DIVERTER AND METHOD FOR RUNNING A DIVERTER

• Main Authors: WALTER, JEFFREY S, GANO, JOHN C, JONES, DESMOND
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 27.02.1996
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: BLASTING; EARTH DRILLING; EARTH DRILLING, e.g. DEEP DRILLING; ENGINEERING ELEMENTS AND UNITS; FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS; GENERAL MEASURES FOR PRODUCING AND MAINTAINING EFFECTIVEFUNCTIONING OF MACHINES OR INSTALLATIONS; HEATING; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; LIGHTING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; MINING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR ASLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS; PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL; WEAPONS

A diverter for a subterranean well, a diverter retrieving tool and methods of diverting objects traversing the well and retrieving the diverter. The diverter comprises: (1) a body having a lower portion adapted to be coupled to a diverter anchoring structure and an upper portion having a slanted diverting surface, the diverter adapted to be placed within a main borehole of the subterranean well at a predetermined location and orientation proximate a junction of a lateral borehole with the main borehole, the slanted diverting surface adapted to redirect an object having a particular diameter and coming into contact with the diverter into the lateral borehole and (2) a compliant spring member associated with the slanted diverter surface. The spring member is resiliently retractable toward the slanted diverter surface to allow the object to traverse the junction and enter the lateral borehole, the diverter therefore dynamically adjustable to compensate for an insufficient minimum diameter of a selectable one of the main borehole, junction and lateral borehole. The diverter is configured to receive a flexible finger of the retrieving tool into a central longitudinal shaft therein to engage and retrieve the diverter without having to orient the retrieving tool.