Directional/complex wells

A New Approach for Optimization of Long-Horizontal-Well Performance

Experience has revealed that frictional pressure loss in the wellbore hinders the full use of the entire length of the horizontal well. This paper presents a new approach to maximize the use of the full length of long horizontal drainholes.

Man standing by chalkboard, where wavy lines are transformed to straight horizontal lines
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Initially, it was believed that a horizontal well should be drilled with as much length as possible. However, field experience and flowmeter surveys in long horizontal drainholes revealed that the frictional pressure loss in the wellbore is an important factor hindering the full use of the entire length of the horizontal well. This paper presents a new approach to maximize the use of the full length of long horizontal drainholes.

Introduction

Horizontal-well drilling allowed the drilling of different well architectures and made it possible to offset well costs and productivity limitations. Intuitively, drilling longer wells will maximize exposure to the producing formation and yield higher flow capacity.

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