Abstract:
A diverting tool includes a ramp repositionable from a first position to a second position, a biasing member in operable communication with the ramp biasing the ramp toward the second position, and a tubular in operable communication with the ramp and the biasing member. The tubular prevents repositioning of the ramp when longitudinally overlapping with the ramp and allows repositioning of the ramp when not longitudinally overlapping with the ramp.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     Industries involving tubular systems such as the downhole completion industry, for example, sometimes have a need to run a tubular, such as a drillstring, within a main tubular, such as a borehole. Such systems sometimes have offshoots from the main tubular often referred to as laterals. At times, operators of these systems have a need to run into one or more of the laterals. Typical systems and methods to do such an operation require the tubular to be fully withdrawn from the main before running back into one of the laterals. Having to withdraw the tubular from the main before running it into a lateral causes an operator to incur economic penalties associated with added labor and lost time. Methods and systems that lessen such economic penalties are always well received by system operators. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION 
     Disclosed herein is a diverting tool. The diverting tool includes, a ramp repositionable from a first position to a second position, a biasing member in operable communication with the ramp biasing the ramp toward the second position, and a tubular in operable communication with the ramp and the biasing member. The tubular prevents repositioning of the ramp when longitudinally overlapping with the ramp and allows repositioning of the ramp when not longitudinally overlapping with the ramp. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The following descriptions should not be considered limiting in any way. With reference to the accompanying drawings, like elements are numbered alike: 
         FIGS. 1A-1C  depict a partial cross sectional view of a diverting system disclosed herein with the first tubular removed; 
         FIGS. 2A-2B  depict a similar partial cross sectional view to that of  FIGS. 1A-1C  with the first tubular shown; 
         FIG. 3A  depicts a magnified partial cross sectional view of an engaged collet of the diverting system of  FIGS. 1A-1C ; 
         FIG. 3B  depicts a magnified partial cross sectional view of radially expanded collect fingers of the diverting system of  FIGS. 1A-1C ; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a partial cross sectional view of a collet engaged with a first profile of the first tubular; 
         FIG. 5  depicts a partial cross sectional view of the collet of  FIG. 4  engaged with a second profile of the first tubular; 
         FIG. 6  depicts a partial cross sectional view of a diverter tool portion of the diverting system of  FIGS. 1A-1C ; and 
         FIG. 7  depicts a partial cross sectional perspective view of an end of a biasing member of the diverter tool portion illustrated in  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     A detailed description of one or more embodiments of the disclosed apparatus and method are presented herein by way of exemplification and not limitation with reference to the Figures. 
     Embodiments of a diverting system disclosed herein allow a first tubular to run fully within a main of a second tubular and subsequently to run the first tubular into a plurality of lateral tubulars extending from the second tubular without having to withdraw the first tubular from the second tubular prior to doing so. In a downhole operation, for example, an operator could run a drillstring down a main wellbore past any number of laterals extending from the main wellbore. The operator could then sequentially run the drillstring into each of the laterals in succession starting with the lowest lateral and ending with the highest lateral, all during a single run of the drillstring. Optionally, the operator could choose to skip running the drillstring into any one or more of the laterals during the process. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1A-1C  and  2 A- 2 B, an embodiment of a diverting system is illustrated generally at  10 . The embodiment of the diverting system  10  illustrated herein is deployed in a downhole application. The diverting system  10  includes a first tubular  14  (not shown in  FIGS. 1A-1C  to improve visual clarity of other components), shown as a drillstring, and a second tubular  18 , shown as a main wellbore, having at least one lateral  22 , shown as a lateral wellbore, extending from the second tubular  18 . The second tubular  18  and the lateral(s)  22  are receptive to the first tubular  14  running therein. An engaging device  26  mounted at the first tubular  14  is selectively attached to the first tubular  14  and is slidable within the second tubular  18 . A diverting tool  30 , fixedly attached to the engaging device  26 , is configured to selectively divert the first tubular  14  into one of the second tubular  18  and the lateral(s)  22  based on a selected sequence. The first tubular  14  maintains a ramp  28  of the diverting tool  30  in a non-diverting orientation until a sequence of events that will be discussed below are completed. 
