Drilling pad optimization for oilfield development by cluster horizontal wells

One of the key issues related to the application of cluster drilling technology to the development of oilfield is to find out the optimum pad number, pad forms and pad locations with minimized investment. The cost effective items involved in the construction of surface facilities and wellbores such as well site and road construction, rig mobilization, flow gathering and metering lines, drilling and well completion, etc, are investigated. A mixed integer non linear mathematic program model with minimized investment is established, where the optimum pad number, pad forms and pad locations for the development of an oilfield are solved. This optimization program is applied to the development of the heavy oilfield, Block MPE-3, Orinoco Belt, Venezuela. In order to find out the optimum pad number, pad forms and pad locations for the 330 horizontal wells proposed by the Oilfield Development Plan of MPE-3, the mathematic program with minimized investment is constructed and successfully solved, which shows that the optimum pad form for the area is 12-well mode, and that 27 drilling pads with different optimum pad forms needed to be constructed over the area at proposed locations based on the local engineering service rates and facilities procurement prices. This successful application shows that it is feasible to construct a mathematic program model with minimized investment to optimize the pad number, pad forms and their locations in the preparation of oilfield development plan by cluster well strategy.