SPECIAL TYPES OF DRILLING

Abstract
Drilling requires a different kind of elements like drilling fluids, tubulars, bottom-hole assembly,
energy supply, etc. So, based on different types of these elements, we can classify different
special kind of drilling techniques. Special drilling techniques are listed below, Aerated drilling,
Underbalanced drilling, Overbalanced drilling, High-pressure High-temperature drilling, Plasma
drilling, Electrical drilling, Top-drive system drilling, Re-entry drilling, Extended reach drilling, Jet
drilling, Multilateral drilling, Slim-hole drilling, and Coil tubing drilling.
A. Aerated drilling:
Aerated drilling -Drilling with aerated fluid is mostly carried out in last stage of geothermal well
drilling. It is applied mostly in severe lost circulation zones and in the productive formations
(permeable zones). The first stage starts with the water based drilling fluid with low viscosity and
low density. The fluid is prepared with the following materials such as lignites, lignosulfonates,
polymers such as sodium carboxymethyl cellulose and partially hydrolysed polyacryl amide
(PHPA). As drilling proceeds, the drilling fluid is gradually lost once the zone of interest is reached
until total loss of circulation is encountered.

Figure#1: schematic block-diagram of aerated drilling

As a result, the cuttings no longer rise to the surface and this becomes a serious problem as they
may accumulate in the zones of interest (reservoir zones for a production well) and high
permeability zones for a reinjection well). Aerated drilling or aerated fluid drilling has provided a
solution to the aforementioned problems, which is also known as the "underbalanced drilling",
using a drilling fluid mixture of water-air or water-air-foam.
Main components used in aerated drilling are as following,
Compressors, Booster, Mist pump (Injection pump), Texsteam pump(Injection pump), Rotating
head, Air/ Fluid separator, Flowmeter, Flow recorder, choke manifold, high-pressure line,
temperature register.
The advantages of this technique are presented in the following: (After Ramos, S.A.)
a) Cutting transfer from bottom hole can be done without lost circulation in high permeable
zone
b) Increased rate of penetration
c) Formation damage reduces up to great extend
d) Reduced density of the drilling fluid and consequently reduced hydrostatic pressure,
which lowers the probability of the drill string to become stuck due to differential
pressure
e) Identification of the changes in formations with the corresponding depths by having the
cuttings brought to the surface, which aids in establishing the stratigraphy
f) Faster response upon finishing the drilling operation; and discharging the well for its
evaluation.

B. Underbalanced drilling(UBD)
Underbalanced drilling is a technique in which the hydrostatic pressure is intentionally designed
to be less than the pressure of the formation. The bottom hole pressure is a summation of
hydrostatic pressure, Annular pressure loss, and surface back pressure. In this technique, change
in either of these parameters can help in creating underbalanced. Hydrostatic pressure can be
reduced by decreasing mud weight and that can be achieved by adding nitrogen, natural gas or
air.
Upon creating underbalance, primary means of well control is lost. So, there are three kinds of
mechanism that contribute to primary well control mechanism;
a. The hydrostatic pressure that is additionally developed due to suspended solids like
drilled cuttings.
b. Friction pressure loss due to circulation of the fluid
c. Choke pressure when it is applied from the surface
In UBD, well control can be done by controlling the flow of the fluid from the borehole.
Advantages:
1. It reduces the loss of the mud filtrate into the productive zone. Less filtrate loss can
reduce the chances of damage the reservoir.
2. Drilling-related problems like stuck problems can be reduced due to less filter cake
formation.
3. As significant formation damage is avoided, the stimulation requirements during well
completion are also reduced and savings are increased.
4. In lost circulation zones loss of the mud filtrate is very less due to lesser pressure available
at wellbore side as compared to reservoir pressure
5. In UBD, the formation fluid flow through the wellbore. So, this can help in finding out the
productive zones of the reservoir.
6. Along with reduced drilling times, an increase in bit life is typically reported. []
7. The drilling fluid used in UBD can be disposed off very easily.
Disadvantages:
1. The Very first risk in UBD is kick and blow-out due to less mud weight.
2. Drilling fluid can add in the expense of the drilling as it requires special kind of drilling
fluid.
3. Underbalance can damage the unprotected portion of the reservoir because of no filter
cake deposition against open part of the formation.
4. There is a difficulty in simulating and predicting the behaviour of the compressible drilling
fluid.

