 enters the second track 55.

[0066] Furthermore, when the first guide protrusion 321 of the window opening mechanism 3 at the bottom just enters the second track 55, the first guide protrusion 321 of the window opening mechanism 3 at the top can still be in the first track 21. This ensures that the first guide protrusion 321 of the window opening mechanism 3 at the bottom can smoothly enter the second track 55 without rotating and causing the first guide protrusion 321 to lose alignment with the second track 55. Similarly, when the second guide protrusion 41 of the drilling member 4 at the bottom just enters the second track 55, the second guide protrusion 41 of the drilling member 4 at the top can still be in the first track 21.

[0067] This application also proposes an operating method for a steering device for forming a radial horizontal well. The operating method may include:

[0068] The pipe body 1 with the diverter 5 is lowered into the position where the casing needs to have a window, and the opening 12 is aligned with the position where the casing needs to have a window through the notch 11 of the pipe body 1 .

[0069] The window opening mechanism 3 is lowered into the opening 12 of the pipe body 1 through the continuous oil pipe, and enters the first channel 51 of the steering gear 5 through the opening 12 and the cavity 13 of the pipe body 1. The drill bit mechanism 31 of the window opening mechanism 3 corresponds to the opening 53.

[0070] In the above steps, the window opening member 32 in the window opening mechanism 3 enters the guide member 2 at the opening 12 of the tube body 1 and continues to move downward. The first guide protrusion 321 on the outer wall of the window opening member 32 contacts the upper end surface of the guide member 2. The first guide protrusion 321 moves to a lower position along the upper end surface of the guide member 2. During this movement, the window opening mechanism 3 rotates circumferentially with the guide member 2 until the first guide protrusion 321 reaches the lowest point on the upper end surface of the guide member 2 and then enters the first track 21, achieving an adjustment of the angle between the window opening mechanism 3 and the guide member 2, so that the window opening mechanism 3 can later enter the first channel 51 of the diverter 5. Afterwards, the window opening member 32 passes through the guide member 2, the middle accommodating portion 15 in the tube body 1, and enters the first channel 51 of the diverter 5. At this time, because the sidewall forming the first channel 51 has a second track 55, when the window opening member 32 enters the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, the first guide protrusion 321 enters the second track 55, thereby ensuring that the window opening mechanism 3 and the guide member 2 are at a suitable angle. In addition, when the inclined surface at the lower end of the window opening member 32 corresponds to the inclined surface at the bottom of the first channel 51, the window opening mechanism 3 and the guide member 2 can also be positioned in the circumferential direction.

[0071] After the drill mechanism 31 is aligned with the opening 53 , the drill mechanism 31 is driven to rotate so as to extend out of the casing to complete the windowing operation and form a window.

[0072] For example, pressure fluid is input through a coiled tubing, and the pressure fluid enters the drill bit mechanism 31 of the horizontal channel 322 of the window opening member 32 through the vertical channel 323 of the window opening member 32. The pressure fluid causes the drill bit mechanism 31 to extend out of the opening 53 and the notch 11 of the pipe body 1 and rotate, thereby performing a windowing operation on the casing to form a window.

[0073] After the window opening operation is completed, the window opening mechanism 3 can be taken out by lifting the coiled tubing.

[0074] The drilling member 4 is lowered into the opening 12 of the pipe body 1 through the drilling pipeline, and enters the first channel 51 of the diverter 5 through the opening 12 of the pipe body 1 and the cavity 13 of the pipe body 1. One end of the conducting channel 42 corresponds to the position of the opening 53, and the other end of the conducting channel 42 corresponds to the position of the connecting hole 54, so that the second channel 52 is connected to the opening 53 through the conducting channel 42, forming a drilling diverting track corresponding to the window on the casing.

[0075] During the above steps, the drilling member 4 enters the guide member 2 at the opening 12 of the tubular body 1 and continues to move downward. The second guide protrusion 41 on the outer wall of the drilling member 4 contacts the upper end surface of the guide member 2. The second guide protrusion 41 moves at a lower position along the upper end surface of the guide member 2. During this movement, the drilling member 4 rotates circumferentially with respect to the guide member 2 until the second guide protrusion 41 reaches the lowest point on the upper end surface of the guide member 2. It then enters the first track 21, adjusting the angle between the drilling member 4 and the guide member 2 so that the drilling member 4 can later enter the first channel 51 of the diverter 5. The window member 32 then passes through the guide member 2, the central accommodating portion 15 within the tubular body 1, and enters the first channel 51 of the diverter 5. At this time, because the sidewall forming the first channel 51 has a second track 55, when the drilling member 4 enters the first channel 51 of the diverter 5, the second guide protrusion 41 enters the second track 55, thereby ensuring that the drilling member 4 and the guide member 2 are always at a suitable angle. In addition, when the inclined surface at the lower end of the drilling member 4 can correspond to the inclined surface at the bottom of the first channel 51, the drilling member 4 and the guide member 2 can also be positioned in the circumferential direction.

