Claims
- 1. A tool for running and retrieving a whipstock in a subterranean wellbore, comprising:a tool body having one end adapted to be connected to a pipe, the tool body including a rail defined thereon adapted to selectively engage a slot defined on the whipstock and the pipe in fluid communication with a bore defined in the tool body; and the tool body including a latch assembly for releasably connecting to the whipstock; wherein the latch assembly is adapted to be moved when pressure is applied to the tool bore through the pipe thereby enabling the connection and disconnection of the latch assembly from the whipstock.
- 2. The tool of claim 1, wherein the latch assembly comprises:a latch that is biased outwardly from the tool body; and the latch adapted to be releaseably connected to a first slot defined on the whipstock.
- 3. The tool of claim 2, further comprising:a piston assembly slidably disposed in the tool body bore and having a first end and a second end; the piston assembly first end in fluid communication with the pipe; and the piston assembly second end slidably engaged to the latch; wherein pressure applied through the pipe causes sliding movement of the piston assembly which causes radial movement of the latch thereby enabling the connection and disconnection of the latch from the whipstock first slot.
- 4. The tool of claim 3, wherein:the piston assembly second end is tapered and rides on a ramped surface defined on the latch; wherein increased pressure applied through the pipe causes the downward sliding movement of the piston assembly which causes the inward radial movement of the latch thereby enabling the connection and disconnection of the latch from the whipstock first slot.
- 5. The tool of claim 4, wherein the piston assembly is biased in the upward direction by a spring.
- 6. The tool of claim 2, wherein the latch is connected to the first slot at the same time the rail is engaged to a second slot defined on the whipstock.
- 7. The tool of claim 6, wherein the concurrent engagement of the latch to the first slot and the rail to the second slot enables the transfer of upward, downward, and rotational forces between the tool body and the whipstock without the risk of prematurely releasing the whipstock.
- 8. The tool of claim 2, wherein the latch is longitudinally aligned with the rail.
- 9. The tool of claim 2, wherein the rail is adapted to engage and disengage from a second slot defined on the whipstock by longitudinal movement of the tool body.
- 10. The tool of claim 9, wherein the rail is adapted to engage and disengage from the second slot when the latch is disconnected from the first slot.
- 11. The tool of claim 2, further comprising:a first fluid delivery port extending between the tool body bore and the rail; and a second fluid delivery port extending between the tool body and a position adjacent the latch; wherein pressurized fluid is passed through the first and second fluid delivery port when pressure is applied to the tool bore through the pipe thereby cleaning out the first slot and a second slot defined on the whipstock prior to engagement of the tool to the whipstock.
- 12. The tool of claim 2, wherein the tool body includes an orienting key biased outwardly from the tool body, the orienting key adapted to engage a casing slot defined in a casing section located in the wellbore.
- 13. The tool of claim 12, wherein a sloping face of the whipstock faces a window opening in the casing section when the orienting key engages the casing slot.
- 14. The tool of claim 12, wherein the rail is aligned with a second slot defined on the whipstock when the orienting key is engaged to the casing slot.
- 15. The tool of claim 2, wherein:the tool body includes another key located substantially 180 degrees from the rail; and the another key is adapted to be biased outwardly when pressure is increased in the tool bore through the pipe; so that the another key pushes against a casing section located in the wellbore thereby bringing the rail and a second slot defined on the whipstock into alignment prior to their connection.
- 16. The tool of claim 15, wherein the wellbore is a horizontal wellbore and the outward bias of the another key raises the tool body thereby bringing the rail and the second slot into alignment prior to their connection.
- 17. A method for running and retrieving a whipstock in a subterranean wellbore, comprising:attaching a tool to the whipstock prior to deployment; attaching a pipe to the tool, the pipe in fluid communication with the tool; running the whipstock and the tool into the wellbore; locating the whipstock at the proper location in the wellbore; disengaging the tool from the whipstock by applying pressure through the pipe; engaging a rail defined on the tool to a second slot defined on the whipstock; and engaging a latch located on the tool to a first slot defined on the whipstock.
- 18. The method of claim 17, wherein the rail engagement step comprises longitudinal movement of the tool body in relation to the whipstock.
- 19. The method of claim 17, wherein the latch engagement step comprises biasing the latch outwardly from the tool into the first slot.
- 20. The method of claim 17, wherein the running step comprises transmitting upward, downward, and rotational forces from the tool to the whipstock without prematurely releasing the whipstock.
- 21. The method of claim 17, wherein the locating step comprises orienting the whipstock so that a sloping face of the whipstock faces a window opening in a casing section in the wellbore.
- 22. The method of claim 17, wherein the disengaging step comprises:disengaging a latch located on the tool from a first slot defined on the whipstock; and disengaging a rail defined on the tool from a second slot defined on the whipstock.
- 23. The method of claim 22, wherein the latch disengagement step comprises biasing the latch inwardly and away from the first slot.
- 24. The method of claim 23, wherein the inward bias of the latch is induced by the pressure applied through the pipe.
- 25. The method of claim 22, wherein the rail disengagement step comprises longitudinal movement of the tool in relation to the whipstock.
- 26. The method of claim 17, further comprising:reengaging the tool to the whipstock by applying pressure through the pipe; and retrieving the whipstock and tool from the wellbore.
- 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the reengaging step comprises:engaging a rail defined on the tool to a second slot defined on the whipstock; and engaging a latch located on the tool to a first slot defined on the whipstock.
- 28. The method of claim 27, further comprising prior to the rail engagement step applying pressure through the pipe to inwardly bias the latch within the tool.
- 29. The method of claim 28, wherein the latch engagement step comprises releasing the pressure through the pipe thereby enabling the outward bias of the latch.
- 30. The method of claim 28, wherein the rail engagement step comprises aligning the rail with the second slot of the whipstock.
- 31. The method of claim 30, wherein the alignment step comprises outwardly biasing another key from the tool based on the pressure applied through the pipe so that the another key pushes against a casing section located in the wellbore thereby bringing the rail and the second slot into alignment prior to their engagement.
- 32. The method of claim 31, wherein the wellbore is a horizontal wellbore.
- 33. The method of claim 27, wherein the rail engagement step comprises longitudinal movement of the tool in relation to the whipstock.
- 34. A tool for running and retrieving a downhole tool in a subterranean wellbore, comprising:a retractable latch biased radially outwardly from the tool formed to fit within a slot formed on a downhole tool; and a rail formed to be insertable into a guide slot on the downhole tool and positioned to guide the latch into engagement in the slot.
- 35. The tool of claim 34, wherein the rail and the guide slot are correspondingly shaped.
- 36. The tool of claim 34, wherein the downhole tool comprises a whipstock.
Priority Claims (2)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2236047 |
Apr 1998 |
CA |
|
2245342 |
Aug 1998 |
CA |
|
Parent Case Info
This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 09/305,775 filed on Apr. 16, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,283,208, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 08/923,945 filed on Sep. 5, 1997, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,012,516. The '775 Application also claims the benefit of Canadian Patent Application No. 2,236,047, filed on Apr. 27, 1998, and Canadian Patent Application No. 2,245,342, filed on Aug. 18, 1998.
US Referenced Citations (18)
Continuations (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
09/305775 |
Apr 1999 |
US |
Child |
09/882546 |
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Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
Date |
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Parent |
08/923945 |
Sep 1997 |
US |
Child |
09/305775 |
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US |