SOLUTION TO CHAPTER PROBLEMS

CHAPTER 2

1. Given the following survey data, calculate the TVD, North and East using the
average angle and radius of curvature methods.

MD1 = 1000 feet MD2 = 2000 feet

I1 = 0 I2 = 40
A1 = S42W A2 = S42W

Solution:

Average angle method:

MD = MD2 MD1
MD = 2000 1000 = 1000 feet

Azimuth = 180 + 42 = 222

I +I
TVD = MD Cos 1 2
2
0 + 40
TVD = 1000 Cos = 939.69 feet
2

I +I A + A2
North = MD Sin 1 2 Cos 1
2 2
0 + 40 222 + 222
North = 1000 Sin Cos = 254 .17 feet
2 2

I +I A + A2
East = MD Sin 1 2 Sin 1
2 2
0 + 40 222 + 222
East = 1000 Sin Sin = 228.86 feet
2 2

Radius of Curvature:

If the azimuths or inclinations are equal, you must add a small amount to one of the azimuths or
inclinations so that the radius of curvature equations will work. Otherwise, the eqation will be
divided by zero.

A2 = A1 + 0.001
A2 = 222 + 0.001 = 222.001o

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Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

TVD =
(180 )(MD )(Sin I 2 Sin I1 )
(I 2 I1 )

TVD =
(180 )(1000 )(Sin 40 Sin 0) = 920.73 feet
(40 0 )

North =
(180 )2 (MD )(Cos I1 Cos I 2 )(Sin A2 Sin A1 )
2 (I 2 I1 )(A2 A1 )

North =
(180 )2 (1000 )(Cos 0 Cos 40)(Sin 222.001 Sin 222) = 249.04 feet
2 (40 0 )(222.001 222 )

180 2 (MD )(Cos I1 Cos I 2 )(Cos A1 Cos A2 )

East =
2 (I 2 I1 )(A2 A1 )
180 2 (1000 )(Cos 0 Cos 40 )(Cos 222 Cos 222.001)
East = = 224.24 feet
2 (40 0 )(222.001 222 )

The answers are not the same both methods because the distance between surveys is too
great for the average angle method. That is why radius of curvature is generally used to
calculate the position of the wellbore when planning a directional well.

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 Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

2. Given the following rectangular coordinates, calculate the vertical section of the survey
point if the vertical section azimuth is 215.

North = -1643.82 feet and East = -822.16 feet

Solution:

East
Closure Direction = Tan 1
North
822 .16
Closure Direction = Tan 1 = 26 .57
o
1643 .82

Since the well is in the southwest (both the north and east are negative), 180 must be added to
the Closure Direction.

Closure Direction = 26.57 +180 = 206.57

Closure Distance = (North )2 + (East )2

Closure Distance = ( 1643 .82 )2 + ( 822 .16 )2 = 1837 .96 feet

VS = Cos (Az vs Az cl ) (Closure Distance )

VS = Cos (215 206 .57 ) (1837 .96 ) = 1818 .10 feet

Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved. 3

Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

3 Given the following survey data, calculate the TVD, North and East using the
average angle, radius of curvature and minimum curvature methods.

MD1 = 100 feet MD2 = 200 feet

I1 = 1 I2 = 1
A1 = 0 A2 = 180

Solution:

Average angle method:

MD = MD2 MD1
MD = 200 100 = 100 feet

I +I
TVD = MD Cos 1 2
2
1 + 1
TVD = 100 Cos = 99.98 feet
2

I +I A + A2
North = MD Sin 1 2 Cos 1
2 2
1 + 1 0 + 180
North = 100 Sin Cos = 0.00 feet
2 2

I +I A + A2
East = MD Sin 1 2 Sin 1
2 2
1 + 1 0 + 180
East = 100 Sin Sin = 1.75 feet
2 2

Radius of Curvature:

If the azimuths or inclinations are equal, you must add a small amount to one of the azimuths or
inclinations so that the radius of curvature equations will work. Otherwise, the eqation will be
divided by zero.

I 2 = I1 + 0.001
I 2 = 1 + 0.001 = 1.001o

TVD =
(180 )(MD )(Sin I 2 Sin I1 )
(I 2 I1 )

TVD =
(180 )(100 )(Sin 1.001 Sin 1) = 99.98 feet
(1.001 1)

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 Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

North =
(180)2 (MD )(Cos I1 Cos I 2 )(Sin A2 Sin A1 )
2 (I 2 I1 )(A2 A1 )

North =
(180)2 (100)(Cos 1 Cos 1.001)(Sin 180 Sin 0) = 0.00 feet
2 (1.001 1)(180 0 )

180 2 (MD )(Cos I1 Cos I 2 )(Cos A1 Cos A2 )

