Sidetracking

• Systematic for re-entry drilling

• Open, or cased hole
• Cased hole requires milling

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 Sidetrack options - 1

• Often more than one scenario is

possible

• Consider the options

Target A Options:

-Pilot Mill Liner Hanger & Liner to below the Larger Casing Shoe
and drill a medium radius large size hole.

-Section Mill or Whipstock below the shoe for a short radius curve.

Target A

Target B Options:

-Section Mill or Whipstock the Liner to drill a medium radius curve.

-Kick off below the shoe for a short radius curve.

Target B

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 Sidetrack options - 2
C P S W
Requirement or Status Comment
Vertical well
Deviated well
Gyro available for orientation
No gyro available, deviated well > 3° Direction of well’s inclination
must be known.
No gyro available, vertical well x x x +/- 40ft of open hole required
above KOP for magnetic
orientation.
Save hole size x x Casing is removed from
surface to kick off.
Casing cemented or stuck above KOP. x x
Very hard formation x
Good cement plug not guaranteed x
Sidetrack through two casing strings x x x For cut & pull both strings
have to be free.
Multilateral x Access possible after retrieving
whipstock.
Good hole cleaning possible
Substandard mud system likely x x Amount of cuttings is minimal
Corroded casing or problems behind casing x Sidetracking could still be a
problem.
Deep sidetrack x Infers long trip times, stuck
casing, hard formation, hot
hole.
Hard or heavy wall casing x Amount of milling is minimal.
Casing stuck above but uncemented at kick x Recommend cement squeeze
off area before section milling.
Sidetracking could still be a
problem with XF motor.
C = Cut & Pull
P = Pilot
S = Section
W = Whipstock

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 Cutting & retrieving - 1
• Hydraulic internal cutter
1. Flo-Tel 2.

Piston head with

pressure seals

Piston return

spring
Piston cam

Tool body

Cutters

3. 4.

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 Cutting & retrieving - 2
Stop sub to locate the
top of fish. Also allows
the jars to be recocked.

Spear engaging fish

with grapple in the
Bowen Itco Releasing catch position
Spear.

Top sub and mandrel

Replaceable grapple
catches a range of ID's
is mounted on the left
hand helix mandrel
operating much like a
Bowen Series 150
overshot

Lock ring

Bottom nut

Pack-off (optional)
enables circulation
through the fish.

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 Cutting & retrieving - 3
• Internally cut casing above the stuck
point

• Engage the casing with spear and

jar/pull free

Drill collars

Fishing jars

Fishing BHA Bumper sub

coming out of
the hole with
casing spear Stop sub
engaged onto
the top of cut Releasing spear
casing.
Outer
casing shoe

Casing cut
internally
above stuck
point.

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 Tungsten carbide
• A - Crushed TC chips - universal
• B - Millmaster - Smith
• C - Dished circular - Tri-State (Baker)
• D - Triangles, squares - Weatherford

A B C D

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 Cutting action
• The “ideal” TCI action is like a cutting
tool on a lathe

• Cuttings dimensions important for

hole cleaning

Direction of rotation

Cutter set at negative rake

Casing

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 Pilot milling - 1

• Mill liners from the top

• Capable of high penetration rates

Tungsten Carbide Dressed Blades

Blade OD slightly more Pilot - Same OD as casing Drift ID

than casing collar OD

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 Pilot milling - 2
• Well stabilized
• No junk in the hole

Slick BHA

(Jars optional and placed

high in the drill collars)

Casing Shoe

Liner cemented or stuck

inside the casing

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 Section milling

• Hydraulically actuated arms

• Works like a pilot mill once casing is
cut

• Cut out and hole cleaning - issues

Jet Nozzles Tungsten Carbide Blades open Stabilizer/Taper Mill

with hydraulic pressure

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 Casing Whipstock
• Mills a window
• No cement plug required
• In some cases more economic than
section milling

Whipstock assembly is run to

setting depth pinned to a running
tool/starter mill.

Toolface is oriented by either gyro

or MWD and anchor is set.

