US3397746A - Circulating mill guide - Google Patents

Description

Aug. 20, 1968 c. J. LINK CIRCULATING MILL GUIDE 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Dec. 30, 1965 INVENTOR. CAM/2L5: J LINK ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1968 c. J. LINK CIRCULATING MILL GUIDE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 30, 1965 FIG. 5

INVENTOR. (JAM/e453 J: l/NK 3/ [Woe/v5) Bunz w nU L A United States Patent 3,397,746 CIRCULATING MILL GUIDE Charles J. Link, Long Beach, Calif. Directional Service Co. of Peru, P.O. Box 80, Talara, Peru) Filed Dec. 30, 1965, Ser. No. 517,720 3 Claims. (Cl. 166-117.6)

ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE When a mill guide is positioned in the casing of an oil well it is frequently desirable to circulate vertically through this guide for cementing and other purposes. A tubular structure in my invention is mounted on the mill guide and circulation can be carried on through this tube when necessary.

This invention relates to a circulating mill guide, Whereby a cutter or mill is deflected against the wall of the casing or pipe of a well for the purpose of cutting a hole or window in the casing or pipe.

An object of my invention is to provide a novel circulating mill guide which will hold the cutter or mill in its proper relation to the deflecting tool during the cutting or milling operation, primarily to prevent the cutter or mill from rotating in a circular or spiral direction around the deflecting tool while the cutter is being rotated to cut through the wall of the pipe or casing.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel circulating mill guide wherein the guide member is tubular in form, so that it is possible to circulate or cement through the guide if desired.

Another object of my invention is to provide a novel means of holding the deflecting tool in proper position within the well and within the pipe or casing, so that the circulating guide is substantially permanently positioned within the well.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention may appear from the accompanying drawing, the subjoined detailed description and the appended claims.

In the drawing FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of my circulating mill guide in position in a wall, and illustrating the cutter deflected from the main well casing.

FIGURE 2 is a front elevation of my circulating mill guide.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken on line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a sectional view taken on line 5-5 of FIGURE 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 1 indicates the well pipe or casing which is to be cut by a milling operation, that is, a hole or window 2 is cut in one side of the casing 1 as shown in FIGURE 1. The numeral 3 indicates the liner which is positioned in the lower end of the Well, and the well is normally produced through this liner as is usual and well known in the art.

When it is desired to by-pass the liner 3, or any other tools or equipment that might be in the bottom of the well, a hole or window 2 must be cut in the casing 1, and this hole is usually carefully aligned or positioned either to correct the alignment of the well, or to deflect the well in a particular direction as is usual and well known in the art. To properly align and orient the cutter or mill 4, which is mounted on the dril pipe 5, a deflecting tool 6 is positioned within the pipe or casing 1. This deflecting tool includes a wedge body 7 which is formed with an inclined or cam surface 8. A tubularly shaped spear 9 is "ice mounted on the lower end of the body 7 of the deflecting tool, and this spear is provided with teeth or wickers 10 which are forced into the wall of the liner 3 by the Weight of the tool, and these teeth or wickers thus securely hold the deflecting body 7 in position. Also the deflecting body 7 and the spear 9 are fixedly attached together so that the deflecting body 7 will not move or rotate in the casing 1 once the tool has been set. As an additional means of immovably holding the spear 9 and the deflecting body 7, I provide slips or toothed shoes 11 which are slidably mounted in the wedge shape upper end 12 of the spear 9. The slips 11 are pressed downwardly to engage the casing 1 by the coil spring 13, which engages the spider 14 positioned on top of the slips 11. The spider 14 can move vertically and surrounds the sleeve or collar 15 connecting the spear 9 and the deflecting body 7.

When the mill or cutter 4 is lowered in the well, and when this cutter engages the cam surface 8 and is thus forced against the wall of the casing 1, this cutter will tend to rotate or walk around the wedge body 7, which results in an improper cutting of the casing or aligning of the new hole which might require withdrawing of the equipment and loss of time and effort. To prevent this rotation or spiraling of the mill or cutter 4 around the wedge body 7, I provide a guide 16 which extends substantially parallel to the cam surface 8 and is spaced from that cam surface. The guide 16 may be either solid or tubular as desired, for a purpose to be subsequently described. The guide 16 is attached to the wedge body 7 and in proper relation to the cam surface 8 by a plurality of fingers 17 which are fixedly secured to the wedge body 7 and to the guide 16 as shown. The mill or cutter 4 is tubular and the guide 16 will extend into the cutter or mill 4 and thence upwardly into the pipe 5, as best shown in FIGURE 3. Thus the cutter 4 will be accurately positioned relative to the cam surface 8 and will be held in proper alignment with relation to the wedge body 7 by means of this guide 16. As the mill or cutter 4 progresses downwardly it will cut the fingers 17 successively, and at the same time will cut through the casing 1 to form the window 2. The guide 16 is bent inwardly and extends vertically downward through the wedge body 7, and eventually protrudes through the wedge body 7 and into the spear 9, and thence to the bottom of that spear. The guide 16 thus extends from above the upper edge of the wedge body 7 to the bottom of the spear 9. Thus if the guide 16 is tubular, a flow pipe or passage is provided vertically through the circulating mill guide. If it is necessary to circulate fluid downwardly past the :mill guide 6, the guide 16 can perform that function. Also if it is desired to cement below the spear 9 this can be accomplished by pumping cement through the tubular guide 16 and thence downwardly below the spear 9. It is obvious, however, that the guide 16 may be either a solid rod or a tube, as desired.

