1. Why Projections Matter in an Active Horizontal Drilling Program
Presented by Amber Robbins
April 19, 2018
Houston PUG
Workflow created at
Castleton Resources, LLC

2. Overview Part 1 Part 2 Anecdote Directional survey ArcMap Workflow
Examples

3. Petra Directional Survey Import

4. Petra

5. Petra

6. Petra

7. Directional Survey

8. ArcMap Project Projection needs to match Directional Survey Projection
Projections 2 3 1
Source:
ArcMap Project Projection needs to match Directional Survey Projection

9. ArcMap Workflow 1 2 3

10. ArcMap Workflow 5 4 ~9,000’MD lateral Directional Survey
5 output
Directional Survey
displayed as points
on a map

11. displayed as well path (polyline)
ArcMap Workflow 6
6 output
~9,000’MD lateral N
Directional Survey
displayed as well path (polyline)
on a map

12. ArcMap Workflow Possible Error
Solution – export Point Event layer to shapefile
Run Points to Line tool on the Point shapefile

13. Questions? Part 2 next… Examples Why Accuracy Matters…

14. True North vs. Grid North Differences
300ft.
300ft.
Bottom Hole Location
300ft.
Grid North Directional Survey (wrong projection)
True North Directional Survey
Surface Hole Location N
Directional survey reference: Grid North--US State Plane Texas North Central NAD27
GeoGraphix map: US State Plane Louisiana North NAD27
Difference: ~300 feet.

15. Setback Rule Example 338.54 334.20 332.03 Setback Rules:
Bottom Hole
338.54
Setback Rule Example
334.20
Horizontal Well Path
332.03
Setback Rules:
330’ from West Line
200’ from N/S Line
316.84
327.69
340.71
321.18
Surface Hole
Hypothetical
Lease
317.07

16. Why does precision matter when plotting horizontal wells on a map?
Development program
Spacing
Drainage/Depletion
Lease line/hard lines or setback rules
Perforations and fracing
$$$ Fines/Offsetting Mineral Owners

17. Thank You Castleton Resources, LLC Justin Robbins
-GIS Analyst at Castleton Resources, LLC
Mark Andreason
-VP Geoscience at Castleton Resources, LLC

18. Recap Part 1 Part 2 Anecdote Directional surveys ArcMap Workflow
Examples

19. Please join!
to be added to the ing list
Connect on LinkedIn:

20. Houston GeoTechs group: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/8496213
Thank you!
Questions?
Amber Robbins
Houston GeoTechs group:

21. ArcMap Workflow ArcMap
Ensure coordinate system of ArcMap project is the same as the directional survey Grid North coordinate system reference.
If Directional Survey is referencing True North, correct the Azimuth, N/S E/W Offsets, and X, Y coordinates
Calculate X,Y coordinates based on SHL and NS/EW offsets
This step may be skipped if the survey includes coordinates
Format Directional Survey to import into ArcMap (*.csv)
X, Y or Lat/Long needed
No spaces in headers
No Nulls
Add table to ArcMap
ArcMap

22. ArcMap Workflow ArcMap Display XY Data as an Event
X Field >>Easting
Y Field>>Northing
Set Coordinate System
Ensure Data Frame Coordinate System is the same as the Directional Survey Coordinate System (Do not assume “conversion on the fly” will work)
Points to Line Tool (in System Tools>>Data Management toolbox>>Features)
Input Feature >Event
Output Feature Class>Save new feature class
Creates lines in sequence of survey
May be able to import multiple surveys at once based on the line and sort options
Check well position with survey location plat
Surveyor may provide CAD *.dwg files to check well position
Copy and Paste new well path into existing well paths shapefile/feature class
Populate attribute table
ArcMap

23. Directional Surveys Measured Depth
Inclination: The deviation from vertical, irrespective of compass direction, expressed in degrees (angle).
Azimuth: The compass direction (angle) of the wellbore as planned or measured by a directional survey
typically measured clockwise from north
onto a horizontal surface (map view)
Directional Survey

24. Directional Survey
Source:
*Minimum Curvature Method is widely used to get NS and EW Offsets
Use 3 decimal places in NS/EW Offsets for accuracy.
(Example in Google Drive)

25. Grid Convergence Angle
Real World Example
Azimuth
Directional Survey
Source:

26. Directional Survey Example

27. *Minimum Curvature Method is widely used to get NS and EW Offsets
Use 3 decimal places in NS/EW Offsets for accuracy.
Directional Survey

28. Real World Example Directional Survey
True North Azimuth = Grid Azimuth – (Grid Convergence)
True North Azimuth = – (-1.80)
True North Azimuth =
True North Azimuth =
Azimuth relative to Grid North
Grid North: Texas North Central 4202
Azimuth relative to True North
Directional Survey
*Directional Survey is for the same well but with different North references

29. Practice understanding Directional Surveys using this Minimum Curvature Method Excel Spreadsheet:

30. Directional Survey Explanation
FME software can handle batch directional survey conversions. FME is an acronym for Feature Manipulation Engine. FME is found at FME is used to integrate data and automate workflows through multiple platforms.
Directional Survey
Oracle Hyperion is a similar integration-automation platform.

31. Bottom Hole Location Example
Directional survey initially was imported “As is” into Petra.
Grid North of the survey did not match the Project’s Grid North.
Well #1
Well #2
Petra
Non-corrected
BHL
190 feet
Corrected BHL N
Petra example
So, the directional survey was re-imported as True North. Petra rotated the survey by 3 degrees to align with the projection.
3 degrees changed the BHL by 190 feet

32. Petra Added Grid Convergence Subtracted Grid Convergence
to Azimuth (1.58 degrees)
Subtracted Grid Convergence
from Azimuth (1.58 degrees)
Petra
*This path is more believable
in a real world situation.

33. What do I do in Petra if…
What do I do if the directional survey is not referencing the same projection as my project?
Rotate Azimuth to True North by using the Grid Convergence Angle. Better yet, get the survey from the Directional Drilling Company rotated to True North.
The directional survey (DS) referencing True North can be imported into your Petra project. The software will rotate the DS to the projection defined in the project.
Petra

34. GeoGraphix Tip GeoGraphix
Locator Map
Imported using Prism Import Deviated Survey – not as accurate
Imported using Spreadsheet Import – more accurate path
As-Drilled
Well
While-Drilling
Inset Map
As-Drilled
Well
While-Drilling
Well N
~1000 ft.
Imported using Spreadsheet Import – more accurate path
GeoGraphix
Imported using Prism Import Deviated Survey – not as accurate N
Use the Spreadsheet Import from WellBase to import Deviated Survey Data. More data can be imported (MD, INC, AZM, NS Offset, EW Offset, Survey Number). Plus the Coordinate System can be selected. I do not recommend using Prism Import Deviated Survey Data Import. As seen above, there are differences in the way imported data displays on the map.