East =
2 (I 2 I1 )(A2 A1 )
180 2 (100 )(Cos 1 Cos 1.001)(Cos 0 Cos 180 )
East = = 1.11 feet
2 (1.001 1)(180 0 )

Minimum Curvature:

D1 = Cos (I 2 I1 ) {Sin I 2 Sin I1 [1 Cos (A2 A1 )]}

D1 = Cos (1 1) {Sin 1 Sin 1 [1 Cos (180 0 )]} = 0.999391

1
D2 = Tan 1 2 1
D1
1
D2 = Tan 1 2
1 = 0.034907
0.999391

2 D2
FC = Tan
D2 2
2 0.034907
FC = Tan = 1.000102
0.034907 2

MD
TVD = (Cos I1 + Cos I 2 )(FC )
2
100
TVD = (Cos 1 + Cos 1)(1.000102 ) = 100 .00 feet
2

MD
North = [(Sin I 2 Cos A2 ) + (Sin I1 Cos A1 )](FC )
2
100
North = [(Sin 1 Cos 180 ) + (Sin 1 Cos 0 )](1.000102 ) = 0.00 feet
2

MD
East = [(Sin I 2 Sin A2 ) + (Sin I1 Sin A1 )](FC )
2
100
East = [(Sin 1 Sin 180 ) + (Sin 1 Sin 0 )](1.000102 ) = 0.00 feet
2

Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved. 5

Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

Chapter 3

1 Given the following survey data, calculate the dogleg severity.

MD1 = 100 feet MD2 = 200 feet

I1 = 1 I2 = 1
A1 = 0 A2 = 180

Solution:

Using Equation 3-1

MD = MD2 MD1
MD = 200 100 = 100 feet

100
DLS = Cos 1{(SinI1 Sin I 2 )[(Sin A1 Sin A2 ) + (Cos A1 Cos A2 )] + (CosI1 CosI 2 )}
MD
100
DLS = Cos 1{(Sin 1 Sin 1)[(Sin 0 Sin 180) + (Cos 0 Cos 180)] + (Cos 1 Cos 1)} = 2.00 o /100'
100

Using Equation 3-2

(2)(100 ) Sin 1 (SinI )(SinI )Sin A2 A1

2 2
I I
DLS = 1 2 + Sin 2 1
MD 2 2

DLS =
(2)(100 ) Sin 1 (Sin 1)(Sin 1)Sin 180 0 2 + Sin 1 1 2 = 2.00 o /100'

100 2 2

Using Equation 3-3

2
100 I +I
DLS = (I 2 I1 )
2
+ Sin 2 1 (A2 A1 )
MD 2
2
DLS =
100
(1 1)2 + Sin 1 + 1(180 0) = 3.14 o /100'
100 2

Equation 3-3 does not work because the inclination is too low. It assumes that the azimuth was
changed 180 while maintaining an inclination of 1. Equation 3-1 and 3-2 assume that the
inclination dropped from 1 to zero in the first 50 feet while the azimuth remained constant.
Then the inclination increased to 1 in the next 50 feet at an azimuth of 180, which is the
minimum curvature.

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 Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

2 Given the following survey data, calculate the dogleg severity.

MD1 = 1200 feet MD2 = 1264 feet

I1 = 10 I2 = 11.5
A1 = S48W A2 = S56W

Solution:

Change the direction to azimuth

S48W = 180 + 48 = 228

S56W = 180 + 56 = 236

MD = MD2 MD1
MD = 1264 1200 = 64 feet

Using Equation 3-2

(2)(100 ) Sin 1 (SinI )(SinI )Sin A2 A1

2 2
I I
DLS = 1 2 + Sin 2 1
MD 2 2

DLS =
(2)(100 ) Sin 1 (Sin 10 )(Sin 11.5)Sin 236 228 2 + Sin 11.5 10 2 = 3.30 o /100'

64 2 2

Using Equation 3-3

2
100 I +I
DLS = (I 2 I1 )
2
+ Sin 2 1 (A2 A1 )
MD 2
2
100 10 + 11.5
DLS = (11.5 10) 2
+ Sin (236 228 ) = 3.31o /100'
64 2

Equation 3-3 works here because the inclination exceeds 5 and the azimuth does not change
too much.

Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved. 7

Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

Chapter 4
1. Calculate the kickoff point for a well with the following target data:

Target TVD is 9800 feet

Target DEP is 2926 feet
Build rate is 2/100 feet
Hold Inclination is 35

Solution:

Draw a picture to determine what information you have, what can be calculated and what is
needed. You can calculate the change in TVD and DEP for the build curve.

