Well Planning

The careful planning of a

directional project prior to
the
commencement
of
actual operations is probably
the single most important
factor of a project

Drilling a directional well

basically involves drilling a
hole from one point in space
(the surface location) to
another point in space (the
target) in such a way that
the hole can then be used
for its intended purpose. To
be able to do this we must
first define the surface and
target locations.

Well Planning
Well Planning Considerations
Avoiding nearby wells is a major concern
Depth of kick-off affects the profile
Shape of trajectory : keep it simple
Curvature, build-, drop-, turn rates should be
at minimum
Length and inclination of tangent section(s)
Target intersection details
Length and inclination of horizontal section

Well Planning
Basic Data
Application Type
Hole and Casing Sizes
Casing Points
Reservoir Conditions
Well Profile (completion needs)
Target Constraints
Mud Data
Surveying Requirements

Well Planning
Steps in Designing a Well Profile
Selection of KOP depth
Selection of BUR (or limits)
Selection of tangent section(s) angle for
Horizontal displacement
TVD uncertainty adjustment
Directional performance uncertainty
Completion requirements
Selection of 2nd BUR (if any)
Considering the length of the lateral hole (if any)
Reservoir constraints
Torque and drag limitations
Hydraulic requirements and limitations (ECD,
SPP)

Well Planning
Selection of Kick off Depth
Consider at planned kick-off depth :
Formation properties (possible washouts)
Inclination and direction (use of gyro or single shot, MWD)
Directional assembly performance (bit selection, BUR)
If cased hole sidetrack, the options are (casing survey, CBL, CCL
are needed) :
Section milling
Whipstock + window milling
Open hole sidetrack / kick-off :
Distance from casing shoe is important (rathole, magn.
interference)
Cement plug might be necessary
Open hole whipstock is optional

Well Planning
Minimum Build up Rates

Minimum BUR is defined by a circular arc from the KOP

to the target entry point
Minimum 15 inclination in the tangent section for
stable direction

Well Planning
Maximum Build up Rates
Casing / liner running should be possible
Casing /liner bending stress must remain within pipe
strength limits
Mechanical loads imposed on drillstring elements (torque,
drag, fatigue) or casing (wear, tensile strength reduction
due to bending stress in doglegs)
Rig power limits
Max curvature for surveying and logging tools
Completion requirements
Risk of casing wear or keyseat in open hole

Well Planning
Well Profile Selection
Selection is based on
Vertical depth between intended KOP and target
Horizontal displacement to target entry point
Completion design
Formation evaluation program
Hole size in reservoir
Profile must provide tangent section(s) for
Completion equipment (packer, beam pump, ESP)
Adjustments if directional drilling difficulties arise

Well Planning
Why Large Direction Changes are Undesirable
?
With increasing inclination it drastically increases the
DLS
Increases the torque and drag
Increases the time when directional work is required
Reduces the angle building capability of a given
directional tool

Well Planning
Hole Inclination Ranges

Near vertical 0 - 10
Low 10 - 30
Intermediate 30 - 60
High 60 <

Well Planning
Critical Angle for Hole Cleaning

Critical range for

hole cleaning can
not be avoided,
but it must be as
short as possible
Avoid planning a
tangent
section
within the critical
angle range

45 - 65

Well Planning
Limitations
Formation drillability
Borehole stability
Steerability, flexibility of drillstring
Drillpipe strength
Hole cleaning, cutting transport problems
Standpipe / pump pressure, ECD
Rig capacity (hook load, rotary torque, pumps,
shakers)

Well Planning
Limitations
Length of horizontal reservoir engineering requirements
Well placement problems
ECD limits the length
Limitations due to drillstring strength
Profile of the lateral hole straight, curved or wavy
trajectory
Casing or liner to be run buckling and lockup might be a
problem
Hole size selection different bit sizes for the build and the
lateral
Drilling torque and overpull margin available

Well Planning
1. Well Plan Inputs
Surface Location
Target Location
Target Considerations
Geological Considerations
Completion and Production
Drilling Considerations
Well Design
Nearby Wells

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Surface Location
Land Locations
Planning a directional well assumes some limiting factors in the
positioning of the surface location. With land wells, the surface
location of the well will usually be determined by the factors originally
prompting the decision to drill a deviated (as opposed to a vertical)
well.
Offshore Locations
The main difference between positioning a surface location on land
and offshore is the
number and proximity of wellbores. Many factors which directly affect
installations including water depth, bottom slope, sandy bottom
versus coral reef, local currents, etc.

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Target Location
The first step in planning any
well is, of course, to define the
objectives. A directional well
can have one or more
objectives. The most obvious
of the objectives is the target.
These can be geological
structures, geological features
such as faults or pinch-outs,
other wellbores (as in relief
well drilling) or a combination
of these.

