Wellbore Cleaning Tool for Sidetrack Drilling
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for a whipstock and anchor assembly equipped with a cleaning tool to clean the wellbore wall effectively, especially in deviated or horizontal wells where contaminants like cement residue, drilling mud, and cuttings can hinder tool engagement and sealing, and existing solutions require multiple trips to clean and form sidetrack wellbores.
Innovation Solution
A bottom hole assembly (BHA) incorporating a whipstock, a downhole tool, and a cleaning tool with moveable cleaning elements that can be extended to clean the wellbore wall in a single trip, allowing for simultaneous cleaning and tool engagement, including configurations with packers, anchors, and mills.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a separate cleaning operation is performed before sidetrack drilling, then the wellbore wall can be cleaned of contaminants, but multiple trips are required increasing time and operational complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the cleaning tool and sidetrack drilling tools (whipstock, mill, or anchor) into a single integrated bottom hole assembly. This merging allows the cleaning function and sidetrack drilling function to be performed in one trip, eliminating the need for separate cleaning operations and reducing overall drilling time while ensuring the wellbore wall is cleaned immediately before tool engagement.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom hole assembly is designed with multi-functionality, capable of performing both cleaning and sidetrack drilling operations. The cleaning elements can be extended to clean the wellbore wall, then retracted to allow the whipstock, mill, or anchor to engage and perform sidetrack drilling, all within a single deployment.
2Reliability
If cleaning elements are extended to clean the wellbore wall, then contaminants are removed improving engagement, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning elements are designed to be movable between extended and retracted positions. When extended, they contact the wellbore wall to remove contaminants. When retracted, they clear of the wall to allow the whipstock, mill, or anchor to engage. This dynamic positioning mechanism allows the cleaning function to be integrated without permanently increasing the complexity of the assembly.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom hole assembly is segmented into distinct functional modules: cleaning elements, whipstock, mill/anchor, and control mechanisms. Each module can be independently controlled and positioned. The cleaning elements are segmented from the main drilling tools, allowing them to be extended or retracted independently to perform cleaning without interfering with the engagement of other components.
3Productivity
If a single trip operation is implemented for both cleaning and sidetrack drilling, then productivity increases, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning elements perform preliminary cleaning of the wellbore wall before the sidetrack drilling tools engage. This preliminary action ensures that the wellbore wall is free of contaminants that could interfere with tool engagement or sealing, allowing the subsequent sidetrack drilling to proceed without interruption or need for additional cleaning operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The bottom hole assembly incorporates dynamic control mechanisms that allow the cleaning elements to be extended or retracted as needed during the single trip operation. This dynamic capability enables the assembly to adapt to different operational phases: cleaning phase with elements extended, and drilling phase with elements retracted, thereby achieving high productivity without permanent complexity.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
Enables efficient cleaning of the wellbore wall in a single trip, improving tool engagement and sealing by removing contaminants, thus enhancing the reliability and efficiency of sidetrack drilling operations.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of cleaning elements disposed at least partially in the body and being moveable to an extended position, the cleaning elements in the extended position being configured to clean a portion of a wall of the wellbore
Implementation Method 2
cleaning the wellbore wall effectively, especially in deviated or horizontal wells where contaminants like cement residue, drilling mud, and cuttings can hinder tool engagement and sealing
Data Source
Figure 1A
Figure 1B
Figure 1
AI summary
A bottom hole assembly for use in a wellbore includes a whipstock; a downhole tool coupled to the whipstock; and a cleaning tool coupled to the downhole tool for cleaning a portion of a wall of the wellbore, wherein the downhole tool is configured to engage the cleaned portion of the wall. In one example, the cleaning tool includes a body and a plurality of cleaning elements for cleaning the portion of the wall.