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Home » Directional Drilling » Well Trajectory Calculation & Directional Profile

Design
Well Trajectory Calculation & Directional
Profile Design
2017-10-30

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Table of Contents

1. Types of Directional well Profiles For The Trajectory Calculation

1. 1) Build and Hold Directional Well Planning Profile Design
2. 2) Build, Hold and Drop Directional Well Planning Profile - S profile
Wells Design
3. 3) Continuous Build Directional Well Planning Profile - J profile
Wells Design
4. 4) Horizontal Directional Well Planning Profile Design
2. Planning The Well Profile
1. First, What Is The Parameters Which Define The Directional Well
Profile | Trajectory Design
1. Kickoff Point
1. Definitions:
2. Simple Hints:
2. Build-up and drop off rate (in degrees of inclination)
1. Definition:
2. How to select the Build up or the drop off
3. Tangent angle | drift angle
2. Second Step, Start Your Trajectory Calculations Design By
Collecting Well Data (Target And Geography).
3. Third Step, How To Define The Oil / Gas Wells Trajectory
4. Forth Step, What Is The Formulas To Start Your Well Trajectory
Calculation
1. Build Up and Hold Trajectory Calculations
2. Build Up, Hold and Drop Off Well Trajectory Calculations
The target of this article is to show the directional well trajectory
calculations methods required for all well profile design planning including
build, hold & drop sections and to show the utilization of trajectory and
directional survey calculation methods by designing the well path of two
wells. Please note that this article is one of our Directional Drilling
Guide Articles.
The focus will be on is on the below items:

• Calculate directional coordinates.

• Calculate (TD) the total depth , (KBTVD) the true vertical depth, vertical
departure, at (EOB) interval, in a build and hold well profile.
• Calculate directional coordinates.
• Give formulas which is utilized in calculating the directional well
trajectory for several methods: Tangential; balanced tangential;
average angle; radius of curvature; and minimum curvature.

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Types of Directional well Profiles For

The Trajectory Calculation
Before starting the well trajectory calculations steps for well profile design,
we shall explain the different directional well planning profiles which are
mainly 4 types:

1) Build and Hold Directional Well Planning

Profile Design
This type of directional well trajectory profile consist of:
 Directional Well Planning Build and
Hold Profile Design

• Vertical section.
• Kickoff point.
• Build-up section.
• Hold section up to target.

Always this type of directional well trajectory profile & calculation is used
when single completion shallow wells will be drilled.

1. First, the wells can be vertically drilled to some point called kick-off
point (shallow depth).
2. Then, the well is deflected smoothly until a maximum inclination angle
with the desired azimuth.
3. After that, it is preferred to run casing if this is applicable.
4. Finally, keep holding both inclination and azimuth (HOLD) till the well
target.

2) Build, Hold and Drop Directional Well

Planning Profile – S profile Wells Design
 Directional Well Planning Build, Hold
and Drop Profile Design

This type of directional well profile consist of:

• Vertical section.
• Kickoff point.
• Build up section.
• Hold section.
• Drop off section.
• Hold section up to target.

The drilling of such type will be with the following sequence:

1. First, the wells can be vertically drilled to some point called kick-off
point (shallow depth).
2. Then, the well is deflected smoothly until a maximum inclination angle
with the desired azimuth.
3. Then, it is preferred to run casing if this is applicable.
4. After than, keep holding both inclination and azimuth (HOLD).
5. Further, Start dropping smoothly till well became vertical again.
6. Finally, keep holding the angle till reach well target.

This type of Directional well trajectory profile Design has a disadvantage

which is it will produce higher torque and drag for the same horizontal
departure.
Application:

• For sidetracking (check also: sidetrack Drilling).

• To avoid faults.

• To hit multiple targets.

• To decrease the inclination in a certain inter

3) Continuous Build Directional Well

Planning Profile – J profile Wells Design

Directional Well Planning J profile Design

(hold then build trajectory)

This type of directional well profile consist of:

• Vertical section.
• Kickoff point (deep).
• Build-up section.

