IADC Underbalanced Operations & Managed Pressure Drilling (UBO/MPD) Committee
Mission Statement
To promote the safe and efficient execution of underbalanced operations and managed pressure drilling worldwide.
Officers
Chairman
Roger Van Noort, Shell
Vice Chairman
Martyn Parker, Pruitt
Staff Liaison
Leesa Teel, IADC
Join the Committee
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Committee Structure
A member appointed by the Chairman of IADC will chair the IADC Underbalanced Operations & Managed Pressure Drilling (UBO/MPD) Committee. The Committee Chairman may at his discretion appoint a reasonable number of Committee Vice-Chairmen to oversee specific disciplines or issues (e.g., onshore/offshore safety issues, environmental practices, specific regulatory issues, etc.)
General meetings are open to participants from all categories of IADC membership. The Chairman may invite non-members to attend when it furthers the interests of the Committee. At the discretion of the Chairman and IADC staff, the meeting or portions of the meeting may be exclusively reserved for drilling contractor members. Meetings will be held at such times and locations as may be selected by the Chairman with the advice of the Committee.
IADC Committee activities are governed by IADC’s Antitrust Policy and Guidelines.
Meeting Minutes
| Date | Function | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | ||
| 9-11 December 2020 | General Committee Meeting | Virtual, online |
| 27-28 October 2020 | General Committee Meeting | Virtual, online |
| 24-25 June 2020 | General Committee Meeting | Virtual, online |
| 2019 | ||
| 3-5 December 2019 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 17-19 September 2019 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 4-6 June 2019 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 11-12 April 2019 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 2018 | ||
| 4-6 December 2018 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 18 – 20 September 2018 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 19 – 20 April 2018 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 6 – 8 February 2018 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 2017 | ||
| 5 – 7 December 2017 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 19-21 September 2017 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 6 – 8 June 2017 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 30 – 31 March 2017 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 2016 | ||
| 29 November – 1 December 2016 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 23-25 August 2016 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 14-15 April 2016 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 23-24 February 2016 | General Committee Meeting | Rijswijk, The Netherlands
Houston, TX, USA |
| 2015 | ||
| 8-10 December 2015 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 24-26 August 2015 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 15 -16 April 2015 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 10 – 12 February 2015 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 2014 | ||
| 9-11 December 2014 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 3-5 September 2014 | General Committee Meeting | Bergen, Norway |
| 10 – 11 April 2014 | General Committee Meeting | Madrid, Spain |
| 11 – 13 February 2014 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 2013 | ||
| 3 – 5 December 2013 | General Committee Meeting | Oslo, Norway |
| 10 – 12 September 2013 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 25 – 26 June 2013 | General Committee Meeting | Frankfurt, Germany |
| 15 – 16 April 2013 | General Committee Meeting | San Antonio, TX, USA |
| 2012 | ||
| 3 – 5 December 2012 | General Committee Meeting | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| 10 -12 September 2012 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 4 – 6 June 2012 | General Committee Meeting | Oslo, Norway |
| 22 – 23 March 2012 | General Committee Meeting | Milan, Italy |
| 2011 | ||
| 5 – 7 December 2011 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 22 – 24 August 2011 | General Committee Meeting | Houston, TX, USA |
| 13 – 14 June 2011 | General Committee Meeting | Copenhagen, Denmark |
| 7 – 8 April 2011 | General Committee Meeting | Denver, Colorado |
Meeting Schedule
| Date | Function | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2-4 March 2021 | General Committee Meeting | Virtual, Online Only |
Committee Meetings Policy
General meetings are open to participants from all categories of IADC membership. The Chairman may invite non-members to attend when it furthers the interests of the Committee. At the discretion of the Chairman and IADC staff, the meeting or portions of the meeting may be exclusively reserved for drilling contractor members. Meetings will be held at such times and locations as may be selected by the Chairman with the advice of the Committee.
All dates and times are subject to change.
Subcommittees
Dual Gradient Drilling (DGD) Subcommittee
Chair
Jon Thain, Transocean
Vice Chair
Per Christian Stenshorne, Enhanced Drilling
As defined by the IADC, DGD is “Two or more pressure gradients within selected well sections to manage the well pressure profile.”
Dual Gradient technology is not a new concept; the technology was thought of and developed on paper several decades ago. A field trial was successfully deployed in 2001 but never commercially developed. Today several developmental projects are under deployment on a commercial scale primarily in the Gulf of Mexico, the North Sea and several areas of the world.
Active Initiatives
Support the planning and organization of the 2015 combined Dual Gradient Well Control Workshop/IADC Well Control Conference of the Americas & Exhibition in Galveston.
