Proactive Geo steering and Reservoir Characterization with Intelligent LWD: Navigating Horizontal Wells Through Seismic Uncertainty

Summary Drilling horizontal wells helps maximize reservoir contact and economic recovery. Logging-while-drilling (LWD) tools are typically used to steer wells into the reservoir “sweet spot.” In complex geological settings with seismic uncertainties, traditional logging methods often lack the resolution needed for confident decision-making. While seismic resolution is in the range of 10s of feet, the resolution of some LWD tools can go to few inches or even down to a small fraction of an inch revealing additional information that can be critical for completions design, hydraulic fracturing and well production life cycle. This paper highlights the value of intelligent LWD technologies that provide high-resolution bed boundary mapping for proactive geosteering —including real-time fault estimation— as well as ultrasonic imaging for advanced post-well fault and fracture characterization, offering critical insights for both well placement and completion optimization.