Avoid Pilot Holes, Land Wells, and Optimize Well Placement and Production with Deep Directional Resistivity Logging-While-Drilling

Abstract

Abstract Landing horizontal wells in a reservoir is a critical task, and the accuracy of the result drives the economics of a well. Except when the geological environment is largely predictable, relying on well to well correlation techniques or on pilot holes fails to mitigate important risks in landing most wells. This paper details how a different solution more effectively manages the risks of a landing operation. The deep directional resistivity (DDR) logging while drilling (LWD) tool has been in use on dozens of fields around the world. The key features of the technology that play a role in de-risking landing wells range from the tool hardware, which enables a deep depth of investigation, sensitivity to direction, and a wide frequency range, to the surface interpretation software, which provides real-time automatic multilayer inversion. Applied to a landing in a North Sea field, the DDR LWD tool was part of the solution for meeting ambitious field development targets.