Multiple Wells per Pad (directional question)

Thank you to all that responded to my question about the NW / SE direction that wells are typically drilled.  As a followup, if there are multiple wells per pad (which seems like it's becoming the norm), are they ALL drilled NW/SE, or are the drilled in different directions?   Thanks in advance

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Permalink Reply by Jamie flick on December 26, 2012 at 12:16am
Joe, thanks for the response. So if there are 6 wells on one pad they are positioned and spaced in such a way that they all go the same direction? My next question is how far apart are wells drilled in a single pad. I have read literature that states that some pads are "spider like" meaning they go in many directions. Just not sure what to believe.
Permalink Reply by Oliver Perry on December 26, 2012 at 7:25am

There are 5 wells from the same pad in the attached Puryear well plat. The drawings show the direction of each horizontal well in detail. The direction varies only slightly for all the wells. I have also seen literature stating laterals are drilled like "spokes of a wheel". I believe this might have been done elsewhere, but it was discovered that the best way to frac Marcellus & Utica wells was to use the natural J1 & J2 existing fractures to help with the hydraulic fracturing. NNW / SSE is the direction the horizontals must go to take advantage of these natural fractures. I attached a pdf describing these natural fractures and how they figure in to drilling in detail.

Attachments:
Permalink Reply by Jamie flick on December 26, 2012 at 9:34pm

Thank you Oliver..

Permalink Reply by Erik V. on December 26, 2012 at 8:26am

I have heard that with the Utica shale that drilling to take advantage of the existing fractures in the formation isn't that advantageous.  I believe that Anadarko had discovered this early on and changed the direction of their drilling to more due North/South to eliminate the overrun of tract royalties and to make positioning of the potential well sites simpler.  May just be a rumor though.  As far as well spacing on the pad, from what I've seen staked and drilled they are usually in a straight line and about 50' apart.  This may vary with the different drilling companies.   

Permalink Reply by Erik V. on December 26, 2012 at 9:14am

Yes, that is correct.  The holes at the surface are 50' or so apart.

Permalink Reply by Jamie flick on December 26, 2012 at 9:22am

Joe and Erik - I really appreciate your responses as I am a novice to this - but have a bit of land in an area where there are many wells being drilled.  Soooooo, 6 holes in the ground (surface bore holes) in a straight line every 50' or so.  The 6 lines are angled to different locations below the surface (are these called landing points?).  Once the desired depth is reached, then they run NW or SE, correct?  And they are spread out between 500 and 1,000 feet.  So a 6 well pad could cover approximately a 1 mile wide (5,000 ft) swath heading NW or SE.   It is starting to make sense.   Amy I on the right page?  Thanks guys!

Permalink Reply by Erik V. on December 26, 2012 at 9:37am

You are correct.  Some drilling companies are putting even more than 6 wells per pad, and where both the Marcellus and Utica formations are present, they can drill to both from the same pad. Not from the same well however.

Permalink Reply by Brian Powers on December 26, 2012 at 1:04pm

Erik -

Offshore wells are spaced even more tightly at surface, typically I've seen nine well slots in a 40 ft by 40 ft platform (slots roughly one meter center to center. Part of the directional drilling contractors responsibilities is to carefully and accuratlely plot the position of each well bore in the three dimensional space downhole and to predict the forward well path and any potential for collisions with adjacent wellbores, which could be catastrophic.

 

Measures have to be taken : shut-in, isolate downhole, etc. if there is a high collision risk.

 

Brian

Permalink Reply by pat fiegen on December 26, 2012 at 8:38pm

how does one know that an adjacent well site within a mile of his leased ground,doesnt have a lateral under his ground.? is there oversight by some agency?is it simply the drillers word?

Permalink Reply by Jamie flick on December 26, 2012 at 9:36pm

Is there a place (free)  I can get the well maps that are adjacent to my property to see exactly where the drilling is occurring?  Thank you.

Permalink Reply by Jamie flick on December 26, 2012 at 9:59pm

Thank you - to the courthouse I will go

Permalink Reply by Oliver Perry on December 27, 2012 at 7:42am

If you are in PA you can get that information from the DCNR. They will email the well plats by pdf, which detail all aspects of the well.

http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/topogeo/econresource/oilandgas/ogfind/i...

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