![]() ![]() The lateral is usually very close to horizontal, but usually not an exact 90 degrees. Once the curve is completed and the lateral is begun, the remainder of the lateral is drilled. This often involves a much sharper “curve.” The steepness of the curve depends on the tools that are being used and the preference of the operator. On this particular design, you can also see that the well is being “stepped back.” This is sometimes done to capture more of the available reservoir.Īfter drilling the build section, it is then time to begin the “curve.” The point of the curve is to connect the build section to where the lateral will begin (also known as the “landing point”). ![]() ![]() In other words, the laterals will be spaced approximately 1,000 feet apart in the formation (reservoir), but are only about 15-25 feet apart on the surface. This shows multiple laterals (the horizontal part of the well) that are planned to be drilled from the same well pad. To understand this need, let’s look at the birds-eye-view on the right side of the image above. The purpose of the build section is to begin deviating the well further away from other nearby wells and create the step-out that is needed. This is where the build section will start. Once the well is begun at the surface, it is drilled down until the “kick-off point” is reached. Sample directional plan prepared for Energy Business Alliance by Cathedral. Once the operator establishes where they want the lateral to start and end, the build section and curve section is planned accordingly. You will learn more about these in the next section. ![]() In order to drill a well horizontally, directional tools must be used. One of them is detailed on the left and bottom of the page. This sample shows a well pad that has multiple horizontal wells planned. In order to discuss the basics of a horizontal well, let’s refer to the sample directional plan below. Thus, horizontal drilling allows for greater production at a much smaller surface footprint. To get the same amount of production, multiple vertical wells would be required and each would need a new surface well pad built. Multiple horizontal wells can be drilled from one pad and can produce more oil and gas compared to vertical wells. Another large benefit is that much less surface disturbance is created with horizontal wells. Having a horizontal wellbore through the formation allows for much greater formation contact, and thus should lead to much more production when compared to a well that just intersects the formation vertically. The benefits of drilling a horizontal well are many however, they come at a greater cost. However, what we intend to focus on in this course is the directional drilling of oil and gas wells in order to create a horizontal wellbore as is commonly done nowadays. This is called a “relief well” and was done in the months following the BP Macondo blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in order to stop the leakage of oil and gas into the Gulf. Furthermore, this technology can be utilized to intersect other wells in order to relieve a well that is uncontrollable at the surface. For example, directional drilling is often used to install pipelines below roads or rivers. Directional drilling is not only used for oil and gas wells but is also used for utilities such as pipelines. Thus, to get the well horizontal, directional drilling is utilized to influence the path of the wellbore. It is important to realize that a vast majority of the new onshore wells being drilled today in the U.S. Now that you are more familiar with the basics of drilling, let’s talk about how the wells are drilled horizontally and why. ![]()
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