Many of us can cite epochs in the petroleum industry's history. But often not so memorable is the evolution of technologies that seem new and "cutting edge" but actually have a long history of development. A case in point is multilaterals. You may be surprised to learn that the first multilateral technology patent was filed in 1929 and was followed by additional patents and rudimentary attempts to drill multilateral wells in the 1930s. Some sources credit Leo Ranney with being the first to try horizontals and multilaterals in the United States. Ranney, a Canadian, was a consulting engineer in Texas and Oklahoma. In 1925, he developed the Ranney method of using horizontal wells to extract oil from exhausted fields. Standard Oil Company of New Jersey bought out his patent and made him president of Ranney Oil and Mining Company, a subsidiary of Standard Oil from 1930 to 1938. In 1939, Ranney drilled an 8 ft (2.44 m) vertical shaft in Ohio, put men and equipment in the bottom of the hole and drilled a horizontal section. He is also reported to have drilled in a horizontal radial pattern like the spokes of a wheel, establishing probably the first multilateral with horizontal sections.
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