Case history of an opposed-bore, dual horizontal well in the Austin Chalk formation of south Texas

Journal Article · Mon Mar 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · SPE Drilling Engineering (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2118/21985-PA· OSTI ID:6512757

Cooney, M F; Rogers, C T; Stacey, E S; Stephens, R N

Petro-Hunt Corp. used a unique horizontal-well design to optimize development of an irregularly shaped lease in the Austin chalk formation in Texas. Two medium-radius horizontal bores were drilled in opposite directions from one vertical hole to maximize horizontal displacement in the lease. Underbalanced drilling techniques were used to prevent formation damage. The well design resulted in a significant cost savings per horizontal foot compared with 24 offset wells that the operator drilled. This paper reviews well planning and drilling and emphasizes techniques used to intersect thin horizontal targets and to initiate the second horizontal bore. Production results and drilling economics are discussed briefly, and ideas on future dual-horizontal-well applications are presented.

• OSTI ID: 6512757
• Journal Information: SPE Drilling Engineering (Society of Petroleum Engineers); (United States), Vol. 8:1; ISSN 0885-9744
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
OIL WELLS
DESIGN
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
CRETACEOUS PERIOD
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
HISTORICAL ASPECTS
LIMESTONE
PETROLEUM DEPOSITS
PLANNING
PRODUCTION
TEXAS
CARBONATE ROCKS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
DRILLING
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
MESOZOIC ERA
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
RESOURCES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA
WELLS
020300* - Petroleum- Drilling & Production