Introduction to Introduction to Directional Directional

DrillingDrillingKhalifah Al-AmriKhalifah Al-Amri

Senior Drilling & Workover Senior Drilling & Workover EngineerEngineer

OutlineOutline

DefinitionDefinition What Are Directional Wells ? What Are Directional Wells ? Directional Well Types Directional Well Types Why Drill Directionally?Why Drill Directionally? Planning A Directional Well PathPlanning A Directional Well Path How To Drill Directionally?How To Drill Directionally? Horizontal DrillingHorizontal Drilling Complex WellsComplex Wells

DefinitionDefinition

Directional drilling is the science of Directional drilling is the science of deviating a well bore along a deviating a well bore along a planned course to a subsurface planned course to a subsurface target whose location is a given target whose location is a given lateral distance and direction from lateral distance and direction from the vertical.the vertical.

What Are Directional What Are Directional Wells ?Wells ?

Directional wells are Directional wells are deviated from vertical deviated from vertical (straight)(straight)

Directional wells are Directional wells are drilled with intentional drilled with intentional control to hit a pre-control to hit a pre-determined target:determined target: inclination (angle)inclination (angle) azimuth (direction).azimuth (direction).

Think 3-D when Think 3-D when directionaldirectional

Vertical Type Slant (J) Type

“S” Type Horizontal Type

Directional Well TypesDirectional Well Types

Inaccessible Locations

Salt Dome Drilling Fault Controlling

Sidetracking

Why Drill Directionally?Why Drill Directionally?

Why Drill Directionally?Why Drill Directionally?

Planning A Directional Planning A Directional Well PathWell Path

Kick Off PointKick Off Point Build Up RateBuild Up Rate Azimuthal Direction Azimuthal Direction Inclination AngleInclination Angle True Vertical DepthTrue Vertical Depth Measured DepthMeasured Depth Horizontal Horizontal

DisplacementDisplacementTVD EOWMD

KOP

HD

Inc

0 N

Dir

How To Drill How To Drill Directionally?Directionally?

Slide & Rotate Slide & Rotate ModeMode

Downhole MotorDownhole Motor Bent SubBent Sub

FixedFixed AdjustableAdjustable

Surveying ToolSurveying Tool Media of Media of

TransmissionTransmission

Horizontal DrillingHorizontal Drilling

Types of Horizontal Types of Horizontal Wells:Wells: Long Radius Long Radius

(2°-8°/100’)(2°-8°/100’) Medium Radius (8°-Medium Radius (8°-

30°/100’)30°/100’) Short Radius Short Radius

(30°-60°/100’)(30°-60°/100’) Ultra Short Radius (60°-Ultra Short Radius (60°-

200°/100’)200°/100’)

Horizontal DrillingHorizontal Drilling

Vertical Wells

Horizontal Wells

Water Coning

Gas

Oil

Water

Gas Coning

Applications:

Gas and Water Coning:

Longer horizontal drain hole increases the exposure of the pay-zone

Allows a higher production rate at lower drawdown pressure resulting in less coning

Other Major Applications:Other Major Applications: Maximum reservoir exposureMaximum reservoir exposure Naturally fractured tight reservoirsNaturally fractured tight reservoirs Thin dry reservoirsThin dry reservoirs Less wells needed to develop a field

Horizontal DrillingHorizontal Drilling

Complex WellsComplex Wells

Stacked Laterals Stacked Laterals

Complex WellsComplex Wells

Fishbone WellsFishbone Wells

Complex WellsComplex Wells

Stacked Fishbone Stacked Fishbone WellsWells

Complex WellsComplex Wells

Multiple-Branch Multiple-Branch Multilateral Wells Multilateral Wells