18 DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
A tangent section is shown after the build section. The
RKB
KOP
Build Section
EOB
TVD, ft
Tangent
Drop Section
Departure, ft
Figure 2-1 Well profile terminology
until the desired hole angle or end-of-build (EOB) target
location is achieved. BUR is normally expressed in terms
of degrees per hundred feet (8/100 ft), which is simply the
measured change in angle divided by the measured depth
(MD) drilled. Hole angle, or inclination, is always
expressed in terms of the angle of the wellbore from
vertical. The direction, or azimuth of the well is expressed
with respect to some reference plane, usually true north.
The location of a point in the well is generally expressed
in Cartesian coordinates with the wellhead or the rig’s
rotary kelly bushing (RKB) as the reference location.
True vertical depth (TVD) is usually expressed as the
vertical distance below RKB. Departure is the distance
between two survey points as projected onto the horizon-
tal plane. The EOB is defined in terms of its location in
space as expressed by coordinates and TVD. The EOB
specification also contains another important require-
ment, which is the angle and direction of the well at
that point. The correct angle and direction are critical
in allowing the next target to be achieved; also, it may
be necessary to penetrate the payzone at some optimum
angle for production purposes.
purpose of the tangent is to maintain angle and direction
until the next target is reached. In the example well, a
drop section is shown at the end of the tangent. The
purpose of a drop is usually to place the wellbore in
the reservoir in the optimum orientation with respect to
formation permeability or in-situ formation stress; alter-
natively, a horizontal extension may be the preferred
orientation in the case of a payzone that contains multi-
ple vertical fractures or that has potential for gas or
water coning.
A general classification of build rates is shown in
Figure 2-2. See Bourgoyne et al. (1991) and Le
Peuvedic et al. (1990) for further information concerning
well profiles and the various reasons to drill directionally.
2-2.2 Factors in Wellpath Design
Completion and reservoir drainage considerations are
key factors in wellpath design. For fracturing, gravel-
packing, completion in weak formations, or depletion-
induced compaction, it may be desirable to limit the
inclination of the well through the reservoir or even to
require a vertical or near-vertical trajectory. These con-
ditions are also true in laminated or layered reservoirs.
Often, it may be desirable for the wellpath in the reser-
voir to be horizontal to provide as much reservoir drain-
age and production rate as possible. In horizontal wells,
correct TVD placement will minimize gas coning or
water production. In vertically fractured formations in
which the fractures may aid in the flow of hydrocarbons,
the direction of the wellpath in the reservoir may be
chosen to intersect multiple fractures. Alternatively, it
may be desirable to place the wellbore in a given direc-
tion to avoid faults that are expected to allow water
migration. Optimal placement of the wellbore in the
reservoir will result in maximum production and should
actually be the starting point for wellpath design. These
issues are addressed in Chapters 3 and 15.
Additional considerations will influence the design of
the trajectory from the surface location to the reservoir-
target entry point. Some shallow formations in sedimen-
tary geologies are weak and, as a result, building inclina-
tion is difficult because of the lack of reactive forces
against the BHA. If this condition is anticipated, the
KOP should be designed deeper, where formations are
more competent.
The interrelationship of the wellpath design and the
casing/hole program must also be recognized. The cas-
ing/hole program for the well is generally designed on the