Horizontal Drilling

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 Lesson 14 - Horizontal Drilling

 Why Drill Horizontal Wells?

 Relative Production Rates
 Relative Costs
 Types of Horizontal Wells
 Drilling Problems & Solutions
 How Popular is Horizontal Drilling?
 Examples

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 Why Drill Horizontal Wells?

 Increase Reserves

 Increase Production Rates

 Control Water Production

 Control Gas Production

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 Why Drill Horizontal Wells?

 Control Sand Production

 Produce From Thin Reservoirs

 Connect Vertical Fractures

 Produce Methane from Coal Seams

 Increase Injectivity
- (steam, water, polymers, etc.)

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 Production Rates
Oryx - Austin Chalk

Vertical Horizontal Horizontal/Vertical

Well Well Production Ratio
B/D B/D

12 507 42

15 215 14

5 107 21

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 Production Rates

Drilled 7 wells from 1986 to 1989.

Drilled ~ 85 wells in 1990

Vertical Well Drilling Cost: 235 $/ft

Horizontal Well Drilling Cost: 520-282 $/ft
Cost Ratio: 2.2-1.2

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 Drilling Costs
Austin Chalk (1993)

Vertical well ~ $500,000

Recompletion as Horizontal Well ~ $375,000
New Horizontal Well ~
$1,000,000-2,000,000
~ $100+/ft to
$150/ft
{these numbers are rough estimates only}

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 Rospo Mare - Italy

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 Prudhoe Bay

Vertical Well: 3,000 – 4,000 B/D

Horizontal Well: 10,000 - 12,000 B/D
Production Ratio: 3-4
Vertical Well: 235 $/ft
Horizontal Well: 520 - 282 $/ft
Cost Ratio: 2.2-1.2

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 Long Radius (~1,000-3,000 ft) {~2-6 deg/100 ft}

Medium Radius (140~700 ft) {~8-40 deg/100 ft}

Short Radius (~20-40 ft)

{~1.5-3 deg/ft}

<1,000 ft ~5,000 ft ~8,000 ft

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 New Drilling Technology

Measurement While Drilling (MWD)

Directional Surverying and Control
Indentification of Markers (identify zones)

Top Drive
Drill with 90-ft stands instead of 30-ft joints
Circulate while pulling drillpipe out of hole
Rotate drillpipe while pulling out of hole

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 New Drilling Technology

Mud Motors
Drill without rotating pipe
Change hole direction while
drilling
Steerable systems

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 Potential Problems in Horizontal
Drilling

• Running equipment in and out of hole

• drillstring, casing, cables

• Preventing/Remedying differential
sticking

• Excessive torque

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 Potential Problems in Horizontal
Drilling

• Cleaning the hole and preventing cuttings

from settling along the hole bottom

• Controlling weight on bit to achieve and

maintain directional control

• Cementing casing or liner

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 Summary

• Horizontal wells may produce at 3-5 times the

rate of vertical wells in the same area
(… as much as 20 times higher in special
cases).

• Horizontal wells typically cost 1.5-3 times as

much as vertical wells in the same area.

• Horizontal wells are often very attractive in

formations with extensive vertical fractures.

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 Summary

• The use of horizontal wells is growing -

worldwide.

• Horizontal wells has increased our

recoverable reserves.

• In the U.S. one rig in ten is drilling

horizontal wells. (1994) (1998)
~ 7% in Oct. 2001

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 Long - Radius Wells

• Used for achieving large horizontal

displacements from platforms or drilling pads
• Used for achieving very long horizontal sections
(to 6,000 ft +)

Build Rate: ~ 2-6 degrees/100 ft

Build Radius: ~ 1,000-3,000 ft
Length of Horiz. Section: 1,000 - 8,000 ft (1995)

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 Method:

• Use conventional directional drilling

technology

• Use rigid bottom hole assemblies,

motors & bent subs, stabilizers

• or Use Navigation drilling systems with

“steerable” drilling motors

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 Medium - Radius Wells

Build Rate: ~ 8 - 20 degrees/100 ft

(up to 40 deg/100 ft in some
cases)

Build Radius: ~ 300 - 700 ft

Length of Horiz. Section: 1,000-6,000 ft

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 Method:

• Use modified long-radius drilling technology

• Use different motors for Angle Build and
Angle Hold sections.
• Use a “Tangent Section” between the two
build sections
• Use compressive service drillpipe through
the curve if Build Rate > 15 deg./100 ft.
(CS drillpipe has integral wear knots
every ~ 10 ft)
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 Short-Radius Wells

Build Rate: ~ 1 - 3 degrees/ft

Build Radius: ~ 20 - 40 ft

Length of Horiz. Section: 200 - 1,000 ft

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 Method:

 Two downhole motor designs are available

 Drill vertical “rathole” to identify horizon
 Build angle with special curve-drilling
assembly with a non-rotating shell that
gives curvature to the tool
 After building angle to horizontal, use a
special angle-hold assembly: this
consists of two undergauge stabilizers
behind the bit, and flexible drillpipe.

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 Horizontal Well Pair

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 Horizontal Well Pair

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 Vertical Injection Wells and
Horizontal Production Well

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