[0076] The lowest end of the drilling pipeline can be a drill bit. The pipeline above the drill bit can be connected to the upper end of the drilling member 4 through a detachable connection, such as by a fastener. Therefore, during the lowering of the drilling pipeline, the drilling member 4 can be brought along with it into the cavity 13 of the tubular body 1. After the drilling member 4 enters the first passage 51 of the diverter 5, the drilling pipeline is disconnected from the upper end of the drilling member 4. The drilling pipeline and drill bit can then enter the pipeline groove 43 of the drilling member 4 in the first passage 51, pass through the connecting hole 54, and then enter the second passage 52 of the diverter 5 in the cavity 13 of the tubular body 1. The drilling line continues down the second channel 52, making a slight turn at the bottom of the second channel 52 before entering the connecting hole 54. It then enters the conducting channel 42 of the drilling member 4. The curved conducting channel 42 further bends the conducting channel 42, completely transitioning from a vertical orientation to a horizontal orientation, thus completing the diversion. The line then extends from the opening 53 of the diverter 5, passes through the notch 11, and reaches the position corresponding to the window in the casing. The drilling line can then proceed to the drilling operation at the window.

[0077] The steering device and operating method for forming a radial horizontal well in the present application utilize the first channel 51 and the second channel 52 in the steering device 5 to realize that the window opening and drilling processes each use their own dedicated channels. This leaves a larger operating space for the window opening and drilling operations, facilitating the smooth implementation of the two operation processes. Secondly, the device structure is simple, the operation method is simple and convenient, and the operation efficiency is high. Moreover, the present application can achieve a larger steering radius, facilitating the steering of the drilling pipeline from the vertical direction to the horizontal direction. Then, the window opening mechanism 3 in the present application can enable the drill bit mechanism 31 to open a window horizontally along the casing, and the window opening effect is good, the efficiency is high, and the aperture is large under non-vertical conditions. Finally, the window of the window opening is located in exactly the same position as the track for drilling after the subsequent drilling pipeline extends from the steering device, which can effectively ensure the concentricity of the window on the casing and the drilling track.

[0078] All articles and references disclosed, including patent applications and publications, are incorporated herein by reference for all purposes. The term "essentially consisting of..." describing a combination should include the identified elements, ingredients, parts or steps and other elements, ingredients, parts or steps that do not substantially affect the basic novel features of the combination. The use of the terms "comprising" or "including" to describe the combination of elements, ingredients, parts or steps herein also contemplates an embodiment that is essentially composed of these elements, ingredients, parts or steps. By using the term "may", it is intended to illustrate that any attribute described that "may" include is optional. Multiple elements, ingredients, parts or steps can be provided by a single integrated element, ingredient, part or step. Alternatively, a single integrated element, ingredient, part or step can be divided into separate multiple elements, ingredients, parts or steps. The disclosure "one" or "an" used to describe an element, ingredient, part or step is not intended to exclude other elements, ingredients, parts or steps.

[0079] Each embodiment in this specification is described in a progressive manner, and each embodiment focuses on the differences from other embodiments. The same or similar parts between the embodiments can be referred to each other. The above embodiments are only for illustrating the technical concept and features of the present invention. Their purpose is to enable people familiar with this technology to understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly, and they cannot be used to limit the scope of protection of the present invention. Any equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit of the present invention should be included in the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A steering device for forming a radial horizontal well, characterized in that: The diverting device for forming a radial horizontal well comprises: A tube body having a cavity, an upper end of the tube body having an opening communicating with the cavity, and a side wall of the tube body having a notch; A diverter is disposed in the cavity, the diverter having a first channel and a second channel, a side wall of the diverter having an opening corresponding to the notch, a common side wall forming the first channel and the second channel having a connecting hole connecting the first channel and the second channel, the second channel being connected to the connecting hole; a window opening mechanism capable of entering the cavity from the opening into the first channel of the diverter, the window opening mechanism comprising a drill mechanism, and when the window opening mechanism is located in the first channel of the diverter, the drill mechanism corresponds to the position of the opening; a drilling member capable of entering the cavity from the opening to the first channel of the diverter, the drilling member having a conducting channel, wherein when the drilling member is located in the first channel of the diverter, one end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the opening, and the other end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the communicating hole, so that the second channel is connected to the opening through the conducting channel; A guide member is provided in the cavity, the guide member is in the shape of a circular tube, the guide member is located between the opening and the diverter, the upper end of the guide member is in the shape of an inclined surface, a first track is provided on the side wall of the guide member, the upper end of the first track is located at the lowest point of the upper end of the inclined surface of the guide member, and the lower end of the first track extends to the lowest end of the guide member; the bottom of the first channel is a slope; In which, the window opening mechanism includes: a window opening member, the lower end of which is an inclined surface corresponding to the inclined surface of the bottom of the first channel; a horizontal channel is provided on the side wall of the window opening member, and the window opening member has a vertical channel connected to the horizontal channel; the drill mechanism is arranged in the horizontal channel; when the window opening member is located in the first channel and the inclined surface of the lower end of the window opening member corresponds to the inclined surface of the bottom of the first channel, the position of the horizontal channel corresponds to the opening.

