US 11,668,163 B2
Multilateral junction having expanding metal sealed and anchored joints
Pranay Asthana, Carrollton, TX (US); Christian Alexander Jelly, Carrollton, TX (US); David Joe Steele, Carrollton, TX (US); and Michael Linley Fripp, Carrollton, TX (US)
Assigned to Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed by Halliburton Energy Services, Inc., Houston, TX (US)
Filed on Dec. 30, 2020, as Appl. No. 17/137,882.
Prior Publication US 2022/0205341 A1, Jun. 30, 2022
Int. Cl. E21B 41/00 (2006.01); E21B 17/18 (2006.01); E21B 33/12 (2006.01)
CPC E21B 41/0042 (2013.01) [E21B 17/18 (2013.01); E21B 33/1212 (2013.01); E21B 41/0035 (2013.01)] 19 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
10. A method for deploying a multilateral junction, comprising:
providing a y-block, the y-block including;
a housing having a first end and a second opposing end;
a single first bore extending into the housing from the first end, the single first bore defining a first centerline; and
second and third separate bores extending into the housing and branching off from the single first bore, the second bore defining a second centerline and the third bore defining a third centerline;
attaching a mainbore leg to the second bore for extending into the main wellbore, the mainbore leg and the second bore defining a second overlapping space;
attaching a lateral bore leg to the third bore for extending into the lateral wellbore, the lateral bore leg and the third bore defining a third overlapping space, and further wherein the third overlapping space has a lateral wellbore leg pre-expansion joint located at least partially therein, the lateral wellbore leg pre-expansion joint comprising a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, and further wherein an overlap distance (Do) between the third bore and the lateral wellbore leg is less than 120 cm; and
subjecting the lateral wellbore leg pre-expansion joint to an activation fluid to expand the metal in the third overlapping space and thereby form a lateral wellbore leg expanded metal joint in the third overlapping space.