Slide 1

Drilling Engineering


Directional Drilling
Slide 2
Directional Drilling
When is it used?
Type I Wells
Type II Wells
Type III Wells
Directional Well Planning & Design
Survey Calculation Methods
Build
and Hold
Build-Hold
and Drop
Continuous
Build
KOP
EOC
I II III
Slide 3
Inclination Angle
u, o, I
Direction Angle
|, c, A
Slide 4
Slide 5
Max.
Horiz.
Depart.
?
Slide 6
Slide 7
Slide 8
Slide 9
Slide 10
Slide 11
Type I Type II Type III
Build
and Hold
Build-Hold
and Drop
Continuous
Build
KOP
EOC
Slide 12
Ax
Ay
I
I
r
r
AL
In the BUILD
Section
Ax = r (1 - cos I)
Ay = r sin I
AL = r I
rad
deg
I r
180
= L
|
.
|

\
|
t
A
BUR *
000 , 18
r
t
=
Slide 13
Slide 14
Fig. 8.11
4 2 1 3 1
x r r and x r < + <
Slide 15
4 2 1 3 1
x r r and x r > + <
3D Wells
Slide 16
N18E
N55W
S20W
S23E
Azimuth
Angle
Slide 17
Slide 18
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
Type I well (build and hold)
Slide 19
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)
Slide 20
(i) Maximum
Inclination
Angle
r
1
=
18 000
15
,
. t
r
2
= 0
( )
D
4 1
12 500 2 500
10 000

=
=
D
ft
, ,
,
Slide 21
(i) Maximum Inclination Angle
(
(

+
=
(
(

+
+ +
=

500 , 4 ) 820 , 3 ( 2
500 , 4 ) 820 , 3 ( 2 000 , 10 500 , 4 000 , 10
tan 2
x ) r r ( 2
x ) r r ( 2 ) D D ( x D D
tan 2
2 2
1 -
4 2 1
4 2 1
2
1 4
2
4 1 4 1
max
u

3 . 26
max
= u
Slide 22
(ii) Measured Depth of Well
ft 265 , 9 L
105 , 4 sin L
ft 4,105
395 500 , 4 x
ft 395
) 26.3 cos - 3,820(1
) cos 1 ( r x
Hold
Hold
Hold
1 Build
=
=
=
=
=
=
=
u
u

Slide 23
(ii) Measured Depth of Well
265 , 9
180
26.3
3,820 2,500

L r D MD
Hold rad 1 1
+
|
.
|

\
|
+ =
+ + =
t
u
ft 518 , 13 MD =
Slide 24
* The actual well path hardly ever coincides with
the planned trajectory
* Important: Hit target within specified radius
Slide 25
What is known?
I
1
, I
2
, A
1
,

A
2
,

AL = AMD
1-2
Calculate
| = dogleg angle

DLS = |-100/AL

Slide 26
Slide 27
(20)
Slide 28
Wellbore Surveying Methods
Average Angle
Balanced Tangential
Minimum Curvature
Radius of Curvature
Tangential

Other Topics
Kicking off from Vertical
Controlling Hole Angle
Slide 29
I, A, AMD
Slide 30
Example - Wellbore Survey Calculations
The table below gives data from a directional survey.

Survey Point Measured Depth Inclination Azimuth
along the wellbore Angle Angle
ft I, deg A, deg

A 3,000 0 20
B 3,200 6 6
C 3,600 14 20
D 4,000 24 80

Based on known coordinates for point C well calculate
the coordinates of point D using the above information.
Slide 31
Example - Wellbore Survey Calculations
Point C has coordinates:

x = 1,000 (ft) positive towards the east
y = 1,000 (ft) positive towards the north
z = 3,500 (ft) TVD, positive downwards
Z
E (x)
N (y)
C
D
Az
N
D
C
Ay
Ax
Slide 32
Example - Wellbore Survey Calculations
I. Calculate the x, y, and z coordinates
of points D using:

(i) The Average Angle method
(ii) The Balanced Tangential method
(iii) The Minimum Curvature method

(iv) The Radius of Curvature method
(v) The Tangential method
Slide 33
The Average Angle Method
Find the coordinates of point D using
the Average Angle Method

At point C, X = 1,000 ft
Y = 1,000 ft
Z = 3,500 ft


80 A 24 I
20 A 14 I
ft 400 MD D, to C from depth Measured
D D
C C
= =
= =
= A
Slide 34
The Average Angle Method


80 A 24 I
20 A 14 I
ft 400 MD D, to C from depth Measured
D D
C C
= =
= =
= A
Z
E (x)
N (y)
C
D
z
N
D
C
y
x
Slide 35
The Average Angle Method
Slide 36
The Average Angle Method
This method utilizes the average of I
1
and I
2
as an
inclination, the average of A
1
and A
2
as a direction, and
assumes all of the survey interval (AMD) to be tangent
to the average angle.
From: API Bulletin D20. Dec. 31, 1985
Slide 37
ft 71 . 83 50 cos sin19 400

cos sin
50
2
80 20
2
19
2
24 14
2
= =
A = A
=
+
=
+
=
=
+
=
+
=

AVG AVG
D C
AVG
D C
AVG
A I MD North
A A
A
I I
I
The Average Angle Method
Slide 38
The Average Angle Method
ft
A I MD East
AVE AVG
76 . 99 50 sin sin19 400
sin sin
= =
A = A

ft
I Vert
AVG
21 . 378 cos19 400
cos 400
= =
= A

Slide 39
The Average Angle Method
At Point D,

X = 1,000 + 99.76 = 1,099.76 ft

Y = 1,000 + 83.71 = 1,083.71 ft

Z = 3,500 + 378.21 = 3,878.21 ft
Slide 40
The Balanced Tangential Method
This method treats half the measured distance (AMD/2) as
being tangent to I
1
and A
1
and the remainder of

the
measured distance (AMD/2) as being tangent to I
2
and A
2.