C. Overbalanced Drilling
Overbalanced drilling is a conventional type of drilling where the Bottom-hole-pressure is
required to be higher than reservoir pressure. In this type of drilling normally prepared liquid
based drilling mud is used.
Advantages:
1. Reduces the chance of taking kick or blow-out.
2. Special kind of drilling fluid is not required as like in underbalanced drilling.
Disadvantages:
1. Overbalanced drilling can damage the formation in the vicinity of the wellbore by
invasion.
2. Rate of penetration is less as compared to underbalanced drilling because of higher mud
weight.
D. High-pressure High-temperature Drilling
High-pressure high-temperature (HPHT) well has undistributed temperature at the prospective
depth is more than 300oF or 150oC and either the maximum anticipated pore pressure of any
porous formation to be drilled through exceeds a hydrostatic gradient of 0.8 psi/ft, or a well
requiring pressure control equipment with a rated working pressure in excess of 10000 psi.
(Source: http://www.petrowiki.org)
Drilling fluid consideration:
The critical elements of HPHT well are drilling fluid. Water-Based Fluids(WBF) have limitation like
temperature-induces gelation, addition of CO2 from formation to mud creating degradation to
the organic additives, and increment in solid sensitivity related to high temperature. WBFs have
relied on bentonite clay for both rheology and filtration control. When tested at temperatures
300F under laboratory conditions, bentonite slurries begin to thermally flocculate. Under HP/HT
conditions with significantly elevated temperatures, a traditional WBF such as the lignosulfonate
system might thicken so much that it no longer is usable or requires drastic and costly dilution
and conditioning. The ability to maintain bentonite and other active solids in a deflocculated state
is the key to obtaining acceptable rheological and fluid-loss properties for WBFs exposed to high
temperatures. Bentonite can be used in relatively low concentrations, if it is supplemented with
a high-temperature, high-molecular-weight synthetic polymer for additional carrying capacity.
This combination helps to make it possible to maintain 6% by weight of low-gravity solids and a
particle-size-distribution (PSD) of these solids in an acceptable micron range. Adding polymeric
deflocculant at depths where elevated temperatures are expected assists in rheology control. An
HP/HT viscometer typically is used to monitor the temperature stability of the drilling fluid, and
to evaluate its rheological properties at up to 500F and 20,000 psia. This test is especially useful
for determining whether high-temperature flocculation occurs in water-based muds. The test
results can be presented graphically by plotting the change in viscosity with respect to
temperature over the heating and cooling cycle, which establishes a baseline for recognizing
indicators of temperature instability. [3]
Oil-Based Fluids(OBF) or Synthetic-Based Fluids(SBF) are used in HPHT wells. But OBFs and SBFs
are subject to temperature thinning. Hydraulics-modelling software that accurately accounts for
fluid compressibility and the effect of temperature can improve the performance of the SBF
system by allowing more precise surface conditioning.
Challenge:
1. Stability of drilling fluid is a matter of concern
2. Lost circulation due to much increased mud weight
3. Reactivity of corrosive formation fluid is increased
4. Completion is difficult due to high pressure
5. Very narrow margin available for casing design
E. Plasma Drilling
Principle:
An electric arc is an electrical breakdown of a gas that produces an ongoing plasma discharge,
resulting from a current flowing through normally nonconductive media such as air or gas.
Plasma drilling uses the similar concept which is used in plasma drill which is described in
following figure. The rate of drilling is directly proportional to the power rating of the plasma
drill. Plasma drills with air-swirl arc stabilization and air cooling are capable of producing drilling
rates of up to 4.5 m/hour (hr) in granodiorites for drill-hole diameters of up to 130 mm and power
inputs of up to 100 kilowatts (kW). Coaxial whirl plasma drills with the introduction of
hydrocarbon fuel into the plasma have attained drilling rates in the ferruginous quartzites of the
Krivoi Rog Basin of up to 1025 m/hr (based on a 50 mm hole) for a plasma drill power input of
81150 kW.

Figure#2: showing cross-section of Air-cooled plasma drill: (1) output electrode, (2) internal
electrode, (3) swirl cone, (4) stem, (5) drill rod, (6) casing, and (7) arc (Source: The great Soviet
Encyclopedia)

Figure#3: showing the plasma drilling assembly (Source: GA Drilling)

In oil & gas well drilling, based on this drilling assembly is made. An arc discharge is characterized
by a lower voltage than a glow discharge, and relies on thermionic emission of electrons from
the electrodes supporting the arc. The electric arc is influenced by factors such as: the gas flow,
inner and outer magnetic fields, and construction elements of the chamber which confine the
arc. The development of highly effective plasma torches to be used as a source of the thermal
plasma, demands a deep understanding of a wide spectrum of the processes taking place in the
discharge chamber.
Plasma drilling is most efficient in hard rocks, such as granites, quartzites, and porphyries.

