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Directional Drilling (Courses for professional Master) _ Riadh AHMADI

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Chapter · November 2018

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Chapter 1 : GENERAL REFERENCES DD-01

I) Coordinate references

How to localize a point (eg. well position) on the field (on a map) ?

 Coordinates.
II) Depth references DD-01

RT  (Top Drive) // RKB  (Kelly)

RT (Rotary Table) or RKB (Rotary Kelly Bushing)

Topographic profile

RTE

GE MSL: Mean Sea Level

TVDSS TVD
MD

RTE: Rotary Table Elevation

GE (or GL): Ground Elevation (or Level)
MD: Measured Depth
TVD: True Vertical Depth
TVDSS: True Vertical Depth Sub-Sea
RKB  (Kelly)

0m
RT  (Top Drive)

0m
Chapter 2 : DIRECTIONAL DRILLING DD-02

I) Applications of Directional wells

Why did we need to use deviated wells?

There are many application for witch directional wells gives the solution to several
problems that can be for topographic, geological, space and technical issues.
I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

1. Sidetrack: Side-tracking was the original directional drilling technique.

Initially, sidetracks were “blind". The objective was simply to get past a fish.
Oriented sidetracks are most common. They are performed when, for
example, there are unexpected changes in geological configuration.
 I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

2. Multiple Exploration Wells from a Single Well-bore: A single well bore can
be plugged back at a certain depth and deviated to make a new well. A single
well bore is sometimes used as a point of departure to drill others. It allows
exploration of structural locations without drilling other complete wells.
I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

3. Inaccessible Locations: Targets located beneath a city, a river or in

environmentally sensitive areas make it necessary to locate the drilling rig
some distance away. A directional well is drilled to reach the target.
 I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

4. Salt Dome: Salt domes have been found to be natural traps of oil accumulating in
strata beneath the overhanging hard cap. There are severe drilling problems associated
with drilling a well through salt formations. These can be somewhat alleviated by using a
salt-saturated mud. Another solution is to drill a directional well to reach the reservoir,
thus avoiding the problem of drilling through the salt.
I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

5. Fault Controlling: Crooked holes are common when drilling nominally

vertical. This is often due to faulted sub-surface formations. It is often easier
to drill a directional well into such formations without crossing the fault lines.
I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

6. Onshore Drilling: Reservoirs located below large bodies of water which

are within drilling reach of land are being tapped by locating the wellheads
on land and drilling directionally underneath the water. This saves money-
land rigs are much cheaper.
 I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

7. Offshore Multiwell Drilling: Directional drilling from a multiwell offshore

platform is the most economic way to develop offshore oil fields. Onshore, a
similar method is used where there are space restrictions e.g. jungle, swamp.
Here, the rig is skidded on a pad and the wells are drilled in “clusters".
I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

Multi-clusters offshore plateformes

I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

Multi-clusters land plateforme

 I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

8. Multiple Sands from a Single Wellbore: In this application, a well is drilled

directionally to intersect several inclined oil reservoirs. This allows completion of
the well using a multiple completion system. The well may have to enter the
targets at a specific angle to ensure maximum penetration of the reservoirs.
 I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

9. Relief Well: The objective of a directional relief well is to intercept the bore
hole of a well which is blowing and allow it to be “killed". The bore hole causing
the problem is the size of the target.
To locate and intercept the blowing well at a certain depth, a carefully planned
directional well must be drilled with great precision.
 I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

10. Horizontal Drains: Reduced production in a field may be due to many factors,
including gas and water coning or formations with good but vertical permeability.
Engineers can then plan and drill a horizontal drainhole. It is a special type of directional
well. Horizontal wells are divided into long, medium and short-radius
designs, based on the buildup rates used. Other applications of directional drilling are in
developing geothermal fields and in mining.
I) Applications of Directional wells DD-02

In details these applications are the flowing:

 II) Definition and vocabulary in a Directional well DD-02

KOP (Kick Off Point): depth point of

Verticale Section starting building or dropping the angle.

