Anti-Collision

ENM210 Drilling Technology

The Robert Gordon University 2007 1

Process Safety
Quality
Where are the wells really? Survey quality
Quality of the drilled boreholes
Health
Ever been near a blowout? Noise, air quality
Safety
Get it wrong and you potentially kill people
Get it wrong and you destroy an asset (well, installation)
Environment
You are the polluter
Cost of oil cleanup

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 Physical situation
To best understand why this is a safety critical
operation we need to look at the status of
wells in
producing or
injecting states.

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Geometry of a well
Pressure vessel..
Hole drilled
Conductor installed will
be pulled to the inside of
the curve
Conductor cemented
Surface casing installed
will be pulled to the inside
of the curve
Casing cemented
Intermediate casings
installed will be pulled to
the inside of the curve
Casing may not be
cemented at shallow
depth
Tubing installed and well
flowing at close to BHP

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 Geometry of a well
Conductor
Weight transfer of all
subsequent casings
Surface
Aquifer isolation
Shallow gas isolation
Intermediate
Production
The deeper you go
the fewer casing
strings there are to
drill through..!!

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Geometry of multiple wells

Surface
Nudge
KoP
DLS
Tangent angle
EoC
Profile to TD

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 Causes of Well Collisions
Human failures - the only single thread
Poor procedure, practices or reporting
Poor or insufficient planning
Lack of communication
Poor quality survey database
Lack of recognition of drilling events
Incorrect application of survey uncertainties

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Damage to Bit
First cutting structure
to contact offset well
PDC cutters
Steel teeth
Tungsten Carbide teeth
Whats in the way
potentially
Rocks (boulders,
gravel, solid)
Concrete (cement +)
Steel (casing, jewellery)

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 Not just the bit..!!
The whole BHA has to
pass the interval of
risk
Stabilisers
Hole openers
Under-reamers
Cutters on those..?
PDC
Steel teeth
Tungsten Carbide teeth
Same as a bit but
faster.!!

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USIT evidence
Look at a lathe.!!
What is the cutting
process.?
Fixed cutter
Moving object
Lubricant
And in a well.
Moving cutter
Stationary object
Lubricant
Same, same

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 Consequences..!!
Gas
Oil
Well kill
Relief well
Pollution

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Anti-Collision

ENM210 Drilling Technology

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 Introduction to Anti-Collision
This is the most serious failure in
directional drilling
There are immediate & often catastrophic
consequences to a well collision
What you learn here will help to avoid
this

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Vocabulary
Anti-Collision = AC
Close Approach = CA
Ellipse Of Uncertainty = EOU
Separation Factor = SF or OSF if oriented ellipses are
used
Traveling Cylinder = TC
Survey Programme : The script of how the well is to be
surveyed
Subject Well: The well of primary interest e.g. the well
plan
Object Well: All offset wells and other well plans
Calculation Interval: the depth interval (MD) at which
calculations are performed

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 Operations
Drill our wells far enough apart that the
proximity of other wells cannot possibly be
an issue or;
Have some knowledge of the positions of
all nearby wells (and the well which we are
drilling), and the survey tools which were
used to describe those positions, so that
an appropriate position uncertainty can be
assigned to each well individually.
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Anti-Collision Scanning
To avoid unintended intersections with
nearby wells when drilling - by maintaining
a reasonable safety clearance based on a
common position uncertainty model.
The safety clearance must be applied
consistently, and must be based on an
anti-collision policy which may be client,
directional contractor or even field specific.

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 Methods
3D least Distance Distance to each offset well
from stepping down the subject well on a plane
that is normal to the offset well.
Normal Plane Distance from each offset well
from stepping down the offset well to the subject
well on a plane that is normal to the subject well.
Horizontal Plane Steps horizontally down the
subject well scanning outwards at specified
intervals (DNU).
Closest Approach True closest points in well
not necessarily at survey stations.
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Analysis Methods
Subject (proposed)
Well Object (offset)
Well

Closest Approach
ce
tan
dis
st
lea

e
Plan
3D

al
Norm

Horizontal Plane

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 3-D Least Distance
Provides least distance to offset well (at point of
analysis)
Does not consider direction of wellpoint on offset well
could be behind you (so do you really care)
Highly unlikely for solution to lie on normal plane of
subject well so makes distorted TC diagrams
Only considers least distance solution when multiple
solutions exist can make results discontinuous

