Course description

This course is designed to develop an understanding of the fundamental aspects of Directional Drilling and wellbore surveying as they apply to the drilling of Horizontal, Extended Reach and Multilateral wells. Directional drilling technology is being pushed further with increasingly complex well paths, distant targets and more difficult drilling environments. This technology is the heart of many unconventional resource plays. It is only with a full appreciation of the scope and limitation of directional techniques will drilling teams achieve success and avoid costly and time consuming mistakes. As existing fields mature and the complexity of new field development increases, the directional driller is no longer alone in determining the wellbore trajectory. An increasingly multidisciplinary team is now involved in each and every well design and placement decision. By the end of the course the participants should be able to apply the correct surveying techniques and directional placement methods to ensure the safe and accurate placement of complex and ERD wells whilst making informed choices about the BHA design and selection of steering technology. Participants will understand different methods to deflect and steer wells to the target. Well placement calculations are covered and students will appreciate the importance of collision avoidance and know the methods used to evaluate these risks. Hole cleaning problems and solutions are addressed to ensure the student appreciates the impact this can have on the success of the well construction process. Numerous examples and exercises are worked throughout the course.

Audience

Drilling professionals and support staff who have a need to better understand and apply Directional Drilling concepts in design and operations.

Prerequisites

Course content

•    Directional drilling fundamentals - applications and limitations
•    Algebra and trigonometry review
•    Terminology, well objectives and target definition
•    Directional well planning - positioning and coordinate systems
•    Survey calculation methods
•    Anti-collision and trajectory management
•    Surveying tools
•    MWD and LWD 
•    Downhole equipment - drilling tools and deflection methods
•    Drilling motors, bit overview
•    BHA design and considerations
•    Rotary Steerable Systems
•    Directional well path design
•    Horizontal well planning and calculations
•    Drill string design
•    Hole cleaning 
•    Geological considerations in ERD wells
•    Well profile, wellpath and trajectory design
•    Introduction to multilateral wells
•    TAML junction definitions and their applicability to multilateral design
•    Multilateral well planning
•    Multilateral drilling operations 
•    Directional drilling problems and solutions

comments (0)

leave a comment