KOP1
EOB (End Of Build up): point of the
end of the build up section and the
R1
beginning of the hold up.
DLS1 Build-Up Section

R: radius of curvature
EOB1
TD: Total depth
Straight Section (or)
Tangent Section TVD: True Vertical Depth
Inclination

KOP2 DLS (Dog Leg): indicate the rate of

Drop-off Section
DLS2 angle buildup in (º/100ft). The DLS
EOB2
R2
increase when “R” decrease.
Straight Section (or)
Tangent Section
TVD TD
Total horizontal displacement Target
II) Definition and vocabulary in a Directional well DD-02

North

Initial Azimuh
b
a c Lead Angle

Target azimuth

Target

East

Target azimuth: the angle between the north and the target point.

Initial azimuth: is the azimuth of the Kick off point.

Lead angle: is the angle between the initial azimuth and the target azimuth.
II) Definition and vocabulary in a Directional well DD-02

Incertency Circle

Target Tolerance Ellipse (or circle)

Incertency Ellipse at reservoir top

Top of reservoir

Incertency Ellipse

Incertitude surfaces: are areas of trajectory probable position due to tools incertitude
on the coordinate measurements'. This shape is a circle in vertical wells but becomes
an ellipse in deviated section because of different sensibility between azimuth and
inclination tools.
 Exercice 1 DD-02

Verticale Section
1. Calculate R1, R2, DLS1 and DLS2
300 m
2. Calculate TVD
R1
3. Calculate Total Horizontal Displacement
DLS1 Build-Up Section

??
800 m

Straight Section (or)

TVD Tangent Section
?? 45°

1500 m
Drop-off Section
DLS2
1900 m
?? R2
Straight Section (or)
Tangent Section

THD = ? 2300 m
 Exercice 1 DD-02

1. Calculate R1, R2, DLS1 and DLS2

C1 (circumference) = π x D1
Verticale Section
C1 = π x (2R1)
300 m B1 (Bow) = (800 – 300)
B1 = C1 x 360/Incl  B1 = (800 – 300)
R1  R1 = C1/ 2 π
DLS1 Build-Up Section

??  R1 = 2 B1 x Incl/360
800 m NA:
Straight Section (or)
TVD Tangent Section
R1 = 2000 / 2 x π
45°
?? R1 = 318,31 m
1500 m
Drop-off Section
DLS1 = (Incl/B1) x 100ft
DLS2 DLS1 = (Incl/B1) x 30,48 m
1900 m
?? R2 DLS1 = (45/500) x 30,48
Straight Section (or) DLS1 = 2,74°/100ft
Tangent Section

THD = ? 2300 m
III) Types of Directional wells DD-02

“J” well or “Slant type well” “S” type wells Double build well

Slant type well “J type well” have 1 build-up section and 2 straight sections.

“S” type wells have 1 build-up, 1 drop-off and 3 straight sections.

Double built well have 2 build-up and 3 straight sections.

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

We have 5 types of directional BHA:

1- Mud Motor (or Turbine) with bent sub (or housing)

2- Wipstock

3- Jetting control

4- Power drive control

5- Stabilizer controlling
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1- Standard PDM-Turbine BHA

11 DP 11 DP
10 HWDP 10 HWDP
9 Jar 9 Jar
8 DC 8 DC

7 Stab (RR) 7 Stab (RR)

6 NMDC 6 NMDC

5 MWD 5 MWD

4 Mud Motor 4 Bent sub

3 Bent housing 3 Mud Motor

2 NB Stab 2 NB Stab
1 Bit 1 Bit
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.1- Drilling Bits

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.1- Drilling Bits

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.1- Drilling Bits

There are no formal rules of Bits used for directional drilling, but commonly
drilling Bits used includes all Rock Bits (Roll Bits or Tricones) and some Fixed
cutter Bits (PDC, TSP and Diamond Bits) characterized by:

1) Re-enforced legs or gauge for better side friction resistance (while building angle)

2) Shortened size for fixed cutter type, this improve drifting and controls
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.2- Near Bit Stabilizer

