The early market of deviated/slanted wells was limited and expensive it did not hit the interest of drillers until the late 1920s. In the early 1900s, the main prerequisite that enabled drilling steering technologies to gain visibility was the need to dig petroleum and water wells not vertical to enhance well production. Known and used by petroleum engineers since late 19th century, the purpose of this technology was to drill wells at multiple angles to reach petroleum and gas reservoirs in a more precise and profitable manner. Available: ĭirectional drilling is the practice of boring deviated/slant wells, where the steering angle varies from a 1° to 80° range. Horizontal Drilling, Engineering and Technology History Wiki. It is recommended this article be cited as:į. Or, learn more about Schlumberger’s directional drilling capabilities.The original version of this article was created by Francesco Gerali, 2020 Elizabeth & Emerson Pugh Scholar in Residence at the IEEE History Center Directional drilling is common in shale reservoirs because it allows drillers to place the borehole in contact with the most productive reservoir rock.įor more details, see The Defining Series: Elements of Hydraulic Fracturing. Rotary steerable tools allow steering while rotating, usually with higher rates of penetration and ultimately smoother boreholes. When a particular wellbore direction is achieved, that direction may be maintained by rotating the entire drillstring (including the bent section) so that the bit does not drill in a single direction off the wellbore axis, but instead sweeps around and its net direction coincides with the existing wellbore. By pumping mud through the mud motor, the bit turns while the drillstring does not rotate, allowing the bit to drill in the direction it points. The bend points the bit in a direction different from the axis of the wellbore when the entire drillstring is not rotating. The most common way is through the use of a bend near the bit in a downhole steerable mud motor. While many techniques can accomplish this, the general concept is simple: point the bit in the direction that one wants to drill. In some cases, such as drilling steeply dipping formations or unpredictable deviation in conventional drilling operations, directional-drilling techniques may be employed to ensure that the hole is drilled vertically. The directional driller also exploits drilling parameters such as weight on bit and rotary speed to deflect the bit away from the axis of the existing wellbore. This is accomplished through the use of whipstocks, bottomhole assembly ( BHA) configurations, instruments to measure the path of the wellbore in three-dimensional space, data links to communicate measurements taken downhole to the surface, mud motors and special BHA components and drill bits, including rotary steerable systems, and drill bits. The intentional deviation of a wellbore from the path it would naturally take.
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