Apparatus and Method of Connecting Tubular Members In Multi-Lateral Wellbores

Abstract

A method of casing connection in a multilateral well. A tieback tubular component is located in a wellbore below the casing window. A lateral completion tubular component is installed in the casing window. Tubular members can then be located in the tieback tubular component and the lateral completion component which are expanded by internal pressure to form a seal.

1 . A method of connecting a first tubular member arrangement to a second tubular member located in a wellbore below a window to a wellbore lateral and to a third tubular member located in the wellbore lateral, wherein the first tubular member is provided with a tubing diverter having a lateral tubular diverter component, and a lower end portion, the second tubular member includes an upper end portion which has a greater diameter than the diameter of the first tubular member lower end portion, and the third tubular member includes an upper end portion which has a greater diameter than the diameter of the lateral tubular diverter component, the method comprising:
 lowering the lower end portion of the first tubular member into the wellbore until the lower end portion is located at least within the bore of the upper end portion of the second tubular member;   aligning the tubing diverter with the wellbore lateral;   actuating the tubing diverter until the lateral tubular diverter component is located at least within the bore of the upper end portion of the third tubular member;   expanding the lower end portion until the lower end portion is resiliently connected to the second tubular member, and   expanding the lateral tubular diverter component until the lateral tubular component is resiliently connected to the third tubular member.   
     
     
         2 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the method further includes the step of running the first tubular component from a surface location to the second tubular member and third tubular member. 
     
     
         3 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the method includes providing the upper end portion of the second tubular member with a tieback component to which the first tubular member is resiliently connected. 
     
     
         4 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the method includes the step of applying internal fluid pressure to the tubing diverter to actuate the diverter to an operational status such that the lateral tubular diverter component is inserted into the lateral wellbore. 
     
     
         5 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the lateral tubular diverter component is a tubular member. 
     
     
         6 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein each tubular member is formed of a metal based material. 
     
     
         7 . A method according to  claim 1  wherein the tubular member inserted into the lateral wellbore is secured using a mechanism which also forms a wellbore formation zonal barrier. 
     
     
         8 . A method according to  claim 7  wherein the mechanism is via a hydraulically morphed tubular sleeve. 
     
     
         9 . A method of forming and connecting a wellbore lateral to an existing wellbore, the method comprising the steps of:
 inserting from a surface location a tieback tubular component into a wellbore casing;   mill a casing window in the casing at a location between the surface and the tieback component;   install a lateral completion tubular component in the casing window;   insert a first tubular member into the wellbore, the first tubular member being provided with a lower end portion having a diameter which is less than a bore diameter of the tieback component and a tubular diverter portion having a lateral tubular component with a diameter which is less than a bore diameter of the lateral completion component;   align the first tubular member with the wellbore lateral;   locate the lower end portion at least within the bore of the tieback component;   actuate the tubing diverter until the lateral tubular component is located at least within the bore of the lateral completion component;   expand the lower end portion until the lower end portion is resiliently connected to the tieback component, and   expand the lateral tubular component until the lateral tubular component is resiliently connected to the lateral completion component.   
     
     
         10 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the method includes the step of applying internal fluid pressure to the tubing diverter to actuate the diverter to an operational status such that the lateral tubular diverter component is inserted into the lateral wellbore. 
     
     
         11 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein the lateral tubular diverter component is a tubular member. 
     
     
         12 . A method according to  claim 9  wherein each tubular component is formed of a metal based material.