Directional Survey Calculator
Minimum curvature method. Enter survey stations to compute TVD, N/S & E/W departures, vertical section, and dogleg severity.
Survey Stations
| # | MD (ft) | Inc (°) | Azi (°) |
|---|
Survey Results (Minimum Curvature)
| MD | Inc | Azi | TVD | NS | EW | VS | DLS (°/100ft) |
|---|
Final TVD
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Total Departure
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Max DLS
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Final VS
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Well Path Plot (TVD vs Horizontal Departure)
How this was calculated
Minimum Curvature Method: The industry-standard method assumes a smooth arc between survey stations. A ratio factor RF = (2/DL) * tan(DL/2) is applied, where DL is the dogleg angle between stations.
Dogleg Severity: DLS = arccos(cos(I2-I1) - sinI1*sinI2*(1-cos(A2-A1))) * (100/delta_MD), reported in deg/100ft.
Vertical Section: Projection of the horizontal departure onto the design azimuth direction (default = average azimuth of the survey).
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Book a free strategy call →Understanding Directional Surveys
Directional surveys are the primary means of determining the 3D trajectory of a wellbore. At each survey station, the measured depth (MD), inclination (angle from vertical), and azimuth (compass direction) are recorded. The minimum curvature method is the industry standard (SPE) for interpolating between survey stations, assuming the wellpath follows a smooth circular arc.
Dogleg severity (DLS) quantifies the rate of change of the wellbore direction, expressed in degrees per 100 feet. Excessive DLS can cause fatigue failures in drill pipe, difficulty running casing, and increased torque and drag. Typical limits range from 3-5 deg/100ft for production casing runs to 8-15 deg/100ft for build sections.
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