Ensuring precise lateral lengths is crucial, and our methodology of cross-referencing various sources allows us to have confidence in the accuracy of the lateral lengths we publish.
There are several sources where we capture the lateral length, and we strongly believe that each of these sources contributes to ensuring the accuracy of our reported lengths.
- The primary method we use to collect this data is by capturing the information reported by the state. We gather information on lateral lengths from both permits and completions. If there is a discrepancy between the two, we rely on the completion data as it replaces the permit value.
- If there are directional surveys available, we measure the distance between the 90° angle and the bottom hole to determine the lateral length.
- The overall distance measured between the True Vertical Depth (TVD) and Measured Depth (MD).
- The calculated distance measured from the surface hole to the bottom hole.
Once we have compared all of these methods, if they each return the same lateral length or fall within our tolerance range, we can confidently publish the lateral length. However, if the comparison fails in one or more areas, we will investigate further. In most cases, when we find a failed tolerance level, it is due to a manual error such as a missing or extra number.
If you would like to calculate your own lateral lengths, here is a helpful resource that provides instructions for detailed calculations. - https://www.igismap.com/formula-to-find-bearing-or-heading-angle-between-two-points-latitude-longitude/
Alternatively, you can perform a rough estimation by calculating the difference between the surface and bottom latitudes (a negative value indicates North, while a positive value indicates South), and then the surface and bottom longitudes (a negative value represents East, while a positive value represents West). From this, you can establish specific thresholds to determine whether to classify a location as East or Northeast. It's important to note that this method is only applicable to our dataset, which exclusively covers the Northern and Western hemispheres. Any attempt to apply this method outside of these regions would yield unreliable results.