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Calculating True North and Grid North

Subject Matter Experts: Steinar Bakke and Jan Daudey.

Sugar Land Learning Center

1998

An asterisk (*) is used throughout this module to denote a mark of Schlumberger.

Copyright Schlumberger Technology Corp., unpublished work, created 1998. The following material includes Confidential, Proprietary
Information and is a Trade Secret of Schlumberger Technology Corp. All use, disclosure, and/or reproduction is prohibited unless authorized in
writing. All Rights Reserved. This material may also be protected under laws of non-U.S. countries, including copyright and trade secret laws.

Source: TrueNorthGridNorth.doc, Revised 11/11/98SLC

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1 Getting Started
This math module is part three of four and should provide an adequate mathematical background
for what is normally required of the directional driller. The level of mathematics, required for
directional drilling work, is fairly basic. However, minimum competence in algebra and
trigonometry are required to understand how wells are planned.
When doing projections and well planning, the driller is often expected to make quick
calculations at the rig site. While a computer or programmable calculator often performs these
calculations, the driller needs to be able to check the results "by hand" using a scientific
calculator. In most calculations throughout this module the rules for significant figures are used
to calculate the result. The final answer in most cases will be rounded to the nearest hundredth of
a digit.
Getting Started
Before you begin this module you should have already completed or understood the
following modules:

Introduction to Directional Drilling,

Introduction to Math,
Directional Drilling Math 1: Calculating Coordinates and Directions, and
Directional Drilling Math 2: Calculating Directional Well Profiles.

When you have completed this module, you should be able to:
correct survey data to True North, and
correct survey data to Grid North.
To facilitate your calculations, you may wish to get
paper,
pencils, and
a calculator.
Study Questions
This module contains study questions. As you come across the questions, try to answer them
without looking back at the lesson. Look if you need to. Answers are provided in the last part of
this module.

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2 True North
In this lesson you will learn to do the following:
Given a Magnetic North (MN) direction survey and declination value (DEC), convert the
Magnetic North direction to the equivalent True North (TN) direction.
Since the dawn of time, man has had to describe a location in one way or another. The
directional driller must be able to use learned skills to read surveys and well proposals in locating
the position of a survey point along a well. The well proposal is usually derived from coordinates
in a grid system; therefore, directions are referenced to Grid North. However, the well surveys
use sensors that reference either Magnetic North or True North, and the driller must be able to
convert from one to the other.

True North
True North (TN) is the direction
of a line from any geographical
location on the earths surface to
the North Geometric Pole.
Calculate True North with this
formula: True North (TN) =
Magnetic North (MN) +
Magnetic Declination value
(DEC).
Magnetic North is the
direction of a line from any
geographical location on the
earths surface to the North
Magnetic Pole.

Magnetic Declination value is

the angular difference, east or
west, at any geographical
location, between True North
(Geographic North) and
Magnetic North.

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True North
Values of Magnetic
Declination (DEC) change with
time and location. As the
movement of Magnetic North
(MN) is constant and
predictable, Magnetic
Declination can be calculated
for any given point on the earth
at any given time.
Charts of the various magnetic
declinations and rate of change
are widely used.

Easterly Magnetic Declination values are expressed as a positive value and Westerly Magnetic
Declination values are expressed as a negative value. Although converting from Grid (GN) to
True North (TN) appears a simple task, it requires considerable careful attention, depending on
the relative directions of Grid Convergence and the Magnetic Declination value. Grid
convergence is the angle between a True North direction and Grid North direction.
Before magnetic survey data can be converted to True North, the data at each survey point must
indicate the direction of the wellbore at that point. Calculating the wellbore azimuth for each
point provides the direction.

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2.1 Converting Magnetic

North to True North
Work through the example
problem to learn how to
calculate True North from a
magnetic survey.
Example problem: If the
observed magnetic survey point
is located at N40E and the
Magnetic Declination is 3.4
West, convert the Magnetic
North direction to the
equivalent True North (TN)
direction.

Use the following steps to solve the problem.

First: Change the magnetic survey (N40E) to magnetic azimuth. This is the same as
changing a quadrant direction to an azimuth direction as explained in the Directional Drilling
Math 1 Module.

