Slim-hole horizontal well improves gas storage field deliverability

A slim-hole horizontal well in a gas storage field, drilled with a 2,000-ft lateral section under a city, initially produced about four times more than a nearby offset vertical well. The ability of the well to cycle gas efficiently from the area under the city will be determined by monitoring the future performance of the well and field. The objectives and conditions of this project were ideal for a slim-hole horizontal well, and the results suggest the potential for more horizontal slim-hole wells in other gas storage applications. The slim-hole well design helped lower total costs. Among the technical and operational issues addressed on this horizontal well project were prediction of well performance and benefits, environmental and safety concerns of drilling in an urban area, optimizing well design parameters, protecting the integrity of the storage zone, and geosteering in a thin reservoir. The paper describes the reservoir, field development, feasibility studies, well location, well plan, radius, the lateral section, well completion, and results.