They are same as to the Build and Hold Directional Well Trajectory Profile
Calculation except that the kickoff point is at a deeper depth.
4) Horizontal Directional Well Planning
Profile Design

Directional Well Planning Horizontal

Profile Design

This type of directional well trajectory profile is consist of anyone of the

above profiles in addition to a horizontal section within the required target
interval.

The horizontal section is usually drilled at 90 degrees so the extra

equations involved is to get length of the horizontal section to calculate the
total well departure and total measured depth.

The hole total KBTVD usually remains the same as the KBTVD of the well at
the start of the horizontal section as there are no dip variations within the
reservoir.

Applications:

• To connect the portions of the reservoir that are productive.

• To increase productivity from low permeability reservoirs by increasing

the amount of formation exposed to the wellbore.

• To produce thin oil zones with water or gas coning problems.

• To maximize production from reservoirs which are not being efficiently
drained by vertical wells.

Planning The Well Profile

To start planning a directional well, we have to design the wellbore
trajectory, to hit a given target. The first thing to consider is selecting the
most economical wise design for directional drilling trajectory profile.
Offcourse you shall think which build, hold or drop trajectory calculation will
be adaptable with you.

First, What Is The Parameters Which Define

The Directional Well Profile | Trajectory
Design
There are 3 important parameters shall be defined before starting any well
trajectory calculation which are as following:

• Kick Off Point

• Build Up & Drop Off Rate
• Tangent / Drift Angle

Kickoff Point

Definitions:

Which is the MD at which the well is planned to be deflected from vertical, a

change in inclination is started and the well is oriented with certain
azimuth (in terms of north, south, east and west).

Simple Hints:

1. The shallowest KOPs will result in a decrease in the tangent section

inclination. Also it will be more difficult to kick off well on deeper
formations
2. Starting kick-off the well should happen on more stable formations.
Build-up and drop off rate (in degrees of inclination)

Definition:

In well trajectory calculation & profile design planning we use the term
build up and drop off rate which are the rates of the well deflected from the
zero degree (vertical) (usually measured in degrees per 30 m or 100 ft).

How to select the Build up or the drop off

The build up rate is chosen on the basis of previous field experience, offset
wells and the available tools, but rates between 1° and 3° per 100 ft are
commonly used in conventional drilling. Since Build up rate and drop off
rate are constant, these sections of the well, form the arc of a circle.

(DLS) There are an a term called dogleg severity which is a result of a

higher build up rate more than 3°/100 ft Build up rates in excess of 3°/30 m
are likely to cause doglegs when drilling conventional deviated wells with
conventional drilling equipment. The build-up rate is often termed the
dogleg severity

It is determined by one or more of the following:

• The total depth of the well.

• Maximum Torque and Drag limitations.
• High dogleg severity in the build section of the well results in high
torque and drag while drilling the remainder of the well. This can be a
severe limiting factor in deeper wells.
• The formations through which the build section must pass. Higher build
rates are often not possible to achieve in soft formations.
• Mechanical limitations of the drill string or casing.
• Mechanical limitations of logging tools and production strings.
• Formation of “Keyseats” in the Kick-off arc ( which will result
on mechanical stuck)

Tangent angle | drift angle

Which is the inclination (in degrees from the vertical) after the BU section
of the directional well. This section of the well is termed the tangent
section because it much like a tangent to the end of the arc formed by the
BU section of the directional well. The tangent angle range is preferred to
be (10° and 60°) as it will difficult to control the trajectory of the well at
angles below 10° and also to run WL logging into directional wells at higher
inclinations values (more than 60°).

Second Step, Start Your Trajectory

Calculations Design By Collecting Well Data
(Target And Geography).
The trajectory of a directional well must be carefully planned considering
that the most effective trajectory is utilized to drill between the rig surface
location and the target location with the lowest costs (check also drilling
cost per foot).

When planning, and then started drilling the well, the location of all points
along the well-path trajectory is considered in three dimensions which are:
–

1. KBTVD : The vertical depth of the point below a particular reference

point.

1. NORTHING / LATITUDE: The horizontal distance between the target and

the East/West axis in plan view.
1. EASTING / LONGITUDE: The horizontal distance between the target and
the North/South axis in plan view.

