Drilling Inclinations
Drilling inclinations is a common practice for most oil and gas operators. It involves drilling a wellbore at an angle in order to gain access to the maximum amount of producing area in the pay zone. This drilling technique is commonly referred to as “directional drilling.”
Inclinations are most effective when used in combination with wellbore geometry and other drilling techniques such as horizontal drilling. It can be used to create deep wells that have a small surface footprint, which can allow for improved well economics.
Inclined wells are usually needed to reach formations at greater depths or to locate targets that may be located at a distance from the surface. By drilling at an angle down the wellbore, it is possible to reach resources located farther away from the drilling pad while using the same amount of surface real estate. This can help improve well economics by allowing operators to access additional reserves.
There are several different types of inclinations that can be used in drilling. These include angulated and linear inclinations, as well as doglegs. Angulated inclination is where the wellbore is drilled at an angle, typically between 10 and 40 degrees. Linear inclination is similar in nature to angulated inclination, however, the angle does not change along the length of the wellbore. Finally, doglegs involve more frequent changes in the angle of the wellbore, typically of greater magnitude than angulated inclination.
Inclined wells can make the drilling operation more complex and difficult to manage. Proper planning is essential to ensure that all aspects of the operation are addressed and that the drilling is successful. Properly planned and executed drilling operations can lead to higher quality wellbores, improved accuracy, and greater economic benefits.
Drillers must use caution when drilling inclinations as increasing the angle of the wellbore increase the risk of sticking, drilling out plugging materials, and directional control problems. As such, it is important that the drilling team has extensive experience with drilling steep angles and that the appropriate technology is being used.
In addition to the risks associated with drilling high angle wells, there is also the potential to form gas channels in the penetrated formation if the wellbore has high deviation and the direction is changed too many times. This can lead to problems with producing the formations and even the risk of blowouts.
Drilling inclined wells is a complex and difficult operation, but one that can yield significant rewards. By properly planning and executing the drilling operation and using the right technologies, operators can gain access to additional reserves while minimizing the risks associated with drilling steep angle wells.