     The diverting system  10  is configured such that the first tubular  14 , as well as the engaging device  26  and the diverting tool  30  attached near an end  34  thereof, bypass all of the laterals  22  and continue running within the second main tubular  18  during the initial run in. A profile  38 , defined by annular recesses  42 A,  42 B formed in an inner wall  46  of the second tubular  18  is positioned, in this embodiment, a fixed dimension above each junction  50 , defined as the intersection of the second tubular  18  and each of the lateral(s)  22 . Each time the engaging device  26  passes one of the profiles  38  in a downward direction, fingers  54  of a first collet  58  temporarily engage with a land  62  defined between the recesses  42 A and  42 B. This engagement moves the first collet  58  relative to the engaging device  26  compressing biasing members  66 , shown herein as springs, in the process thereby allowing the fingers  54  to compress radially inwardly into window  70  in a body  74  of the engaging device  26 . Once the fingers  54  have passed by the land  62  the biasing member  66  return the fingers  54  to their original positions. A force required to compress the biasing members  66  as the fingers  54  pass the land  62  can be detected by an operator feeding the first tubular  14  into the second tubular  18  thereby providing feedback as to dimensions from a surface, for example, to where each of the junctions  50  are located. 
     After all of the junctions  50  have been passed, and the first tubular  14  has been used to perform any desired functions in the second tubular  18  beyond the lowest lateral  22 , withdrawal of the first tubular  14  can begin. Operator detection is again possible as the fingers  54  again engage the land  62 , this time in the opposite direction of travel to that of the first time the fingers  54  engaged with the land  62 . The biasing members  66  again allow the first collet  58  to move relative to the engaging device  26 , this time in the opposite direction, to allow the fingers  54  to radially compress into windows  78  in the body  74 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the fingers  54  have a back rake angle  82  that engage with a matching back rake angle  86  that cause the fingers  54  to remain engaged with the windows  78  even after the fingers  54  have passed the land  62 . This permits the fingers  54  to pull sleeves  90  in an upward direction relative to collet fingers  94  that are attached to the engaging device  26  via urging by the biasing members  66 . This relative movement between the sleeves  90  and the collect fingers  94  cause the collet fingers  94  to move radially outwardly in response to guides  98  on the collet fingers  94  riding within ramped surfaces  102  of the sleeves  90 . With the collet fingers  94  being biased radially outwardly protrusions  106  on the collet fingers  94  are able to engage with the profile  38 . 
     Surfaces  110  that define longitudinal ends of the protrusions  106  and surfaces  114  that define longitudinal ends of the profile  38  are angled to allow the protrusions  106  to ramp out to allow engagement with the profile  38  when protrusions  106  are moved in an upward direction, as illustrated herein, relative to the profile  38  but to longitudinally lock when moved in the opposing direction. The momentary engagement of the protrusions  106  with the profile  38  in the upward direction allows an operator to detect when such engagement and release occurs. Additionally, the engaging device  26  and the first tubular  14 , when the two are locked together as will be discussed below, can be supported by the engagement of the protrusions  106  with the profile  38  in the downward direction, thereby providing additional confirmation of location of the junction  50 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the movement of the fingers  54  relative to the body  74  discussed above also causes collar  118  to move relative to the body  74 . This movement removes the radial outward support provided by the collar  118  to collet  122  as illustrated in  FIG. 1A . The collar  118  is illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5  in the moved position where it is unsupportive of the collet  122 . The collet  122  is engagable with details or profiles  126 ,  128  on the outside of the first tubular  14 . The profile  126  is illustrated in  FIG. 4  and the profile  128  is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . An upward facing surface  132  on the profile  126  is angled to cause the collet  122  to flex radially outwardly when urged thereagainst to allow the first tubular  14  to move upwardly relative to the engaging device  26 . In contrast, an upward facing surface  136  on the profile  128  has a back rake angle designed to prevent the collet  122  from flexing radially outwardly in response to being urged thereagainst, thereby preventing upward movement of the first tubular  14  relative to the engaging device  26 . The foregoing structure permits an operator to detect when the profile  126  has disengaged from the collet  122  and when the profile  128  has engaged with the collet  122 . It should further be noted