Third Step, How To Define The Oil / Gas Wells

Trajectory
Now let’s understand how to plan the geometrical profile of the oil/gas
wells to reach the target. Commonly used well trajectory is the build and
hold profile, which consists of 3 sections – vertical, build-up, and tangent.

To plot such a wellbore trajectory, we have to define the below points:

• KOP kick-off point.

• KBTVD and horizontal displacement for the final point of the build-up
section.
• KBTVD and horizontal displacement of the target (defined by surface
and target coordinates).

As the driller will only be able to determine the long hole depth of the well,
the following information will also be required:

• MD at the KOP (same as KBTVD of KOP);

• Build up rate for the build-up section (selected by drilling engineer);

• The azimuth which is the direction in which the well is to be drilled in

degrees from north (defined by surface and target coordinates);

• MD at (EOB)

• MD of the target.

Forth Step, What Is The Formulas To Start

Your Well Trajectory Calculation

Build Up and Hold Trajectory Calculations

The following information is required For successful Well Trajectory
Calculation:

• Surface (slots) coordinates.

• Target coordinates (Selected by the geologist).
• Target KBTVD (Selected by the geologist).
• KOP KBTVD (Selected by the directional Engineer).
• Build Up Rate (Selected by the directional Engineer).

The Figure below shows a build-and-hold wellbore trajectory with the

following target data :

1. TVDAG : (KBTVD) of the target

2. Dh: The target horizontal departure (point D).
3. TVDAB: The kickoff point KBTVD
4. q : build up rate (In degrees per unit length).

Illustrative Diagram For Build & Hold Well Trajectory Calculation

Where:
• KBTVD AB: Distance from the surface location to the KOP;

• B-D: Distance from KOP to the bottom of hole;

• Dh : Deviation of the wellbore from the vertical (Horizontal

displacement);

• KBTVD AG: True vertical depth;

• MD (A-D): Well measured depth; and

• q: Build up rate (°/30 m).

For the following formula, note that

KBTVD3 =TVDAG, KBTVD2 =TVDAC, KBTVD1 =TVDAB.

1) The radius of curvature, R:

2) Maximum inclination angle, θ:

The angle τ can be found by considering the triangle OPD, where (case R ˃
Dh):

Angle Ω can be found by considering ODC, where:

Substituting OP into Equation 4 gives:

Now you can calculate Maximum inclination angle, θ

The maximum inclination angle, θ, for the build-and-hold case where Dh

less than R is:

The maximum inclination equation

OR

The
maximum inclination

3) Measured Depth of the wellbore target (MD)

The length of the arc, section BC, is:

The length of the trajectory path CD, can be determined from triangle DCO
as:

The total measured depth, DM, for a true vertical depth of TVD3 is:

4) The horizontal departure GF (DE) at the end of the build can be

determined by considering DCO, where:

If it is required to calculate the measured depth and horizontal departure

at any point in the build section, consider the intermediate inclination
angle θ’, the inclination angle at C’, which will yield a new horizontal
departure, Dn.

Build Up, Hold and Drop Off Well Trajectory

Calculations
 Build Up, Hold and
Drop Off

The second type of trajectory calculations is for S shape curve, which is

shown above, There are two cases:

1. R less than Dh and R+R1 more than Dt

2. R less than Dh and R+R1 less than Dt.

Anyway, the maximum inclination is reduced to zero at Dt with drop radius

R1, which is derived in the same manner as the build radius, R.

• KBTVD BG: Distance from the surface location to the KOP;

• KBTVD AG: True vertical depth of well (KBTVD);
• B-D: Distance from KOP to the bottom of hole (MD);
• G-D: Deviation of the wellbore from the vertical to the end of tangent
section;
• G-P: Deviation of the wellbore from the vertical to the end of drop
section;
• A-G: True vertical depth;
• A-P: Measured depth; and
• D: End of tangent section
 The following equations are used to calculate the maximum inclination
angles for R+R1 more than Dt and R+R1 less than Dt:

Maximum Inclination Equation

Maximum Inclination Equation

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