Starter mill makes initial cut and

Starter Mill/
mills a few inches of casing.
Running Tool
Window milling assemblies are
used to mill the window and rat-
hole into the formation. Window
Whip face milling
assembly

Anchor

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 Whipstock mills - 1
• Starter mill
• Conveys Whipstock assembly
• Makes initial cut out

MWD/collar for survey instrument Starter mill Pinned to Whipstock

UBHO Hydraulic oil reservoir

(Gyro/steering tool/Slim) (hydraulic set anchors)

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 Whipstock mills - 2
• Window mill
• Bladed convex junk mill
• Completes the window after the
starter mill cut out

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 Whipstock mills - 3
• Watermelon and String mill
• Run in conjunction with other mills to
open up and elongate the window

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 Whipstock mills - 4
• Window milling BHA’s
• Flexible for short window (Short &
Med. radius applications)

• Stiff for longer window (conventional

BHA’s)

Drill pipe/HWDP Watermelon mill Window mill

Drill collar String mill Watermelon mill Window mill

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 Whipstock mills - 5
• Taper mill
• Run with casing scraper before
running whipstock.

• Used to open up and ream tight spots

Drill collar Casing scraper Taper mill

Drill collar String mill Taper mill

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 Smith - 1
• Hydraulic set Anchorstock
• Orient and set in one run

A B C D

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 Smith - 2
• Conventional milling BHA’s follow the
Starter mill run

A B

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 Smith - 3
• Anchorstock can be retrieved after
drilling the branch well

• Packstock has permanent packer

• Also have bottom trip Econostock -
can be retrieved

A B C

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 Smith - 4
• Tri-mill (Two Trip system)
• Window, watermelon & String Mills in
one BHA with no connections

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 Smith - 5
• One trip system
• Run, set and mill window in one trip
• Redefines milling theories
• Tapered window mill
• New concepts in whip design

Full gauge mills Taper mill pinned to whip Hydraulic line

Whip has a two step tapered profile.

After anchor is set and whip sheared off, the taper mill is forced aggressively into the casing over a length
of 1-2 inches. The next 2ft of milling is along a shallow angled portion of the whip followed by another steep
angle to the main whip body. The mills following the taper mill complete the milling and dress the window to
the correct gauge.

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 Baker Whipstocks - 1

Stinging in to the packer with the anchor, whip

and starter mill/running tool .

Orientation adjustable at surface.

Slips to hold in packer ID

Mule shoe
Packer pre-set in casing
Orientation key in packer bore
Slips

Packer sealing element

Slips

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 Baker Whipstocks - 2

Slips activated by plunger

Plunger

Pre-set bridge plug

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 Baker Whipstocks - 3
• Retrieving tools

Hydraulic Lug TypeTM Rolling DogTM overshot

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 Baker Whipstocks - 4
• One-trip system
• Undergauge window mill is pinned to
the whip

• 2nd mill is also undergauge

• 3rd mill opens up window to full size

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 Weatherford- 1
• Bottom trip retrievable
• Conventional milling BHA’s
Exploded internal view of Trip Mechanism
with pins sheared and in set position

Running Tool Shear Pin #2

Shear Pin #3
Slip
Plunger 4-5,000lbs
Plate to shear pins
Whip #1 & #2
Spring

Shear Pin #1
Shear Pin Sleeve
Mechanical Piston

Foot
Body 2 Upper Slips
(Stationary)
Shear Pin #2
1 Lower Slip Bridge Plug
Trip
Mechanism (Moveable)
Shear Pin #1

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 Weatherford- 2
• Retrieving tools:
• Hook - requires orientation
• Die collar as back up
Retrieving
Hook Slot Hook

Die Collar

Whip Face

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 Systems Overview

Features Baker Smith Weatherford

Systems for Permanent ¦ ¦ ¦
Anchors (Same design
as retrievable)
Seal Integrity ¦ ¦ ¦
(with a packer or (Pack-Stock) (with a packer
separate bridge or separate
plug) bridge plug)
Systems for Retrievable ¦ ¦ ¦
Anchors T wo systems: Two systems: Bottom trip.
a) Bottom T rip a) Bottom T rip
b) Whip set i n b) Hydraulic set.
Packer. (Packer
is permanent.)
Seal Integrity X X X
Retrieving method 3 separate tools Box T ap a) Hook
If anchor is b) Box Tap
stuck, whip pulls
off to leave a
fish neck for
overshot.
Milling Systems a) Conventional a) Conventional Conventional
b) One T rip b) Starter/T ri-
Mill
c) One T rip

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 Planning a section - 1
• KOP
• Orientation method
• Cement plug
Milling Side-tracking

E
C

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 Planning a section - 2

Code Description Comment

A Casing Collar Or casing joint.

