A new MWD concept for geological positioning of horizontal wells

Conference · Sun Dec 31 04:00:00 EST 1995

OSTI ID:166649

Nakken, E I; Mjaaland, S; Solstad, A

A key requirement in extended reach and horizontal drilling is to maintain the borehole trajectory within the productive interval. This is important for maximizing hydrocarbon recovery particularly when drilling thin beds and complexly folded and faulted reservoirs. The task, however, is often frustrated by uncertainty attached to the reservoir geology. This paper presents the conceptual ideas of an acoustic reference system for geological positioning of deviated and horizontal boreholes performed while drilling. The primary objective has been to extend the radial detection range from a few meters as of current geosteering tools up to at least 20 meters. By using acoustic reflection techniques, the borehole position is referenced to acoustic reflectors identifying critical stratigraphic bed boundaries or contacts. Theoretical analysis and experimental results, including cross well measurements with a full-scale prototype, demonstrate the feasibility of applying acoustic referencing for geosteering purposes.

• OSTI ID: 166649
• Report Number(s): CONF-951002--
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
ACOUSTIC MONITORING
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
MWD SYSTEMS
PERFORMANCE
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT