Petroleum Engineering 406

Lesson 18
Directional Drilling
Lesson 10 - Directional Drilling

 When is it used?
 Type I Wells (build and hold)
 Type II Wells (build, hold and drop)
 Type III Wells (build)
 Directional Well Planning & Design
 Survey Calculation Methods
 Homework:
READ. “Applied Drilling Engineering”
Ch. 8, pp. 351-363

REF. API Bulletin D20, “Directional Drilling

Survey Calculation Methods and
Terminology”
 What is Directional Drilling?

Directional Drilling is the process of

directing a wellbore along some trajectory
to a predetermined target.

Basically it refers to drilling in a non-vertical

direction. Even “vertical” hole sometimes
require directional drilling techniques.

Examples: Slanted holes, high angle holes (far from vertical), and Horizontal holes.
Non-Vertical θ, α or I
Wellbore
Inclination Angle
t i on
c li na Z Axis (True Vertical
In e Y Depth)
Plan
North

Direction
Angle φ, ε or
A
Direction Plane X
 Lease Boundary

Surface Surface Location for Well No. 1

Location for
Well No. 2
Bottom Hole Location for Well 2

Houses

Oil-Water
Contact

Figure 8.2 - Plan view of a typical oil and gas structure under a lake showing how
directional wells could be used to develop it. Best locations? Drill from lake?
 Top View

NOTE: All the

wells are
directional 5 - 50 wells
per platform

Figure 8.3 - Typical offshore development platform

with directional wells.
Drilling Rig Inside Building

Figure 8.4 - Developing a field under a city

using directionally drilled wells.
 Why not
drill from Maximum
top of lateral
mountain? displ.?

Fig. 8.5 - Drilling of directional wells where the

reservoir is beneath a major surface obstruction.
Cement Plug Fish Lost in Hole and
Unable to Recover

Sidetracked Hole
Around Fish

Figure 8.6 -
Sidetracking
around a fish.
 Figure 8.7 -
Using an old Oil Producing Well
well to explore Ready to Abandon
for new oil by Sidetracked
sidetracking Out of Casing
out of the
casing and Possible
New Oil
drilling
Old Oil Reservoir
directionally.
 Horizontal
Departure
to Target
Type II
Build-hold and Drop (“S Type”)
Type I Build and Build-hold Drop and/or Hold
Hold Type (Modified “S” Type)

Type III Continuous

Build

Figure 8.8 - Major types of wellbore trajectories.

 Figure 8.10 -
Geometry of the
build section.

Build Section

Build Radius:
18,000
r1 =
π * BUR
 Build Section:

Lengthofarc, L1 = r1θ 1
icaldepth= C'D' = r1sinθ 1
Vert
Horiz.dev.= DD'= r1(1− cos θ 1)
L1 100
r1 = =
θ1 θ * π
1
180
18,000
↑ ↑
r1 =
rad deg π * BUR
 Start of Buildup

End of Build
Type II

Drop Off

Target

Build-hold-and drop for the case where:

r1 < x 3 and r1 + r2 < x 4
 Kickoff

Type II End of Build

Maximum
Inclination
Angle
Build-hold-and
drop for the case Drop Off
where:
Target
r1 < x 3 and r1 + r2 > x 4
 Projected Trajectory Projected Trajectory
with Left Turn to Hit
Targets

Target 1
Target 2
Target 3

Fig. 8-14. Directional well used to intersect

multiple targets
 N18E S23E
A = 157o

Fig. 8-15.
Directional
quadrants and
compass
measurements
N55W
S20W
A = 305o
 Projected Well Path
Lead Angle
Surface
Location
for Well
No. 2

Target at a
Lake TVD 9,659

Figure 8-16: Plan View

Example 1: Design of
Directional Well

Design a directional well with the following

restrictions:
Total horizontal departure = 4,500 ft
True vertical depth (TVD) = 12,500 ft
Depth to kickoff point (KOP) = 2,500 ft
Rate of build of hole angle = 1.5 deg/100 ft
Example 1: Design of
Directional Well
This is a Type I well (build and hold)
(i) Determine the maximum hole
angle (inclination) required.

(ii) What is the total measured depth

of the hole (MD)?
 Type I: Build-and-Hold

2500’
Imax
TVD1 12,500’
10,000’

HD1
Imax
4,500’
 0’

Uniform 1’30”
Increase in Drift
per 100 ft of hole
drilled

10,000’ Try Imax = 27o ??

