Drilling Engineering

Directional Drilling

Slide 1
 Directional Drilling
I II III

KOP
When is it used?
Type I Wells
EOC

Type II Wells Build Build-Hold Continuous

and Hold and Drop Build
Type III Wells
Directional Well Planning & Design
Survey Calculation Methods

Slide 2
Inclination Angle
q, a, I

Direction Angle
f, e, A

Slide 3
Slide 4
 Max.
Horiz.
Depart.
?

Slide 5
Slide 6
Slide 7
Slide 8
Slide 9
Slide 10
Type I Type II Type III

KOP

EOC

Build Build-Hold Continuous

and Hold and Drop Build
Slide 11
 In the BUILD
Section
r Dx = r (1 - cos I)

Dy = r sin I
I
Dy DL DL = r Irad
r
p
DL = r Ideg
180
I
18,000
r=
Dx p * BUR

Slide 12
Slide 13
 Fig. 8.11

r1 x 3 and r1 r2 x 4
Slide 14
r1 x 3 and r1 r2 x 4 3D Wells
Slide 15
N18E S23E

Azimuth
Angle

N55W
S20W
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Slide 17
Example 1: Design of Directional Well

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)

Slide 18
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)
Slide 19
(i) Maximum
Inclination
Angle
18,000
r1 =
. p
15
r2 = 0
D4 D1
= 12,500 2,500
= 10,000 ft
Slide 20
 (i) Maximum Inclination Angle

D D x 2 (D D ) 2 2(r r ) x
q 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

q max = 26.3

Slide 21
(ii) Measured Depth of Well

x Build = r1 (1 cos q )
= 3,820(1 - cos 26.3 )
= 395 ft
x Hold = 4,500 395
= 4,105 ft
L Hold sin q = 4,105
L Hold = 9,265 ft
Slide 22
(ii) Measured Depth of Well

MD = D1 r1q rad L Hold

26.3p
= 2,500 3,820 9,265
180

MD = 13,518 ft
Slide 23
* The actual well path hardly ever coincides with
the planned trajectory
* Important: Hit target within specified radius
Slide 24
What is known?
I1 , I2 , A1 , A2 ,
DL = DMD1-2

Calculate
b = dogleg angle
DLS = b*100/DL

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Slide 26
(20)
Slide 27
Wellbore Surveying Methods

Average Angle
Balanced Tangential
Minimum Curvature
Radius of Curvature
Tangential

Other Topics
Kicking off from Vertical
Controlling Hole Angle
Slide 28
I, A, DMD

Slide 29
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 well calculate

the coordinates of point D using the above information.

Slide 30
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 Dz
D D
Dy
E (x) Dx
Slide 31
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
Slide 32
 The Average Angle Method

Find the coordinates of point D using

the Average Angle Method
At point C, X = 1,000 ft
Y = 1,000 ft
Z = 3,500 ft

Measured depth from C to D, DMD = 400 ft

I C = 14
A C = 20

I D = 24 A D = 80
Slide 33
 The Average Angle Method
Measured depth from C to D, DMD = 400 ft
I C = 14
A C = 20

I D = 24 A D = 80
C
N (y)
C
Z D N
z

E (x) y D
x
Slide 34
The Average Angle Method

Slide 35
 The Average Angle Method
This method utilizes the average of I1 and I2 as an
inclination, the average of A1 and A2 as a direction, and
assumes all of the survey interval (DMD) to be tangent
to the average angle.

From: API Bulletin D20. Dec. 31, 1985 Slide 36

 The Average Angle Method

I C I D 14 24
I AVG = = = 19
2 2
AC AD 20 80
AAVG = = = 50

2 2

DNorth = DMD sin I AVG cos AAVG

= 400 sin19 cos 50 = 83.71 ft

Slide 37
The Average Angle Method

DEast = DMD sin I AVG sin AAVE

= 400 sin19 sin 50 = 99.76 ft

DVert = 400 cos I AVG

= 400 cos19 = 378.21 ft

Slide 38
 The Average Angle Method

At Point D,

X = 1,000 + 99.76 = 1,099.76 ft

Y = 1,000 + 83.71 = 1,083.71 ft

Z = 3,500 + 378.21 = 3,878.21 ft

Slide 39
 The Balanced Tangential Method

This method treats half the measured distance (DMD/2) as

being tangent to I1 and A1 and the remainder of the
measured distance (DMD/2) as being tangent to I2 and A2.

