Innovative Drilling Systems for Kick-off, Curve Building and Landing a Lateral without Requiring Cement Plug

Abstract

Historically, the predominant sidetracking methodology for kick-off and subsequent curve building operation required setting a cement plug followed by using a directional BHA to drill deviated hole once the cement hardens. The success of the cement plug depends upon formation compressive strength, downhole temperature and pressure, wellbore deviation, cement plug depth, quality of cement and the plug cure time. The consequences of cement plug failure are extra trip time, a new cement plug, loss of drilling days and reconfiguration of drilling trajectory.