Making the Most of

Borehole Surveying
Prof Angus Jamieson
University of the Highlands and Islands
Video presentation available at
www.uhi.ac.uk/surveying-summary
 This Presentation Covers ...
► 1. Why survey
► 2. Coordinate Systems
► 3. North References
► 4. Survey Tools
► 5. Error Models
► 6. Correction Techniques
► 7. Common Pitfalls
 Section 1
Why Survey ?
Prof Angus Jamieson
University of the Highlands and Islands
Video presentation available at
www.uhi.ac.uk/surveying-summary
Don’t be in the wrong place
at the wrong time !!
 Why do we survey at all ?
► Ensure a safe well path to the target
► Ensure you hit the target
► Ensure you don’t hit another well
► Provide good log positions to G&G
► Provide good reserves estimates
► Report data to the regulators
► Conduct ‘forensics’ investigations afterwards
► Prepared for relief well if necessary
 Business Case ?

►A shorter gyro run $10,000 +

►A proximity ‘shut in’ $100,000 +
►A plug back sidetrack $1 million +
►A dry well or ‘Dead Zone’ $10 million +
►A deep landing $100 million +
►A minor collision blowout $1 billion +
►A major collision blowout $10 billion +
Poor Surveying costs Production
Poor Surveying costs Production
Poor Surveying costs Production

10% production
lost but we saved
the cost of a gyro !
How serious is a blowout ?
Blow out with no fire
Very High Pressures
Add Fire and we have disaster
Low probability – High Impact
 In Summary

Saving money
on surveying is a high
stakes gamble which,
if lost, will make you
famous
 Section 2
Coordinate Systems
Prof Angus Jamieson
University of the Highlands and Islands
Video presentation available at
www.uhi.ac.uk/surveying-summary
Mapping the World
Any Projection distorts the World
Gerardus Mercator 1512
Project from the centre of the Earth
Mercator Projection
Greenland is actually only 10% of
the size of Africa
The Equator
The Centre of the World
The Centre of the World
The Worlds Time Zones
UTM Zones
UTM Zones
 Section 3
North Reference
Prof Angus Jamieson
University of the Highlands and Islands
Video presentation available at
www.uhi.ac.uk/surveying-summary
The World
The Greenwich Meridian
The Equator
Latitude & Longitude
Transverse Mercator
Transverse Mercator
For Any Point on the Earths Surface
True North is towards the North Pole
If a TM cylinder is wrapped at another
longitude, Map North follows the
cylinder
 So unless you’re at the centreline of
the map, True and Grid DON’T line up
The True Direction of Grid North is
called the CONVERGENCE
Universal Transverse Mercator
Grid Convergence
Grid Convergence
The True Direction of Magnetic North
is called the DECLINATION
With three Norths it is easy to get
confused
MWD measures from Magnetic North
Gyros usually measure from True
But most surveys are finally reported
in Grid
For Example if Declination was -6 degs
and Convergence was +2 degs
 Section 4
Survey Tools
Prof Angus Jamieson
University of the Highlands and Islands
Video presentation available at
www.uhi.ac.uk/surveying-summary
MWD
MWD
 Modern Gravity and Magnetic
Sensors
(1) Accelerometers– use gravity field vector (0 degrees inclination reference)
Several designs are available

Single axis Dual axes

Torquer
permanent
magnet
Exciter /
restoring
pick-offs
coil
pendulous arm
hinge

(2) Magnetometers – use magnetic field vector (magnetic North reference)

Primary coil
S N
N S
cores
N S
N S
Secondary coil
Two identical cores with primary winding around (in
opposite directions). Secondary coil around all.
Primary current produces magnetic field in each core,
equal and opposite so no voltage induced in secondary
winding. When placed in an external magnetic field, an
unbalance occurs and a voltage is produced in the
secondary coil, this is directly proportional to the
external magnetic field.
Photo-Mechanical Multishot
A Magnetic ‘Drop’ Tool
 Compass v Magnetometer
The Compass Measures
Both Inclination and
Direction but is less
accurate and less robust

The Magnetometer has no moving

parts but requires three
orthogonal instruments to
measure the magnetic field.
Accelerometers measure
Inclination from vertical.
 Gyroscopic Effects
►A gyro does not want to change the
orientation of the spin axis.

► ConventionalGyros are lined up on a

reference azimuth and remain facing that
way for azimuth measurement down hole.
 Gyroscopic Principles
Inertia:
 when the spinning portion of
a gyroscope (called a rotor)
is set in motion it will
attempt to keep its axis of
rotation continuously
pointing in the same
direction

Precession:
 when a force is applied to a
spinning rotor, it will
attempt to compensate by
rotating around an axis that
is perpendicular to the
images © 2002 Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc. applied force
Conventional Gyro
 Gyroscopic Effects
►A gyro forced to torque around its X axis
when spinning around the Y axis will start to
rotate around the Z axis.
► This is known as ‘Precession’ and can be
used to measure rate of change of
orientation against time.
► Continuous Gyro surveying integrates rate
of azimuth change against time to measure
its current direction.
 Continuous Gyro

Horizontal Earth
Rotation Vector

Vertical Earth
Rotation Vector

Gyro Sensor

Wellbore Direction
 North Seeking Gyros
►A North Seeking Gyro is simply a highly
sensitive rate gyro which measures the
earths rotation and senses the direction to
the polar axis.

