Drilling Constraints
When you are creating a well plan or a well pad, either with the Editing Tools or with the functionality provided to you in the plan strip, the settings on this form will be used as default values.
Ground Level
Constant Select this option when you have an offshore well. The default value is set to 0m with respect to mean sea level.
From surface Select this option when your well location is onshore and you have the ground level surface in your model. All the horizons and unconformities in your model are listed in the drop-down list. Select the surface that represents the topography of your area. Using the coordinates of the well location, the height of the drilling installation with respect to mean sea level can be derived from this surface. The surface elevation value is, together with the Derrick Floor Elevation, used to calculate the TVDSS of the well trajectory.
DF height abovel GL The vertical measured distance from the topographic surface to the derrick floor.
Well Plan Settings
Minimum KOP Specify a minimum KOP (depth for the kick-off point).
Extend Specify the length with which the wellbore will be extended from the last target. The extension uses the same azimuth and inclination of the last target.
Trajectory Calculation method
Select either Minimum curvature or Fixed radius as the calculation method.
When planning a horizontal well, the Minimum curvature method may be especially useful in the build-up section. The minimum curvature method attempts to find a well trajectory between targets with minimal DLS. If you select this method, optionally set the DLS factor to ‘override’ the calculated minimum curve well trajectory and apply a stronger curvature than calculated. For example, if the calculated minimum curvature is 3 degrees per 100 ft and the DLS factor is 2, a well path will be calculated with a curvature of 6 degrees per 100 ft. The DLS factor must be greater than 1, since a DLS factor of less than 1 would decrease the well trajectory curvature which is already at its minimum.
Fixed radius improves the generation of horizontal well trajectories by dividing the well trajectory into three sections; the vertical section, the landing section and the horizontal section. For each of these, you can specify a different maximum Dog Leg Severity (DLS) value and a different maximum inclination. If you select this option, specify Maximum DLS and Maximum inclination under 'Vertical Section', under 'Landing Section' and under 'Horizontal Section'. Maximum DLS is the dog leg severity to be applied in that particular section of the well. Maximum inclination is the maximum inclination allowed in the well section. It is not used in the well trajectory calculation, but if the planned trajectory leads to the max inclination being exceeded, a warning sign is shown next to the appropriate data field on the Well Plan Settings form.
When you are finished specifying the drilling constraints, click Apply to save the changes and keep the form open, or click OK to save the changes and close the form.
The settings as specified will be used for each well plan and well pad that you create from now onwards. Already existing objects will not be overwritten.