< < < Back to Main Page DRILLING MULTILATERAL A Landmark Graphics Affiliated Company

Drilling multilateral wells can be a technically and economically efficient method of developing a reservoir.1 A range of completion options is now commercially available, enabling multilateral technology to be exploited in a variety of environments.

The critical area of a multilateral completion is the junction: the interface between the mainbore and the lateral. Depending on the method of construction, the junction can offer either, or both, mechanical integrity (e.g., prevention of sand influx) and hydraulic integrity (a barrier between formation and wellbore pressures). The ultimate goal is a junction with full mechanical and hydraulic integrity provided by the casing itself, without the aid of cement. According to the Technology Advancement Multi-Laterals (TAML) classification system,2 such a design is termed a "level 6" junction.

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