► Thisusually takes about 1 – 2 minutes of

stationary sensing so is often only used in
top hole (up to 15 degrees) after which the
survey is run in continuous mode.
Gyroscopic Tools
 Section 5
Error Models
Prof Angus Jamieson
University of the Highlands and Islands
Video presentation available at
www.uhi.ac.uk/surveying-summary
A Normal Distribution
A Normal Distribution
A Normal Distribution
A Normal Distribution
Probability in two dimensions
The full distribution in 3D
Co-variance determines the
orientation
 Standard Deviations in 3D
►2 SDs in 1D cover 95%

BUT......

► 2.38 SDs in 3D cover approx 95%

► 2.79 SDs in 3D cover approx 98.5%
The Magic Formula

?
The Magic Formula
The Magic Formula
The Magic Formula
 Building a detailed error model
► Find all error sources affecting Md, Inc & Az
► Find 1 sd values for each coefficient
► Work out affects on Md,inc and az
► Decide whether ‘Random’ or ‘Systematic’
► Covert to errors in North, East & Vertical
► Build a Co Variance Matrix
► Work out Ellipse dimensions and orientation
 SPE Paper # 67616 by Hugh Williamson of BP.
Accuracy Prediction for Directional Measurement While Drilling

► Processes & procedures are followed

► Tools are properly calibrated
► Survey intervals no greater than 100 ft
► Non-magnetic spacing as recommended
► Individual surveys pass QC checks
 Propagation of Errors

The model recognises 4 modes of error propagation:

► Random – uncorrelated from one measurement to the

next

► Systematic – correlated from one measurement to the

next within one single tool run

► Well-by-well – correlated from one measurement to

the next within an entire well

► Global – always correlated, including well to well

The ISCWSA MWD Model
Convert Observation Error to Position
Error
Effect of Inclination Error
Azimuth Error only affects horizontal
position
 Building the Covariance
► For systematic errors
 dN = dN1 + dN2 + dN3 ......
► For random errors
 dN = sqrt(dN1^2 + dN2^2 + dN3^2 ...)
► For each error source
 Add up all effects in a survey station
 Add up all survey stations in a ‘leg’
 Add up all legs in a survey
The Co-Variance Matrix
In the North East Vertical Reference
there may be covariances
Imagine a different set of orthogonal
axes that don’t see any covariances
Rotate to a new Covariance
Matrix
Covariances are zero
 The viewing vectors are Eigen Vectors
The ellipse dimensions are Eigen Values
Collision Risk
High Collision Risk
 Section 6
Correction Techniques
Prof Angus Jamieson
University of the Highlands and Islands
Video presentation available at
www.uhi.ac.uk/surveying-summary
 Major Corrections
► Depth Correction
 There are many sources of error affecting both drill pipe and wireline
length downhole but depth correction will usually address the
mechanical and thermal stretch. These account for the major depth
errors and can be as much as 0.2%
► Sag Correction
 This is an inclination correction to allow for the natural bending of the
BHA under its own weight. It increases with inclination and can be 0.5
degrees or more.
► IFR Correction
 This usually refers to the local correction of magnetic declination and is
derived from an In-Field Referencing survey of the oilfield. This can be
up to 1 degree in places
► Magnetic Interference
 This applies to azimuth only and corrects for the magnetic influence of
the BHA itself. It is particularly important when using short non-mag
collars.
 5 Sources of Depth Error

►Mechanical Stretch
►Survey Resolution
►Tool Misalignment
►Temperature Effects
►BHA Deflection (Sag)
Mechanical Stretch
Survey Resolution
Normal Minimum Curvature
Tool Misalignment
 Temperature Effects
► Steel will stretch by

1.3m / 1000 / 100 degs C

Sag Correction
IFR Correction
The Earth’s Magnetic Vector
A Powerful Force but subject to three Variations

1. Secular Variation
Long slow changes in the earths magnetic core.
Typical Size: Fractions of a deg/year
Cured By: BGGM or HDGM magnetic model
2. Diurnal Variation
Rapid daily variations caused by solar wind and earth rotation.
Typical Size: 0.2 degs (Randomized)
Cured By: Interpolated In Field Referencing (IIFR)
3. Crustal Variation
Permanent local effects caused by deep, magnetic basement rock
Typical Size: 1 degree
Cured By: In Field Referencing (described later) IFR
Declination is on the Move
Rapidly in Geological Time !
Diurnal Variation
Crustal Variation
Crustal Variation
Interactive IFR Map
 Magnetic Interference
► The interference created by the collars in the BHA can
influence the observed by several degrees.

► Short Collar solutions only use the X and Y mags to

calculate the azimuth
► Multi Station Analysis uses the fact that as the BHA
changes toolface and attitude, the background magnetic
field is unchanged but interference components rotate
with the BHA. We can therefore back out the
interference components over several survey stations
 Summary
► Reducing error is nearly always possible
► Sag is usually the biggest benefit in Vertical
► IFR is usually the biggest benefit in Horizontal
► Short Collar should only be used with caution
► MSA is only reliable in an accurate mag field
► SC and MSA do not work well when Bz small
► For high accuracy work nothing beats gyros
 Section 7
Common Pitfalls
Prof Angus Jamieson
University of the Highlands and Islands
Video presentation available at
www.uhi.ac.uk/surveying-summary
 Top 10 List of what can go wrong
► Units and conversion factors
► TVD Referencing
► Failure to use sag correction
► Uncertain Connection to Map
► Misapplied Convergence
► Old Declination Values
► Bad Computer Data Unchallenged
► Use of GPS on wrong Datum
► Not Enough Surveys
► Home made software
 Conclusion

If we don’t get the message

out that wellbore positioning
is worth spending money on,
we will continue to waste
reserves and occasionally risk
lives.