US 12,084,970 B2
Directional drilling
Michael Dineen, Galway (IE)
Assigned to Priority Drilling Ltd, Galway (IE)
Filed by Priority Drilling Ltd, Galway (IE)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2023, as Appl. No. 18/355,593.
Application 18/355,593 is a continuation of application No. 16/753,526, granted, now 11,788,358, previously published as PCT/EP2018/077367, filed on Oct. 8, 2018.
Claims priority of application No. 1716427 (GB), filed on Oct. 6, 2017.
Prior Publication US 2023/0358100 A1, Nov. 9, 2023
Int. Cl. E21B 7/06 (2006.01); E21B 23/04 (2006.01); E21B 25/02 (2006.01); E21B 47/024 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 7/061 (2013.01) [E21B 7/067 (2013.01); E21B 23/0411 (2020.05); E21B 25/02 (2013.01); E21B 47/024 (2013.01)] 21 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of directional drilling, the method comprising:
advancing a wedge from a drilling rig to a kick-off point in a parent hole while supporting the wedge distally with respect to a tubular drill string via a longitudinally extending rigid link that extends along a central longitudinal axis through an annular cutting head to connect the wedge to the drill string;
locking the wedge at the kick-off point in the parent hole at a desired azimuth;
breaking the longitudinally extending rigid link to break the connection made by the longitudinally extending rigid link between the drill string and the locked wedge;
after breaking the connection, withdrawing at least part of the longitudinally extending rigid link through the cutting head and out of the parent hole; and
without withdrawing the drill string, advancing the drill string to drill a daughter hole that branches from the parent hole on the azimuth determined by the wedge.