Extended reach drilling (ERD) achieves exceptionally high horizontal-to-vertical displacement ratios, enabling access to reserves several miles from the drilling location. ERD significantly reduces environmental footprint, accesses otherwise unreachable reserves, and lowers development costs by drilling multiple targets from a single platform.
World Records and Capabilities
- Current world record (Rosneft, Sakhalin-1, 2020): 15,000m MD with 14,129m horizontal stepout—equivalent to drilling from downtown Manhattan to LaGuardia Airport
- Previous record (SPE-151046-MS, 2012): 13,500m MD with 12,033m horizontal reach at Sakhalin, achieved using ExxonMobil FastDrill optimization process
Complexity Classification
The Directional Difficulty Index (DDI) quantifies ERD complexity:
- DDI 0-3: Standard directional wells
- DDI 3-5: Complex directional wells
- DDI 5-7: Difficult ERD wells
- DDI >7.0: Supercomplex ERD requiring advanced technology
Technical Challenges
ERD operations face unique challenges: friction consuming 50-70% of surface-applied weight, torque limitations in extended laterals, hole cleaning in near-horizontal sections, and casing wear at high-DLS intervals. Success requires integrated solutions addressing all these factors.
Downhole force control systems like NexTitan address the fundamental weight transfer limitation by generating thrust locally, enabling effective drilling in geometries where friction would otherwise prevent adequate bit loading.