2. The steering device for forming a radial horizontal well according to claim 1, characterized in that: The outer side wall of the window opening mechanism has a first guide protrusion, which can be embedded in the first track of the guide member; there are at least two first guide protrusions, at least one of which is located at the lower end of the window opening mechanism, and when the lower end of the window opening mechanism just enters the first channel of the diverter, at least one of the first guide protrusions is still located in the first track.

3. The steering device for forming a radial horizontal well according to claim 2, characterized in that: The outer wall of the drilling member is provided with a second guide protrusion, which can be embedded in the first track of the guide member; there are at least two second guide protrusions, at least one of which is located at the lower end of the drilling member, and when the lower end of the drilling member just enters the first channel of the diverter, at least one of the second guide protrusions is still located in the first track.

4. The steering device for forming a radial horizontal well according to claim 2, characterized in that: The cavity includes a steering gear accommodating portion, a middle accommodating portion, and a guide member accommodating portion, wherein the middle accommodating portion is located between the steering gear accommodating portion and the guide member accommodating portion; the steering gear accommodating portion is used to accommodate the steering gear, and the guide member accommodating portion is used to accommodate the guide member; the inner diameter of the guide member accommodating portion is smaller than the inner diameter of the middle accommodating portion; The position of the notch corresponds to the steering gear accommodating portion.

5. The steering device for forming a radial horizontal well according to claim 3, characterized in that: The first channel extends in a vertical direction, and a pipeline groove is formed at the upper end side wall of the drilling member, and the pipeline groove extends to the upper end surface of the drilling member. When the drilling member is located in the first channel of the diverter, the pipeline groove is connected to the conducting channel through the connecting hole and the second channel; the lower half of the second channel is arc-shaped toward the first channel, and the end of the second channel is connected to the connecting hole.

6. The steering device for forming a radial horizontal well according to claim 5, characterized in that: The end of the second channel is higher than the bottom of the first channel and the opening; the side wall of the diverter forming the first channel has a second track; when the window opening mechanism enters the first channel of the diverter, the first guide protrusion enters the second track; When the drilling member enters the first channel of the diverter, the second guide protrusion enters the second track.

7. The steering device for forming a radial horizontal well according to claim 4, characterized in that: The window member includes a first section of the window member and a second section of the window member located above the first section of the window member, wherein the radial dimension of the first section of the window member is greater than the radial dimension of the second section of the window member; the horizontal channel is located in the first section of the window member, and the first section of the window member cooperates with the first channel to be able to enter the first channel; The vertical channel passes through the entire second section window piece and part of the first section window piece; the first guide protrusion is located on the outer side wall of the first section window piece.

8. An operating method using the steering device for forming a radial horizontal well according to claim 1, characterized in that: The operation method includes: Lowering the pipe body with the diverter into the position where the casing needs to have a window opened, and aligning the opening through the notch of the pipe body with the position where the casing needs to have a window opened; The window opening mechanism is lowered into the opening of the pipe body through the coiled tubing, and enters the first channel of the steering gear through the opening of the pipe body and the cavity of the pipe body, with the drill bit mechanism of the window opening mechanism corresponding to the opening; After the drill mechanism is aligned with the opening, the drill mechanism is driven to rotate so as to extend out of the casing to complete the windowing operation and form a window; After the window opening operation is completed, the window opening mechanism is taken out through the coiled tubing; The drilling piece is lowered into the opening of the tube body through the drilling pipeline, and enters the first channel of the steering device through the opening of the tube body and the cavity of the tube body. One end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the opening, and the other end of the conducting channel corresponds to the position of the connecting hole, so that the second channel is connected to the opening through the conducting channel, forming a drilling steering track corresponding to the window on the casing.

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