الفهرس 
introducttonOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
 |  | from | 182 |  |  |
| | | from | 182 | | |
Abstract
This research reviews and analyzes the horizontal drilling technology that was applied on two oil fields namely Hayat and Salam in Egyptian Western Desert. The two oil fields were drilled by Khalda Petroleum Company. Wells drilled vertically through a ”pay” zone left millions of barrels of oil and millions
of cubic feet of gas, in the ground that never will be recovered. Drilling horizontal wells
exposes more pay and can increase production from formations where the productivity of
veri teal wells are low.
The applications of horizontal wells in mature oil fields enhanced oil production and reduced gas or water coning tendencies. Consequently these may improve the return on
investment.
These two oil fields were influenced by a water coning that may restrict the oil
productivity. The drilling of these wells were accomplished by two interrelated phases. In the first phase, the well was drilled vertically through the pay zone and in the second phase the vertical well was sidetracked and directionally drilled to the horizontal through Alam El
Bueib - 3E pay zone formation.
In the first phase, eight vertical oil wells in four oil fields in Western Desert have been studied, so as to determine the parameters affecting the drilling operations. These parameters are: formation and its lithology, mechanical factors, Hydraulic factors, mud type, mud
composition, mud properties and the problems that were encountered during drilling operations for each formation unit from the beginning of Marmarica to Alam El Bueib•-3E
formation. Drilling 17 1/2” hole section up to Appolonia formation and 12 114” hole section up to
Kharita formation at high penetration rates required the use of a high mud flow rate for adequate hole cleaning. Also it was found that the use of high speed mill tooth and tungsten
carbide bits types R-3 (1-3-1), HPSl(S-I-7), and HPS3(S-3-7) with maximum design parameters will improve the performance of drilling operations . In the second phase, investigating the problems which were encountered while milling the window in wells Hayat-3 and Salam-7, it gives recommendations that it should use casing
whipstock to cut smooth window economically, also cement plug is not required. During sidetracking and angle building operation, this study showed that a mill tooth bit
in combination with slick motor with steering tools are recommended to establish an accurate cure in the early stage of build up. Also, selecting the polycrystalline diamond bits with
reinforced gauge areas reduce the risk of drilling an under gauge hole and leaves junk in hole
since PDC bits do not have moving parts .
Oil base mud was essential to reduce the torque and drag values and preventing the shale problems that were encountered in Alam El Bueib formations, and may provide a smooth
• well bore for running casing. Using split bottom hole assembly reduces torque and drag, and
it supports the required weight on bit. This research demonstrates the economic comparison studies between the horizontal and
vertical wells drilled in different geographic regions in the world in order to provide a guide
line for the design of drilling horizontal wells and to recomplete existing vertical wells which
are suffering from gas and water coning tendencies. Horizontal wells cost may range from
1.4 to 3 times more than the cost of vertical wells however, in most cases it has been found
that drilling and completing the horizontal wells in the western desert cost is around 1.4
times the cost of the conventional vertical wells at average depth of 9000 ft. n