The tool is lowered into the well and set by means of a setting tool or sleeve 18, which screws onto the top of the guide 16 with left-hand threads 19. The setting tool is positioned on the usual drill pipe and the assembled tool is thus lowered into the well. When the bottom is reached, the spear 9 is forced into the liner 3 by the weight of the tool, and the drill pipe and the teeth or wickers on the spear will securely engage the liner to hold the circulating mill guide in proper position. Also the slips 11 will automatically be set against the casing 1, thus further holding the parts in their proper position. The setting tool 18 is now removed from the guide 16 and returned to the surface. Thereafter, a cutter or mill 4 is attached to the drill pipe and this cutter then is lowered until it fits onto the upper end of the guide 16, as shown in FIGURE 3. Rotation of the cutter will now cause the window 2 to be cut and the drill pipe 20 is deflected into the new angular hole 21, and in the proper direction as determined by the operator. The parts 22 are usual guides which hold the cutter 4 in proper alignment and are usual and well known in the drilling art, and Will elongate the window 2 as drilling proceeds, and on retrieving the cutter.

In operation The deflecting tool 6 is first lowered into the casing 1 on a setting tool 18 which threads onto the upper end of the guide 16. The deflecting tool 16 is lowered to the proper position in the well and is fixedly positioned by suitable means, such as the spear 19, which is forced under pressure into the liner 3. The teeth of the spear will embed themselves in the liner to hold the deflecting tool in position. Also the slips 11 will be set at the same time and these slips engage the casing 1 to assist in fixedly holding the deflecting tool 6 in its proper position, and to prevent movement or rotation of the tool. If it is necessary to circulate fluid past the deflecting tool 6, or to cement the tool in position, the guide 16 may be tubular thus permitting fluid or cement to be moved downwardly past the deflecting tool.

The setting tool 18 is now removed from the guide 16 by unscrewing the setting tool from the threads 19. The setting tool is returned to the surface, and thereafter a cutter or mill 4 is attached to the drill pipe 20 and is lowered into the casing 1. The cutter or mill 4 is hollow and will pass over the guide 16. The cutter is now rotated and is lowered onto the guide 16, thus properly positioning the cutter with relation to the cam surface 8, thus causing the cutter to be pressed against the side of the casing 1 and will cut a window or hole 2 in the casing. As the cutter 4 is lowered and cuts the proper window 2 in the casing 1, it will also sever the fingers 17 successively until the proper window has been cut in the casing 1. After the window is cut the cutter or mill 4 is removed and the deflecting tool 6 remains in position to act as a guide for the bit, which is subsequently run into the well. At the latter part of the milling or cutting operation of the casing 1 the guide 16 will also be cut off at the cam surface 8, thus permitting subsequent runs of the drilling bit to be accomplished without any interference as far as the deflecting tool 6 is concerned.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. A cutter guide for a well casing mill comprising a wedge body including an inclined surface thereon, means securing the wedge body within a casing of a well, and guide means for said rnill extending substantially the length of the inclined surface and spaced therefrom, and said guide means being tubular in cross-section and the lowermost portion of said guide means extending vertically through the wedge body.

2. A cutter guide for a Well casing =mill comprising a Wedge body including an inclined surface thereon, means securing the wedge body within a casing of a well, and guide means for said mill extending substantially the length of the inclined surface and spaced therefrom, and means fixedly secured to both the guide means and the inclined surface and extending therebetween, said guide means being tubular in cross-section, and the lowermost portion of said guide means extending vertically through the wedge body.

3. A mill guide for the casing of a well comprising a wedge body including an inclined surface thereon, means fixedly securing the wedge body within a casing of a well including a toothed spear depending from said body and engaging a Well structure means within the casing, and slip means mounted below the Wedge body and adjacent said spear, said slip means engaging the casing.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,835,227 12/1931 Lane et al. 166-117.6 2,081,294 5/1937 Eastham 166-1176 X 2,105,722 1/1938 Barrett et al -81 2,145,422 1/ 1939 Kinzbach 166-1176 2,216,963 10/1940 Sinclair 166-117.6 X 2,882,015 4/1959 Beck 166-1176 X 3,095,039 6/1963 Kinzbach 166-1176 DAVID H. BROWN, Primary Examiner.

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