RapidPath
Fast-drill TAML 4 multilateral junction system
Casing sizes
7 and 9 5/8 in
Applications
- New oil and gas producer or injector development wells
- Retrofit laterals for existing production or injection wells
- Multilateral well construction enabling installation of intelligent completions for zonal control
Benefits
- Derisk drillout and simplify hole cleaning with the nonmetallic window joint and removal of the whipstock before running the lateral liner or completion
- Gain fullbore access to the main bore* and laterals
- Accelerate time to production
- Facilitate lateral completion with the ability to rotate the liner while running in and built-in tolerance for reaching TD
* Restricted main bore access in reentry wells
Features
- Nonmetallic window joint
- Window locator at shoe of completion that facilitates entry into the lateral without a whipstock
How it improves performance
The RapidPath™ fast-drill TAML 4 multilateral junction system enhances multilateral well construction and completion activities by enabling fullbore access to both the main bore and lateral—critical for intelligent completions, interventions, and production enhancement. It enables rotating the liner while running in, enhancing deployment efficiency and flexibility.
The nonmetallic window joint and absence of whipstock while running the completion in the lateral result in
- faster junction drillout after cementing, which reduces rig time and expedites bringing wells onstream
- simplified hole cleaning and lower risk of downhole complications
- improved operational flexibility, enabling installation of complex completions.
By deploying the RapidPath system, operators eliminate many of the challenges and inefficiencies associated with conventional multilateral junction systems, especially in wells requiring intelligent completions and fullbore intervention access.
How it works
- For new wells, the RapidAccess™ self-orienting TAML 2 multilateral junction system is used to create the window and lateral. An indexing casing coupling (ICC) is run as part of the casing in the main bore and serves as a landing and orientation profile for the lateral. The main bore is drilled to TD, completed, and the section below the ICC is isolated.
- The next step is running and setting the whipstock, milling the casing exit, and drilling the lateral.
- Subsequently, the whipstock is retrieved and the lateral liner run in with a composite window joint at the top and a window locator at the shoe—both key components of the RapidPath system. The window locator enables precise reentry into the lateral.
- When the liner reaches TD, the composite window joint is positioned across the main bore at the casing exit.
- An external casing packer seals off the annulus in the lateral, enabling cementing the junction per TAML 4 requirements. Cement in the liner is later drilled out, restoring access for pumping treatments and other activities.
- Finally, the window joint is drilled out, the isolation equipment below the ICC in the main bore retrieved, and the well is ready for the upper completion.
Because RapidPath junction systems use a nonmetallic window joint, drillout does not create the metallic debris that is detrimental to running complex completion equipment and intervention tools. Main bore and lateral IDs are maintained per casing and liner sizes, enabling installation of intelligent completions or zonal isolation as required. In the case of reentry wells, however, there is a restriction in the main bore.
What it replaces
The RapidPath system replaces conventional metallic TAML 4 junction systems that typically require longer drillout times and whipstocks for lateral reentry, increasing operational complexity, risk, and cost. Moreover, the metallic window cuttings are nonmagnetic and difficult to retrieve fully. Conventional systems may also restrict access to the main bore or lateral because of design limitations or tight junction profiles.
