Worldwide experience shows horizontal well success

Journal Article · Wed Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1989 · World Oil; (United States)

OSTI ID:6229191

Karlsson, H; Bitto, R

The convergence of technology and experience has made horizontal drilling an important tool in increasing production and solving a variety of completion problems. Since the early 1980s, horizontal drilling has been used to improve production on more than 700 oil and gas wells throughout the world. Approximately 200 horizontal wells were drilled in 1988 alone. Interest in horizontal drilling has been accelerating rapidly as service companies have developed and offered new technology for drilling and producing horizontal wells. Simultaneously, oil companies have developed better methods for evaluating reservoirs for potential horizontal applications, while their production departments have gained experience at completing and producing them. To date, most horizontal wells have been drilled in the United States. A major application is to complete naturally fractured formations, such as the Austin chalk in Texas, the Bakken shale in the Williston basin, the Spraberry in West Texas and the Devonian shale in the Eastern states. In addition, many horizontal wells have been drilled to produce the Niagaran reefs and the irregular Antrim shale reservoirs in Michigan.

• Research Organization: Lateral Drilling, Eastman Christensen Co., Houston, TX (US)
• OSTI ID: 6229191
• Journal Information: World Oil; (United States), Journal Name: World Oil; (United States) Vol. 208:3; ISSN WOOIA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020300* -- Petroleum-- Drilling & Production
03 NATURAL GAS
030300 -- Natural Gas-- Drilling
Production
& Processing
BITUMINOUS MATERIALS
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
DIRECTIONAL DRILLING
DRILLING
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FRACTURED RESERVOIRS
FUELS
HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION
MATERIALS
NATURAL GAS WELLS
NORTH AMERICA
OIL SHALES
OIL WELLS
PERFORMANCE
USA
WELL COMPLETION
WELLS