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Normal Plane
Method defining a TC diagram disk
sliding down the subject wellalways
normal to wellbore direction
Always use MD calculation interval
Always looks ahead of current position

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 Normal Plane
Scan is down each
object well. This Subject Well Object Well

ensures that entire

offset well is Normal to Subject Well

analyzed. Scanning Down

Subject Well....
If the scan was down Misses Perpendicular
Intersections
the subject well then it
may omit to show a
perpendicular Perpendicular Intersection

intersection

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Normal Plane
Object well scanning
provides more Subject Well Object Well

Multiple Solutions
insurance that
Normal to Subject Well

perpendicular
Scanning Down
approaches are Object Well
detected
Can have multiple
solutions separate
traces Perpendicular Intersection

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 Horizontal Plane
Simplest of methods
Looks at horizontal displacements at common
TVDs
Usually done using TVD step interval, can also
use MD
Calculation scan is down subject well.
Has limited use in horizontal wellsuse MD
Produces very distorted TC diagrams

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Traveling Cylinders

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 Traveling Cylinders
Travels along
wellpath North or Highside

Indicates distance to
other wells

h
Pat
ore
llb
We

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Traveling Cylinder - Collision

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 Surveying impact on
Anti-collision
ENM 210 Drilling Technology

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Definitions
Subject well
The well to be drilled
Offset well(s)
All other wells drilled or planned
Approved Software
State of the art directional support software
C-C analysis
Survey uncertainty in 3-d

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 Positional Uncertainty
Tool error codes from SPE Well Positioning Technical
Section (formerly known as ISCWSA)
Software uses tool codes to identify which tool is
used to survey and how it is used
Well positional calculation
Minimum curvature method
Survey frequency managed in conjunction with drilling
method
Well positional uncertainty
Totally dependant on tools used
Schlumberger standard is 3 dimensional, 95% confident.

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Separation Factor

A ratio
Uses the
dimension of the
semi-major ellipse
axis
Applies it
spherically

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 Oriented separation factor
Still a ratio
Uses the dimensions
of the ellipsoid
oriented along the axis
of 3d-least distance
approach
The dimensions used
are probability based

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SLB Anti-Collision Rules

OSF based
>5 no worries
>1.5 & <5 safe to drill ahead
>1 & <1.5 a close approach situation exists
and a risk assessment is required
<1 a collision potential exists and an exhaustive
risk assessment and remedial action plan is
required
HOWEVER OSF IS A RATIO AND WE NEED
AN EXTRA SAFETY CRITERIA
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 Anti-Collision Implementation
SF >1.5
Drill ahead
1.0<SF<1.5
Stop drilling and immediately discuss situation to
prevent a collision. Proceed only after a quantified
risk assessment
SF<1.0
Stop drilling possibly re-survey subject well with more
accurate survey tool or plug back, cement and re-drill.

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OSF diagram

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 Minimum Separation
Since OSF is a ratio and is susceptible when
EoUs are small and C-C distance is also
small. (the ratio can appear large yet wells are
very close)
An absolute distance between wells is an
additional safety criteria.
For wells on the same structure it is a
calculated value
80% of ADP at the structure reference
To equate it in terms of C-C; then the minimum C-
C is now the 80% ADP added to the well diameter.

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Minimum separation diagram

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 Survey QC

ENM210 Drilling Technology

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Surveying - Validity
Every aspect of the survey has
inherent inaccuracies
Reference system
Measurement
Position Calculation

These errors must be minimized

or taken into account
Running procedures
Positional error models

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 Survey Uncertainties
Position uncertainty is generated as a result
of;
Inclination and Azimuth Errors Tool capability
errors
Depth Error One third of the measurement
triangle
Reference Error Errors in where we think North
is
Drillstring Magnetization Error - Interference
Gyro Drift Errors EarthRate and Latitude
Instrument Alignment Errors Tool alignment and
SAG
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Ellipsoid of Uncertainty
EOUs account for systematic and random
errors involved with surveying tools
3-D Volume projected onto the horizontal
plane
Semi-major axis
Semi-minor axis

