System and method for drilling multilateral wells using magnetic ranging while drilling
AssigneeSchlumberger Technology Corporation
InventorsBrian Clark, Jan S. Morley
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Abstract
Systems and methods for drilling a multilateral well using magnetic ranging while drilling are provided. In accordance with one embodiment, a method of drilling a multilateral well includes drilling and casing a mother wellbore, installing a multilateral junction, drilling and casing a first lateral well from the multilateral junction, and drilling a second lateral well from the multilateral junction using magnetic ranging while drilling such that the second lateral well has a controlled relationship relative to the first lateral well. The first and second lateral wells may form a SAGD well pair, in which case the first lateral well may be a producer well and the second lateral well may be an injector well.
Claims34
A method for drilling a multilateral well comprising:
- drilling and casing a mother wellbore;
- installing a multilateral junction in the mother wellbore;
- drilling and casing a first lateral well from the multilateral junction, wherein the first multilateral well has a length;
- and
- drilling a second lateral well from the multilateral junction using magnetic ranging while drilling such that the second lateral well has a controlled relationship relative to the first lateral well.
A method for drilling a pair of wells comprising:
- drilling and casing a first fishbone well having a first plurality of multilateral junctions for a first plurality of lateral wells;
- and
- drilling a second fishbone well having a second plurality of multilateral junctions for a second plurality of lateral wells, wherein drilling the second fishbone well comprises using magnetic ranging while drilling to drill the second plurality of lateral wells above or below the first plurality of lateral wells at a controlled distance of separation.
The method of 15, wherein drilling the second fishbone well comprises using magnetic ranging while drilling to drill a mother wellbore for the second fishbone well at the controlled distance of separation from a mother wellbore for the first fishbone well.
A method of drilling a multilateral well comprising:
- drilling and casing a mother wellbore;
- installing at least one multilateral junction in the mother wellbore;
- drilling and casing a plurality of wells of a first type, wherein each of the plurality of wells of the first type corresponds respectively to each of a plurality of wells of a second type;
- drilling a first of the plurality of wells of the second type, wherein drilling the first of the plurality of wells of the second type comprises maintaining a controlled distance of separation between the first of the plurality of wells of the second type and a first of the plurality of wells of the first type using magnetic ranging while drilling;
- drilling a second of the plurality of wells of the second type, wherein drilling the second of the plurality of wells of the second type comprises maintaining a controlled distance of separation between the second of the plurality of wells of the second type and a second of the plurality of wells of the first type using magnetic ranging while drilling.
A method of drilling a multilateral well comprising:
- drilling and casing a mother wellbore;
- installing a multilateral junction in the mother wellbore;
- drilling and casing a first lateral well from the multilateral junction, wherein the first lateral well has a length of at least 500 meters;
- and
- drilling a second lateral well from the multilateral junction, wherein drilling the second lateral well comprises maintaining a separation distance from the first lateral well having a variance of no greater than two meters over a length of at least 500 meters.
A multilateral well comprising:
- a mother wellbore;
- a multilateral junction installed on the mother wellbore;
- a first lateral well extending from the multilateral junction;
- and
- a second lateral well extending from the multilateral junction and disposed at an approximately constant distance of separation from the first lateral well.
A multilateral well comprising:
- a mother wellbore;
- a multilateral junction installed on the mother wellbore;
- a first lateral well extending from the multilateral junction and cased in conductive casing;
- and
- a second lateral well extending from the multilateral junction approximately parallel to the first lateral well and disposed at an approximately constant distance of separation from the first lateral well, wherein the second lateral well includes a bottom hole assembly (BHA) having an electric current driving tool and a drill collar divided by an insulated gap.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.