Review of Horizontal Drilling

SPE 37131
A Review of Horizontal Drilling and Completion Techniques for Recovery of
Coalbed Methane
Samuel O. Osisanya, The University of Oklahoma, SPE and Robert F. Schaffitzel, Texaco Exploration and
Production Inc., SPE
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Abstract
In the last few years the oil and gas indusby has been turned around with respect to gas production and availability. Clean burning and abundant natural gas resources have caused high demand, and because of the tax incentives, coalbed methane is a popular gas source. Coalbed reservoirs are much different from conventional natural gas reservoirs because drilling and completion considerations are not the same due to the rock properties. Horizontal wellbores are considered to be vesy effective in reservoirs that are relatively thin, naturally fi-actured, and anisotropic with regard to permeability.
Coalbed reservoirs have all of these features. The concern today is how to get the gas out of the coalbeds in an economic manner. Coalbed cleat systems are made up of natural fractures, hence vertical wells drilled in the reservoir must be
Horizontal well drilling and completion is an fractured. alternative technique to overcome

References: Mining Safety Research, Vama, Bulgaria,Oct. 3-7, 1977; pp 9-15. Using Vertical or Horizontal Fractured Wells,”SPE21280, 1990. SPERE (Fe. 1987), 28-34. Boreholes in Coal,” US Bureau of Mines, RI# 8933, 1985. Borehole,” US Bureau of Mines RM 8640, 1982. 8380, 1978. Goodman, T. W.: “Rotary Drilling Techniques Used in Beckley Coalbed: US Bureau of Mines, RM 9238, 1989. Engineers held in New Orleans, LA, September 23-26, 1990. CO, March 6-8, 1989. Recovery,” SPE/DOE 16409, 1987 Palmer, I.D., Mavor, M.J., Seidle, J.P., Spitler, J.L., and VOIZ R.F.: “Openhole Cavity Completions in Coalbed Methane Wells in the San Juan Basin,” SPE 24906, 1992.