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 Ellipse of Uncertainty
Calculated position error
based on survey errors
EOU Size & Shape
Survey tool type
Semi-minor axis
Survey frequency
12m
BHA configuration
Latitude and Longitude
Wellbore direction &
23m
inclination

Semi-major axis

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Survey Program Design

A Survey Program is the planned set of
survey instruments to be run and used to
validate the position of the well.
Each survey tool must satisfy its own
individual QC requirements.
Each survey program must be used to
complete the anti-collision scan by PARTS,
and to attain the DRILLING TARGET

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 Survey programme
26 Gyro Singleshots
17 MWD
13 3/8 Gyro Casing Multishot
12 MWD
9 5/8 Gyro Pumpdown Multishot
8 MWD
What are the Program Parts?

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Survey Programme 0
26" Gyro Singleshots

250

500
17 1/2" MWD Part 1

750

1000 13 3/8" NSG

1250
Measured Depth

1500

1750
Part 2
12 1/4" MWD
2000

2250

2500

2750 9 5/8" NSG

3000
8 1/2" MWD
Part 3
3250

3500
80 60 40 20 0 20 40 60 80
Ellipse of Uncertainty

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 Anti-Collision Scan Part 1
26 Gyro Singleshots
17 MWD
13 3/8 Gyro Casing Multishot
12 MWD
9 5/8 Gyro Pumpdown Multishot
8 MWD
Part 1 Represents Drilling Stage 1

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Anti-Collision Scan Part 2

26 Gyro Singleshots
17 MWD
13 3/8 Gyro Casing Multishot
12 MWD
9 5/8 Gyro Pumpdown Multishot
8 MWD
Part 2 Represents Drilling Stage 2

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 Anti-Collision Scan Part 3
26 Gyro Singleshots
17 MWD
13 3/8 Gyro Casing Multishot
12 MWD
9 5/8 Gyro Pumpdown Multishot
8 MWD
Part 3 Represents Drilling Stage 3

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CA polices

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 CA for Operations
For Buffer Alert
(SF<5.0):
Detailed scan report
in Well Design File
Minimum distance to
change to Minor Risk
alert identified
Must be included in
all Traveling Cylinder Entering Alert Buffer
Plots
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CA for Operations
For Minor Risk Alert
(SF<1.5):
Minimum distances to
change to Major Risk alert
identified
Traveling Cylinder Plot
includes tolerance lines in the
critical zones
Directional Drillers run anti-
collision analysis every
survey while drilling
If projection ahead of bit by Entering Minor Alert
one survey interval = SF <
1.5 stop drilling
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 CA for Operations
For Major Risk Alert
(SF<1.0):
Projection ahead of bit =
SF <1.0 : Stop Drilling
Client dispensation and
risk assessment required
if a special case
Plug back and redrill

Entering Major
Alert
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Anti-Collision: Advanced Topics

Separation Factors Defined

Probability of Well Collision
New Approach Oriented Separation
Factor
Survey Frequency
Risk Based Analysis
An Anti-Collision Policy?
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 Probability of Collision 1b

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Definition of Separation Factor 3

Separation Factor defined as the distance between the
ellipsoids along the line the connecting the points of
closest approach divided by its value.
Line
Subject
Connecting
Separation Well
Points of Closest
Factor = 1 Approach

EOU of
Object
Well

EOU of
Subject Object
Well Well to
Page

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 Probability of Collision 3

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Definition of Separation Factor 4

Separation Factor defined as the distance between the
ellipsoids along the line connecting the points of closest
approach divided by its value when the projections are in
contact Subject Line
Well Connecting
Separation Points of Closest
Factor = 1 Approach

EOU of
.Object
Well

EOU of
Subject Object
Well Well to
Page

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 Probability of Collision 4

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New Approach - OSF

Using existing SLB definition of SF = 1 the resultant
probability of collision is approx. 1:26,000
This presupposes that we use a one dimensional
probability distribution in the direction of the closest
approach vector between the wells.
This means that anything at or past the object well is
defined as a collision (ie conservative)
It also means that regardless of the orientation of the
ellipses the separation when probability of collision when
SF=1 is always calculated to be the same (1:26,000 =
37ppm).

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 Oriented Separation Factor

Line of
probability of
collision

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