University of Colorado at Boulder
BMP of Oil and Gas Development

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BMP ID: 6172
Title: Use directional drilling to minimize number of wells drilled
Text: "Directional Drilling: Horizontal Drilling: Some productive formations are not thick but extend over a large lateral area. Prior to the advent of directional drilling, such formations were either uneconomical or required multiple wells to recover the resources. Modern technology allows wells to be drilled and completed in a relatively thin horizontal layer. A single horizontal well can contact more of the resource and therefore takes the place of several traditional vertical wells. Because the well bore interval from surface to producing formation is drilled only once, a horizontal well generates less waste than several vertical wells."
Source Publication Name: Drilling Waste Management Information System
Citation Section: Technology Descriptions: Fact Sheet - Drilling Practices That Minimize Generation of Drilling Wastes
Citation Page:
Supplemental Documents:  
Usage Type: Recommended
Timing: • Drilling
Oil / Gas Field:  
Surface Ownership: • Federal
• State
• Private
Mineral Ownership: • Federal
• State
• Private
Primary Contact: Argonne National Laboratory
Phone:     Alt. Phone:
Fax:     E-mail: 
Alternate Contact: National Energy Technology Laboratory
Phone:     Alt. Phone:
Fax:     E-mail: 
Categories: Land Surface Disturbance
Location: General / Federal
Species:
Vegetation Types:
General Comments:
Cost-Benefit Analysis:
BMP Efficacy:
Date Entered: 2009-08-19 11:10 UTC
Last Updated: 2009-09-24 10:13 UTC