B Casing length Start cut well below casing collar. In uncemented

strings particularly, there is a danger of backing off
the stub below the collar when making the cut out
with the section mill.

C Outside Casing Casing should be cemented before milling is

attempted. Loose casing, collars, centralizers,
scratchers may pose a problem when milling.

D Section Length 20ft is the minimum for a perfect short radius kick
off. Additional length is recommended for difficult
formations, or if open hole is required for
magnetic orientation.

E MD from A minimum of 5ft should be allowed.

top stub to KOP

F Cement Plug Plug should be as hard or harder than the formaton

for a successful XF motor sidetrack. If a hard cement
sheath is likely to be left after milling,
recommend to run an under-reamer before setting
the kick off plug. If cement is soft a fixed bend (non-
articulated) PowerPak may be used to initiate the
kick off.

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 Planning a window - 1
• KOP
• Rat hole
• Orientation to high side

F
C

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 Planning a window - 2
Code Description Comment

A Top of Whip

B Anchor Normally, slips should not be set at a collar or

joint.

C Collar Normally, avoid setting the whip face across a

collar.

D Opened casing Casing is opened and formation is exposed

above the top of the whip. The length opened
depends on the length of the milling assemblies
used. Confer with supplier.

E Bottom of window After a good milling job, the bottom of the

window is no deeper than the bottom of the
whip. Normally, whip is 6-8ft in length.

F Rat Hole Milling continues until adequate rat hole in good

formation is achieved to allow a sidetrack with
the XF motor. Normally, 10-15ft is
recommended but is dependant on the
conditions. If good formation is not reached, the
kick off may need to be initiated with a fixed
bend (non-articulated) PowerPak. For well
planning purposes, add the whip face angle,
considering the orientation, to the initial well’s
inclination and direction to estimate the values
at the kick off point. Whip face angle will
depend on the manufacturer but is normally in
the range of 2 1/2 - 3°.

G Orientation In deviated wells, milling is better achieved

when the whip face is oriented no more than
40° L or R of high side. When running the XF
motor, initial drilling setting should be no more
than 45° L/R of high side to avoid the risk of an
excessive drop in inclination.

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 Planning a window - 3

• Consider condition of hole outside the

casing

• XF motor requires good formation for

successful kick off
Example: 7" casing set in inclined well
drilled with 8 1/2" Bit.

X B

C
A
X

B
Key:
C
A = Rat Hole
B = Cement in washed out hole
C = 7" Casing set on low side of washed out hole
X = Distance from the casing high side to100%
Formation

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 Planning a window - 4
• Outcome of the well depends on a
successful sidetrack

• Involvement from the planning to the

execution phase

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 Planning a window - 5
• Bad procedures caused two failures
• Two retriveable whipstocks set.
• Top window milled through both 7”
and 9 5/8”

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 Milling with coil - 1
• Requires PDM
• Example using fibrous cement plug

A B C D

20ft minimum
Cement

Time mill
window and
sidetrack
15ft +/-

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 Milling with coil - 2
• BHA for cement ST

Ramp drilling BHA Milling BHA

Ramp was drilled with a 1.15° bend Milling done with a double bend 278M
278M 7:8 Lobe PowerPak with no 7:8 Lobe PowerPak with no
articulation above & VIPER. articulation above & VIPER.

1.0° Bend

1.15° Bend
3.0° Bend

Rock Bit or Speed Mill Custom Speed Mill

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 Milling with coil - 3
• Special diamond speed mill

Concave milling face with

raised central point

Hardfacing for body

protection

Short Gauge
Profile

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 Milling with coil - 4
• Through tubing whipstocks

Running Tool on Coil

7" Casing

4 1/2" Tubing

Slips

Whip Face

Hinge Slips

Slips

A B

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