TVD of build section

DEP of build section

Inclination = 35
9800

TVD of hold section

DEP of hold section

2926

I 2 I1
MD =
Br
35 0
MD = = 1750 feet
2 / 100

TVD =
(180 )(MD )(Sin I 2 Sin I1 )
(I 2 I1 )

TVD =
(180 )(1750 )(Sin 35 Sin 0 ) = 1643.18 feet
(35 0 )

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 Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

180 (MD )(CosI 1 CosI 2 )

DEP =
(I 2 I1 )
180 (1750 )(Cos 0 Cos 35 )
DEP = = 518 .09 feet
(35 0 )

You have the departure of the build section and the total departure, so you can calculate the
departure of the hold section.

DEPHold = 2926 518.09 = 2407.91 feet

From the right triangle in the hold section, the TVD of the hold section can be calculated.

DEPHold
Tan I =
TVDHold
2407.91
TVDHold = = 3438.85 feet
tan 35

The kickoff point can be calculated from the target TVD less the hold TVD and the build TVD.

KOP = 9800 3438.85 1643.18 = 4717.97 feet

Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved. 9

Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

2. Calculate the hold angle required to hit the following target with a Type II wellbore profile
(build, hold and drop):

Target TVD is 2850 meters

Target DEP is 800 meters
Build rate is 1.5/30 meters
Drop rate is 1.5/30 meters
Kickoff point is 626 meters

Draw a picture with the know information.

626m

r1 1.5/30m
I
True Vertical Depth

TVD2

Find Hold Inclination

I
TVD3

2850m

I r2 1.5/30m
DEP2
DEP3
800m

Departure

Calculate r1 and r2.

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 Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

180
r1 =
B r
180
r1 = = 1145 .92 m
(1.5 / 30 )

180
r2 =
B r
180
r2 = = 1145 .92 m
(1.5 / 30 )

Calculate R with equation 4-3.

R = r1 + r 2
R = 1145 .92 + 1145 .92 = 2291 .84

Calculate TVD with equation 4-4.

TVD = TVD 4 TVD1

TVD = 2850 626 = 2224 m

Calculate DEP with equation 4-5.

X = DEP4 R
X = 800 2291 .84 = 1491 .84

Calculate L with equation 4-6.

[
L = TVD 2 + X 2 R 2 ]
1/ 2

[
L = 2224 2 + ( 1491.84 )2 2291.84 2 ]1/ 2
= 1385.36 m

Calculate the hold angle with equation 4-7.

(TVD )R + XL
I = sin 1
R 2 + L2
(2224 )(2291 .84 ) + ( 1491 .83 )(1385 .36 )
I = sin 1 2 2 = 24.99
o
2291 .84 + 1385 .36

Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved. 11

Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

3. Calculate the inclination of the hold section and the kickoff point for a horizontal well with
the following information:

Apparent dip of the formation in the plane of the horizontal is 5 and the well is to drill up
dip
Build rate is 14/100 feet
Bed thickness is 50 feet
TVD of the target directly below the surface location is 4,000 feet
Want to drill from the top of the formation to the bottom of the formation in 2000 feet of
horizontal section

Draw a picture of what the well will look like.

4000 C
D
A
E

Calculate angle A in Triangle ABC.

BC
A = sin 1
AC
50
A = sin 1 = 1.43 o
2000

The inclination of the horizontal would be 90 plus the bed dip minus the angle A.

I = 90 + 5 1.43 = 93.57

Calculate the DEP to reach the inclination of 93.57.

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 Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

I 2 I1
MD =
Br
93.57 0
MD = = 668 .36 feet
14 / 100

180 (MD )(CosI 1 CosI 2 )

DEP =
(I 2 I1 )
180 (668 .36 )(Cos 0 Cos 93.57 )
DEP = = 434 .74 feet
(93 .57 0 )

Calculate the length of the side DE in the triangle ADE.

DE
tan A =
AD
DE = tan A AD
DE = tan(5 ) 434.74 = 38.04 feet

The formation will be encountered 38.04 feet shallower at a departure of 434.74 feet. Calculate
the TVD for the build section.

TVD =
(180 )(MD )(Sin I 2 Sin I1 )
(I 2 I1 )

TVD =
(180 )(668.36 )(Sin 93.57 Sin 0 ) = 408.46 feet
(93.57 0 )

Calculate the kickoff point.

KOP = 4000 38.04 408.46 = 3553.50 feet

Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved. 13

Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

Chapter 5
1 At the bottom of the hole, the measured depth, inclination and azimuth are as follows:

MD1 = 3000 feet

I1 = 18
A1 = 309

The desired inclination and azimuth at the end of the run is:

I2 = 30
A2 = 288

The dogleg severity of the motor is 2/100 feet. What is the toolface angle required to hit
the inclination and azimuth with one toolface setting? How many feet of hole will have to be
drilled?

