The Future: Increasing Acceptance
Multilateral wells have been around since the 1950s, but early drilling and completion methods restricted their application. Since the mid-1990s, improvements in well-construction techniques have allowed operators to drill and complete an increasing number of wells with multiple branches. [note 7]

Main wellbores and laterals can now be drilled vertically, at high angles or horizontally to address various subsurface conditions. Laterals can be completed open hole and with uncemented or cemented “dropoff” liners—not connected to the main wellbore. Production from individual laterals can be commingled or flow to surface through separate tubing strings.

Advanced multilateral junctions, such as the RapidConnect, RapidExclude and RapidSeal systems, provide strong and durable mechanical connections to the primary casing of the main wellbore, as well as sand exclusion and pressure integrity.

These systems also provide reliable lateral isolation and selective reentry, integral capabilities that allow operators to control and optimize production, simplify future well interventions and improve reservoir management.

Multilateral wells also can incorporate intelligent completions—advanced equipment to monitor production and selectively control flow from each lateral—to minimize well interventions with conventional drilling or workover rigs, especially in deepwater and subsea field developments.

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