Apparatus and method for lateral well drilling

Abstract

An apparatus and method for penetrating earth strata surrounding a wellbore including a nozzle assembly, a flexible tubing connected to the nozzle assembly, and a means to position the nozzle assembly downhole in a substantially horizontal direction into earthen strata, such that the nozzle assembly is connected to one end of the flexible tubing. Embodiments can provide horizontal jetting into the earth's strata from both cased and uncased wells utilizing a rotating, swirling, pulsing or cavitating nozzles which can keep a relatively cuttings free downhole environment.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for cutting into an earthen formation, comprising:
 a nozzle assembly having a main body that substantially circumscribes a rotatable shaft to which is attached a nozzle head;   wherein one end of the nozzle assembly is connected to one end of a flexible tubing and the other end of the flexible tubing is coupled to a pumping unit capable of pumping gases, foams, fluids, or a combination thereof through the flexible tubing and out the nozzle assembly; and   a means to position the nozzle assembly into earthen strata in a substantially horizontal direction;   wherein a fluid bearing positioned between the nozzle body and the rotatable shaft is created in the presence of flow through the nozzle assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable shaft is in fluid communication with the flexible tubing so as to allow the flexible tubing to be in fluid communication with the attached nozzle head. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein a portion of the rotatable shaft extends out of the main body and is attached to the nozzle head. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rotatable shaft is in the form of a cone and has a hole through the center along its longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle head comprises at least two orifices. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein at least one orifice is skewed with respect to the axis of rotation of the nozzle head so as to provide a rotational impetus to the nozzle head in the presence of flow of the gas, fluid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least a partial flow of the gas, fluid, or a combination thereof, can be through at least one space on the main body other than out the at least two orifices on the nozzle head. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein at least a partial flow of the gas, fluid, or a combination thereof, is out of a space between the rotatable shaft and a forward portion of the main body. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle assembly comprises a hood that substantially circumscribes the nozzle head and which connects to the main body. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein at least a portion of the hood comprises perforations, grooves, or slots or combinations thereof which allow flow from the fore to the aft side of said hood. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the hood has a larger diameter than the main body and the flexible tubing. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a flexible tubing containment apparatus capable of receiving the flexible tubing and restricting its radial movement of at least a portion of the flexible tubing between the nozzle assembly and the pumping unit. 
     
     
         13 . A whipstock apparatus comprising:
 an ultra-short radius guide channel capable of positioning earth cutting tools at a substantially horizontal direction in a wellbore; and   wherein the whipstock has one or more flow pathways that traverse the longitudinal length of the whipstock and which open below the whipstock thereby allowing gases, fluids or combination thereof to be pumped through said pathways so as to circulate out debris present in the wellbore.   
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , further comprising a second tubing string running to the surface and in fluid communications with the one or more flow pathways, thereby allowing gas, foams, fluids or combinations thereof to be pumped from the surface, down the tubing, through the one or more flow pathways and back to the surface so as to remove cutting debris generated by the lateral forming process. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 1  used in conjunction with the whiptsock of  claim 13 . 
     
     
         17 . A method for penetrating earth strata surrounding a wellbore comprising:
 inserting a downhole tool into a wellbore, the downhole tool comprising: a nozzle assembly having a main body, rotatable shaft and attached rotatable nozzle head; a flexible tubing connected to the nozzle assembly; a means to position the nozzle assembly into earthen strata in a substantially horizontal direction; and wherein the nozzle assembly is connected to one end of the flexible tubing and the opposing end of the flexible tubing is coupled to a pumping unit capable of pumping gases, foams, fluids, or a combination thereof through the flexible tubing, through the rotatable shaft and out the rotatable nozzle head;   guiding the downhole tool toward earthen strata in a substantially horizontal direction so that the nozzle head faces at least a portion of earth strata surrounding the wellbore;   ejecting gas, foam, fluid, or a combination thereof from the rotatable nozzle head into the earth strata; and
 creating a lateral borehole into the earth strata. 
   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising a second tubing string other than the flexible tubing, the second tubing capable of circulating gases, foams, fluids, or a combination thereof within a wellbore to remove cuttings and/or debris from the wellbore, wherein said circulation can be performed during one or more of: prior to creating the lateral borehole; periodically during creating the lateral borehole; continuously while creating the lateral borehole; or subsequent to creating the lateral borehole into the earth strata. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein a fluid bearing is created within the main body of the nozzle assembly in the presence of flow of the gas, fluid, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         20 . A method for penetrating earth strata surrounding a wellbore comprising:
 inserting a downhole tool into a wellbore, the downhole tool comprising: a nozzle assembly; a flexible tubing connected to the nozzle assembly; a whipstock to position the nozzle assembly into earthen strata in a substantially horizontal direction; and wherein the nozzle assembly is connected to one end of the flexible tubing and the opposing end of the flexible tubing is coupled to a pumping unit capable of pumping gas, fluid, or a combination thereof through the flexible tubing to the nozzle head;   guiding the downhole tool toward earthen strata in a substantially horizontal direction so that the nozzle head faces at least a portion of earth strata surrounding the wellbore;   ejecting gas, fluid, or a combination thereof into the earth strata from the nozzle head in a spiral or circular pattern or from a nozzle head designed to produce cavitation;   creating a lateral borehole into the earth strata; and   circulating a portion of the gas, fluid, or a combination thereof below the whipstock to remove debris from the wellbore.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the circulating of a portion of the gas, fluid, or a combination thereof can be performed during one or more of: prior to creating the lateral borehole into the earth strata; periodically during creating the lateral borehole; continuously while creating the lateral borehole into the earth strata; or subsequent to creating the lateral borehole into the earth strata. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the circulating of a portion of the gas, fluid, or a combination thereof is performed while the nozzle assembly is located in the wellbore, in the whipstock used to position the downhole tool in the substantially horizontal direction in the lateral borehole. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein the circulating of a portion of the gas, fluid, or a combination thereof is performed utilizing a second tubing string other than the flexible tubing. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 20 , further comprising a flexible tubing containment apparatus capable of restricting radial movement of at least a portion of the flexible tubing between the nozzle assembly and the pumping unit.