F. Electrical drilling
Electric drilling is based in the idea of using electrical energy in an effective manner.
Drilling assembly:
Electrical drilling assembly introduced by Baidyuk et. al was consisting of two electrical motors:
first electro drill consisted of a three-phase, four-pole motor with a 70-kw capacity, a planetary
gear which reduced rotation speed from 1,450 to 363 rpm, and a spindle which connected the
gear with a bit. The electro-drill housing was filled with pressurized oil that protected the
mechanism from the bottom hole environment. Electric current was supplied through coaxial
sections of a three-strand cable placed within the drill pipes, and the cable sections were
connected with each other by sleeves and pins when making up the pipe joints.

Figure#4: showing general diagram (left) and drill string (right) of electric drilling
Subsequently, development was done on this design and that aid into efficiency. One of them is
non-gear electro drills with diameter of 250 mm. This was tested in Azerbaijan, and Bashkiria and
this had proved success in development. Then, a 215-mm, non-gear, electro drill with a capacity
of 145-250 kw at rotary speeds of 600-1,000 rpm and other variations were included. These
electro drills were used in Ukraine, Kuibyshev, and Turkmenistan.
From 1963 to 1970, an electro-drill standard was developed. It included electro drills with
diameters from 127 to 240 mm as well as optional equipment. Standard electric drilling
equipment consists of the following basic units:
1. An electro drill and drill string assembly
2. A telemetric system
3. A drill string with power cable
4. An automatic bit feed regulator
5. A control stations
6. A control boards
7. A transformer used to supply power to the electro drill.
Downhole equipment includes electro drills, electro drill-gear inserts, attachments for core
sampling, check valves, devices for insulation inspection, mechanisms for well-path control, tools
for borehole course stabilization, logging tools, and telemetric systems. The electro-drill shaft is
hollow and drilling fluid is pumped through holes in the shaft walls. The axial load from the
compressed part of the drill string is transmitted through the electro-drill housing, bypassing the
motor rotor. Torque from the motor is transmitted to the bit through the spindle shaft. Each
section of the electric-current lead cable ends with a contact bushing installed in a tool joint box
on one side and a contact pin for the electric-current lead installed in a tool joint nipple on the
other. A safety sleeve protects the contact pin from damage.
Advantage: [4]
1. Electric drilling is inexpensive and convenient for long-distance transmission.
2. It is easily and efficiently transformed into other kinds of energy, permitting the use of
automated technologies and remote control.
3. It can maintain a constant, high power by compensating for transmission power losses
through voltage increases.
4. Drilling performances improved by 15-20%, as compared to turbo drilling.
Problems:[4]
1. directing two parallel energy flows to the bottom, required for bit rotation and bottom-
hole cleaning.
2. To utilize electro drilling, repair shops with specialized equipment and highly qualified
electricians had to be in place.
 3. There was substantial down time because of the low resistance of the cable connections
and from frequent break-downs of the electric-current supply system.
4. There were substantial pressure losses, especially in the connections for the electric-
current lead sections of the drill pipe joints.
5. The high-rotation speed of the motor shaft dramatically decreased the meterage,
especially in deep wells.
6. The operational longevity of the electro drill was limited. In 1956, the electro drill lasted
25-30 hr between overhauls, and in wells deeper than 4,000 m, only 3-4 hr on the average.
7. Small-diameter electro drills for drilling deep wells and lateral branches were unavailable.
8. The cable positioned in the drill pipes prevented the use of wire-line instruments for whip
stock and bottom-hole orientation.
9. Competition with hydraulic downhole motors and rotary drilling in shallow wells failed to
demonstrate the advantages of electro drills.

