IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,669,035
Granted Patent B2
US 12,669,035 · App. 18/897,315 · Granted Jun 30, 2026

Multilateral mainbore completion employing an expandable metal anchor

Inventors: Brian Williams Cho (Spring, TX); Jamie Revelle Weber (Carrollton, TX)
Assignee: Halliburton Energy Services, Inc.
E21B41/0035E21B23/01E21B33/12E21B34/06E21B41/0042E21B43/12E21B43/162
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,669,035
App. No.
18/897,315
Filed
Sep 26, 2024
Granted
Jun 30, 2026
Kind
B2
Art Unit
3672
USPC
166/382
Abstract

Provided is a multilateral mainbore completion, a well system, and a method. The multilateral mainbore completion, in one aspect, includes a tubular having a first end and a second end, and first and second packers located on a radial exterior surface of the tubular, the first and second packers configured to move from a radially retracted state to a radially extended state to engage with a wellbore tubular and separate the wellbore tubular into first and second production zones. The multilateral mainbore completion, in this one aspect, may further include an expandable metal anchor positioned on the radial exterior surface of the tubular, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the tubular with respect to the wellbore tubular.

Claims (39)

1 . A multilateral mainbore completion for using in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular having a first uphole end and a second downhole end;

first and second packers located on a radial exterior surface of the tubular, the first and second packers configured to move from a radially retracted state to a radially extended state to engage with a wellbore tubular and separate the wellbore tubular into first and second production zones;

a first interval control valve located in the tubular in the first production zone and a second interval control valve located in the tubular in the second production zone; and

an expandable metal anchor positioned on the radial exterior surface of the tubular, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the tubular with respect to the wellbore tubular; and

a control line coupler located on the tubular between the first packer and the expandable metal anchor, wherein the control line coupler is an inductive coupler or a wet mate coupler.

2 . The multilateral mainbore completion as recited in claim 1 , further including an orientation device coupled to the first uphole end of the tubular, the orientation device configured to engage with a separate uphole device to rotationally orient the separate uphole device within the wellbore tubular.

3 . The multilateral mainbore completion as recited in claim 2 , wherein the expandable metal anchor is positioned between the first packer and the orientation device.

4 . The multilateral mainbore completion as recited in claim 1 , wherein the first packer is a first feed through packer, and further wherein a control line extends from the control line coupler through the first feed through packer to the first interval control valve.

5 . The multilateral mainbore completion as recited in claim 4 , wherein the second packer is a second feedthrough packer, and further wherein the control line extends from the control line coupler through the first feed through packer and the second feed through packer to the second interval control valve.

6 . The multilateral mainbore completion as recited in claim 1 , further including a float shoe located at the second end.

7 . The multilateral mainbore completion as recited in claim 1 , wherein the expandable metal anchor is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together.

8 . A well system, comprising:

a main wellbore located within a subterranean formation; and

a multilateral mainbore completion located in the main wellbore, the multilateral mainbore completion including:

a tubular having a first end and a second end;

first and second packers located on a radial exterior surface of the tubular, the first and second packers configured to move from a radially retracted state to a radially extended state to engage with a wellbore tubular and separate the wellbore tubular into first and second production zones;

a first interval control valve located in the tubular in the first production zone and a second interval control valve located in the tubular in the second production zone; and

an expandable metal anchor positioned on the radial exterior surface of the tubular, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the tubular with respect to the wellbore tubular; and

a control line coupler located on the tubular between the first packer and the expandable metal anchor, wherein the control line coupler is an inductive coupler or a wet mate coupler.

9 . The well system as recited in claim 8 , further including an orientation device coupled to the first end of the tubular, the orientation device configured to engage with a separate uphole device to rotationally orient the separate uphole device within the wellbore tubular.

10 . The well system as recited in claim 9 , wherein the expandable metal anchor is positioned between the first packer and the orientation device.

11 . The well system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the first packer is a first feed through packer, and further wherein a control line extends from the control line coupler through the first feed through packer to the first interval control valve.

12 . The well system as recited in claim 11 , wherein the second packer is a second feedthrough packer, and further wherein the control line extends from the control line coupler through the first feed through packer and the second feed through packer to the second interval control valve.

13 . The well system as recited in claim 8 , further including a float shoe located at the second end.

14 . The well system as recited in claim 8 , wherein the expandable metal anchor is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together.

15 . The well system as recited in claim 8 , further including a multilateral whipstock assembly coupled with the first end of the tubular.

16 . A method for forming a well system, comprising:

positioning a multilateral mainbore completion in a main wellbore formed within a subterranean formation, the multilateral mainbore completion including:

a tubular having a first end and a second end;

first and second packers located on a radial exterior surface of the tubular, the first and second packers configured to move from a radially retracted state to a radially extended state to engage with a wellbore tubular and separate the wellbore tubular into first and second production zones;

a first interval control valve located in the tubular in the first production zone and a second interval control valve located in the tubular in the second production zone; and

an expandable metal anchor positioned on the radial exterior surface of the tubular, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the tubular with respect to the wellbore tubular; and

subjecting the expandable metal anchor to reactive fluid, the reactive fluid causing the metal of the expandable metal anchor to expand in response to hydrolysis to form an expanded metal anchor fixing the multilateral mainbore completion in the main wellbore.

17 . A multilateral mainbore completion for using in a wellbore, comprising:

a tubular having a first uphole end and a second downhole end;

first and second packers located on a radial exterior surface of the tubular, the first and second packers configured to move from a radially retracted state to a radially extended state to engage with a wellbore tubular and separate the wellbore tubular into first and second production zones;

a first interval control valve located in the tubular in the first production zone and a second interval control valve located in the tubular in the second production zone; and

an expandable metal anchor positioned on the radial exterior surface of the tubular, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the tubular with respect to the wellbore tubular, wherein the expandable metal anchor is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together.

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Sep 26, 2024
From: CHO, BRIAN WILLIAMS; WEBER, JAMIE REVELLE
To: HALLIBURTON ENERGY SERVICES, INC.
Reel/Frame 068706/0667 →
Continuity (5)
Provisional Application 63586002 · Dec 5, 2023
Provisional Application 63586018 · Dec 5, 2023
Provisional Application 63586012 · Sep 28, 2023
Provisional Application 63586022 · Sep 28, 2023
Related Publication 20250109658A1 · Apr 3, 2025
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