Abstract: Method for determining one or more optimal well trajectories and a drill center location for hydrocarbon production. A well path and drill center optimization problem (55) is solved in which one constraint is that a well trajectory must intersect a finite size target region (61) in each formation of interest, or in different parts of the same formation. The finite target size provides flexibility for the optimization problem to arrive at a more advantageous solution. Typical well path optimization constraints are also applied, such as anti-collision constraints and surface site constraints (62).

Abstract: Method for determining one or more optimal well trajectories and a drill center location for hydrocarbon production. A well path and drill center optimization problem (55) is solved in which one constraint is that a well trajectory must intersect a finite size target region (61) in each formation of interest, or in different parts of the same formation. The finite target size provides flexibility for the optimization problem to arrive at a more advantageous solution. Typical well path optimization constraints are also applied, such as anti-collision constraints and surface site constraints (62).