| BMP ID: |
7476 |
| Title: |
Directional Drilling |
| Text: |
Directional drilling helps to minimize surface disturbance or avoid
disturbance in sensitive or special areas. Using these techniques, companies can drill a number of wells in different directions from one well pad (multilateral wells), which can decrease overall surface disturbance by reducing the number of well pads required to drain an oil or gas field. |
| Source Publication Name: |
Oil and Gas Accountability Project, Best Practices |
| Citation Section: |
Directional Drilling |
| Citation Page: |
1 |
| Supplemental Documents: |
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| Usage Type: |
Recommended |
| Timing: |
• Drilling
|
| Oil / Gas Field: |
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| Surface Ownership: |
• Federal
• State
• Private
|
| Mineral Ownership: |
• Federal
• State
• Private
|
| Primary Contact: |
Earthworks
1612 K. St., NW, Suite 808
Washington, DC 20006 United States |
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| Alternate Contact: |
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| Categories: |
Land Surface Disturbance
|
| Location: |
General / Federal |
| Species: |
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| Vegetation Types: |
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| General Comments: |
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| Cost-Benefit Analysis: |
The drilling of a directional well is more costly than drilling a typical vertical well because it requires specialized equipment; constant attention to the placement of the drill bit; it takes several days longer to drill the wells; and pumping costs may increase because parts may wear out faster. According to the U.S. EPA, however, the increased costs of directional drilling are often more than offset by increased production and the reduced need for drilling multiple wells.
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| BMP Efficacy: |
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| Date Entered: |
2010-07-26 12:21 UTC |
| Last Updated: |
2010-07-26 12:21 UTC |
