True_vertical_depth

True vertical depth

True vertical depth

Depth of a hole measured vertically down

True vertical depth[1] is the measurement of a straight line perpendicularly downwards from a horizontal plane.

(a) is an imaginary line representing the true vertical depth, while line (b) is the borehole itself, and its length is called the measured depth.

In the petroleum industry, true vertical depth, abbreviated as TVD, is the measurement from the surface to the bottom of the borehole (or anywhere along its length) in a straight perpendicular line represented by line (a) in the image.

Line (b) is the actual borehole and its length would be considered the "measured depth"[2] in oil industry terminology. The TVD is always equal to or less than (≤) the measured depth. If one were to imagine line (b) to be a piece of string, and further were to imagine it being pulled straight down, one would observe it to be longer than line (a). This example oil well would be considered a directional well because it deviates from a straight vertical line.

See also

References

  1. [1]
    "True vertical depth". Schlumberger. Archived from the original on January 13, 2006. Retrieved June 7, 2023.
  2. [2]
    "measured depth - Schlumberger Oilfield Glossary". www.glossary.oilfield.slb.com. Retrieved May 21, 2019.


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