Multilateral lateral bore completion employing an expandable metal anchor on the expansion joint

Abstract

Provided is a multilateral lateral bore completion, a well system, and a method. The multilateral lateral bore completion, in one embodiment, 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. The multilateral lateral bore completion, in accordance with this embodiment, further includes a transition joint coupled to the first end of the tubular, the transition joint configured to extend out into a main wellbore, and an expandable metal anchor positioned on the radial exterior surface of the transition joint, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the transition joint with respect to the wellbore tubular.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multilateral lateral bore completion, comprising:
 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 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;   a transition joint coupled to the first end of the tubular, the transition joint configured to extend out into a main wellbore; and   an expandable metal anchor positioned on the radial exterior surface of the transition joint, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the transition joint with respect to the wellbore tubular.   
     
     
         2 . The multilateral lateral bore completion as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the expandable metal anchor is a first expandable metal anchor, and further including a second expandable metal anchor positioned on a radial exterior surface of the tubular. 
     
     
         3 . The multilateral lateral bore completion as recited in  claim 1 , further including a control line coupler located on the tubular between the first packer and the expandable metal anchor. 
     
     
         4 . The multilateral lateral bore completion as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the control line coupler is an inductive coupler. 
     
     
         5 . The multilateral lateral bore completion as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the control line coupler is a wet mate coupler. 
     
     
         6 . The multilateral lateral bore completion as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the first packer is a first feedthrough packer, and further wherein a control line extends from the control line coupler through the first feedthrough packer to the first interval control valve. 
     
     
         7 . The multilateral lateral bore completion as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the second packer is a second feedthrough packer, and further wherein the control line extends from the control line coupler through the first feedthrough packer and the second feedthrough packer to the second interval control valve. 
     
     
         8 . The multilateral bore completion as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the transition joint has a transition joint diameter and the tubular has a tubular diameter, and further wherein the transition joint diameter is greater than the tubular diameter. 
     
     
         9 . The multilateral bore completion as recited in  claim 1 , further including first and second end rings on opposing ends of the expandable metal anchor. 
     
     
         10 . The multilateral lateral bore 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. 
     
     
         11 . A well system, comprising:
 a main wellbore located within a subterranean formation;   a lateral wellbore extending from the main wellbore; and   a multilateral lateral bore completion located in the lateral wellbore, the multilateral lateral bore 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 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; 
 a transition joint coupled to the first end of the tubular, the transition joint configured to extend out into a main wellbore; and 
 an expandable metal anchor positioned on the radial exterior surface of the transition joint, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the transition joint with respect to the wellbore tubular. 
   
     
     
         12 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the expandable metal anchor is a first expandable metal anchor, and further including a second expandable metal anchor positioned on a radial exterior surface of the tubular. 
     
     
         13 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , further including a control line coupler located on the tubular between the first packer and the expandable metal anchor. 
     
     
         14 . The well system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the control line coupler is an inductive coupler. 
     
     
         15 . The well system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the control line coupler is a wet mate coupler. 
     
     
         16 . The well system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the first packer is a first feedthrough packer, and further wherein a control line extends from the control line coupler through the first feedthrough packer to the first interval control valve. 
     
     
         17 . The well system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the second packer is a second feedthrough packer, and further wherein the control line extends from the control line coupler through the first feedthrough packer and the second feedthrough packer to the second interval control valve. 
     
     
         18 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the transition joint has a transition joint diameter and the tubular has a tubular diameter, and further wherein the transition joint diameter is greater than the tubular diameter. 
     
     
         19 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , further including first and second end rings on opposing ends of the expandable metal anchor. 
     
     
         20 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the expandable metal anchor is configured to go from metal to micron-scale particles that are larger and lock together. 
     
     
         21 . A method for forming a well system, comprising:
 forming a main wellbore within a subterranean formation;   forming a lateral wellbore off of the main wellbore; and   positioning a multilateral lateral bore completion in the main wellbore, the multilateral lateral bore 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 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; 
 a transition joint coupled to the first end of the tubular, the transition joint configured to extend out into a main wellbore; and 
 an expandable metal anchor positioned on the radial exterior surface of the transition joint, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the transition joint with respect to the wellbore tubular. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 21 , further including 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 transition joint in the lateral wellbore.