Vert.
Depth

4,500’ Horizontal Deviation

Solution
Type I Well 1.5 deg/100’

2500’ Available depth

Imax = 12,500-2,500
TVD1 = 10,000’
10,000’
From Chart,
Imax o
I
Try max = 27
HD1
 Build Section
o
From chart of 1.5 deg/100’, with Imax = 27
In the BUILD Section:
MD1 = 1,800’ (27/1.5)
Imax
TVD1 TVD1 = 1,734’
HD1 = 416’
8,266’ Imax
Remaining vertical height
HD1 = 10,000 - 1,734 = 8,266’
 Solution
Horizontally:
o
416 + 8,266 tan 27 = 4,628
We need 4,500’ only:
Next try Imax = 25’ 30 min
8,266’ Imax
MD2 = 1,700’ (25.5/1.5)
TVD2 = 1,644’
HD2 = 372’
 Solution:

Remaining vertical depth = 10,000-1644

= 8,356 ft.
∴ Horizontal deviation = 372+8,356 tan 25.5
= 4,358 ft. { <4500 }
0
1
Approx. maximum angle = 26 4

What is the size of target?

MD = MDvert + MDbuild + MDhold
8,266
MD at 27 
= 2,500'+1,800'+
cos 27 
=13,577'

8,356
MD at 25.5 = 2,500 +1,700 +


cos 25.5
=13,458'

∴MD ≅13,500'
 Type II Pattern

Given: KOP = 2,000 feet

TVD = 10,000 feet
Horiz. Depart. = 2,258 feet
Build Rate = 20 per 100 feet
Drop Rate = 10 30’ per 100 feet
The first part of the calculation is the
same as previously described.
Procedure - Find:
 a) The usable depth (8,000 feet)
 b) Maximum angle at completion of
buildup (180)
 c) Measured depth and vertical depth at
completion of build up
(M.D.=900 ft. and TVD = 886)
 d) Measured depth, horizontal departure
0
and TVD for 1 2 1
/100 ft from chart.
Solve:

 For the distances corresponding to the

sides of the triangle in the middle.
 Add up the results.

 If not close enough, try a different value

for the maximum inclination angle, Imax
 Example 1: Design of Directional
Well

(i) Determine the maximum hole angle

required.

(ii) What is the total measured depth (MD)?

(MD = well depth measured along the

wellbore,
not the vertical depth)
(i) Maximum
Inclination
Angle
18,000
r1 =
. π
15
r2 = 0
( D 4 − D1 )
= 12,500 − 2,500
= 10,000 ft
 (i) Maximum Inclination Angle

 D − D − x 2 + ( D − D ) 2 − 2( r + r ) x 
θ max = 2 tan −1  4 1 4 4 1 1 2 4

 2(r1 + r2 ) − x 4 


-1 10,000 − 4,500 + 10,000 − 2(3,820) 4,500
2 2 
= 2 tan  
 2(3,820) − 4,500 

θ max = 26.3
(ii) Measured Depth of Well

x Build = r1 (1 − cosθ )
= 3,820(1 - cos 26.3 )


= 395 ft
∴ x Hold = 4,500 − 395
= 4,105 ft
∴ L Hold sin θ = 4,105
∴ L Hold = 9,265 ft
(ii) Measured Depth of
Well

MD = D1 + r1θ rad + L Hold

 26.3π 
= 2,500 + 3,820  + 9,265
 180 

MD = 13,518 ft
 Horizontal
N View

Vertical
View
We may plan a 2-D well, but we always
get a 3D well (not all in one plane)
 MD, α 1 , ε 1

∆MD

β = dogleg
angle α 2, ε 2

Fig. 8-22. A curve representing a wellbore

between survey stations A1 and A2
 Directional Drilling
 1. Drill the vertical (upper) section of
the hole.
 2. Select the proper tools for kicking off
to a non-vertical direction
 3. Build angle gradually
 Directional Tools
 (i) Whipstock
 (ii) Jet Bits
 (iii) Downhole motor and bent sub
 Whipstocks

