Whipstock   Whipstock and milling tools offers to operators  alternatives to grass roots horizontal wells. The  Whipstock is a quality built tool designed to prepare or "cut a window" in the casing of your existing well bore. It can be utilized in a vertical or high angle hole for sidetracking the original well bore or in preparation for directional or horizontal drilling. The reduction in cost per foot per recoverable barrel of oil has brought a new focus on oil in place reserves. whipstock are designed to cut a window in the casing of the existing well bore. This design allows it to be run in vertical or high angle holes. There are two basic designs or methods for anchoring  The Tail Trip Design  may be set off a bridge-plug, junk, or any other obstruction in the well bore. Due to the design of the slip teeth, once the tail trip mechanism is set, it can neither be lowered nor rotated.  The Packer Style is designed to tie or rotate into all styles of whipstock packers. On the first trip in the hole, both styles of the Whipstock are lowered by way of the starting mill, orientated to your predetermined direction, anchored, and initial milling of the casing window is begun. The completion of the casing window is achieved on subsequent mill runs. By utilizing Tail Trip Whipstock, Packer Type Whipstock and  Carbide Mills, operators are now actively pursuing new opportunities to redefine industry standards for recovery of oil in place. With billions of barrels of oil still in formation throughout thousands of fields, the answer lies in the ability to recover a higher percentage of this oil at an equitable cost per barrel. Not only does the Whipstock provide the means to exit casing for horizontal entry into current producing zones,  can also sidetrack well bore damage, junk in the hole, or other negative well conditions, to re-enter zones with economical reserves still in place. The benefits from a monetary position when able to bypass the cost of the vertical hole as well as the casing cost, are further enhanced by lower outlays of capitol expenditures to cut the "window " itself. The Whipstock Systems and Carbide Mills are designed such that smaller service units are capable of cutting the "window ". For the window cutting operation, tubing can be utilized since lower torque is necessary for milling. Cuttings of casing are circulated to surface at a rate as low as two barrels per minute with water as your fluid medium. With both methods, the whipstock is lowered, anchored, and milling begun with a starting mill. Subsequent mill runs will complete the casing window. Other type include retrievable tail trip style whipstock, especially designed for trouble free retrieval after completion of the directional drilling program. Using this system, allows for Multiple laterals from a single vertical hole after completion of a directional or horizontal drilling program. The Retrievable Whipstock is designed to be retrieved with a standard over shot. Should any difficulties arise in pulling the entire Whipstock, a back up feature will allow the concave to break away from the anchor mechanism. Once the concave section has been retrieved, a standard overshot can be used to retrieve the remaining section of the Whipstock.   Preparation prior to whipstock run: If possible determine casing size, weight, and grade before ordering the tools this assure the correct Whipstock and Mills are ordered. Run casing scraper and clean up the hole.  Logs such as a casing calibration and junk basket should be run prior to setting the bridge plug.  A false bottom is required to activate, or set, the anchor mechanism on the Whipstock. The bridge plug or false bottom " cement plug" should be set or trimmed 5 to 6  feet away from a casing collar and in a full joint of casing. Down hole restrictions or doglegs, which could possibly cause a premature shearing.  It is recommended a drift run be made with a packed milling assembly. This will also verify bridge plug depth, bridge plug integrity, and the pipe tally. This is often left out or done with the scraper before the bridge plug is in place. As with all milling ditch magnets should be use. they are best placed across the outlets of the shakers where the flow is slowest. If possible cover all your shakers. Milling will tear up your pumps   Mill used run ~1 STARTING MILLS The starting mill initially lands and enables the whipstock to be oriented in a predetermined direction. and is attached to the whipstock with a shearing bolt  are specialized milling tools used for orientation of the whipstock as well as landing and setting of the whipstock in a predetermined direction. After shearing the setting stud, the milling operation begins, guided by a tapered pilot, creating the initial cutting of the casing window. The first cut or start is between 24 and 36". RUN 1# BHA. #1 Whipstock - Starting Mill - Orientation Sub - Drill String. The orientation sub may or may not be used. If you are just going in to get around a fish then drop on down the hole a few hundred feet It is both a waste of time and money. but for the this procedure we will go the Full Monty Make up orientation sub to the Starting Mill and orient the keyed sleeve to the face of the Whipstock. Make up orientation sub and Starting Mill to one joint of drill pipe" not HWDP" and attach the Starting Mill on the Whipstock. using shear bolt. Remove the shipping guard from the anchor trip mechanism. and check slips the assembly is now active and any weight put on the trip anchor pin could set the slips Run in the hole nice and slow it is important to remember to keep it smooth. Settle the drill string into the pipe slips don't just drop them in. Any sudden stops or jerks, could  result