Anti-Collision · 3 min read
Understand Separation Factor
Understand what a minimum separation factor is telling you, and what it is not.
Center distance vs uncertainty
Center-to-center distance measures geometric wellpath proximity. Separation Factor adds the positional-uncertainty context of the survey and error models. A higher separation factor generally represents more clearance relative to uncertainty under the selected calculation method.
What to inspect
Review the minimum SF, the active MD at that point, which offset is responsible, the offset MD, the warning threshold, and the chosen survey tool program. Pay attention to how changing a survey model affects error ellipses, not just the center distance.
Important limitations
Engineering caution: Separation Factor is a model-derived metric, not a promise of physical clearance. Risk interpretation depends on the selected calculation conventions, error correlation, sigma scaling, and quality of the input surveys. Follow the operator's anticollision policy.
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