Prior to any drilling activity, seismic and geologic studies are carried out in order to determine the best

location for the fi rst ex

Those studies are performed by a company’s geological team, which usually is responsible for recommending locations for wil
Offshore operations in unexplored areas may require a seafl oor survey to determine the feasibility of installation of subsea eq
Some onshore areas may require extensive preparation, and remote areas, without any infrastructure, may require costly and

Brazil’s Amazon jungle

Gulf of Mexico
best location for the fi rst exploration well.
mmending locations for wildcat wells, while the reservoir team will be responsible, on a later phase, for locating development wells.
of installation of subsea equipment.
ure, may require costly and time-consuming preparation including road construction.

Alaska

Brazil’s Amazon jungle

g development wells.
Fundamentals of Drilling Engineering
Robert F. Mitchell
Halliburton
Stefan Z. Miska
University of Tulsa