Horizontal & Multilateral wells

A.L.Sivapriya
 Introduction
• The aim of this chapter is to introduce some of
the design principles required in the planning
of horizontal and multilateral wells,
sometimes described as "designer wells".
• The term designer wells was introduced in this
industry primarily to emphasis the complex
directional profiles that can be implemented
with today’s technology.
 Horizontal wells
• By oilfield convention, a horizontal well is defined as a well with
an inclination angle of 90 degrees from the vertical. A vertical
well is one with zero inclination angle.
Milestones in the development of horizontal drilling
• 1950s Russians drilled 43 horizontals
• 1978 Esso, modern horizontal, Alberta
• 1979 Arco drilled to overcome high GOR’s and gas coning
• 1979-83 Elf test 3 onshore horizontals; Elf and Agip drill first
• Offshore horizontal (Ropso Mane, Adriatic)
• 1986 50 horizontals worldwide. Cost 1.5-2 times greater than
vertical wells
• 1987-88 Horizontal well test theory and productivity
assessment Guidelines. Number of horizontals increased
dramatically
• 1989 265 horizontals drilled worldwide.
• 1990 1000 horizontals drilled.
• 1991 First Australian horizontal drilled
• 1992 Over 2,500 horizontals drilled worldwide - 75% in North
America (mostly low permeability, gas/water coning regions)
• Developments in hydraulic fracturing, perforating, computer
models and screen completion failures in unconsolidated
formations
• 1993-2000 Horizontal wells are drilled world-wide and become
routine well
 TYPES OF HORIZONTAL WELLS
There are three types of horizontal wells:
1. Short radius
2. Medium radius; and
3. Long radius
SHORT RADIUS WELLS (SRW)
• The main features of this type is the very high build-
up rate of 60 – 150 degrees /100 ft
• Radius range of 40-100 ft.
• Extension is 300-700ft
Advantages
1. Enables sharp turns into thin reservoirs
2. Both motor driven and drill pipe driven
3. Laterals can be completed and tied back using
special liners
Disadvantages
1. Limited extension possible - Record = 1200’
2. Poor directional control, must snake left then
right to
3. Special tools and equipment required
MEDIUM RADIUS WELLS (MRW)
• The build-up rate for this type is usually 8-30 degrees/100ft
with a radius range of 200 to 700ft.
• The horizontal drain is usually between 1000 – 3500 ft
• A typical well profile consists of build-tangent section and a
build-horizontal section.
• Two different BHA’s will therefore be required for this type
of well.
• The second build-up section should ideally start at the top
of the "marker zone" and should reach a maximum of 85-
100 degrees on entry into the reservoir.
• An angle hold assembly should be used to drill the
horizontal section.
LONG RADIUS WELLS (LRW)
• This is the most common type of horizontal wells
especially offshore. The build-up rate is usually
from 2 to 6 degrees/100ft. The most common BHA
used is a steerable system containing a single bent
sub with a downhole motor
• Two profiles are in common use:
• A single build-up section terminating in the
horizontal section
• A build-tangent and then a higher build-lateral
section.
Well Profile Design Considerations
• The following factors should be considered
when designing a horizontal well:
• Target definition
• Single curve Design
• Double curve design
• It should be observed that the entry point into the
reservoir may have different co-ordinates from that of
the reservoir. Usually most reservoirs have marker zones
which can be used as the starting point for the final build
up section before entering the reservoir.
• The marker zones are usually thin shale section which
can be easily identified with gamma ray logging tools.
• In new areas, a pilot vertical hole is usually drilled
through the reservoir to ascertain the exact depth of the
marker and the reservoir, thickness of reservoir and the
crooked hole tendency of the formations in the well.
• The pilot hole is then plugged back to a convenient depth
from which the horizontal hole section is sidetracked.
• In wells where the objective is to avoid water or gas
coning, the inclination of the horizontal section is
usually kept constant at 90 degrees in order to
maintain the distance with the gas or water contact.
• If the reservoir has a significant dip angle, then the
horizontal section must be designed to follow the dip
to maintain a constant separation above the gas or
water contact.
• In this case the hole is not truly horizontal but may be
above or below 90 degrees.
• The final inclination angle (IH) for a dipping reservoir is
given by:
 Single curve design
• In this design, the hole angle is built up from
zero at the KOP to 90 degrees at the entry
point into the reservoir
• If this design is used the build up tendencies
of both the formation and the rotary or
steerable BHA should be known in order to
avoid missing the target due to excessive or
insufficient build up rates.
• Also the build-up rate (BUR) should be
selected to land exactly on the target.
• If the BUR is too low the well path will fall
below the target and if the BUR is too high the
well path falls above the target.
• In both cases, expensive well correction is
required.
DESIGN EQUATIONS
where
R = radius of curvature, ft
BUR = build-up rate, deg/100 ft
V1 = vertical height of build up section, ft
H1 = horizontal displacement of build section,
ft
L1 = length of build-up section, ft
I1 = initial inclination angle, deg
I2 = final inclination angle, deg
 DOUBLE BUILD CURVE DESIGN
• If the build up rate is too high the well path will be above
the reservoir and the well will require redrilling.
• Similarly, if the build-up rate is too low, the well path will
be below the reservoir and the drilling objectives will not
be met.
• The above problems can be solved by having a tangent
section below the initial build up curve and then build up
to the required angle when reaching a reservoir marker.
• In some cases the final angle is actually built up inside the
reservoir.
• If a tangent section is included, the equations
for the tangent section of a double build curve
are:

where
• V2 = vertical height of tangent, ft
• L2 = length of tangent section, ft
• H2 = horizontal displacement of tangent
section, ft
• The final build up section has the following design
equations:

where
• I3 = final build up angle, usually 90 degrees
• R3 = radius of second build-up section, ft
• V3 = vertical height of second build-up section, ft