Drilling Engineering

What you'll learn

• Describe the drilling process and plan a horizontal well trajectory, including kickoff point, build section, measured and true vertical depths, and a time-based AFE.
• Explain the hoisting, rotating, circulating, power and well control systems of a rig, and calculate buoyancy, hook load, fast-line tension, derrick load and top drive power.
• Design a drill string and bottomhole assembly for weight on bit, neutral point and tension with a margin of overpull, and select bits using rate of penetration, dull grades and specific energy.
• Select drilling fluids for each hole section, calculate hydrostatic pressure and weighting material, and interpret rheology, filtration and solids data.
• Calculate circulating pressure losses, bit hydraulics, equivalent circulating density and surge and swab effects, and plan hole cleaning in horizontal wells.
• Estimate pore pressure and fracture gradient, interpret leak-off and formation integrity tests, and choose mud weights and casing points within the drilling window.
• Detect kicks, shut in a well, and calculate kill mud weight, circulating pressures, influx type, MAASP and kick tolerance for the driller's and wait-and-weight methods.
• Design casing strings for burst, collapse and tension with design factors, using API grades and ratings, and account for sour service and running loads.
• Design primary cement jobs, including slurry selection, volumes, displacement, placement pressures and centralization, and evaluate zonal isolation.
• Calculate well positions by the minimum curvature method, compare steering systems, and explain MWD, geosteering and anti-collision practice.
• Recognize, prevent and respond to stuck pipe, lost circulation, wellbore instability and excessive torque and drag, and plan for hydrogen sulfide safety.
• Prepare a complete drilling program with time-depth curve, cost per unit length analysis, risk register and review, applying the relevant regulations and professional responsibilities.