Application of Spatial Analytic Geometry in the Calculation of Adjacent Well Separation Factors

Abstract

Abstract. With the design distance between cluster well and infilling well continuously decreasing, the calculation of separation factor is of great significance in the adjacent well anti-collision problem. This paper contrasts the differences between the currently common pedal curve separation factor and the oriented separation factor and realizes the calculation of these separation factors by using spatial analytic geometry method separation factors, with the separation factor being defined in many ways. The comparative analysis shows that: in general case, the pedal curve separation factor is less than the oriented separation factor; when the reference point and scanning point are in the same spindle direction with the combined error ellipsoid, the former equals to the latter. In directional drilling project of infilling well where the inclinometer data on old well are of low reliability, it is better to consider the pedal curve separation factor as anti-collision basis; However, in the directional drilling project of cluster well where the inclinometer data on old well are of high reliability, it is better to consider the oriented separation factor as anti-collision basis.