Method of intersecting a first well bore by a second well bore

Abstract

In some general aspects, methods for intersecting a first, cased well bore include drilling a second well bore that has a distal end proximal to the first, cased well bore to be intersected, disposing a mill guiding device in the second well bore near a casing of the first, cased well bore, the mill guiding device being configured to direct a mill of a milling assembly away from a central axis of the second well bore and towards the first, cased well bore, inserting the milling assembly into the second well bore, operating the mill of the mill assembly and guiding the milling assembly along the mill guide and into the casing of the first well bore, and removing material from the casing of the first well bore until the first, cased well bore and the second well bore are fluidly connected.

1 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method for intersecting a first, cased well bore, the method comprising:
 forming a second well bore that extends to a region of the first, cased well bore to be intersected;   inserting a laser tool assembly into the second well bore and aligning the laser tool assembly with the region of the first, cased well bored to be obstructed;   operating the laser tool assembly and forming an opening in a casing of the first, cased well bore; and   removing material from the casing until the first, cased well bore and the second well bore are fluidly connected.   
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , further comprising removing the laser tool assembly from the second well bore. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 31 , further comprising inserting a plugging material into the first, cased well bore from the second well bore to form an obstruction. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the plugging material is cement. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 33 , wherein the obstruction limits an amount of fluid that can pass through the first, cased well bore. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , wherein the fluid is a gas. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein the laser tool assembly comprises a laser perforator having a laser beam generator that generates a laser beam, and a focusing array through which the laser beam passes. 
     
     
         38 .- 56 . (canceled) 
     
     
         57 . A system for intersecting a first, cased well bore, the system comprising:
 a drilling assembly that is configured to drill a second well bore having a distal end proximal to the first, cased well bore, the drilling assembly comprising:
 a drill string; and 
 a drill bit disposed at an end of the drill string; 
   a laser tool assembly comprising:
 a laser perforator that is configured to emit a laser cutting beam that can penetrate a casing wall of the first, cased well bore and form an opening between the first, cased well bored and the second well bore. 
   
     
     
         58 . The system of  claim 57 , further comprising a plugging material delivery device that is configured to deliver a plugging material into the first, cased well bore. 
     
     
         59 . The system of  claim 58 , wherein the plugging material is cement. 
     
     
         60 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein the laser tool assembly further comprises a first, cased well bore detector. 
     
     
         61 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein the first, cased well bore detector comprises an ultrasonic tool that is configured to detect noise from fluid flow within the first, cased well bore. 
     
     
         62 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein the laser perforator comprises a laser beam generator that generates the laser beam, and the laser tool assembly comprises a focusing array through which the laser cutting beam passes. 
     
     
         63 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein the laser tool assembly further comprises a laser alignment device that is configured to detect the orientation of the laser perforator relative to the casing wall. 
     
     
         64 . The system of  claim 63 , wherein the laser alignment device comprises a metal detector. 
     
     
         65 . The system of  claim 64 , wherein the metal detector comprises a magnetic sensor. 
     
     
         66 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein a portion of the second well bore, wherein the laser tool assembly will be positioned for emitting a laser cutting beam, is substantially parallel to the first, cased well bore.