From: API Bulletin D20. Dec. 31, 1985 Slide 40

The Balanced Tangential Method

DMD
DNorth = (sin I C cos A C sin I D cos A D )
2

400
= (sin 14 cos 20 sin 24 cos 80 )

2

= 59.59 ft

Slide 41
The Balanced Tangential Method

DMD
DEast = (sin I C sin A C sin I D sin A D )
2

400
= (sin 14 sin 20 sin 24 sin 80 )
2

= 96.66ft

Slide 42
The Balanced Tangential Method

DMD
DVert = (cos I D cos I C )
2

400
= (cos 24 cos14 ) = 376 .77 ft

2

Slide 43
The Balanced Tangential Method

At Point D,

X = 1,000 + 96.66 = 1,096.66 ft

Y = 1,000 + 59.59 = 1,059.59 ft

Z = 3,500 + 376.77 = 3,876.77 ft

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Minimum Curvature Method

Slide 45
 Minimum Curvature Method
This method smooths the two straight-line segments of the
Balanced Tangential Method using the Ratio Factor RF.

RF = (2/DL) * tan(DL/2) (DL= b and must be in radians)

Slide 46
 Minimum Curvature Method

The dogleg angle, b , is given by:

Cosb = cos(I D I C ) sin I C sin I D (1 cos(A D A C ))

= cos(24 - 14) - sin14 sin 24 (1 cos(80 20))

= 0.935609

b = 20.67 = 0.36082 radians

Slide 47
 Minimum Curvature Method

2 b
The Ratio Factor, RF = tan
b Z
2

2 20.67
RF = * tan = 1.01099
0.3608 2
DMD
DNorth = (sin I C cos A C sin I D cos I D )RF
2
= 59.59 *1.01099 = 60.25 ft

Slide 48
 Minimum Curvature Method

DMD
DEast = (sin I C sin A C sin I D sin A D )RF
2
= 96.66 *1.01099 = 97.72 ft
DMD
DVert = (cos I C cos I D )RF
2
= 376.77 *1.01099 = 380.91 ft

Slide 49
 Minimum Curvature Method

At Point D,

X = 1,000 + 97.72 = 1,097.72 ft

Y = 1,000 + 60.25 = 1,060.25 ft

Z = 3,500 + 380.91 =3,888.91 ft

Slide 50
 The Radius of Curvature Method

2
DMD(cos I C cos I D )(sin A D sin A C ) 180
DNorth =
(I D I C )(A D A C ) p

2
400(cos14 cos 24 )(sin 80 sin 20 ) 180

=
(24 14)(80 20) p
= 79.83 ft

Slide 51
 The Radius of Curvature Method

MDcos cosIDIDcos )D 180

22
DMD (cosICI Ccos )(cos
AAC AA
cos 180
DDEast
East = C D

(I IDIIC)(
D
A
A D AAC )
C D C pp

2
400 (cos14 cos 24 )(cos 20 cos 80 ) 180

=
(24 14)(80 20) p
= 95.14 ft

Slide 52
The Radius of Curvature Method

DMD(sin I D sin I C ) 180

DVert =
ID IC p

400(sin24 sin 14 ) 180

= = 377 .73 ft
24 14 p

Slide 53
 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

Slide 54
 The Tangential Method

Measured depth from C to D, DMD = 400 ft

I C = 14
A C = 20

I D = 24 A D = 80

DNorth = DMD sin I D cos AD

= 400 sin 24 cos 80 = 28.25 ft

Slide 55
The Tangential Method

DEast = DMD sin I D sin AD

= 400 sin24 sin 80 = 160.22 ft

DVert = 400 cos I D

= 400 cos 24 = 365.42 ft

Slide 56
 The Tangential Method

At Point D,

X = 1,000 160.22 = 1,160.22 ft

Y = 1,000 28.25 = 1,028.25 ft

Z = 3,500 365.42 = 3,865.42 ft

Slide 57
Summary of Results (to the nearest ft)

X Y Z

Average Angle 1,100 1,084 3,878

Balanced Tangential 1,097 1,060 3,877
Minimum Curvature 1,098 1,060 3,881
Radius of Curvature 1,095 1,080 3,878
Tangential Method 1,160 1,028 3,865

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 Building
Hole Angle
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 Holding
Hole Angle
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Slide 63
 CLOSURE
(HORIZONTAL) DEPARTURE

LEAD ANGLE

Slide 64
b

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Tool Face Angle

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