From: API Bulletin D20. Dec. 31, 1985
Slide 41
The Balanced Tangential Method
ft 59.59

) 80 cos 24 sin 20 cos 14 (sin
2
400


) A cos I sin A cos I (sin
2
MD
North
D D C C
=
+ =
+
A
= A

Slide 42
The Balanced Tangential Method
96.66ft

) 80 sin 24 sin 20 sin 14 (sin
2
400


) A sin I sin A sin I (sin
2
MD
East
D D C C
=
+ =
+
A
= A

Slide 43
The Balanced Tangential Method
ft 77 . 376 ) 14 cos 24 (cos
2
400


) I cos I (cos
2
MD
Vert
C D
= + =
+
A
= A

Slide 44
The Balanced Tangential Method
At Point D,

X = 1,000 + 96.66 = 1,096.66 ft

Y = 1,000 + 59.59 = 1,059.59 ft

Z = 3,500 + 376.77 = 3,876.77 ft
Slide 45
Minimum Curvature Method
|
Slide 46
Minimum Curvature Method
This method smooths the two straight-line segments of the
Balanced Tangential Method using the Ratio Factor RF.

RF = (2/DL) * tan(DL/2) (DL= | and must be in radians)
Slide 47
Minimum Curvature Method
The dogleg angle, | , is given by:
radians 36082 . 0 20.67

0.935609

)) 20 80 cos( 1 ( 24 sin sin14 - 14) - cos(24

)) A A cos( 1 ( I sin I sin ) I I cos( Cos
C D D C C D
= =
=
=
=

|
|
Slide 48
Minimum Curvature Method
The Ratio Factor,
ft 25 . 60 01099 . 1 * 59 . 59
RF ) I cos I sin A cos I (sin
2
MD
North
01099 . 1
2
67 . 20
tan *
3608 . 0
2
RF

Z
tan
2
RF
D D C C
= =
+
A
= A
=
|
.
|

\
|
=
=

|
|
2
Slide 49
Minimum Curvature Method
ft 380.91 1.01099 * 376.77

RF ) I cos I (cos
2
MD
Vert
ft 97.72 1.01099 * 96.66
RF ) A sin I sin A sin I (sin
2
MD
East
D C
D D C C
= =
+
A
= A
= =
+
A
= A
Slide 50
Minimum Curvature Method
At Point D,

X = 1,000 + 97.72 = 1,097.72 ft

Y = 1,000 + 60.25 = 1,060.25 ft

Z = 3,500 + 380.91 =3,888.91 ft

Slide 51
The Radius of Curvature Method
ft 79.83

180
) 20 80 )( 14 24 (
) 20 sin 80 )(sin 24 cos 400(cos14


180
) A A )( I I (
) A sin A )(sin I cos I (cos MD
North
2
2
C D C D
C D D C
=
|
.
|

\
|


=
|
.
|

\
|

A
= A
t
t

Slide 52
The Radius of Curvature Method
ft 95.14
180
) 20 80 )( 14 24 (
) 80 cos 20 )(cos 24 cos 14 (cos 400


180
) A A )( I I (
) A A )(cos I cos I (cos MD
East
2
2
C D C D
D C D C
=
|
.
|

\
|


=
|
.
|

\
|

A
= A
t
t

( )( )
( )( )
2
180
|
.
|

\
|
t
A
= A
C D C D
D C D C
A A I I
A cos A cos I cos I cos MD
East
Slide 53
The Radius of Curvature Method
ft 73 . 377
180
14 24
) 14 sin 400(sin24


180
I I
) I sin I (sin MD
Vert
C D
C D
=
|
.
|

\
|

=
|
.
|

\
|

A
= A
t
t

Slide 54
The Radius of Curvature Method
At Point D,

X = 1,000 + 95.14 = 1,095.14 ft

Y = 1,000 + 79.83 = 1,079.83 ft

Z = 3,500 + 377.73 = 3,877.73 ft
Slide 55
The Tangential Method


80 A 24 I
20 A 14 I
ft 400 MD D, to C from depth Measured
D D
C C
= =
= =
= A
D D
A I MD North cos sin A = A
ft 25 . 28 80 cos 24 sin 400 = =

Slide 56
The Tangential Method
ft 22 . 160 80 sin sin24 400
sin sin
= =
A = A

D D
A I MD East
ft 42 . 365 24 cos 400
I cos 400 Vert
D
= =
= A

Slide 57
The Tangential Method
ft 3,865.42 365.42 3,500 Z
ft 1,028.25 28.25 1,000 Y

ft 1,160.22 160.22 1,000 X
D, Point At
= + =
= + =
= + =

Slide 58
Summary of Results (to the nearest ft)
X Y Z

Average Angle 1,100 1,084 3,878
Balanced Tangential 1,097 1,060 3,877
Minimum Curvature 1,098 1,060 3,881
Radius of Curvature 1,095 1,080 3,878
Tangential Method 1,160 1,028 3,865
Slide 59
Slide 60
Slide 61
Building
Hole Angle
Slide 62
Holding
Hole Angle
Slide 63
Slide 64
CLOSURE
LEAD ANGLE
(HORIZONTAL) DEPARTURE
Slide 65
|
Slide 66
Tool Face Angle