Whipstock apparatus and method of using the same

Claim 1

A METHOD OF DRILLING AN OIL WELL BORE THAT HAS A FIRST PORTION WHICH EXTENDS TO A DESIRED DEPTH, WITH A SECOND PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID FIRST PORTION AT A DESIRED ANGLE, INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: DRILLING SAID FIRST PORTION OF SAID BORE TO SAID DESIRED DEPTH; DRILLING A FIRST PILOT HOLE OF LESSER TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION, WITH THE CENTER LINE OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE BEING OFFSET FROM THE CENTER LINE OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION, SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE BEING ANGULARLY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST BORE PORTION AT AN ANGLE THAT IS SUBSTANTIALLY THE ANGLE SAID SECOND BORE PORTION WILL HAVE RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST BORE PORTION, WHICH FIRST HOLE ORIGINATES AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DEPTH AS THE BOTTOM OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION; DRILLING A SECOND PILOT HOLE OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION AS THAT OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE, SAID SECOND HOLE ORIGINATING AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE DEPTH OF SAID BOTTOM OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION, WITH THE CENTER LINE OF SAID SECOND PILOT HOLE BEING OFFSET OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CENTER LINE OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE BY A DISTANCE WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE DIAMETER OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE, WITH THE ANGLE OF SAID CENTER LINE OF SAID SECOND PILOT HOLE RELATIVE TO SAID CENTER LINE OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION BEING AT SAID DESIRED ANGLE; LOWERING A HARD ROTATING DRILLING SURFACE WHICH HAS A CYLINDRICAL NON-DRILLING SIDE SURFACE INTO SAID FIRST BORE PORTION UNTIL SAID HARD SURFACE CONTACTS THAT PART OF THE BOTTOM OF SAID FIRST BORE HOLE PORTION WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DRILLED AWAY IN FORMING SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE, SAID DRILLING SURFACE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER IN TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE; APPLYING A DOWNWARD FORCE TO SAID DRILLING SURFACE WHILE CONCURRENTLY ROTATING THE SAME TO CAUSE SAID DRILLING SURFACE TO DRIFT TOWARD AND ENTER THE COMBINED UPPER SECTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PILOT HOLES AND THEREAFTER DRILL DOWNWARDLY AT SAID DESIRED ANGLE, WITH THE ORIENTATION OF SAID DRILLING SURFACE INITIALLY TAKING PLACE AT SAID DESIRED ANGLE WHEN SAID NON-DRILLING SIDE SURFACE OF SAID DRILLING SURFACE IS IN SLIDABLE ROTATING CONTACT WITH THE OUTERMOST INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID SECOND PILOT HOLE AS SAID DRILLING SURFACE MOVES DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID SECOND PILOT HOLE.

Claim 2

A METHOD OF DRILLING AN OIL WELL BORE THAT HAS A FIRST PORTION WHICH EXTENDS TO A DESIRED DEPTH, WITH A SECOND PORTION THEREOF EXTENDING FROM THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID FIRST PORTION AT A DESIRED ANGLE, INCLUDING THE STEPS OF: DRILLING SAID FIRST PORTION OF SAID BORE TO SAID DESIRED DEPTH; DRILLING A FIRST PILOT HOLE OF LESSER TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION, WITH THE CENTER LINE OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE BEING OFFSET FROM THE CENTER LINE OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION, SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE BEING ANGULARLY DISPOSED RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST BORE PORTION AT AN ANGLE THAT IS SUBSTANTIALLY THE ANGLE SAID SECOND BORE PORTION WILL HAVE RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST BORE PORTION, WHICH FIRST HOLE ORIGINATES AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME DEPTH AS THE BOTTOM OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION; DRILLING A SECOND PILOT HOLE OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION AS THAT OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE, SAID SECOND HOLE ORIGINATING AT SUBSTANTIALLY THE DEPTH OF SAID BOTTOM OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION, WITH THE CENTER LINE OF SAID SECOND PILOT HOLE BEING OFFSET OUTWARDLY FROM SAID CENTER LINE OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE BY A DISTANCE WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AS THE DIAMETER OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE, WITH THE ANGLE OF SAID CENTER LINE OF SAID SECOND PILOT HOLE RELATIVE TO SAID CENTER LINE OF SAID FIRST BORE PORTION BEING AT SAID DESIRED ANGLE; LOWERING A HARD ROTATING DRILLING SURFACE WHICH HAS A CYLINDRICAL NON-DRILLING SIDE SURFACE INTO SAID FIRST BORE PORTION UNTIL SAID HARD SURFACE CONTACTS THAT PART OF THE BOTTOM OF SAID FIRST BORE HOLE PORTION WHICH HAS NOT BEEN DRILLED AWAY IN FORMING SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE, SAID DRILLING SURFACE BEING SUBSTANTIALLY GREATER IN TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION THAN THAT OF SAID FIRST PILOT HOLE; APPLYING A DOWNWARD FORCE TO SAID DRILLING SURFACE WHILE CONCURRENTLY ROTATING THE SAME TO CAUSE SAID DRILLING SURFACE TO DRIFT TOWARD AND ENTER THE COMBINED UPPER SECTIONS OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND PILOT HOLES AND THEREAFTER DRILL DOWNWARDLY AT SAID DESIRED ANGLE, WITH THE ORIENTATION OF SAID DRILLING SURFACE INITIALLY TAKING PLACE AT SAID DESIRED ANGLE WHEN SAID NON-DRILLING SIDE SURFACE OF SAID DRILLING SURFACE IS IN SLIDABLE ROTATING CONTACT WITH THE OUTERMOST INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID SECOND PILOT HOLE AS SAID DRILLING SURFACE MOVES DOWNWARDLY THROUGH SAID SECOND PILOT HOLE.