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Target Considerations
During the drilling phase of
a directional
well,
the
trajectory of the wellbore in
relation to the target is
constantly monitored. The
technology available today
allows us to drill extremely
accurate wells. The cost of
drilling the well is largely
dependent on the accuracy
required, so the acceptable
limits of the target must be
well-defined before the well
is commenced.

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Target Location
When planning and drilling a well, it is
simpler to use partial coordinates when
referring to the target. This involves
using the surface location as a
reference point (surface reference
point) and attributing this point with
the value 0,0. All other coordinates can
then be referred back to this point,
thus
simplifying
calculation
and
plotting
procedures.
The
Surface
Reference Point (SRP) is usually the
rotary kelly bushing, the wellhead or
the platform reference point. Once the
exact location of the surface reference
point and the target are known, the
partial coordinates can easily be

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs

Geological

Considerations
Interaction with the geologists is of prime importance to understand
any limitations in the particular zone of interest.
Lithology being drilled through (sand, shales, sloughing tendencies,
coals, salt, medium hard formations with hard or soft stringers, marker
zones)
Location of water or gas top
Level of geological control
Type of target the geologist is expecting (channel sand, pinnacle reef, a
seismic irregularity, exploration or infill drill)

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Geological Considerations
(Cont)
Geological structures that will be drilled through or into (dip, faults,
unconsolidated shales)
Regulatory issues (oil or gas target boundaries, wellbore clearance
from existing wells, location of final total depth)
Type of Well (Oil or Gas)
Future sidetrack or re-entry potentials

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs

Completion

and

Production

Considerations
This group is often missed and may result in a costly error if their
needs are not considered in the planning phase. They usually share
some of the planning responsibility with the geology department.
Location of surface facilities or ability to move existing when
infill drilling on an existing pad
Type of completion required (frac, pump rods)
May specify maximum inclination and dogleg limits based upon
log and production requirements
Enhanced recovery completion requirements

Wellbore
positioning
requirements
for
future
drainage/production plans
Downhole temperature and pressure

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Drilling Considerations
This group usually has control over the main operation and tries to pull
all parties together. The overall cost estimation and economic
feasibility may also rest in their hands. Consequently, the directional
representative usually spends most of their time consulting with the
members in this group. Even though the other groups have just as
important information, the drilling group typically controls how the well
is drilled and will make the final decision on any operational issues that
occur.

Selection of surface location and well centre(s) layout

Casing size and depths
Hole size
Required drilling fluid
Drilling rig equipment and capability
Length of time directional services are utilized
Influences the type of survey equipment and wellpath

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Well Design
Knowing the position of the surface location and given the location of
the Target, its TVD and rectangular coordinates, it is possible to
determine the best geometric well profile from surface to the bottomhole target. In general, Directional wells can be either:

Straight
Slant type
S" type
Horizontal

The type of profile selected will depend upon the Geological objective
and production mechanism of the well. Once the profile has been
selected, the well can be planned.

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Well Design

Determining the Kick-off Point

The Kick-off point is defined as a point in the wellbore at a given
vertical depth below the surface location where the well will be
deviated away from vertical in a given direction up to a given
inclination at a given build rate. The selection of the Kick-off point is
made by considering the geometrical well-path and the geological
characteristics. The optimum inclination of the well is a function of
the maximum permissible build rate (and drop rate if applicable) and
the location of the target.

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Well Design
Determining Build and Drop Rates
The maximum permissible build/drop rate is normally determined by one
or more of the
following:

The total depth of the well.

Maximum Torque and Drag limitations.
The formations through which the build section must pass.
Mechanical limitations of the drill string or casing.
Mechanical limitations of logging tools and production strings.
Formation of Keyseats" in the Kick-off arc.

Once the desired build rate and inclination have been established, the
kick-off point can
be determined.

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Well Design
Calculating the Trajectory
Type 1 Well (Build and Hold)
Given:
Wellhead coordinates
Target coordinates
Target TVD, V3

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Well Design
Calculating the Trajectory
Type 1 Well (Build and Hold)
To determine:
KOP vertical depth, V1
Build up rate, BUR
KOP Kick-off point.
V1 TVD of straight section/surface to KOP.
V2 TVD of end of build up.
V2 - V1 TVD of Build up section with BUR corresponding to radius of
curvature R.
V3 - V2 TVD of Tangent section to total depth.
D1 Displacement at end of build up.
D2 Total horizontal displacement of target.
Maximum inclination of well.

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs

Well Design

Calculating the Trajectory

Type 2 Well (S Type, Build, Hold,
and Drop)
Given:
Wellhead coordinates
Target coordinates
Target TVD, V5

Well Planning
1. Well Plan
Inputs
Well Design

Well Planning
2. Well Plan
Outputs
Well Profile
BHAs Design
Drill Bits Selection
Hydraulics
Torque & Drag
Anticollision Issues