G. Top-drive system drilling

A top drive is a mechanical device on a drilling rig that provides clockwise torque to the drill string
to drill a borehole. It is an alternative to the rotary table and Kelly drive. It is located at the swivel's
place below the traveling block and moves vertically up and down the derrick.
The top drive allows the drilling rig to drill the longer section of a stand of drill pipe in one
operation. A rotary table type rig can only drill 30-foot (9.1 m) (single drill pipe) sections of drill
pipe whereas a top drive can drill 6090-foot (1827 m) stands (double and triple drill pipe
respectively, a triple being three joints of drill pipe screwed together), depending on the drilling
rig size. Handling longer sections of drill pipe enables a drilling rig to make greater daily progress
because up to 90-foot (27 m) can be drilled at a time, thus requiring fewer "connections" to add
another 30-foot (9.1 m) of drill pipe. Another advantage of top drive systems is time efficiency.
When the bit progresses under a Kelly drive, the entire string must be withdrawn from the well
bore for the length of the Kelly in order to add one more length of drill pipe. With a top drive, the
draw works only has to pick up a new stand from the rack and make up two joints. Making fewer
and quicker connections reduces the risk of a stuck string from annulus clogging while drilling
fluid is not being pumped.
Several different kinds of top drives exist, and are usually classified based on the "Safe Working
Load" (SWL) of the equipment and the size and type of motor used to rotate the drill pipe. For
offshore and heavy-duty use, a 1000 short ton unit would be used, whereas a smaller land rig
may only require a 500short ton device. Various sizes of hydraulic motors, or AC or DC electric
motors, are available.
Advantages:
1. No additional make-up and break-up equipment required
 2. Top Drives are drilling machines that hang below, and travel with, the traveling block and
rotate the drill pipe from the top of the string, as opposed to using a rotary table and Kelly
drive.
3. It takes less time as compared to rotary drive system.
4. The Top Drive connects to the top of the drill string, providing rotational torque to the
string while simultaneously supplying drilling fluids and supporting the string weight.
5. The drilling torque produced by the Top Drive motor is reacted through a guide beam or
guide rails and transmitted into the mast or substructure.
6. The entire process, from the time the slips are set on the string, a new stand is added, the
connections are made up, and the slips are released allowing drilling to resume, typically
takes less than 90 seconds to perform.
Disadvantages:
1. High maintenance cost
2. It requires additional power for riding top-drive system

H. Re-entry drilling
Reentry technology has developed rapidly since these fields were first drilled. Careful planning
and evaluation in applying current reentry methods are essential if costs are to be controlled
while obtaining the substantial production increases that are possible. Overall project logistics
must match the completion design, which in turn drives much of the drilling program.
Considerations include existing casing size and weight, casing exit mechanisms, build rates, and
well path to the target zone. In drilling a 9e8.4-mm hole out of 114.3-mm casing, for example,
dogleg severity must consider logging and completion requirements. Advances in bit and mud
motor design and in formation evaluation measurement while drilling technology have
dramatically improved the potential for operations in these smaller well bores and broadened
the horizons of reentry wells. A review of four reentry projects covering 19 horizontal wells in
western Canada illustrates a number of planning considerations that can save an operator money
while ensuring optimization of the production.
Advantage:
1. No additional cost of drilling a new well
2. More contact area
3. Delineation of reservoir boundaries
4. Royalty holidays due to achievement of hole angle up to 80 degrees in last 100 meters
Disadvantages:
1. Special junction required for re-entry well
2. Additional tool required for sidetracking
 3. Milling of casing requires perfection

I. Extended reach drilling

Extended reach wells can be extremely long (measured depth) and relatively shallow vertically,
as well as relatively short and very shallow vertically - and everything in between. The extremely
long reach wells are typically drilled to distant reservoirs to reduce the infrastructure and
operational footprint that would otherwise be required to access the resource. The relatively short
reach wells may be drilled to provide needed reservoir contact length in very shallow reservoirs.
The current world record (circa 2013) for the longest measured depth ERD well is the Chayvo Z-
42 well (Exxon Neftegas Limited, Sakhalin Island, Russia) with a measured depth of 41,667 ft.
and horizontal departure of 38,514 ft. Relatively short wells with MD/TVD ratios approaching 12
have reportedly been drilled in Western Canada in very shallow bitumen sands that are too deep
to develop using surface mining techniques.
Advantages:
1. Extended-reach wells are expensive and technically challenging. However, they can add
value to drilling operations by making it possible to reduce costly subsea equipment and
pipelines, by using satellite field development, by developing near-shore fields from
onshore, and by reducing the environmental impact by developing fields from pads.
2. Reservoir contact area is increased hence higher production rate can be achieved.
Disadvantages:
1. Reservoir energy goes down quickly so ultimate recovery of the reserves is less.
2. Extended reach well construction adds into cost
3. Completion is difficult and every kind of completion cannot be applied

