Expanding wellbore junction
AssigneeHalliburton Energy Services, Inc.
InventorsDavid J. Steele, Ernest C. Bailey, Jody R. McGlothen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An expanding wellbore junction system, apparatus and methods are provided for forming a sealed wellbore intersection in a subterranean well. In one. described method, an expandable wellbore junction is expanded within an under-reamed cavity in a wellbore. Intersecting tubular legs of the wellbore junction are then drifted using a drifting apparatus. A deflection device may be used to direct a drift of the drifting apparatus into a selected one of the wellbore junction legs.
Claims90
An expandable wellbore junction system, comprising:
- a wellbore junction assembly including:
- an expandable wellbore junction having multiple intersecting tubular legs;
- and
- an orienting latch profile attached to the wellbore junction.
A method of forming a sealed wellbore intersection in a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:
- drilling a first wellbore;
- under-reaming the first wellbore, thereby forming a radially enlarged cavity;
- positioning an expandable wellbore junction within the cavity;
- expanding the wellbore junction within the cavity;
- forcing a drift through at least one of multiple tubular legs of the wellbore junction;
- cementing the wellbore junction within the cavity;
- drilling a second wellbore through a first one of the tubular legs of the wellbore junction;
- and
- drilling a third wellbore through a second one of the tubular legs of the wellbore junction.
A drifting apparatus for use in a wellbore junction installed in a subterranean well, the apparatus comprising:
- a drift;
- a displacement device displacing the drift in the wellbore junction;
- and
- a securing device securing the apparatus relative to the wellbore junction.
A deflection device assembly for use in an expandable wellbore junction, the assembly comprising:
- a deflection device including:
- a laterally inclined deflection surface;
- a generally tubular neck;
- and
- a substantially flexible intermediate section connected between the neck and the deflection surface, the intermediate section flexing when the deflection device is installed in the wellbore junction, thereby permitting relative angular deflection between the deflection surface and the neck.
A method of drifting an expandable wellbore junction in a subterranean well, the method comprising the steps of:
- conveying a drifting apparatus into the wellbore junction;
- and
- displacing a drift of the drifting apparatus in at least one of multiple intersecting tubular legs of the wellbore junction.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.