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Relief wells ... feasible to drill at

Posted on 6/17/10 at 2:00 pm
Posted by tiger91
In my own little world
Member since Nov 2005
40010 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 2:00 pm
the same time as the original well? I thought I had read no not only due to the $$$$ but also to what could happen to THOSE wells ... I'm sure this has been discussed on the board but it just came up as a question to Hayward.
Posted by mylsuhat
Mandeville, LA
Member since Mar 2008
49840 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 2:02 pm to
Ok, here's the deal with that


ALL wells being drilled have the chance to blow out! A relief well is the same exact thing as a regular well, just drilled from a different location and it intercepts the other well


Posted by tiger91
In my own little world
Member since Nov 2005
40010 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 2:05 pm to
That's my thought but I repeat I don't know shite!
Posted by mylsuhat
Mandeville, LA
Member since Mar 2008
49840 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 2:06 pm to
At least you'll admit that, all these politions dont know shite but act like they do
Posted by halleburton
Member since Dec 2009
1605 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 2:36 pm to
I bet as a result of this, all deepwater wells will have to have a relief well drilled either before or simultaneously to within X distance of the real well.
Posted by mylsuhat
Mandeville, LA
Member since Mar 2008
49840 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 2:40 pm to
quote:

I bet as a result of this, all deepwater wells will have to have a relief well drilled either before or simultaneously to within X distance of the real well.
would be the stupidest regulation ever

along the lines of these

A woman isn’t allowed to cut her own hair without her husband’s permission.

Prohibits elephants from strolling down Market Street unless they are on a leash.

It is illegal to bring your horse or pack mule above the ground floor of any building.

It is against the law to throw a ball at someone’s head for fun.

Lap dances must be given at least six feet away from a patron.
^^^ probably the only one worse
Posted by lsugradman
Member since Sep 2003
8944 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 2:49 pm to
quote:

I bet as a result of this, all deepwater wells will have to have a relief well drilled either before or simultaneously to within X distance of the real well.


I'll take that bet and give you a gazillion to one odds.
Posted by GeorgeLSU
30.41155, -91.18296
Member since Jul 2008
854 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 2:52 pm to
quote:

all deepwater wells will have to have a relief well drilled either before or simultaneously


BP tried to get Canada to rescind the law of relief wells days before the DWH incident.

LINK
Posted by lsugradman
Member since Sep 2003
8944 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 3:05 pm to
That law doesnt say that oil companies have to drill relief wells simultaneously with exploration wells. Its specifically for a remote part of Canada that has a limited drilling season due to ice. Companies need to have a plan to get a relief well down in case a blowout occurs. Its not an unreasonable law at all.

Posted by tiger91
In my own little world
Member since Nov 2005
40010 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 3:12 pm to
Do companies drilling in the gulf not have a relief well plan??? In case? It seems like they got started on this one pretty quick ...
Posted by GeorgeLSU
30.41155, -91.18296
Member since Jul 2008
854 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 3:15 pm to
I believe you are correct, I can;t find anything to suggest otherwise.
Posted by GREENHEAD22
Member since Nov 2009
20580 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 3:51 pm to
You cannot really have one in place before you start drilling, bout the best you can do is make sure there is a rig in the area for quick response. In order to have one you would have to know at what depth you will be at when the blow out occurs, not possible.
Posted by redstick13
Lower Saxony
Member since Feb 2007
40439 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 3:57 pm to
You can't plan a relief if you don't know the exact location of the original well which you can't know until you actually drill it.
Posted by lsugradman
Member since Sep 2003
8944 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 5:04 pm to
quote:

You can't plan a relief if you don't know the exact location of the original well which you can't know until you actually drill it.


huh? The final location is usually known fairly well several months in advance of drilling. Logistically it would possible to drill a well that spuds later than the original well and aims for the same general target. It would have time and space to make adjustments in the last hole section to intersect the original well in case of a blowout. Now, from a economic standpoint? Drilling a twin well like this in the deepwater GOM would be ridiculous as it would be too much cost to swallow.
Posted by redstick13
Lower Saxony
Member since Feb 2007
40439 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 5:08 pm to
How many wells have you drilled that actually follow the directional plan exactly? If the well is not cased off you would intersect the open hole of the blown out well higher up. Since this well is cased off they have to intersect the formations instead of the actual wellbore.

A few feet one way or another plus survey errors and it's not so easy intersecting a wellbore usually less than a foot in diameter.
Posted by GREENHEAD22
Member since Nov 2009
20580 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 5:08 pm to
You would still have to know at what depth you would be at when the blow out occurs, yea you can spud a well but wouldn't be able to drill very far.
Posted by redstick13
Lower Saxony
Member since Feb 2007
40439 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 5:10 pm to
Exactly. You don't just turn the well and it goes where you want to. Directional drilling is much like navigating a large ship. You start the divergence hundreds or thousands of feet ahead.
Posted by lsugradman
Member since Sep 2003
8944 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 5:11 pm to
quote:

How many wells have you drilled that actually follow the directional plan exactly?


Rarely to the exact plan but often within a few hundred meters of the planned target. If your relief well is 5,000 -10k ft behind the original well it wouldnt be hard to adjust your directional plan to intersect the revised TD of the original wellbore.
Posted by GREENHEAD22
Member since Nov 2009
20580 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 5:13 pm to
And back to the other point this just increases the chances for a blow out.
Posted by redstick13
Lower Saxony
Member since Feb 2007
40439 posts
Posted on 6/17/10 at 5:15 pm to
Well then by all means we should double the risks, costs of drilling, and equipment/people requirements by drilling two potential blowouts instead of just one. It would be great for me, I could retire way earlier.
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