• Short type standard Near Bits

• Stabilizer ring sleeves installed on the Motor
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.3- Bent Sub or Bet Housing (Adjustable)

Scribe line

Front view Profile view

Bent Sub Surface Adjustable Bent

(SAB)
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.3- Bent Sub or Bet Housing (Adjustable)

Bent sub

 Simple sub, so should be

installed above the Motor or
Turbine assembly

Bent housing

 Incorporated in the Motor and

specially designed to get the rotor
going through it.
 IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.3- Bent Sub or Bet Housing (Adjustable)

1. The Bent (sub or housing) is the active device for angle build up or drop off.

2. The bent is activated by Turbo drilling mode: when rotation is stopped at

surface and only Motor or PDM rotates when starting mud circulation. The
rotation speed is then controlled by the flow rate and the rotation coefficient
of the Motor/Turbine.

3. To stop the action of the bent, in tangent section or to reduce the rate of
build-up we have just to stop the Turbo drilling mode and we use Rotary
mode by applying rotation form surface. Note: surface rotation will be
reduced at this time because the Bit rotation will be the sum of the motor
RPM and rotary table (or Top drive) RPM.

4. The Bent angle is changeable (0.25° to 4°) for DLS control and deviation
efficiency .
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.4- Mud Motor (PDM) or Turbine

Dump Valve

Mud Motor
Assembly
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.4- Mud Motor (PDM) or Turbine

Power section

Mud Motor
Assembly
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.4- Mud Motor (PDM) or Turbine

SAB Assembly
Mud Motor
Assembly
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.4- Mud Motor (PDM) or Turbine

Transmission
Assembly

Mud Motor
Assembly
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.4- Mud Motor (PDM) or Turbine

Bearing section

Mud Motor
Assembly
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.4- Mud Motor (PDM) or Turbine

Mud Motor Directional Assembly

or PDM Assembly
(Positive Displacement Motor)
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.4- Mud Motor (PDM) or Turbine

Turbine power section

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.4- Mud Motor (PDM) or Turbine

Straight motor DTU motors Single bent housing Dual bent housings
(Double Tilted Unit) (fixed or adjustable)
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1.5- None Magnetic DC (NMDC)

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1. Standard directional BHA

DP Type “S” Drill Pipes are recommended because of high mechanical strength

10 HWDP Standard

9 Jar Up & Down Jar is strongly recommended due to high stacking risks

8 DC Standard

Roll Reamers are recommended to reduce stacking risk and especially to reduce
7 Stab (RR) Torque
Non Magnetic Drill Collar are needed to seat in MWD devices or to isolate them
6 NMDC from other magnetic tools.

5 MWD Measurement While Drilling tools (measures Deviation, Inclinations & GR)

Mud Motor or Turbine are tools capable to create spinning effect to the down
4 Mud Motor parts attached to the rotor by using mud flow energy
The Bent is a tilted tool responsible to give a soft angle needed to change the well
3 Bent sub inclination (build up, drop of or azimuth change)

2 NB Stab Near Bit Stabs drives the Bit to the hole center to control the direction of drilling

1 Bit Special Bits are used for directional drilling to optimize controlling the trajectory.
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

1. Inverted PDM-Turbine directional BHA

DP Standard

10 HWDP Standard

9 Jar Up & Down Jar is strongly recommended due to high stacking risks

8 DC Standard

11 DP Type “S” Drill Pipes are used because of high mechanical strength & elasticity

Roll Reamers are recommended to reduce stucking risk and especially to reduce
7 Stab (RR) Torque
Non Magnetic Drill Collar are needed to seat in MWD devices or to isolate them
6 NMDC from other magnetic tools.

5 MWD Measurement While Drilling tools (measures Deviation, Inclinations & GR)

Mud Mud Motor or Turbine are tools capable to create spinning effect to the down parts
4 attached to the rotor by using mud flow energy
Motor
The Bent is a tilted tool responsible to give a soft angle needed to change the well
3 Bent sub inclination (build up, drop of or azimuth change)

2 NB Stab Near Bit Stabs drives the Bit to the hole center to control the direction of drilling

1 Bit Special Bits are used for directional drilling to optimize controlling the trajectory.
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

2. Whipstock deviation tool

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

2. Whipstock deviation tool

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

2. Whipstock deviation tool

Whipstock is commonly used to make a Re-entry section in cased well bore.

