PETE 661

Drilling Engineering

Lesson 13
Directional Drilling

Slide 1
 Directional Drilling
I II III

KOP
 When is it used?
EOC
 Type I Wells
 Type II Wells Build Build-Hold Continuous
and Hold and Drop Build
 Type III Wells
 Directional Well Planning & Design
 Survey Calculation Methods

Slide 2
Read ADE Ch.8 (Reference)

HW #7
Cementing
due 10-25-02

Slide 3
Inclination Angle
, I

Direction Angle
, A

Slide 4
Slide 5
 Max.
Horiz.
Depart.
?

Slide 6
Slide 7
Slide 8
Slide 9
Slide 10
Slide 11
Type I Type II Type III

KOP

EOC

Build Build-Hold Continuous

and Hold and Drop Build
Slide 12
 In the BUILD
Section
r x = r (1 - cos I)

y = r sin I
I
y L L = r rad
r
  
L =   r Ideg
 180 
I
18,000
r
x  * BUR

Slide 13
Slide 14
 Fig. 8.11

r1  x 3 and r1  r2  x 4
Slide 15
r1  x 3 and r1  r2  x 4 3D Wells
Slide 16
N18E S23E

Azimuth
Angle

N55W
S20W
Slide 17
Slide 18
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 19
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 20
(i) Maximum
Inclination
Angle
18,000
r1 
. 
15
r2  0
 D 4  D1 
 12,500  2,500
 10,000 ft
Slide 21
 (i) Maximum Inclination Angle

 D  D  x 2  ( D  D ) 2  2( r  r ) x 
 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 

 max  26.3
Slide 22
(ii) Measured Depth of Well

x Build  r1 (1  cos )
 3,820(1 - cos 26.3 ) 

 395 ft
 x Hold  4,500  395
 4,105 ft
 L Hold sin   4,105
 L Hold  9,265 ft
Slide 23
(ii) Measured Depth of Well

MD  D1  r1 rad  L Hold

 26.3 
 2,500  3,820   9,265
 180 

MD  13,518 ft
Slide 24
* The actual well path hardly ever coincides with
the planned trajectory
* Important: Hit target within specified radius
Slide 25
What is known?
I1 , I2 , A1 , A2 ,
L=MD1-2

Calculate
 = dogleg angle
DLS =L

Slide 26
Slide 27
(20)
Slide 28
Wellbore Surveying Methods
 Average Angle
 Balanced Tangential
 Minimum Curvature
 Radius of Curvature
 Tangential

Other Topics
 Kicking off from Vertical
 Controlling Hole Angle
Slide 29
I, A, MD

Slide 30
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 we’ll calculate

the coordinates of point D using the above information.
Slide 31
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 z
D D
y
E (x) x
Slide 32
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 33
 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, MD  400 ft
I C  14 
A C  20 

I D  24 A D  80
Slide 34
 The Average Angle Method
Measured depth from C to D, MD  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 35
The Average Angle Method

Slide 36
 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 (MD) to be tangent
to the average angle.

From: API Bulletin D20. Dec. 31, 1985 Slide 37

 The Average Angle Method

I C  I D 14  24
I AVG    19
2 2
AC  AD 20  80
AAVG    50
2 2

North  MD sin I AVG cos AAVG

 400 sin19 cos 50  83.71 ft

 

Slide 38
The Average Angle Method

East  MD sin I AVG sin AAVE

 400 sin19 sin 50  99.76 ft

 

Vert  400 cos I AVG

 400 cos19  378.21 ft



Slide 39
 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 40
 The Balanced Tangential Method

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

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

From: API Bulletin D20. Dec. 31, 1985 Slide 41

The Balanced Tangential Method

MD
North  (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 42
The Balanced Tangential Method

MD
East  (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 43
The Balanced Tangential Method

MD
Vert  (cos I D  cos I C )
2

400
 (cos 24  cos14 )  376.77ft
 
2

Slide 44
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

Slide 45
Minimum Curvature Method

Slide 46
 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=  and must be in radians)

Slide 47
 Minimum Curvature Method

The dogleg angle,  , is given by:

Cos  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

   20.67  0.36082 radians



Slide 48
 Minimum Curvature Method

2 
The Ratio Factor, RF  tan
 Z
2

2  20.67 
RF  * tan    1.01099
0.3608  2 
MD
North  (sin I C cos A C  sin I D cos I D )RF
2
 59.59 *1.01099  60.25 ft

Slide 49
 Minimum Curvature Method

MD
East  (sin I C sin A C  sin I D sin A D )RF
2
 96.66 *1.01099  97.72 ft

MD
Vert  (cos I C  cos I D )RF
2
 376.77 *1.01099  380.91 ft

Slide 50
 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 51
 The Radius of Curvature Method

2
MD(cos I C  cos I D )(sin A D  sin A C )  180 
North   
(I D  I C )(A D  A C )   

2
400(cos14  cos 24 )(sin 80  sin 20 )  180 
   
  
(24  14)(80  20)   
 79.83 ft

Slide 52
 The Radius of Curvature Method

MD (cos cosIDIDcos )D 180

22
MD cos ICI Ccos )(cos
AAC   AA
cos  180
East
East  C D
  
(I IDIIC)( A
D C AC  )
A D A
D C     

2
400(cos14  cos 24 )(cos 20  cos 80 )  180 
   
  
(24  14)(80  20)   
 95.14 ft

Slide 53
The Radius of Curvature Method

MD(sin I D  sin I C )  180 

Vert   
ID  IC   

400(sin24  sin 14 )  180 

    377.73 ft
24  14   

Slide 54
 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 55
 The Tangential Method

Measured depth from C to D, MD  400 ft

I C  14 
A C  20 

I D  24 
A D  80 

North  MD sin I D cos AD

 400 sin 24 cos 80  28.25 ft

 

Slide 56
The Tangential Method

East  MD sin I D sin AD

 400 sin24 sin 80  160.22 ft

 

Vert  400 cos I D

 400 cos 24  365.42 ft



Slide 57
 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 58
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

Slide 59
Slide 60
Slide 61
 Building
Hole Angle
Slide 62
 Holding
Hole Angle
Slide 63
Slide 64
 CLOSURE
(HORIZONTAL) DEPARTURE

LEAD ANGLE

Slide 65


Slide 66
Tool Face Angle

Slide 67