Short Desciption: Application to Tuscaloosa Marine Shale. Wayne Upchurch, Trophy Petroleum Corp. and. Randy Braswell, Worldwide Companies. HORIZONTAL DRILLING IN OIL ...
Content Inside: HORIZONTAL DRILLING IN OIL SHALES BOTTOM LINE Improvements in horizontal drilling of fractured oil shale plays can have a steep learning curve. Attaining a cost-effective level of success can be related to efficiency of drilling, proper orientation of the horizontal leg to intersect the maximum number of fractures, avoiding formation damage, using appropriate mud systems, and avoiding early drawdown that will close fractures and cut off hydrocarbon drainage into the wellbore. Future success in drilling horizontal wells in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale of the Gulf Coast may depend on adapting technologies developed in other basins. PROBLEM ADDRESSED A single successful horizontal well in the Tuscaloosa Marine Shale indicates that lessons and technologies must be transferred from other oil shale plays. Orientation of fractures controlling fluid flow should be determined to ensure proper orientation of the horizontal leg. Drilling slightly underbalanced and using oil-based muds in oil wet reservoirs may help to prevent formation