Kansas Geological Survey, Open-file Report 2000-2
Horizontal Drilling in Kansas: Current Status and Case Histories
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History of Horizontal Drilling

• 1891--First Patent Issued
• 1929--First Horizontal Oil Well Drilled
• 1950's--Development of Hydraulic Fracturing suppressed need for Horizontal Wells
• 1970's--used long radius technology to develop fields w/o navigational technology
  
• 1980's--Advances in Directional Technology to Steer Offshore Wells
• 1985--First Austin Chalk Well
• 1990--approx. 1,500 Horizontal Wells Worldwide
• 2000--Est. 20,000 Horizontal Wells Worldwide

What is a Horizontal Well ?

• No API Definition
• Any well put in a reservoir to expose as much permeability and porosity as possible
• A Controlled Directional Completion Procedure

Why Drill Horizontal Wells ?

• Produce Reserves not Drained by Vertical Wells
• Produce Reserves not Economic in Vertical Wells
• A More Efficient Use of Reservoir Drive Energy
• Provide better Rate of Return than Vertical Well

Current Status of Non-Vertical Wells (November, 1999)

• 68 Approved "Intent to Drill" Applications
• 34 Horizontal Wells Confirmed
• 1 Horizontal Well Reported (not confirmed)
• 3 Deviated Wells Confirmed
  • many more but unreported
• 2 Slant (high angle) Wells Confirmed

Kansas Geological Survey, Petroleum Research Section
Updated January 2000
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