Practical Drilling

BACKGROUND:

This course teaches how to listen to the well, perform simple tests on the rig, and make proper decisions unique to each well. The intent is to eliminate visible and invisible Non-Productive Time (NPT). Visible NPT includes stuck pipe, conditioning drilling fluid, lost circulation, etc. Invisible NPT is often far more expensive and includes drilling much slower than is possible, wearing out the bits prematurely, and bad cement barriers. Considerable attention is devoted to correcting drilling fluid properties and controlling filter cake quality. This eliminates many seen and unseen obstacles for drilling a trouble-free hole as cheaply as possible. This involves proper drilling fluid processing in the surface tanks. No discussion will be presented of fishing tools—they should rarely be needed after this course. Bring a calculator—you will need it.

OBJECTIVES:

Participants will learn how to:

• Calibrate a mud logger’s gas unit curve
• Interpret gas unit curves
• Determine pore pressure
• Select the correct nozzle sizes and flow rate to make the fluid strike the bottom of the hole with the greatest force possible or the greatest power available
• Select drilling fluid yield point needed to clean the vertical portion of the well
• Extend the life of drill bits and have the maximum drilling rate by determining the flounder point of a roller cone or PDC bit
• Avoid poor cementing jobs by creating a thin, slick, compressible filter cake
• Decrease vibration which seriously impacts PDC bit performance by eliminating drilled solids
• Arrange equipment for a proper PIT
• Read Pressure Integrity charts
• Evaluate dull bits to select the best next bit
• Understand well bore instability