Directional Drilling

Ir. Dr. Mohd Shiraz Aris

Department of Petroleum Engineering,
Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS

Thursday, April 11, 13

Learning Outcomes
List and describe the applications of directional drilling
techniques
Carry out relevant calculations along hole depth, TVD and
departure of the end of the build up section and the along hole
depth of the bottom of the hole in a build and hold well profile.
Describe the principles used in the deflection of a wellbore
from a given trajectory.

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Table of Content
1.

INTRODUCTION

2.

APPLICATIONS

3.

DEPTH REFERENCE AND GEOGRAPHICAL REFERENCE SYSTEMS

4.

PLANNING THE PROFILE OF THE WELL

5.

CONSIDERATIONS WHEN PLANNING THE DIRECTIONAL WELL PATH

6.

DEFLECTION TOOLS

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Introduction

In the early days of land drilling most wells were drilled

vertically, straight down into the reservoir. Although these
wells were considered to be vertical, they rarely were.

Many new techniques and special tools have been introduced

to control the path of the wellbore.

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(f) Relief Wells

If a blow-out occurs and the rig is damaged, or d
Application
kill the wild well by drilling another directiona
intercept or pass to within a few feet of the bottom
Typical applications of directionally controlled drilling
well is killed by circulating high density uid dow
(a) Multi-well
wild Platform
well. Drilling

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ief Wells
ow-out occurs and the rig is damaged, or destroyed, it may be
Application
wild well by drilling another directionally drilled well (rel
pt or pass to within a few feet of the bottom of the wild well.
(b) Fault Drilling
killed by circulating high density uid down the relief well, into
ell.

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Application
the rig is damaged, or destroyed,
it may be possible to
drilling another directionally drilled well (relief well) to
n a few
feet of the bottom
of the wild well. The wild
(c) Inaccessible
Locations
ng high density uid down the relief well, into and up the

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Application
(d) Sidetracking and Straightening

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Application
(e) Salt Dome Drilling

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Application
(f) Relief Wells

Figure 1 Applications of Directional D

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Depth Reference and Geographical

Referencing System

The trajectory of a deviated well must be carefully planned so

that the most efficient trajectory is used to drill between the rig
and the target location and ensure that the well is drilled for the
least amount of money possible.

When planning, and subsequently drilling the well, the position

of all points along the wellpath and therefore the trajectory of
the well must be considered in three dimensions

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Depth Reference and Geographical

Referencing System
The three dimensional system that is generally used to define
the position of a particular point along the well-path is:

The vertical depth of the point below a particular reference

point
The horizontal distance traversed from the wellhead in a
Northerly direction
The distance traversed from the wellhead in an Easterly
direction

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The depth of a particular point in the wellpath is expressed in feet (or meters) vertic
below asoreference
(datum)
point and the Northerly and Easterly displacemen
he trajectory of a deviated well must be carefully planned
that the most
efcient
ajectory is used to drill between the rig and the the
target
location
and ensure
point
is expressed
in feetthat
(or meters) horizontally from the wellhead.
he well is drilled for the least amount of money possible. When planning, and
N
ubsequently drilling the well, the position of all points along the wellpath and
herefore the trajectory of the well must be considered in three dimensions (Figure
). This means that the position of all points on the trajectory must be expressed E
with respect to a three dimensional reference system. The three dimensional system
hat is generally used to dene the position of a particular point along the wellpath is:

Depth Reference and Geographical

Referencing System

The depth of a particular point

in the wellpath is expressed in
Vertical

The vertical depth of the point below a particular referenceDepth

point
feet
(or
meters)
vertically
below
a direction
reference (datum) point and

The horizontal distance traversed from the wellhead in a Northerly

The distance
from the wellhead
an Easterly direction
the traversed
Northerly
and in Easterly
displacement of the point is
he depth of aexpressed
particular point inin
the wellpath
is expressed
in feet (or
meters) vertically Displacement
feet (or
meters)
horizontally
from the wellhead.

elow a reference (datum) point and the Northerly and Easterly displacement of
he point is expressed in feet (or meters) horizontally from the wellhead.
N
E

Along Hole Depth

Vertical
Depth
Cross Section

Vertical
Depth

Displacement

E
Plan View

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Figure 2 Well Planning Reference Systems

Depth Reference and Geographical

Referencing System
Depth referencing system

Mean Sea Level, MSL

Rotary Table Elevation, RTE
20 Wellhead Housing

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Depth Reference and Geographical

Referencing System
Geographical referencing system

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(c) Tangent (or Drift) Angle

The tangent angle (or drift angle) is the inclination (in degrees from the vertical)
of the long straight section of the well after the build up section of the well. This
section of the well is termed the tangent section because it forms a tangent to the
arc formed by the build up section of the well. The tangent angle will generally be
Three10types
deviated
profileto control the trajectory of the well at
between
and 60ofdegrees
sincewell
it is difcult
angles below 10 degrees and it is difcult to run wireline tools into wells at angles
Build
and
Hold
of greater
than
60 degrees.