in a premature shearing of setting bolt, causing the Whipstock to free fall to bottom. A little bit of wisdom here. Any thing free falling six inc. will double in weight Stop 15 ft or so above the  false bottom and rig  up and run your surveying tools lower string to plus or minus 5 ft from bottom. Work pipe to relieve any torque and take readings. Manually rotate drill string to orient the Whipstock face to the desired hole direction. Have directional drillers confirm orientation. Slowly run in last 15 feet of pipe paying close attention to your weight indicator. When the drill string begins to take weight, STOP, and recheck orientation. Pull surveying tool from orientation sub sume 30 ft and re-seat  to double check orientation. If readings are good, pull from orientation sub about 150 ft Set down 1500 - 5000 lbs to shear the roll pin and cap screw on the spring loaded plunger, thus setting the slip on the anchor mechanism. After setting the Slip, set down another 5000 - 30000 lbs and setting bolt . After shearing the setting bolt, pick up 1 or 2  ft then set 30000 lbs on Whipstock again. Pick up 3 ft and manually rotate the drill to insure the setting bolt has sheared and the Starting Mill is free from the Whipstock. Pull  out of hole with the surveying tools.  Install kelly or power swivel. On this run you will need to make plus or minus 27 inc. of hole. Remember you are milling the side of the casing and your guide is swaged shaped to much weight will jam the starter mill so work of the torque indicator. As with all milling torque indicate work being done by the mill so expect to see it. The mill cannot go outside the casing as the guide on the bottom is still inside only the cutting edge will be out. the mill will bottom out. This is indicated by the torque dropping off. and the mill skidding. The hole should now be circulate clean and trip out of the hole. Inspect the bottom hole assembly for any signs of unusual wear. Mills used run~2 Window Mill: The Window Mill has been designed to mill the window as fast and safe as possible. The design of the mill will grind the casing like a fine metal powder instead of metal shavings or chips. With the round nose and radial ground design of the window mill, it is virtually impossible to mill up the whipstock or a flat bottom mill can be used. However if using a flat bottom mill there is a danger of the mill centering that is the mill hanging part way out of the casing. This is easy overcome providing you keep the mill moving by jacking it off slightly. I prefer the flat bottom mill as it can be used with the Watermelon mill on the second run  Watermelon Mill: The design of the watermelon mill enables milling in both directions. The Watermelon Mill was made to run in tandem with other mills designed and dressed in such a way that it can mill up or down. The watermelon mill is also designed to grind up casing into a fine metal powder instead of metal shavings. Once out of the casing this can be used to ream out the window String Mill: The string mill is utilized in the string in the same as a string reamer. It is also used in conjunction with the watermelon mill to elongate the window on the final stage of the milling operation. It can also be used as a near bit stabilizer and is dressed with tungsten carbide to grind up casing. . B.H.A. #2 Window Mill - Watermelon Mill - Bit Sub - Drill Pipe - Drill Collars or Hwdp- Drill String. Pick up drill collars or heavy weight and one joint of drill pipe. Make up the Bit Sub, Watermelon Mill and Window Mill. Run in the hole with the  milling assembly stopping short of the top of the Whipstock. One joint  Make up kelly or Power sub.  With pumps on, rotate slowly paying attention to both the rotary torque and weight indicator  Slowly lower the drill string until you begin picking up torque. don't run into the top of the whipstock. Continue milling procedures throughout the length of the Whipstock face. remember the starter mill never went outside the window. and if you don't pay attention to what is going on now,  you could end up centering the window mill or hanging on the casing ledge. Often a mill will not look to be making much ground and it wont if you just sit on it. Waiting  for it to mill off.  The trick to milling is,  use as little weight as possible but keep the mill moving down hole and as lower pump pressure as you can get away with. just enough to stop the mill getting  hot. don't wait for it to mill off slack off every 1 or 2  minutes slack off just enough to see the needle flicker try not to add weight. and remember you are working with the torque. Once off the face of the whipstock, and out side the casing continue drilling until there is 6 to 10 feet of open hole made. or hole enough to pass the water melon out Ream  a few of passes throughout the entire length of the Whipstock face checking for any tight spots. at the same time bring the pump up. Pull back  above the top of the whipstock and make a couple of runs "without rotating" through the entire length of the whipstock face checking for tight spots. Circulate hole clean using a hi-viscose pill  making sure the mill is on bottom as the pill leaves the mill and pull out of the hole. Gage Window Mill to insure a full gage hole has been milled. From here on out you should be making new hole. But don't forget when pulling back you have a steel window to get back in people have been known to get stuck or hung up by coming in to fast?. .Notes The drawings on this page were sent to me as an animated drawing. I do not know from who. I broke the drawing up and use section for the page. However I would like to give the person that did them the credit. Should you know the person. please have them contact me.