Patent ID: 9670730
Date: 2017-06-06
CPC Classifications: E21B

Claim:
1. A method of providing mechanical stability around an entrance of a new well path to be formed from an existing well, and into a surrounding formation, the method comprising: (A) disposing and anchoring a plug base below a first longitudinal section where the new well path is to be established in the existing well, wherein the existing well, at least along the first longitudinal section is delineated radially by a casing and an annulus defined between an outside of the casing and the surrounding formation, said annulus having accessible space for receiving a fluidized plugging material along the entire first longitudinal section; (B) inserting said fluidized plugging material into the existing well and out into the annulus along the first longitudinal section and allowing the fluidized plugging material to form a plug of set plugging material which, at least in a portion of the plug, covers substantially the entire cross-section of the existing well, including the annulus between the outside of the casing and the surrounding formation, thereby providing said mechanical stability to the casing externally thereof along the first longitudinal section; (C) after having set the plug in the existing well, removing a portion of the plug in such a manner that at least a cross-sectional section of the set plugging material remains in the annulus on the outside of the casing; (D) disposing and anchoring a direction-guiding element in the existing well, and at least partially within the first longitudinal section; and (E) with the direction-guiding element, guiding a drilling tool against the inside of the casing in the existing well to form a primary hole through the casing, and further through the remaining cross-sectional section of set plugging material within the first longitudinal section, which opens up to formation of the new well path, wherein (B) also comprises: (B1) conducting a perforation tool down into the casing and to the first longitudinal section where the plug is to be set; (B2) with the perforation tool, forming perforation holes in the casing and along the first longitudinal section; and (B5) pumping said fluidized plugging material down through a string and out into the casing, thus also into the annulus outside the casing via the perforation holes in the casing, thereby forming said of set plugging material plug along the first longitudinal section.