Second: Calculate True North (MN). (True North = True Azimuth), (Magnetic North =
Magnetic Azimuth)

As a result of working through this example problem you should have learned how to convert the
Magnetic North direction to the equivalent True North direction.
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Study Questions
1) If an observed magnetic survey point is located at N38W, and the Magnetic
Declination is 3.4 West, correct the direction to True North.
Select the correct answer.
a)
b)
c)
d)

45 AZM
226.72 AZM
235.3 AZM
12.91 AZM

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3 Grid North
In this lesson you will learn to
do the following:
Given a True North (TN)
survey and Grid
Convergence (GRID),
convert the True North
direction to the equivalent
Grid North (GN) direction.
The directional driller must be
able to use learned skills to
read surveys and well proposals
to locate the position of a
survey point along a wellbore.
The well proposal is usually
derived from coordinates in a
grid system; therefore,
directions are referenced to
Grid North.
However, the well surveys use sensors that reference either Magnetic or True North, and the
driller must be able to convert from one to the other.
A Local Coordinate System is one requiring accurate plotting of Grid North. In many cases,
government reports require the use of Grid North.

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3.1 Converting True North to

Grid North
Grid North is the direction of a
line from any geographical
location within a grid system
paralleling the Universal True
Meridian as determined by
observation of Polaris.
Calculate Grid North with
this formula: Grid North
(GN) = True North (TN) Grid Convergence (GRID).

Grid Convergence is the

angle between a True North
direction and Grid North
direction.

A magnetic survey is a directional survey in which the direction of the wellbore at the survey
point is determined by a magnetic compass detecting the earths magnetic field, indicating a
Magnetic North direction.
Calculate True North with this formula: True North (TN) = Magnetic North (MN) +
Magnetic Declination value (DEC).
Magnetic North is the direction of a line from any geographical location on the earths
surface to the North Magnetic Pole.
Magnetic Declination value is the angular difference, east or west, at any geographical
location, between True North (Geographic North) and Magnetic North.

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Converting True North to

Grid North
Work through the example
problem to learn how to
convert a True North direction
to a Grid North direction.
Example problem: The
direction of a wellbore at a
magnetic survey point is
S23E, the Magnetic
Declination is 3.4 West, and
the Grid Convergence is 8
West. Correct the direction to
Grid North.

Use the following steps to solve problem.

First: Change the magnetic survey (S23E) to magnetic azimuth. This is the same as
changing a quadrant direction to an azimuth direction as explained in the Directional Drilling
Math 1 Module.

Second: Calculate the Grid North (GN) direction. (True North = True Azimuth), (Magnetic
North = Magnetic Azimuth)

As a result of working through this example problem you should have learned how to convert the
True North direction to the equivalent Grid North direction.
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Study Questions
2) If the observed magnetic survey direction is N38W, and the Magnetic Declination is 5
West, and the Grid Convergence is 3 East, correct the direction to Grid North.
Select the correct answer.
a)
b)
c)
d)

326.72 AZM
314 AZM
136 AZM
120 AZM

3) If the observed magnetic survey direction is S40W and the Magnetic Declination is 8
East, and the Grid Convergence is 10 East, correct the direction to Grid North.
Select the correct answer.
a)
b)
c)
d)

120.91 AZM
218 AZM
13634AZM
26.72 AZM

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4 Summary
Computer programs are widely used to perform the calculations in this module. Even though
technological advancements have led to improved and more effective calculation methods, onsite and emergency situations will require that the directional driller be able to perform well
planning calculations independently.
In this module you have learned to do the following:
Given a Magnetic North (MN) survey and declination value (DEC), convert the Magnetic
North direction to the equivalent True North (TN) direction.
Given a True North (TN) survey and Grid Convergence (GRID), convert the True North
direction to the equivalent Grid North (GN) direction.

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Part 5, Answers to Study Questions

Part 2, True North
1) If an observed magnetic survey point is located at N38W and the Magnetic Declination
is 3.4 West, correct the direction to True North.
Select the correct answer.
a)
b)
c)
d)

45 AZM
226.72 AZM
235.3 AZM
318.6 AZM

Part 3, Grid North

2) If the observed magnetic survey direction is N38W and the Magnetic Declination is 5
West, and the Grid Convergence is 3 East, correct the direction to Grid North.
Select the correct answer.
a)
b)
c)
d)

326.72 AZM
314 AZM
136 AZM
120 AZM

3) If the observed magnetic survey direction is S40W and the Magnetic Declination is 8
East, and the Grid Convergence is 10 East, correct the direction to Grid North.
Select the correct answer
.
a) 120.91 AZM
b) 218 AZM
c) 13634AZM
a) 26.72 AZM

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