Method to isolate pressure on a multilateral orientation assembly with a reduction in trips
Provided, in one aspect, is an anchoring subassembly, a well system, and a method for forming a well system. The anchoring subassembly, in at least one aspect, includes an orienting receptacle section, a sealing section coupled proximate a downhole end of the orienting receptacle section, and a latching element section coupled proximate a downhole end of the sealing section.
1 . An anchoring subassembly, comprising:
an orienting receptacle sub, the orienting receptacle sub having an axial orientation slot configured to engage with an orientation feature of a related downhole tool to rotationally orient the related downhole tool as the orientation feature engages the axial orientation slot;
a sealing sub coupled proximate a downhole end of the orienting receptacle sub, the sealing sub including an axial compression mechanism and an isolation element, the axial compression mechanism configured to axially compress the isolation element from a radially retracted state to a radially expanded state, wherein the orienting receptacle sub is fixedly coupled with the sealing sub to remain downhole with the sealing sub, and further wherein a downhole end of the axial orientation slot is uphole of an uphole end of the sealing sub; and
a latching element sub coupled proximate a downhole end of the sealing sub.
2 . The anchoring subassembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sealing sub includes a ratcheting mechanism configured to move the isolation element from the radially retracted state to the radially expanded state.
3 . The anchoring subassembly as recited in claim 1 , wherein the sealing sub is coupled directly to the downhole end of the orienting receptacle sub.
4 . The anchoring subassembly as recited in claim 3 , wherein the latching element sub is coupled directly to the downhole end of the sealing sub.
5 . The anchoring subassembly as recited in claim 4 , wherein the orienting receptacle sub includes a muleshoe including the axial orientation slot.
6 . The anchoring subassembly as recited in claim 1 , further including a whipstock element sub coupleable proximate an uphole end of the orienting receptacle sub.
7 . The anchoring subassembly as recited in claim 6 , wherein a collection of one or more collets and one or more orienting keys orient and couple the whipstock element sub with the orienting receptacle sub.
8 . A well system, comprising:
a main wellbore located within a subterranean formation;
a lateral wellbore extending from the main wellbore;
an anchoring subassembly positioned proximate an intersection between the main wellbore and the lateral wellbore, the anchoring subassembly including:
an orienting receptacle sub, the orienting receptacle sub having an axial orientation slot configured to engage with an orientation feature of a related downhole tool to rotationally orient the related downhole tool as the orientation feature engages the axial orientation slot;
a sealing sub coupled proximate a downhole end of the orienting receptacle sub, the sealing sub including an axial compression mechanism and an isolation element, the axial compression mechanism configured axially compress the isolation element from a radially retracted state to a radially expanded state, wherein the orienting receptacle sub is fixedly coupled with the sealing sub to remain downhole with the sealing sub, and further wherein a downhole end of the axial orientation slot is uphole of an uphole end of the sealing sub; and
a latching element sub coupled proximate a downhole end of the sealing sub.
9 . The well system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the sealing sub includes a ratcheting mechanism configured to move the isolation element from the radially retracted state to the radially expanded state.
10 . The well system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the sealing sub is coupled directly to the downhole end of the orienting receptacle sub.
11 . The well system as recited in claim 10 , wherein the latching element sub is coupled directly to the downhole end of the sealing sub.
12 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the orienting receptacle sub includes a muleshoe including the axial orientation slot.
13 . The well system as recited in claim 8 , further including a whipstock element sub coupled proximate an uphole end of the orienting receptacle sub, the whipstock element sub and the anchoring subassembly forming at least a portion of a whipstock assembly.
14 . The well system as recited in claim 13 , wherein a collection of one or more collets and one or more orienting keys orient and couple the whipstock element sub with the orienting receptacle sub.
15 . A method for forming a well system, comprising:
forming a main wellbore within a subterranean formation;
positioning an anchoring subassembly within the main wellbore, the anchoring subassembly including:
an orienting receptacle sub, the orienting receptacle sub having an axial orientation slot configured to engage with an orientation feature of a related downhole tool to rotationally orient the related downhole tool as the orientation feature engages the axial orientation slot;
a sealing sub coupled proximate a downhole end of the orienting receptacle sub, the sealing sub including an axial compression mechanism and an isolation element, the axial compression mechanism configured axially compress the isolation element from a radially retracted state to a radially expanded state, wherein the orienting receptacle sub is fixedly coupled with the sealing sub to remain downhole with the sealing sub, and further wherein a downhole end of the axial orientation slot is uphole of an uphole end of the sealing sub; and
a latching element sub coupled proximate a downhole end of the sealing sub.
16 . The method as recited in claim 15 , wherein positioning an anchoring subassembly within the main wellbore further includes latching the latching element sub with a latch profile in wellbore casing located in the main wellbore.
17 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein positioning the anchoring subassembly within the main wellbore further includes deploying a sealing element of the sealing sub within the main wellbore after latching the latching element.
18 . The method as recited in claim 17 , wherein the sealing sub includes a ratcheting mechanism configured to move the isolation element from the radially retracted state to the radially expanded state, and further wherein deploying the sealing element includes actuating the ratcheting mechanism.
19 . The method as recited in claim 17 , further including coupling a whipstock element sub with the orienting receptacle sub after deploying the sealing element, and drilling a lateral wellbore from the main wellbore using the whipstock element sub, the whipstock element sub and the anchoring subassembly forming at least a portion of a whipstock assembly.
20 . The method as recited in claim 15 , further including washing over the sealing element in the radially expanded state with a washover assembly and then removing the whipstock assembly from the wellbore.