It consist of making a window in the casing using Whipstock-Window Mill assembly.
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

2. Whipstock deviation tool Run and Anchored with running tool

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

2. Whipstock deviation tool

Window in Casing
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

2. Whipstock deviation tool Run and Anchored with running tool

1) RIH with special running tool

2) Tool face adjustement and wipstock anchoring
3) POOH running tool
4) RIH window mill BHA
5) RIH directionnal or normal BHA
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

2. Whipstock deviation tool

It’s a wedge shaped tool used to guide the Bit, the Miller
or the Window Mill to the wanted direction controlled by the
angle and the tool face of the Whipstock tool.

Wipstock assembly is only used for a limited drilling

interval (4 to 6 m), then generally we use after a Hole
opener Bit or Taper Mill.

Wipstock can be retrievable or permanent.

Removable type still attached to drilling assemble, or

have a Key way pocket used to be fished out with
Wipstock retriveing tool.

After drilling 6 m into formation we have to POOH and

RIH with Hole opener or full gauge drilling BHA.
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

2. Whipstock deviation tool

POOH
Mill Window
WOB
Window Mill

Shear pins
New versions of Whipstock most are not
retrievable. They have an Anchoring Packer to
their bottom and Shear pins to the top that
connects them to the Bit.
Orient and
Anchoring packer ensure the stability of the Anchor Packer
Whipstock (so it can not move down while drilling
or rotating with the Bit is drilling: WOB & RPM). Kick off
Tool face can be oriented with a surveying tool cement plug

to the initial azimuth.

Abandon
Anchored Whipstock are usually used over cement plug
Kick off cement plug.
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

3. Jetting directional method

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

4. Power drive directional

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

5- Stabilizers directional controlling BHA for vertical wells

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

5- Stabilizers directional controlling BHA for vertical wells

Down hole motor Rotary Build up BHA

Build up BHA
IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

5- Stabilizers directional controlling BHA for vertical wells

Down hole motor with “Bent Housing” Rotary Packed Hole BHA
Steerable Motor BHA

Hold angle BHA

IV) Directional Bottom Hole Assembly (BHA) DD-02

5- Stabilizers directional controlling BHA for vertical wells

Bent Housing Down hole motor Pendulum Rotary BHA

Steerable Motor BHA Rotary Drop Off or Limber BHA

Drop off BHA

V) Directional Surveying DD-02

Deviation Survey Tools

1. Totco Single Shot Surveys

2. Magnetic Single & Multi-shot surveys

3. Gyroscopic surveys

4. Measurement While Drilling (MWD-LWD)

V) Directional Surveying DD-02

1) Totco Single Shot

Measuring Inclination or Drift
V) Directional Surveying DD-02

1) Totco Single Shot

Measuring Inclination or Drift
V) Directional Surveying DD-02

1) Totco Single Shot

Measuring Inclination or Drift
 V) Directional Surveying DD-02

1) Totco Single Shot

Timer + Pendulum + Battery
Measuring Inclination or Drift + Disc Recorder

Drift survey instrument can be

1. Run into Drill String and

pulled out of the pipe on
“sand line”,
2. Dropped into pipe and
retrieved with overshot
assembly,
3. Dropped into pipe and Angle will be
recovered by removing the
drill string on surface from
recorded on the
hole (mostly used at the end disc as dots e.g on
of each section of phase). 4 deg. Circule
V) Directional Surveying DD-02

2) Magnetic Single Shot surveying

Timer + Compass + Film disc + Battery

V) Directional Surveying DD-02

2) Magnetic Single Shot surveying

V) Directional Surveying DD-02

2) Magnetic Single
Shot surveying
V) Directional Surveying DD-02

2) Magnetic Multi Shot surveying

Timer + Motor + Compass + Camera + Battery

V) Directional Surveying DD-02

3) Gyroscopic Survey Surface control &

display equipment

Down hole
surveying tools

Gyroscopic surveying have surface and down

hole equipment. Linked by a wire line.

