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[[File:M91Figure161.JPG|thumb|300px|{{figure number|1}}Horizontal wells are drilled at a high angle, generally greater than 80deg, with the intent of keeping the well within a specific reservoir interval or hydrocarbon zone.]]

[[File:M91Figure161.JPG|thumb|300px|{{figure number|1}}Horizontal wells are drilled at a high angle, generally greater than 80deg, with the intent of keeping the well within a specific reservoir interval or hydrocarbon zone.]]

Horizontal wells are wells where the reservoir section is drilled at a high angle, typically with a trajectory to keep the well within a specific reservoir interval or hydrocarbon zone. In a strict sense, these wells are rarely perfectly horizontal, but they tend to be near horizontal mostly, generally at an angle greater than 80deg from vertical.

[[Horizontal well]]s are wells where the reservoir section is drilled at a high angle, typically with a trajectory to keep the well within a specific reservoir interval or hydrocarbon zone. In a strict sense, these wells are rarely perfectly horizontal, but they tend to be near horizontal mostly, generally at an angle greater than 80deg from vertical.

Horizontal wells are drilled in a specific configuration. The tangent section of the well is drilled along a deviated well path to just above the reservoir section, to what is known as the kick off point. From the kick off point, the well is drilled at an increasingly higher angle, arcing around toward an angle close to horizontal. The point at which the well enters (or lands on) the reservoir is called the entry point. From there on, the well continues at a near-horizontal orientation with the intention of keeping it substantially within the reservoir target until the desired length of horizontal penetration is reached ([[:File:M91Figure161.JPG|Figure 1]]).

Horizontal wells are drilled in a specific configuration. The tangent section of the well is drilled along a deviated well path to just above the reservoir section, to what is known as the kick off point. From the kick off point, the well is drilled at an increasingly higher angle, arcing around toward an angle close to horizontal. The point at which the well enters (or lands on) the reservoir is called the entry point. From there on, the well continues at a near-horizontal orientation with the intention of keeping it substantially within the reservoir target until the desired length of horizontal penetration is reached ([[:File:M91Figure161.JPG|Figure 1]]).

==Wells, the production geologist's tool kit==

==Wells, the production geologist's tool kit==

As can be seen, numerous types of wells can be drilled. These are the production geologist's tool kit. If a reservoir target is uneconomic or unfeasible with one type of well, try another type. If the opportunity does not produce enough oil with conventional wells because the permeability in the reservoir is too low, try a horizontal well. If there are numerous unswept oil targets in a series of fluvial point bars, each individually with low volumes and rather risky to define, drill several of them with a designer well. If there is attic oil updip from a high water-cut producer, sidetrack it. If the opportunity looks attractive but does not quite make enough money to justify drilling it with a conventional well, try a cheap drilling method such as coiled tubing drilling.

As can be seen, numerous types of wells can be drilled. These are the production geologist's tool kit. If a reservoir target is uneconomic or unfeasible with one type of well, try another type. If the opportunity does not produce enough oil with conventional wells because the permeability in the reservoir is too low, try a [[horizontal well]]. If there are numerous unswept oil targets in a series of fluvial point bars, each individually with low volumes and rather risky to define, drill several of them with a designer well. If there is attic oil updip from a high water-cut producer, sidetrack it. If the opportunity looks attractive but does not quite make enough money to justify drilling it with a conventional well, try a cheap drilling method such as coiled tubing drilling.

==See also==

==See also==