Claim 3

AN APPARATUS FOR USE WITH A VERTICALLY MOVABLE, POWER ROTATED DRILLING STRING IN DRILLING FIRST AND SECOND ANGULARLY DISPOSED, RADIALLY ALIGNED PILOT HOLES DOWNWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF A FIRST BORE HOLE PORTION, INCLUDING: AN ELONGATE WHIPSTOCK BODY HAVING AT LEAST THE LOWER PORTION OF A FIRST FACE THEREOF SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY; TUBULAR MEANS SUPPORTED ON THE UPPER END OF SAID BODY, SAID MEANS HAVING A J-SLOT FORMED THEREIN THAT EXTENDS UPWARDLY FROM THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF AND IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID MEANS; AN ELONGATE DRILL SUB, THE UPPER PORTION AT LEAST OF WHICH IS OF SMALLER TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION THAN THAT OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID TUBULAR MEANS, WITH SAID UPPER PORTION BEING CONNECTED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID STRING; A DRILL BIT MOUNTED ON THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID SUB BELOW SAID TUBULAR MEANS FOR DRILLING SAID PILOT HOLES; RIGID SPACING MEANS ON SAID SUB FOR HOLDING SAID BIT IN DESIRED LATERAL SPACING RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST FACE OF SAID BODY, WITH THE COMBINED TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION OF SAID SUB AND SPACING MEANS BEING GREATER THAN THE INTERIOR TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION OF SAID TUBULAR MEANS TO PREVENT SEPARATION OF SAID SUB FROM SAID TUBULAR MEANS AND BODY BY FORCE OF GRAVITY; FRANGIBLE MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SUB AND SAID WHIPSTOCK BODY FOR HOLDING SAID SUB AND SAID BIT AT A FIXED FIRST POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID WHIPSTOCK BODY WHILE SAID BODY, BIT AND SUB ARE BEING LOWERED TO SAID BOTTOM; A PIN EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SUB AND LOCATED INTERMEDIATE SAID TUBULAR MEANS AND BIT THAT IS CAPABLE OF REMOVABLY ENGAGING SAID SLOT AFTER SAID FRANGIBLE MEANS HAS BEEN BROKEN TO PIVOTALLY SUPPORT SAID TUBULAR MEANS AND WHIPSTOCK BODY, WITH SAID BODY BEING OF SUCH SHAPE AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY THEREOF SO LOCATED THAT SAID BODY PIVOTS BY FORCE OF GRAVITY WHEN SO SUPPORTED ON SAID PIN TO A SECOND POSITION; AND A DEPENDING RIGID EXTENSION ON THE LOWER END OF SAID WHIPSTOCK BODY, SAID EXTENSION HAVING AN UPPER PART THAT IS OF MAXIMUM TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AREA AS THE TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION OF ONE OF SAID PILOT HOLES, WITH SAID FRANGIBLE MEANS BEING BROKEN WHEN SAID EXTENSION FORCIBLY CONTACTS SAID BOTTOM BY DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID DRILL STRING, WHIPSTOCK BODY, SUB AND BIT RELATIVE THERETO, SAID SUB, SPACING MEANS, PIN, BIT AND DRILL STRING THEREAFTER BEING VERTICALLY AND ROTATABLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID WHIPSTOCK BODY.

