Directional, Horizontal and Multilateral Drilling

Overview

Most new wells in the Gulf and offshore are deviated, horizontal or multilateral, because these designs reach more reservoir from fewer surface locations and deliver far higher production per well. Drilling them safely and accurately demands careful trajectory planning, the right steering tools and constant attention to torque, drag, hole cleaning and anti-collision. This course covers the planning and execution of directional, horizontal and multilateral wells. Participants learn the reasons for directional drilling, well profiles, survey calculations and the main sources of position uncertainty. They study steering systems, from bent motors to rotary steerable systems, and the role of MWD and LWD in geosteering. The course then covers torque and drag, buckling, hole cleaning and ECD in high-angle wells, anti-collision rules and multilateral junction classifications. Real Gulf field examples show how these techniques are applied in extended reach and maximum reservoir contact wells.

Objectives

• Explain the applications of directional, horizontal and multilateral wells
• Design well trajectories and calculate surveys
• Assess position uncertainty and apply anti-collision rules
• Compare steering systems and select the right one
• Use MWD and LWD data for geosteering
• Analyse torque, drag and buckling in high-angle wells
• Describe multilateral completions and junction levels

Who should attend

Training methodology

Participants plan a horizontal well from surface to target, calculating build rates, survey positions and dogleg severity by hand before checking them in well planning software. Torque and drag runs and anti-collision scans are carried out for the same well. Real geosteering logs are interpreted in groups to keep a lateral in the best part of a thin reservoir. Equipment videos show motors, rotary steerables and multilateral junctions, and a final team exercise plans a multilateral well.

Programme outline

Dates and fees

Certificate

Frequently asked questions