Multilateral junction sleeve assembly employing degradable material

Abstract

Provided is a multilateral junction sleeve assembly, a well system, and a method. The multilateral junction sleeve assembly, in one aspect, includes a multilateral deflector assembly, the multilateral deflector assembly including a deflector body having a deflector face and an opening extending therethrough, as well as a deflector assembly sleeve coupled to an uphole end of the deflector body, the deflector assembly sleeve having a sidewall opening in a sidewall thereof aligned with the deflector face. The multilateral junction sleeve assembly, in accordance with this aspect, further includes degradable material positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector assembly sleeve covering the sidewall opening, the degradable material configured to degrade over time and uncover the sidewall opening.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A multilateral junction sleeve assembly, comprising:
 a multilateral deflector assembly, the multilateral deflector assembly including a deflector body having a deflector face and an opening extending therethrough;   a deflector assembly sleeve coupled to an uphole end of the deflector body, the deflector assembly sleeve having a sidewall opening in a sidewall thereof aligned with the deflector face; and   degradable material positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector assembly sleeve covering the sidewall opening, the degradable material configured to degrade over time and uncover the sidewall opening.   
     
     
         2 . The multilateral junction sleeve assembly as recited in  claim 1 , further including an expandable metal anchor positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector body, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the multilateral deflector assembly within a wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         3 . The multilateral junction sleeve assembly as recited in  claim 2 , wherein the expandable metal anchor is a layer of expandable metal positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector body and a radial exterior surface of the deflector assembly sleeve uphole and downhole of the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         4 . The multilateral junction sleeve assembly as recited in  claim 3 , wherein the degradable material is a metal based degradable material. 
     
     
         5 . The multilateral junction sleeve assembly as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the metal based degradable material is expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis and then degrade to uncover the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         6 . The multilateral junction sleeve assembly as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the expandable metal is configured to expand in response to hydrolysis and after the hydrolysis has completed then degrade to uncover the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         7 . The multilateral junction sleeve assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the layer of expandable metal and the metal based degradable material are a single unitary layer of expandable metal including the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, the single unitary layer of expandable metal configured to degrade around the sidewall opening and form an expanded metal anchor outside of the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         8 . The multilateral junction sleeve assembly as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the single unitary layer of expandable metal is located axially and radially below the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         9 . The multilateral junction sleeve assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the degradable material is a polymer based degradable material. 
     
     
         10 . The multilateral junction sleeve assembly as recited in  claim 9 , further including an expandable metal anchor positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector body, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the multilateral deflector assembly within a wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         11 . A well system, comprising:
 a main wellbore located within a subterranean formation;   a lateral wellbore extending from the main wellbore; and   a multilateral junction sleeve assembly located in the main wellbore proximate a junction between the main wellbore and the lateral wellbore, the multilateral junction sleeve assembly including:
 a multilateral deflector assembly, the multilateral deflector assembly including a deflector body having a deflector face and an opening extending therethrough; 
 a deflector assembly sleeve coupled to an uphole end of the deflector body, the deflector assembly sleeve having a sidewall opening in a sidewall thereof aligned with the deflector face; and 
 degradable material positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector assembly sleeve covering the sidewall opening, the degradable material configured to degrade over time and uncover the sidewall opening. 
   
     
     
         12 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , further including an expandable metal anchor positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector body, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the multilateral deflector assembly within a wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         13 . The well system as recited in  claim 12 , wherein the expandable metal anchor is a layer of expandable metal positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector body and a radial exterior surface of the deflector assembly sleeve uphole and downhole of the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         14 . The well system as recited in  claim 13 , wherein the degradable material is a metal based degradable material. 
     
     
         15 . The well system as recited in  claim 14 , wherein the metal based degradable material is expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis and then degrade to uncover the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         16 . The well system as recited in  claim 15  wherein the expandable metal is configured to expand in response to hydrolysis and after the hydrolysis has completed then degrade to uncover the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         17 . The well system as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the layer of expandable metal and the metal based degradable material are a single unitary layer of expandable metal including the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, the single unitary layer of expandable metal configured to degrade around the sidewall opening and form an expanded metal anchor outside of the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         18 . The well system as recited in  claim 17 , wherein the single unitary layer of expandable metal is located axially and radially below the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         19 . The well system as recited in  claim 11 , wherein the degradable material is a polymer based degradable material. 
     
     
         20 . The well system as recited in  claim 19 , further including an expandable metal anchor positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector body, the expandable metal anchor including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis to axially and rotationally fix the multilateral deflector assembly within a wellbore tubular. 
     
     
         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 junction sleeve assembly in the main wellbore proximate a junction between the main wellbore and the lateral wellbore, the multilateral junction sleeve assembly including:
 a multilateral deflector assembly, the multilateral deflector assembly including a deflector body having a deflector face and an opening extending therethrough; 
 a deflector assembly sleeve coupled to an uphole end of the deflector body, the deflector assembly sleeve having a sidewall opening in a sidewall thereof aligned with the deflector face; and 
 degradable material positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector assembly sleeve covering the sidewall opening, the degradable material configured to degrade over time and uncover the sidewall opening. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method as recited in  claim 21 , further including a layer of expandable metal positioned on a radial exterior surface of the deflector body and a radial exterior surface of the deflector assembly sleeve uphole and downhole the sidewall opening, the layer of expandable metal including a metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, wherein the degradable material is expandable metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis and then degrade to uncover the sidewall opening, wherein the layer of expandable metal and the expandable metal are a single unitary layer of expandable metal including the metal configured to expand in response to hydrolysis, the single unitary layer of expandable metal configured to degrade around the sidewall opening and form an expanded metal anchor outside of the sidewall opening. 
     
     
         23 . The method as recited in  claim 22 , further including subjecting the single unitary layer of expandable metal to reactive fluid, the reactive fluid causing the single unitary layer of expandable metal to degrade around the sidewall opening and form an expanded metal anchor outside of the sidewall opening.