Claim 4

AN APPARATUS FOR USE WITH A VERTICALLY MOVABLE, POWER ROTATED DRILLING STRING IN DRILLING FIRST AND SECOND ANGULARLY DISPOSED, RADIALLY ALIGNED PILOT HOLES DOWNWARDLY FROM THE BOTTOM OF A FIRST BORE HOLE PORTION, INCLUDING: AN ELONGATE WHIPSTOCK BODY HAVING AT LEAST THE LOWER PORTION OF A FIRST FACE THEREOF SLOPING DOWNWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY; TUBULAR MEANS SUPPORTED ON THE UPPER END OF SAID BODY, SAID MEANS HAVING A J-SLOT FORMED THEREIN THAT EXTENDS UPWARDLY FROM THE LOWER EDGE THEREOF AND IS IN COMMUNICATION WITH THE INTERIOR SURFACE OF SAID MEANS; AN ELONGATE DRILL SUB, THE UPPER PORTION AT LEAST OF WHICH IS OF SMALLER TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION THAN THAT OF THE INTERIOR OF SAID TUBULAR MEANS, WITH SAID UPPER PORTION BEING CONNECTED TO THE LOWER END OF SAID STRING; A DRILL BIT MOUNTED ON THE LOWER EXTREMITY OF SAID SUB BELOW SAID TUBULAR MEANS FOR DRILLING SAID PILOT HOLES; RIGID SPACING MEANS ON SAID SUB FOR HOLDING SAID BIT IN DESIRED LATERAL SPACING RELATIVE TO SAID FIRST FACE OF SAID BODY, WITH THE COMBINED TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION OF SAID SUB AND SPACING MEANS BEING GREATER THAN THE INTERIOR TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION OF SAID TUBULAR MEANS TO PREVENT SEPARATION OF SAID SUB FROM SAID TUBULAR MEANS AND BODY BY FORCE OF GRAVITY; FRANGIBLE MEANS EXTENDING BETWEEN SAID SUB AND SAID WHIPSTOCK BODY FOR HOLDING SAID SUB AND SAID BIT AT A FIXED FIRST POSITION RELATIVE TO SAID WHIPSTOCK BODY WHILE SAID BODY, BIT AND SUB ARE BEING LOWERED TO SAID BOTTOM; A PIN EXTENDING OUTWARDLY FROM SAID SUB AND LOCATED INTERMEDIATE SAID TUBULAR MEANS AND BIT THAT IS CAPABLE OF REMOVABLY ENGAGING SAID SLOT AFTER SAID FRANGIBLE MEANS HAS BEEN BROKEN TO PIVOTALLY SUPPORT SAID TUBULAR MEANS AND WHIPSTOCK BODY, WITH SAID BODY BEING OF SUCH SHAPE AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY THEREOF SO LOCATED THAT SAID BODY PIVOTS BY FORCE OF GRAVITY WHEN SO SUPPORTED ON SAID PIN TO A SECOND POSITION; AND A DEPENDING RIGID EXTENSION ON THE LOWER END OF SAID WHIPSTOCK BODY, SAID EXTENSION HAVING AN UPPER PART THAT IS OF MAXIMUM TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION OF SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME AREA AS THE TRANSVERSE CROSS SECTION OF ONE OF SAID PILOT HOLES, WITH SAID FRANGIBLE MEANS BEING BROKEN WHEN SAID EXTENSION FORCIBLY CONTACTS SAID BOTTOM BY DOWNWARD MOVEMENT OF SAID DRILL STRING, WHIPSTOCK BODY, SUB AND BIT RELATIVE THERETO, SAID SUB, SPACING MEANS, PIN, BIT AND DRILL STRING THEREAFTER BEING VERTICALLY AND ROTATABLY MOVABLE RELATIVE TO SAID WHIPSTOCK BODY.