Wellpath Planning

KOP

Build Up Section

Tangential Section

KOP
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KOP
Build Up Section
Wellpath Planning

S-shaped

Tangential Section

KOP

Drop off Section

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KOP

Wellpath Planning
Drop off Section

Deep kick-off

KOP

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Depth Reference and Geographical

Referencing System
Defining Well-path points

Having fixed the target and the rig position, the next stage is to
plan the geometrical profile of the well to reach the target. The
most common well trajectory is the build and hold profile,
(vertical, build-up and tangent).

The trajectory of the wellbore can be plotted when the

following points have been defined :

KOP (selected by designer)

TVD and horizontal displacement of the end of the build up section.

TVD and horizontal displacement of the target (defined by position of rig

and target)

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Depth Reference and Geographical

Referencing System

Since the driller will only be able to determine the along hole
depth of the well the following information will also be
required:

AHD of the KOP (same as TVD of KOP)

Build up rate for the build up section (selected by designer)

Direction in which the well is to be drilled after the KOP in degrees from
North (defined by position of rig and target)

AHD at which the build up stops and the tangent section commences and

AHD of the target

Note: These depths and distances can be defined by a simple geometrical analysis of
the well trajectory

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 (dened
AHD ofbythe
target of rig and target)
North
position

AHD at which the build up stops and the tangent section commences and
These
and distances can be dened by a simple geometrical anal

AHD
of depths
the target
well trajectory (Figure 4).
These depths and distances can be dened by a simple geometrical analysis of t
Radius(Figure
of the4).
Build Up Section:
well trajectory
radius radius
R of the build up section of the well can be calculated from th
Build-upThe
section
( oBuild
/100ft)Up
: Section:
Radius rate
of the
TheThe
radius
the up
build
upof section
ofbethe
well from
can the
bebuildradius RRof of
the build
section
the well can
calculated
o
rate ( o/100ft)
calculated
from :the obuild-up
:
100 ft rate ( /100ft)
36000

Depth Reference and Geographical

Referencing System

R=

360 2 ( R )
2 ( )

100 ft
36000
=
R=
360 2
(R)
2 ( )
Tangent
Angle:
o

The tangent angle, of the well (Figure 4) can be calculated as follows:

Tangent
Angle
of the well can be calculated as follows:
Tangent
Angle:
The tangent angle, of the well (Figure 4) can be calculated as follows:

dR
D
d R R cos x
tan x = sin y =
D
D
x+ y
Rcos
=
x
sin y =
D
tan x =

Thursday, April 11, 13

Depth Reference and Geographical

Referencing System

Once the tangent angle is known the other points on the

wellpath can be calculated as follows:
AHD at the end of build section:
The measured depth at end of build section, AE:
AE = AB + BE (curved length)
BE can be calculated from

BE

=
2 R
360

TVD at the end of the build Section:

The TVD at end of build section, AX is
AX = AB + PE
where PE = R sin

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AHD at the end of build section:

The measured depth at end of build section, AE:

Depth Reference and Geographical

AE = AB
+ BE (curved length)
Referencing
System
BE can be calculated from

BE

=
2 R
360

TVD at the end of the build Section:

The TVD at end of build section, AX is
AX = AB + PE
where PE = R sin
AX = AB + R sin
Displacement at the end of build Section:
The horizontal deviation at end of build, XE is
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XE = OB - OP

AX==AB
AB ++ PE
PE
AX

Depth
Reference
and Geographical
wherePE
PE == RRsin
sin
where
Referencing
System
AX = AB + R sin
AX = AB + R sin

Displacementatatthe
theend
endof
ofbuild
build Section:
Section:
Displacement
Thehorizontal
horizontaldeviation
deviationatatend
endof
ofbuild,
build, XE
XE is
is
The
XE==OB
OB - - OP
OP
XE
whereOB
OB == RR
where
OP==RRcos
cos
OP
XE = R - R cos
XE = R - R cos
AHD of the target:
AHD of the target:
The total measured depth, AT is
The total measured depth, AT is
AT = AE + ET
AT = AE + ET
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AHD of the target:

The total measured depth, AT is

Depth Reference and Geographical

AT = AE + ET
Referencing System

Example:
Exercise:
Theprocedure
planningforprocedure
build
and hole
trajectory
The
planning
the build for
andthe
hold
trajectory
is best
illustrated
is best illustrated
by considering
considering
the following
example: the following example:
Basic Data:
KOP (BRT)
TVD of target (BRT)
horizontal Displacement of Target
build-up rate

2000 ft
10000 ft
3000 ft
2 degrees/100 ft

Draw-up the trajectory for the proposed planning procedure

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2000'

R
X

4000'

6000'

8000'

10000'

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d
1000'

2000'

3000'

Displacement

8000 - 1071.39
ET =
= 7470.12'
o
Cos 21.95

Depth Reference and Geographical

AT = 3097.50 + 7470.12 = 10567.62'
Referencing System
Exercise 1 Designing a Deviated Well
It has been decided to sidetrack a well from 1500 ft. The sidetrack will be a build
and hold profile with the following specifications:
Target Depth
Horizontal departure
Build up Rate

: 10000 ft.
: 3000 ft.
: 1.5o per 100 ft.

Calculate the following :

a. the drift angle of the well.
b. the TVD and horizontal deviation at the end of the build up section.
c. the total measured depth to the target.

5. CONSIDERATIONS WHEN PLANNING THE DIRECTIONAL WELL

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