Worldwide exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons has been driven into remote and environmentally sensitive areas as other traditional areas are being depleted. Such is the case in the South American nation of Ecuador. Petroleum exploration began in Ecuador in the 1920s when drilling commenced off the coast of Guayaquil. In the 1930s, the activity migrated inland and today, most of it is centered around the Amazon region or "Oriente". The Oriente is a vast area of tropical rain forest which is home to many of the indigenous tribes of Ecuador as well as exotic flora and fauna unique to the world. Because of the sensitive landscape, directional drilling is a technique commonly used by oil companies in the Oriente to enhance their production while leaving the smallest footprint on the environment. The paper discusses in detail the directional drilling techniques used by YPF Ecuador to achieve their development objectives in Block 16. The paper also introduces the technique of horizontal drilling, a step change in directional drilling technique with superior results. Finally, the paper demonstrates why directional drilling is the key to exploration and development while minimizing the impact on the environment.

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