# US 12,006,796 B2 · Pressure indication alignment using an orientation port and two radial orientation slots > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,006,796 B2 - Document ID: US12006796B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/855,304 - Filed: 2022-06-30 - Published: 2023-01-05 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2021-07-02 - Assignees: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Applicants: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc. - Inventors: David Joe Steele - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12006796B2 ## CPC - E21B 41/0035: {Apparatus or methods for multilateral well technology, e.g. for the completion of or workover on wells with one or more lateral branches} - E21B 47/024: of devices in the borehole (determining slope or direction of the borehole E21B47/022) - E21B 47/06: Measuring temperature or pressure - E21B 47/095: by detecting an acoustic anomalies, e.g. using mud-pressure pulses - E21B: EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS ## Abstract Provided is an inner string, an outer string, and a well system. The outer string, in one aspect, includes an outer tubular configured to extend at least partially around an inner tubular, the outer tubular including a seal surface. The outer string, according to one aspect, further includes two radial orientation slots located along an inside surface of the outer tubular, the two radial orientation slots offset from one another by a distance (d1), the two radial orientation slots configured to align with an orientation port in the inner tubular that it is configured to engage with to provide two pressure readings indicative of a relative location of the inner tubular to the outer tubular. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An inner string, comprising: an inner tubular configured to extend at least partially within a seal surface of an outer tubular, the inner tubular including a sidewall having a thickness (t1); an orientation port extending entirely through the sidewall to provide fluid access from an interior of the inner tubular to an exterior of the inner tubular, the orientation port configured to align with two radial orientation slots in the outer tubular that it is configured to engage with to provide two pressure readings indicative of a relative location of the inner tubular to the outer tubular; and a completion window coupled to the inner tubular, the completion window including a window opening configured to align with a lateral wellbore opening. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The inner string as recited in claim 1, further including one or more orientation seals located along the exterior of the inner tubular and surrounding the orientation port. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The inner string as recited in claim 2, wherein the one or more orientation seals is a single orientation seal located along the exterior of the inner tubular and surrounding all sides of the orientation port. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The inner string as recited in claim 1, wherein the orientation port is a polygon shaped orientation port. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The inner string as recited in claim 1, further including an alignment key extending radially outward from the inner tubular. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The inner string as recited in claim 5, further including one or more production seals located along the exterior of the inner tubular, the one or more production seals positioned between the orientation port and the alignment key. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The inner string as recited in claim 5, further including a latch mechanism extending radially outward from the inner tubular. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The inner string as recited in claim 5, wherein the inner tubular is a collection of separate tubulars coupled together. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The inner string as recited in claim 1, wherein a radial centerpoint (CPop) of the orientation port is radially aligned with a radial centerpoint (CPwo) of the window opening. ### Claim 10 An outer string, comprising: an outer tubular configured to extend at least partially around an inner tubular, the outer tubular including a seal surface; and two radial orientation slots located along an inside surface of the outer tubular, the two radial orientation slots axially offset from one another by a distance (d1), the two radial orientation slots configured to align with an orientation port in the inner tubular that it is configured to engage with to provide two pressure readings indicative of a relative location of the inner tubular to the outer tubular. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The outer string as recited in claim 10, wherein a first of the two radial orientation slots has a first width (w1) and a second of the two radial orientation slots has a second width (w2), the first radial orientation slot being uphole of the second radial orientation slot, and further wherein the second width (w2) is greater than the first width (w1). ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The outer string as recited in claim 11, wherein the second width (w2) is at least 3 times the first width (w1). ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The outer string as recited in claim 11, wherein the distance (d1) is at least 4 times the second width (w2). ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The outer string as recited in claim 11, further including a third, fourth and fifth radial orientation slots located along the inside surface of the outer tubular, the third radial orientation slot having a width (w3) and offset from the fourth radial orientation slot by a distance (d2), the fourth radial orientation slot offset having a width (w4) and offset from the fifth radial orientation slot by a distance (d3), and the fifth radial orientation slot having a width (w5), the third and fourth radial orientation slots being uphole of the fifth radial orientation slot, and further wherein the fifth width (w5) is greater than the fourth width (w4) which is greater than the third width (w3). ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The outer string as recited in claim 14, wherein the third, fourth and fifth radial orientation slots each extend less than 360 degrees around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The outer string as recited in claim 15, wherein the third, fourth and fifth radial orientation slots each extend 90 degrees or less around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The outer string as recited in claim 15, wherein the third, fourth and fifth radial orientation slots are radially offset from one another. ### Claim 18 (depends on 11) The outer string as recited in claim 11, wherein the first and second radial orientation slots each extend less than 360 degrees around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The outer string as recited in claim 18, wherein the wherein the first and second radial orientation slots each extend 90 degrees or less around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The outer string as recited in claim 18, further including a longitudinal orientation slot located along the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The outer string as recited in claim 20, further including a first tail section coupling the first radial orientation slot and the longitudinal orientation slot and a second tail section coupling the second radial orientation slot and the longitudinal orientation slot. ### Claim 22 (depends on 10) The outer string as recited in claim 10, wherein the first and second radial orientation slots each extend 360 degrees around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 23 A well system, comprising: a wellbore extending through a subterranean formation; and a pressure indication alignment system positioned within the wellbore, the pressure indication alignment system including: an outer string located in the wellbore, the outer string including: an outer tubular including a seal surface; and two radial orientation slots located along an inside surface of the outer tubular, the two radial orientation slots offset from one another by a distance (d1); and an inner string located at least partially within the outer string, the inner string including: an inner tubular extending at least partially within the seal surface of the outer tubular, the inner tubular including a sidewall having a thickness (t1); and an orientation port extending entirely through the sidewall to provide fluid access from an interior of the inner tubular to an exterior of the inner tubular, the orientation port configured to align with the two radial orientation slots in the outer tubular to provide two pressure readings indicative of a relative location of the inner tubular to the outer tubular; and a completion window coupled to the inner tubular, the completion window including a window opening configured to align with a lateral wellbore opening. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The well system as recited in claim 23, wherein a first of the two radial orientation slots has a first width (w1) and a second of the two radial orientation slots has a second width (w2), the first radial orientation slot being uphole of the second radial orientation slot, and further wherein the second width (w2) is greater than the first width (w1). ### Claim 25 (depends on 24) The well system as recited in claim 24, wherein the second width (w2) is at least 3 times the first width (w1). ### Claim 26 (depends on 24) The well system as recited in claim 24, wherein the distance (d1) is at least 4 times the second width (w2). ### Claim 27 (depends on 24) The well system as recited in claim 24, further including a third, fourth and fifth radial orientation slots located along the inside surface of the outer tubular, the third radial orientation slot having a width (w3) and offset from the fourth radial orientation slot by a distance (d2), the fourth radial orientation slot offset having a width (w4)and offset from the fifth radial orientation slot by a distance (d3), and the fifth radial orientation slot having a width (w5), the third and fourth radial orientation slots being uphole of the fifth radial orientation slot, and further wherein the fifth width (w5) is greater than the fourth width (w4) which is greater than the third width (w3). ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The well system as recited in claim 27, wherein the third, fourth and fifth radial orientation slots each extend less than 360 degrees around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The well system as recited in claim 28, wherein the third, fourth and fifth radial orientation slots each extend 90 degrees or less around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The well system as recited in claim 28, wherein the third, fourth and fifth radial orientation slots are radially offset from one another. ### Claim 31 (depends on 24) The well system as recited in claim 24, wherein the first and second radial orientation slots each extend less than 360 degrees around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 32 (depends on 31) The well system as recited in claim 31, wherein the wherein the first and second radial orientation slots each extend 90 degrees or less around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 33 (depends on 31) The well system as recited in claim 31, further including a longitudinal orientation slot located along the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 34 (depends on 33) The well system as recited in claim 33, further including a first tail section coupling the first radial orientation slot and the longitudinal orientation slot and a second tail section coupling the second radial orientation slot and the longitudinal orientation slot. ### Claim 35 (depends on 23) The well system as recited in claim 23, wherein the first and second radial orientation slots each extend 360 degrees around the inside surface of the outer tubular. ### Claim 36 (depends on 23) The well system as recited in claim 23, wherein the orientation port is axially and rotationally aligned with the first radial orientation slot, the axial and rotational alignment with the first radial orientation slot configured to provide a first pressure drop indicative of the relative location of the inner tubular to the outer tubular. ### Claim 37 (depends on 36) The well system as recited in claim 36, wherein the orientation port is axially and rotationally aligned with the second radial orientation slot, the axial and rotational alignment with the second radial orientation slot configured to provide a second greater pressure drop indicative of the relative location of the inner tubular to the outer tubular. ### Claim 38 A well system, comprising: a wellbore extending through a subterranean formation; and a pressure indication alignment system positioned within the wellbore, the pressure indication alignment system including: an outer string located in the wellbore, the outer string including: an outer tubular including a seal surface; and two radial orientation slots located along an inside surface of the outer tubular, the two radial orientation slots axially offset from one another by a distance (d1); and an inner string located at least partially within the outer string, the inner string including: an inner tubular extending at least partially within the seal surface of the outer tubular, the inner tubular including a sidewall having a thickness (t1); and an orientation port extending entirely through the sidewall to provide fluid access from an interior of the inner tubular to an exterior of the inner tubular, the orientation port configured to align with the two radial orientation slots in the outer tubular to provide two pressure readings indicative of a relative location of the inner tubular to the outer tubular.