It can perform: Single & Multishot Survey in DP,

Casing and Open Holes.

Application: Orientation or Steering of directional

BHA, Whipstocks, Perforating Guns.
V) Directional Surveying DD-02

3) Gyroscopic Survey
Real time gyroscopic steering on directional PDM BHA
V) Directional Surveying DD-02

4) MWD (LWD) Survey

MWD is the most used steering method for

directional wells. It have also surface and
down hole equipment.

Its performing continuous Surveys in directional

BHA in Open Holes only. ( compass can not
read in casing: magnetic perturbation).

LWD (Logging While Drilling) = MWD + Logging tool

(such as Sonic or Resistivity tool)

Note: GR is excluded because it dose exist in both MWD and LWD)

V) Directional Surveying DD-02

4) MWD (LWD) Survey

Pressure pulsation communication
Electromagnetic communication
V) Directional Surveying DD-02

4) MWD (LWD) Survey

The pulsar is the top device of MWD assembly

charged to transfer the data to surface using mud
pressure micro pulsation. These pulsations are then
recognized on surface by high sensitive pressure sensor
as a series of sinusoids corresponding to binaries'
language  Then traduced by a computer to information
matrix about: Dev, Az, GR, Tº, WOB, Vibration (for MWD)
+ DT & Resistivity (for LWD).
V) Directional Surveying DD-02

Deviation Survey Tools

Applications

1. Totco Single Shot Surveys

Vertical well drift control

2. Magnetic Single & Multi-shot surveys

Tool face orientation Whipstock and guns

3. Gyroscopic surveys
(Can be used for real time directional drilling)

(Whipstock orientation…)
4. Measurement While Drilling (MWD-LWD)
Directional drilling
Geostearing (LWD)
VI) Trajectory calculation DD-02
VI) Trajectory calculation DD-02

None of the directional tools that can

gives you the real position of the Bit or the well
trajectory.

All tools measures angle and azimuth

in independent points so the position of a point
or trajectory can only be calculated based on
these geometric punctual information added to
the measured depth.

Reference point consist of the alone absolute true position witch is

the surface point (well head).
 VI) Trajectory calculation DD-02

1- Equipment measurement errors

Inclination Survey method Error in Inclination Error in Azimut

Magnetic Single Shot +/- 0.25º +/- 0.50º

Steering tool +/- 0.25º +/- 0.50º

Angle < 5º
MWD +/- 0.25º +/- 0.50º

Gyroscope +/- 0.25º +/- 0.50º

Magnetic Single Shot +/- 0.20º +/- 2.00º

Steering tool +/- 0.15º +/- 1.50º

Angle > 5º
MWD +/- 0.10º +/- 1.25º

Gyroscope +/- 0.10º +/- 1.25º

1  All surveying equipments have measurement's errors

2  Errors vary by using different surveying tool and considering hole inclination
3  Errors in inclination are always smaller.
VI) Trajectory calculation DD-02

2- Depth survey resolution

We cannot make continuous surveying of the bore hole.

For this reason survey points are spaced by depth intervals. The smallest is this
interval, the more precise is the computed well trajectory.

Considering other technical factors such as surveying time and costs, IADC have
established standards for depth surveying resolution:

Single Shot Equipments (vertical wells): once at the end of the phase or at any trip

Multi shots, Gyroscope & MWD (deviated wells): once at 1 stand length (100 ft or
28 m)

IADC: International Association of Drilling Contractors

VI) Trajectory calculation DD-02

3.1) Average angle method

VI) Trajectory calculation DD-02

3.2) Radius of curvature method

VI) Trajectory calculation DD-02

3.3) Minimum radius of curvature method

V) Directional Surveying DD-02

Tool face adjustment

1- Azimuthal toolface

Well axis

Build up direction
V) Directional Surveying DD-02

Tool face adjustment

1- Gravity toolface
V) Directional Surveying DD-02
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