J. Jet drilling
Radial jet drilling (RJD) is a special kind of jet drilling, which can be used as EOR in which drilling
of numerous micro-diameter lateral holes are made at different levels from an existing well by
expending the energy of high velocity fluid. Generally, this method is used for special kind of
reservoir where tight pools are available. It is used for exploiting isolated reservoir, which cannot
be produced due to small drainage area and to recover oil from the discontinuities in oil or gas
pool. This technique can be used for extraction of CBM, geothermal and many others.
The procedure includes three steps: (1) Milling of the casing, (2) Jetting the formation, and (3)
Washing out the formation.
In RJD, the penetration process relies on the back-ward self-driving effect and forward high
pressure jet rock-breaking effect of the jet-bit(After Wang et al.). The whole process uses a
specially designed BHA and a jetting assembly. The energy of high velocity fluid is used to make
micro-diameter lateral holes. As the application of RJD is currently in research phase, the current
scenario of the technology is explained through the paper. Summarily, in this paper emphasis has
been given to study the process of radial drilling technology, its advantages, overcoming its
limitation, its usage in the recovery of left out crude oil from existing reservoirs and the
application of the RJD in sedimentary basins of India. To understand the outcome and problems
upon application of radial jet drilling in the reservoir, case study of Uzbekistani oil field has been
incorporated.
Advantages
1. Radial holes increase the communication path from well bore to reservoir.
2. In marginal fields, radial drilling can help to recover considerable good amount of oil.
3. Productivity and injectivity to the formation increases.
4. During different flooding operations like CO2 flooding, radial hole helps in controlling the
direction.
5. Outperforms conventional stimulation methods at a lower cost, in reduced application time
and with higher potential production results.
6. Improved and extended drainage area in productive formations.
7. Radial drilling penetration greatly exceeds conventional (perforation) penetration and can
reach substantially beyond the damaged area of the well-bore.
8. Reach beyond the damaged area of the well-bore.
9. Allows multi-layer application in thicker reservoir zones.
10. RJD is effective in the wells having permeability poor
11. No need for large, expensive rotary rigs.
12. Does not require mud pits that can damage the environment.
13. No casing milling requirement, therefore no need to circulate mud back to the surface.
14. No additional stimulation required.
15. The process is fast, average operation duration is two days per well, so no big loss in
production.
16. No logging expense required.
17. No need to change well-bore configuration.
Limitations
1. Difficult to apply for low porosity reservoir (3-5%)
2. Maximum working depth is 3000m.
3. Can mill casing having equal or lower tensile strength equivalent to N80.
4. Maximum wellbore inclination can be 30 and not more than 15 at target zone.
5. Bottom hole temperature not to exceed 120.
6. Bottom hole pressure not to exceed 6500 psi.
7. Wellbore internal diameter should be greater than or equal to 4.

K. Multilateral drilling
Multilateral wells are new evolution of horizontal wells in which several wellbore branches
radiate from the main borehole. In 1997, Technology Advancement for Multi-Laterals (TAML), an
industry consortium of operators and service companies, was formed to categorize multilateral
wells by their complexity and functionality. It is important to understand, that TAML Codes refer
to junction, but not to whole well design. Junction designated categories (levels) are as follows.
TAML Codes:
1. Level 1 Open / Unsupported Junction
2. Level 2 Main Bore Cased & cemented, Lateral Open
3. Level 3 Main Bore Cased & Cemented, Lateral Cased, but not Cemented
4. Level 4 Main Bore & Lateral Cased & Cemented
5. Level 5 Pressure Integrity at the Junction; Achieved by Completion Equipment
6. Level 6 Pressure Integrity at the Junction; Achieved by Casing

Figure#5: TAML classification and schematic diagram (source: Technological Advancement of

