Description

Designed for you, if you are...

• A drilling engineer, well site supervisor, tool pusher, rig manager or field support personnel
• A geoscientist or reservoir engineer looking to get better value from your interactions with the drilling team
• A professional involved with improving drilling performance and cutting drilling costs

How we build your confidence

• Practical demonstrations of all the key principles using models and simulations in the classroom
• Mixed instructor-led delivery of theoretical content with blend of PowerPoint overview, whiteboard explanations of detail and class interactive exercises
• A narrative that runs through the course where each topic is interrelated and builds on the previous learnings
• Extensive allowance for class-led questioning within the course delivery

The benefits from attending

• Understand the selection criteria for different mud types
• Describe and explain the functions of various mud systems
• Identify key additives and understand their effects on the physical and chemical properties of the mud system
• Describe the key tests used for evaluating drilling fluids and interpret changes in the fluid’s key properties
• Communicate effectively with the fluids engineering team, both in the office and at the rig site

Topics

• Overview of drilling fluid functions, including cooling, lubrication, and cuttings transport
• Types of drilling fluids: Water Based Mud (WBM), Oil Based Mud (OBM), and Synthetic Based Mud (SBM)
• Selection criteria for drilling fluid types based on well conditions and operational needs

• Understanding drilling fluid circulation systems, including surface and downhole components
• Pressure loss calculations across the circulating system to optimise hydraulic efficiency
• Impact of fluid viscosity, flow rate, and wellbore geometry on hydraulic performance

• Key drilling fluid properties: density, viscosity, gel strength, pH, and filtration control
• Importance of fluid property control in wellbore stability and hole cleaning
• API and industry standards for fluid property measurement and quality control

• Causes of wellbore instability, including mechanical failure, chemical interaction, and differential sticking
• Role of drilling fluid selection in maintaining wellbore integrity
• Use of inhibitive fluids, additives, and bridging agents to improve stability

• Principles of rheology
• Fundamentals of fluid flow behaviour in drilling operations
• Understanding plastic viscosity, yield point, and gel strength and their impact on hole cleaning
• Effects of temperature and pressure on rheological properties

• Types of clays in drilling fluids (e.g., bentonite, attapulgite) and their impact on viscosity and gelation
• Clay hydration and dispersion: How water chemistry affects fluid properties
• Additives used to control clay swelling and improve fluid performance

• Composition and properties of freshwater, saltwater, and polymer based WBMs
• Advantages and limitations of WBMs in different drilling environments
• Common additives for rheology control, filtration reduction, and shale inhibition

• Non Aqueous Fluid (NAF) and Synthetic Based Mud (SBM) Systems
• Composition and differences between oil based and synthetic based muds
• Advantages of NAFs and SBMs: Improved lubrication, thermal stability, and wellbore stability
• Environmental regulations and cuttings disposal considerations for NAFs and SBMs

• Importance of solids control in drilling fluid performance and cost management
• Use of shale shakers, desanders, desilters, centrifuges, and hydrocyclones in solids removal
• Effects of poor solids control on fluid properties, equipment wear, and wellbore stability

• Causes of lost circulation and its impact on drilling operations
• Types of LCM additives: fibrous, granular, and flake-based materials
• Selection and application of LCM to mitigate different loss zones

• Basics of geomechanics and wellbore stability
• Stuck pipe - causes and prevention
• Types of stuck pipe incidents: differential sticking, mechanical sticking, and wellbore collapse
• Role of mud weight and rheology in preventing stuck pipe situations
• Techniques for freeing stuck pipe, including jarring, rotation, and chemical spotting

• Methods to improve wellbore integrity and prevent fracture propagation
• Application of sealing agents, bridging materials, and wellbore stress management

• Basic lab equipment, functionality and use
• Importance of regular fluid testing and realtime monitoring
• Standard API/ISO laboratory procedures for measuring drilling fluid properties
• How lab data is used to optimise drilling fluid formulations

• Reservoir damage and drilling fluids
• Understanding formation damage mechanisms, including fluid invasion, fines migration, and permeability impairment
• Drilling fluid formulations designed to minimise reservoir damage
• Use of bridging agents, polymers, and cleanup treatments to protect the reservoir
• Considerations for HPHT and geothermal wells
• Unique challenges in High Pressure High Temperature (HPHT) and geothermal drilling
• Selection of temperature stable drilling fluids and additives
• Pressure management techniques to handle extreme wellbore conditions (MPD)

• Role of drilling fluids in effective cement placement
• Fluid compatibility and displacement efficiency considerations
• How pre-flushes, spacers, and fluid loss control agents improve cementing success