By Al Pickett Special Correspondent As unconventional play drilling activity has ramped up, so has multiwell pad drilling as companies strive to reduce the cost and time of operations. But it is not as simple as merely skidding a rig over a few feet and drilling another lateral. What is the optimum well spacing and number of wells per pad to minimize cost, maximize productivity and efficiency, and accommodate completion and production equipment? What technical and operational challenges arise when drilling multiple laterals from a common pad? How does one mitigate the risk of wellbore collision during drilling, or production interference during completion? What strategies are operators using to manage the complex logistics of around-the-clock operations? Are there advantages to stimulating multiple laterals simultaneously? What other lessons have been learned to not only reduce cost, but also improve efficiency with pad drilling? The issues may vary from one play to another, but the challenges of reducing cost, enhancing productivity and improving recovery rates remain the ultimate goals of pad drilling, regardless of the particular horizontal play. APRIL 2015 119