Multilateral)
Multilateral technology has advanced dramatically in recent years to assist in recovering
hydrocarbons, particularly in heavy-oil applications.
Process:
The setting of the production packer with a mechanical plug allows the lower leg in a multilateral
well to be isolated and remain underbalanced while the second leg is drilled. After running the
liner in the second leg, the completion can be run, and a second packer can be installed and
stabbed into the lower packer. If leg isolation is required, a flow sleeve can be installed at the
junction to allow selected stimulation or production as required. Re-entry into both legs is
possible by use of a selective system. However, more detail as to the exact requirements from a
multilateral system must be reviewed.
Advantages:
1. Multizone completion can be easy
2. More contact area is covered due to multilateral coverage
3. Cost of additional drilling for field development is reduced
Limitations:
Drilling a multilateral well underbalanced with the main bore producing can be done, but the
drawdown on the reservoir is small. A further setback is that the cleaning up of the lateral is
difficult if the main bore is a good producer. Getting sufficient flow through the lateral to lift
fluids can be a challenge.
L. Slim-hole drilling
Slim Hole Drilling is a drilling technique which is used to develop a slim hole well. A Slim hole well
is a type of gas or oil well whose borehole size is significantly smaller than the usual borehole
size. It is generally less than 6 inches in diameter and 4 inches or less deep. It is drilled by E&P
organizations. A slim hole well sets a perfect correlation between the well cost and the volume
of rock drilled out. It goes with a notation that the cost of developing a gas or an oil well will
reduce when less rock is extracted. Drilling slim hole wells is the most commonly accepted
engineering criteria these days within the E&P industry space. This is due to the fact that well
development costs are reduced by 30% after following this drilling criteria. The small size
diameter and shallow deepness has the following.
Advantages:
1. Uses less material in well preparation.
2. Uses less rig hold time.
3. Increases the number of drillings at the same time.
4. Reduces waste mud volumes.
5. Uses less manpower.
6. Saves time in location preparation and many more advantages.
Disadvantages:
 1. ECD (Equivalent Circulating Density) is high which can limit mud weight.
2. It eliminates contingencies.
3. Geophysical information is limited.
4. Production will be for small rates.
5. It limits potential for sidetrack option.
Production rates of up to 50 mmscfd gas, 4000 bpd oil are achievable in many cases through 4
1/8 inch size borehole and 3 inch liner. There are two technologies commonly used for drilling
slim hole Wells, i.e., downsized conventional drilling and continuous coring method.
M. Coiled tubing drilling
Coiled Tubing Drilling is a modern drilling technique that combines the concepts of coiled tubing
and directional drilling using a mud motor that creates a system for drilling reservoirs. This
technique is advantageous as it requires less effort to trip in and out from the well. This technique
allows continuous pumping and drilling and increases the rate of penetration in underbalanced
conditions. Coiled Tubing Drilling is known for its speed and efficiency to drill reservoirs in
imbalanced conditions and provide economic benefits.
Coiled Tubing Drilling uses coiled tubing rather than conventional drill pipe. This provides an
advantage of putting less effort as the coil can easily run in and out whereas the drill pipe is
required to be assembled and dismantled joint-by-joint during trip in and out. The technique is
advantageous as it uses coiled tubing that enters the hole through a stripper, seated on the
injector which provides hydraulic seal around the coil.
Coiled Tubing Drilling provides well controlled capabilities beyond those possible with drill pipe
and also allows drilling in underbalanced conditions. The technique uses a mud motor to rotate
the drill bit instead of a top drive or rotary table at the surface. It has fewer impacts on the
environment as it reduces human interaction, well footprint, noise pollution and discharges.
Advantages:
1. Underbalanced drilling is the main advantage of Coiled Tubing Drilling (CTD) that jointed
pipe drilling cannot easily replicate. CTD allows for continuous drilling and pumping and
can increase the rate of penetration (ROP).
2. The second advantage of CTD is its ability to drill at high ROPs with increased time with
the bit on bottom. This is made possible as operations do not need to stop to make and
break connections. This can provide significant cost savings [2] and both drilling time and
rig-up time are far quicker with CTD, decreasing costs and increasing the rate of return.
3. Safety CTD operations compare favorably to jointed pipe drilling as fewer rig hands are
required on the rig floor.
4. Lower Environmental Impact
5. An additional advantage is the environmental impact of CTD. The well footprint, human
interaction, discharges and noise pollution are greatly reduced by using CTD. Multiple
 wells can also be drilled from the same pad utilizing a directional BHA and therefore CTD
offers a more sustainable and lower impact method of drilling.
References:
1. http://petrowiki.org
2. http://www.nationalcompressedair.com/dat/files/589.pdf
3. Mason, W. and Gleason, D. 2003. System Designed for Deep, Hot Wells. American Oil and
Gas Reporter 46 (8): 70
4. http://www.ogj.com/articles/print/volume-96/issue-6/in-this-issue/drilling/electro-drill-
provides-alternative-drilling-system.html
5. http://www.petropedia.com