Solution:

Use equation 5-1 to calculate the toolface angle

( A A )

TF = tan 1 2 1

180 ln tan(I 2 / 2)
tan(I1 / 2)

(288 309 )
TF = tan 1 = 35
o

180 ln tan (30 / 2 )

tan(18 / 2)

The toolface should be set to -35 or 35 Left. If the dogleg severity of the motor is known, the
dogleg severity equation 3-2 can be used to determine the change in measured depth required
to achieve the change.

(2)(100 ) sin 1 (sin I )(sin I )sin A2 A1

2 2
i I
DLS = 1 2 + sin 2 1
MD 2 2

2=
(2)(100 ) 1 288 309
(sin18)(sin 30)sin
2
30 18
2
sin + sin
MD 2 2
200
MD = sin 1 (0.1267 ) = 728 feet
2

At a constant dogleg severity of 2/100 feet, it would take 728 feet of hole to accomplish the
change in inclination and azimuth. However, this is only approximate. The dogleg severity will
not be constant and the toolface angle cannot be kept exactly constant.

14 Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved

 Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

2. The motor dogleg severity is 12.5/100 feet and the toolface setting was 35 left. The
survey tool is 51 feet off bottom. What is the estimated inclination and azimuth at the bit?

The last survey (51 feet off bottom) is:

I = 45.2
A = 127.3

Solution:

Equation 5-2 can be used to estimate the inclination at the bit.

I = cos(TF ) DLS MD
12.5
I = cos( 35 ) 51 = 5.2 o
100

The inclination at the bottom of the hole should be:

I 2 = I1 + I
I 2 = 45.2 + 5.2 = 50.4 o

Equation 5-3 can be used to estimate the azimuth at the bit.

sin(TF ) DLS MD
A =
I +I
sin 1 2
2
12.5
sin( 35 ) 51
A = 100 = 4.9 o
45 . 2 + 50 . 4
sin
2

The azimuth at the bottom of the hole should be:

A2 = A1 + A
A2 = 127.3 + ( 4.9 ) = 122.4 o

Remember, these values are estimates and the actual values will be slightly different.

Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved. 15

Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

Chapter 9
1 Calculate the critical buckling load for 1.5 coiled tubing in an 8 hole with the following
conditions

1.5 OD by 1.31 ID
1.42 lbs per foot
Fluid is water at 8.34 ppg
Inclination is 90

Solution:

Equation 9-9 can be used to determine the critical buckling load. First calculate the buoyancy
factor with equation 9-15.

B = [1 (0.015 )(MW )]
B = [1 (0.015 )(8.34 )] = 0.87

9.82 10 5 (OD 4 ID 4 )(W f )B sin I

Fcrit =
(Dh OD )

Fcrit =
( )
9.82 10 5 1.5 4 1.314 (1.42)(0.87 ) sin(90 )
= 607 lbs
8.5 1.5

Coiled tubing actually buckles easier than the calculated value. That is why it is difficult to push
open hole logs with a coiled tubing unit. Smaller, production logs can be pushed with coiled
tubing. In 4 1/2 casing, the critical buckling load would be 1012 lbs. In 2 7/8 tubing, the critical
buckling load would be 1652 lbs.

16 Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved

 Horizontal and Directional Drilling
Solutions To Chapter Problems

2. The buoyant weight of a pipe segment is -2000 lbs (100 foot long) and there is 100,000
lbs tension at the bottom of the segment. The average inclination for the pipe segment is 20
and the friction coefficient is 0.30. Calculate the tension at the top of the pipe segment for Case
1 and Case 2.

CASE 1 CASE 2
I = 0 I = 0
A = 0 A = 18

Calculate the normal force for Case 1 with equation 9-5 where there is no dogleg severity.

2 2
I A
FN = 2T sin +W sin I (avg ) + 2T sin sin I (avg )
2 2
2 2
0 0
FN = (2)(100000 )sin + ( 2000 )sin(20 ) + (2)(100000 ) sin sin(20 ) = 684 lbs
2 2

Calculate the tension at the top of the segment while tripping out using equation 9-6

T2 = T1 W cos I (avg ) + FN
T2 = 100000 ( 2000 ) cos(20 ) + (0.30 )(684 ) = 102,085 lbs

Calculate the normal force for Case 2 with equation 9-5 where the dogleg severity is 6.15/100
feet.

2 2
I A
FN = 2T sin +W sin I (avg ) + 2T sin sin I (avg )
2 2
2 2
0 18
FN = (2)(100000 )sin + ( 2000 )sin(20 ) + (2)(100000 ) sin sin(20 ) = 10,723 lbs
2 2

Calculate the tension at the top of the segment while tripping out using equation 9-6

T2 = T1 W cos I (avg ) + FN
T2 = 100000 ( 2000 ) cos(20) + (0.30)(10723 ) = 105,096 lbs

With a dogleg, the drag is significantly higher.

Copyright 2007 OGCI/PetroSkills. All rights reserved. 17