Standard retreivable Circulating Permanent Casing

 Setting a Whipstock
 Small bit used to start
 Apply weight to:
– set chisel point &
– shear pin
 Drill 12’-20’
 Remove whipstock
 Enlarge hole
 Jetting Bit
 Fast and Small Jets

economical
 For soft formation
 One large - two
small nozzles
 Orient large nozzle
 Spud periodically
 No rotation at first
 Jetting
 Wash out pocket
 Return to normal
drilling
 Survey
 Repeat for more
angle if needed
 Mud Motors
Drillpipe
Non-magnetic
Drill Collar
Bent Sub
Mud Motor
Rotating
Sub
 Increasing Inclination
 Limber assembly
 Near bit stabilizer
 Weight on bit forces
DC to bend to low
side of hole.
 Bit face kicks up
 Hold Inclination
 Packed hole
assembly
 Stiff assembly
 Control bit weight
and RPM
 Decrease Inclination
 Pendulum effect
 Gravity pulls bit
downward
 No near bit stabilizer
 Packed Hole Assemblies

Drill
String String String NB
pipe
Stabilizer Stabilizer Stabilizer Stab
Monel
HW DP Steel DC Steel DC DC
Vertical Calculation Horizontal Calculation
3D View Dog Leg Angle
 Deflecting Wellbore Trajectory
0

270 90

180
 Bottom Hole Location
Direction : N 53  E
Distance : 2,550 ft
TVD : 10,000

E = 2,550 sin 53 
= 2,037 ft
N = 2,550 cos 53 
= 1,535 ft
Closure = 2,550 = E 2 + N2
E 
Closure Direction = tan   = 53 o
-1

N 
 Survey Calculation Methods

1. Tangential Method
= Backward Station Method
= Terminal Angle Method

Assumption: Hole will maintain

constant inclination and azimuth
angles between survey points
A Known : Location of A
Distance AB
IA Angl es IA , IB
Angles A A , A B
IB Calculation : VAB = AB cos IB
HAB = AB sin IB

B
Poor accuracy!!
IB
Average Angle Method
= Angle Averaging Method

Assumption: Borehole is parallel to the

simple average drift and bearing angles
between any two stations.

Known: Location of A, Distance AB,

Angles IA , IB , A A , A B
A (i) Simple enough for field use
(ii) Much more accurate than
IA “Tangential” Method

IB  IA + IB 
Iavg = 
IAVG  2 

B  A A + AB 
A avg = 
 2 
IAVG
A Average Angle Method
Vertical Plane:
IA
 IA + IB 
IB Iavg = 
 2 
IAVG
VAB = AB cos Iavg
B HAB = AB sin Iavg

IAVG
N Average Angle Method
Horizontal Plane:

HAB = AB sin Iavg

AB

B ∆E = AB sin Iavg sin A avg

AAVG ∆N = AB sin Iavg cos A avg
∆N
AA ∆Z = AB cos Iavg
∆E
E
A
Change in position towards the east:
 IA + IB   A A + A B 
∆x = ∆E = L sin  sin ..(1)
 2   2 
Change in position towards the north:
 IA + IB   A A + AB 
∆y = ∆N = L sin  cos ..( 2)
 2   2 
Change in depth:
 IA + IB 
∆Z = L cos  ..(3)
 2 
Where L is the measured distance
between the two stations A & B.
Example
The coordinates of a point in a wellbore
are:
x = 1000 ft (easting)
y = 2000 ft (northing)
z = 3000 ft (depth)

At this point (station) a wellbore survey shows

that the inclination is 15 degrees from vertical,
and the direction is 45 degrees east of north. The
measured distance between this station and the
next is 300 ft….
Example
The coordinates of point 1 are:
x1 = 1000 ft (easting)
o
y1 = 2000 ft (northing) I1 = 15
o
z1 = 3000 ft (depth) A1 = 45
L12 = 300 ft

o o
At point 2, I2 = 25 and A2 = 65

Find x ,y and z
Solution
 I1 + I2   15 + 25 
Iavg =  =  = 20
 2   2 
 A 1 + A 2   45 + 65 
A avg = =  = 55
 2   2 

H12 = L12 sin Iavg = 300 sin 20 = 103 ft

∆E = H12 sin Aavg = 103 sin 55 = 84 ft
∆N = H12 cos Aavg = 103 cos 55 = 59 ft
∆Z = L12 cos Iavg = 300 cos 20 = 282 ft
Solution - cont’d

∆E = 84 ft
∆N = 59 ft
∆Z = 282 ft

x2 = x1 + ∆E = 1,000 + 84 ft = 1,084 ft
y2 = y1 + ∆N = 2,000 + 59 ft = 2,059 ft
z2 = z1 + ∆Z = 3,000 + 282 ft = 3,282 ft