4.

5 Exact Departures, Constant-Turn-Rate-Method

Planeix and Fox presented a new method of planning three dimensional direction wells.
(Michele Y. Planeix, 1979). Their goal was to present a “better way” to calculate planned
wells that give exact and relevant information of positional coordinates linked to the plan of
the well. This means giving drillers relevant information about the sections being drilled such
as build and turn rates, final inclinations and azimuths and exact kick off, and turn points. The
method starts by defining a random point of a curved hole section.

A given point as a function of curve length can be expressed as:

𝑑𝑥 (4.14)
= sin 𝐼(𝐿) cos 𝐴(𝐿)
𝑑𝐿

𝑑𝑦 (4.15)
= sin 𝐼(𝐿) sin 𝐴(𝐿)
𝑑𝐿

𝑑𝑧 (4.16)
= cos 𝐼(𝐿)
𝑑𝐿

Where I(L) and A(L) is the inclination and azimuth at point L. This was proven by J. E.
Walstrom et al, in “Directional Survey Models”, and is illustrated in figure 4-5. (Walstrom
J.E, 1969) In figure 4-5 it can be seen that different vectors are part of tangent to the curve
given by:

𝑑𝑟 (4.17)
𝑢=
𝑑𝐿

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