Patent ID: 8770316

Claim:
Apparatus for jet forming a plurality of lateral passages extending from a casing lined wellbore into the surrounding formation, comprising: an indexing mechanism defining an anchor body and having casing anchor devices being secured at a desired location and selected rotational azimuth orientation within a well casing and defining a first indexing profile having upwardly facing angulated indexing surfaces defining a plurality of rotational indexing positions, said indexing mechanism having a seat orienting body supporting said first indexing profile and defining a stinger receptacle; a casing cutting mechanism having a tubular conveyance body and a deflector shoe mounted to said tubular conveyance body and defining a second indexing profile having a plurality of downwardly facing angulated indexing profile surfaces being positionable in selectively rotationally indexed and non-rotatable relation with said first indexing profile when said casing cutting mechanism is moved into seated relation with said first indexing profile; a stinger member projecting downwardly from said casing cutting mechanism and guiding said casing cutting mechanism into oriented non-rotatable relation with said first indexing profile and engaging within said stinger receptacle; a deflector shoe being mounted to said tubular conveyance body, said deflector shoe defining a shaft guide passage and a laterally oriented shaft guide passage exit opening and support and orienting said second indexing profile for indexing engagement with said first indexing profile; an internal drive member being supported within said tubular conveyance body and having a rotary motor and a motor operated pump; a flexible drive shaft being rotated by said rotary motor and being located within said shaft guide passage for rotary and linear movement; coiled tubing extending from the surface through the well casing and having fluid supplying and conveying connection with said internal drive member and supplying fluid to said motor operated pump; a cutter device being mounted to said flexible drive shaft and cutting an opening in the well casing upon motor operated rotation of said flexible drive shaft and lateral advancing movement of said flexible drive shaft and cutter device from said deflector shoe; and a latch mechanism having a first latch component within said tubular conveyance body and a second latch component mounted to said internal drive member, said latch mechanism being hydraulically actuatable to release said second latch component from said first latch component and permit said linear movement of said internal drive member within tubular conveyance body, said latch mechanism being hydraulically actuated to a latched condition permitting retrieval of said casing cutting mechanism from the well casing.