Process of Horizontal Drilling

1. HORIZONTAL DRILLING

2. INTRODUCTION
Horizontal drilling is a drilling process in which the
well is turned horizontally at depth. It is normally
used to extract energy from a source that itself
runs horizontally, such as a layer of shale
rock. Horizontal drilling is a common way of
extracting gas from the Marcellus Shale
Formation. Since the horizontal section of a well is
at great depth, it must include a vertical part as
well. Horizontal wells are drilled parallel to the
reservoir bedding plane. A vertical well is drilled
perpendicular to the bedding plane.

3. STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Until the arrival of modern downhole motors and
better tools to measure inclination and azimuth of
the hole, directional drilling and horizontal drilling
was much slower than vertical drilling due to the
need to stop regularly and take time-consuming
surveys, and due to slower progress in drilling
itself (lower rate of penetration). These
disadvantages have shrunk over time as
downhole motors became more efficient and
semi-continuous surveying became possible.

4. OBJECTIVE
The main objective of horizontal well drilling is
to enhance reservoir contact which enhances
well productivity, which is highly desirable for
enhanced oil recovery applications.

5. RISK ANALYSIS
 Drag and Torque: Drag is a force restricting
the movement of the drill tools in directions
parallel to the well path. Torque is the force
resisting rotation movement.
 Hole Cleaning: A particular problem is the
difficulty of removing the rock cuttings from
the horizontal section of the well.

6. Water Sensitive Shale: Shale layers
frequently tend to collapse with fresh water.
 Directional Control: The fundamental
problem in horizontal drilling is overcoming
the force of gravity.

7. METHODOLOGY
 Most horizontal wells begin at the surface as a
vertical well. Drilling progresses until the drill bit is a
few hundred feet above the target rock unit. At that
point the pipe is pulled from the well and the hydraulic
motor is attached between the drill bit and the drill
pipe.
 The hydraulic is powered by the flow of drilling mud
down the drill pipe. It can rotate the drill bit without
rotating the entire length of drill pipe between the bit
and the surface. This allows the bit to drill a path that
deviates from the orientation of the drill pipe.

8.  After the motor is installed the bit and pipe are lowered
back down the well and the bit drills path that steers the
well bore from vertical to horizontal over a distance of the
few hundred feet. Once the well has been steered to the
proper angle, straight- ahead drilling resumes and the
well follows the target rock unit. Keeping the well in a thin
rock unit requires careful navigation. Down hole
instruments are used determine the azimuth and
orientation of the drilling. This information is used to steer
the drill bit.
 Horizontal drilling is expensive. When combined with
hydraulic fracturing a well can cost up to three times as
much per foot as drilling a vertical well. The extra cost is
usually recovered by increased production from the well.
These methods can multiply the yield of natural gas or oil
from a well. Many profitable wells would be failures
without these methods.

9. PHASE PLANNING & COST ANALYSIS
1
Vertical
Drilling
Drill Pipe
Drill Bit
Surface
Casing
Conductor
Pipe

10. 2
Angle
Building
and
Lateral
Drilling
MWD Motor
Drill Pipe
Drill bit
Surface Casing
Conductor pipe
3
Perforatio
n
Perforating
Gun
Wire Line

11. 4
Hydrauli
c
Fracturi
ng
Frac Plug
• Land acquisition and leasing : Rs 12,60,00,000
• Permitting : Rs 6,00,000
• Vertical drilling : Rs 3,97,80,000
• Hydraulic fracturing : Rs 7,20,00,000
• Completion : Rs 1,20,00,000
• Production to gathering : Rs 2,83,20,000

12. CONCLUSION
 Horizontal well analysis requires engineering
judgment.
 It is difficult to get unique answer.
 Reserves are difficult to estimate during the
transient flow.