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Lesson 9

Special Topics in Drilling

Introduction to Directional Drilling

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Directional Drilling
• Read: ADE # 8

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Directional Drilling
• Reasons for directional wells
• Planning Trajectory
• Kickoff Methods
• Survey Methods
• Survey Calculations
• Bottom Hole Assemblies

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Reasons for directional wells

• Cannot drill to target from with a vertical
wellbore

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Max.
Horiz.
Depart.
?

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Terminology

Inclination Angle
q, a , I

Direction Angle
f, e, A

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Types of directional wells

Type I Type II Type III

KOP

EOC

Build Build-Hold Continuous

and Hold and
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Department of Build12
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Planning Trajectory

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)

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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)

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(i) Maximum
Inclination
Angle
18,000
r1 
. 
15
r2  0
 D 4  D1 
 12,500  2,500
 10,000 ft
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(i) Maximum Inclination Angle

 D  D  x 2  ( D  D ) 2  2( r  r ) x 
 max  2 tan 1  4 1 4 4 1 1 2 4

 2(r1  r2 )  x 4 

 10,000  4,500 2
 10,000 2
 2(3,820)4,500 
 2 tan 
-1

 2(3,820)  4,500 

 max  26.3 

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(ii) Measured Depth of Well

x Build  r1 (1  cos )
 3,820(1 - cos 26.3 )


 395 ft
 x Hold  4,500  395
 4,105 ft
 L Hold sin   4,105
 L Hold  9,265 ft
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(ii) Measured Depth of Well

MD  D1  r1 rad  L Hold

 26.3 
 2,500  3,820   9,265
 180 

MD  13,518 ft
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Kickoff Methods

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Survey Methods
• Single-Shot

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Survey Methods
• Multishot

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Survey Methods
• Steering Tools

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Survey Methods
• MWD

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CLOSURE
(HORIZONTAL) DEPARTURE

LEAD ANGLE

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I, A, MD

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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 we’ll calculate the

coordinates of point D using the above information.
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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

C N (y) C
N
Z z
D D
y
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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
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The Radius of Curvature Method

2
MD (cos I C  cos I D )(sin A D  sin A C )  180 
North   
(I D  I C )(A D  A C )   

2
400(cos14  cos 24 )(sin 80  sin 20 )  180 
   
  
(24  14)(80  20)   
 79.83 ft

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The Radius of Curvature Method

2
MD(cos I C  cos I D )(cos A C  A D )  180 
East   
(I D  I C )(A D  A C )   

2
400(cos14  cos 24 )(cos 20  cos 80 )  180 
   
  
( 24  14)(80  20)   
 95.14 ft

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The Radius of Curvature Method

MD (sin I D  sin I C )  180 

Vert   
ID  IC   

400(sin24  sin 14 )  180 

 
    377.73 ft
24  14   

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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

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Building
Hole Angle
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Holding
Hole Angle
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Pendulum Effect

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