that the profile  128  is configured to permit disengagement with the collet  122  and movement of the first tubular  14  in a downhole direction relative to the collet  122 . Additionally, the profile  128  is positioned along the first tubular  14  nearer to the end  34  than the profile  126  as is illustrated in  FIGS. 2B and 2A  respectively. Further, forces needed to engage the collet  122  with the profile  126  are less than the forces needed to disengage protrusions  106  from the profile  38 . Likewise the force required to disengage protrusions  106  from the profile  38  is less than the forces needed to engage the profile  126  with the collet  122 . These relationships are needed to assure that the first tubular  14  can be made to move relative to the engaging device  26  and one-trip access to each lateral  22  can be achieved. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , a distance from the profile  128  to the end  34  is selected to assure that when the profile  128  is engaged with the collet  122  the end  34  is above the diverting tool  30  and more specifically above the ramp  28 . Until this occurs the first tubular  14  has held the ramp  28  compressed against a body  138  of the diverting tool  30 . A biasing member  140 , illustrated herein as a bow spring, urges the ramp  28  to rotate in a counterclockwise direction, as shown in these figures, about a pivot  144 . Contact between a lower end of the ramp  28  and the opposing wall of the body  138  limits this rotation. The ramp  28 , when repositioned as shown in  FIG. 6 , is configured to divert the end  34  of the first tubular  14  through a window  148  in the body  138 , and a window  150  in the second tubular  18  that define an entry into the lateral  22 . 
     The biasing member  140  has a fixed end  152  and a movable end  156 . As the biasing member  140  rotates the ramp  28  it bows thereby drawing the movable end  156  toward the fixed end  152 . Teeth  160  often referred to as wickers, on the movable end  156  are engagable with complementary teeth  164 , or wickers, on the body  138  that function as a ratcheting mechanism that only permits the movable end  156  to move in one direction. This ratcheting mechanism maintains the biasing member  140  in the bowed position and the ramp  28  in the fully rotated position to thereby divert the first tubular  14  through the window  148  whenever it is subsequently run thereagainst. 
     After the first tubular  14  has been run into the lateral  22  and completed any desired functions while therein, it can be withdrawn from the lateral  22 . Withdrawal of the first tubular  14  continues until the profile  128  engages again with the collet  122  at which point continued upward movement of the first tubular  14  causes the engaging device  26 , and the diverting tool  30  connected thereto, to move therewith relative to the second tubular  18 . This movement continues until the operator detects that the collet fingers  94  have engaged with another of the profiles  38 , thereby indicating that the engaging device  26  is located at another junction  50 . Reversing direction of motion of the first tubular  14  to a downward direction then allows the engaging device  26  to become supported by the profile  38  via engagement therewith by the collet fingers  94 . At such time relative movement between the first tubular  14  and the engaging device  26  begins again, resulting in the end  34  of the first tubular  14  encountering the ramp  28  and running into the newly encountered lateral  22 . 
     The foregoing sequence can continue until the first tubular  14  has been run into each of the laterals  22 . It should be noted that not all of the laterals  22  must be penetrated by the first tubular  14 . In fact, any and even all of the laterals  22  could be skipped if desired. To do so an operator can simply continue to lift the engaging device  26  after detecting that the collet fingers  94  have engaged with one of the profiles  38 . The lifting can continue until the collet fingers  94  engage with another of the profiles  38 . However, once the collet fingers  94  have engaged a new one of the profiles  38  their engagement therewith prevents moving the engaging device  26  back down to a previously skipped or entered one of the laterals  22 . 
     While the invention has been described with reference to an exemplary embodiment or embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiment disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this invention, but that the invention will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the claims. Also, in the drawings and the description, there have been disclosed exemplary embodiments of the invention and, although specific terms may have been employed, they are unless otherwise stated used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention therefore not being so limited. Moreover, the use of the terms first, second, etc. do not denote any order or importance, but rather the terms first, second, etc. are used to distinguish one element from another. Furthermore, the use of the terms a, an, etc. do not denote a limitation of quantity, but rather denote the presence of at least one of the referenced item.