Regularly update educational material on the four categories of Dual Gradient Drilling Techniques (click each link for additional information):
- Pre-BOP Riserless Mud Line Pumping
- Post-BOP Seabed Pumping
- Post-BOP Dilution
- Post-BOP Controlled Mud Level
- Post-BOP Positive Displacement Pump
Helpful Links
- Dual Gradient Techniques (Powerpoint)
- Dual Gradient Systems Attributes Handout (PDF)
Riser Gas Handling (RGH) Subcommittee
Chair
Oscar Gabaldon, Blade Energy
Vice Chair
Brian Piccolo, AFGlobal
HSE & Training Subcommittee
Chair
Ernest Okeke, Pruitt
Vice Chair
Guilherme Vanni, Petrobras
Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) Subcommittee
Chair
Andre Alonso Fernandes, Petrobras
Vice Chair
Leiro Medina, Beyond Energy Services
An adaptive drilling process used to precisely control the annual pressure profile throughout the wellbore.
The objectives are to ascertain the downhole pressure environment limits and to manage the annular hydraulic pressure profile accordingly. It is the intention of MPD to avoid continuous influx of formation fluids to the surface. Any influx incidental to the operation will be safely contained using an appropriate process.
- MPD process employs a collection of tools and techniques which may mitigate the risks and costs associated with drilling wells that have narrow downhole environmental limits, by proactively managing the annular hydraulic pressure profile.
- MPD may include control of back pressure, fluid density, fluid rheology, annular fluid level, circulating friction, and hole geometry, or combinations thereof.
- MPD may allow faster corrective action to deal with observed pressure variations. The ability to dynamically control annular pressures facilitates drilling of what might otherwise be economically unattainable prospects.
Active Initiatives
The MPD Subcommittee is currently drafting the following recommended practices for multiple variants of MPD including:
Category 5: Pressurized Mud Cap – systems used to drill without returns with an annulus fluid column assisted by surface pressure.
In addition, the subcommittee is focused on completing the deepwater supplement to the Category 2 (Surface Pressure) and Category 5 (Pressurized Mud cap) documents.
Future Initiatives
Category 1: Annular Friction – systems allowing for constant circulation during drill pipe connections, thereby using annular friction to maintain constant bottom hole pressure.
Category 3: Delta Energy – systems where energy is added to manipulate the wellbore pressure by the use of equipment within the wellbore.
Category 4: Hydrostatic Pressure – systems creating a non-uniform hydrostatic profile.
Completed Documents
The MPD Subcommittee has completed the following recommended practices for multiple variants of MPD.
Category 2: Surface Pressure – systems manipulating annular pressure at surface to control and manage downhole pressures. This document is currently being reviewed by an API work group.
16RCD Subcommittee
Chair
Micah Spahn, Pruitt
Vice Chair
Joe Karigan, Halliburton
Underbalanced Operations (UBO) Subcommittee
Chair
Nadine Osayande Amini, Weatherford
Vice Chair
Isabel Poletzky, Halliburton
Liaison Reports
Regulatory Liaison
Konstantin Puskarskij, Maersk Drilling
Well Control Liaison
Paul Sonnemann, Safekick
Certifying Authority Liaison
Harish Patel, ABS
Resources & Links
This page contains lists of all available resources, documents, videos for the Underbalanced Operations & Managed Pressure Drilling (UBO/MPD) Committee. These may include best practices, guidelines, and/or special reports, as well as documents on topics such as onshore/offshore safety issues, environmental practices, specific regulatory issues and more. Also included is a section for links to useful websites.
Completed Documents
| Documents | Comments |
|---|---|
| MPD-BSEE Guidance Final | This document was produced in order to give some guidance to those interested in procuring drilling permits for wells that will use MPD in the Gulf of Mexico. |
| MPD Fundamental Core Curriculum & Related Job Skills | This document was produced by the HSE/Training Subcommittee of the UBO & MPD Committee. This document will be voted on for approval at the 1st quarter meeting in 2015. |
| MPD Tool | Register to gain access to the MPD Tool by filling out the form. Your account will be created and a unique password will be assigned for this download. These credentials will be emailed to the email you provide. Once you log in, you will be able to download the MPD Tool. |
| Underbalanced and Managed Pressure Drilling Operations – HSE Planning Guidelines | Underbalanced and Managed Pressure Drilling Operations – HSE Planning GuidelinesThis useful guide has been revised and updated to include Managed Pressure Drilling Operations. |
| The Underbalanced Operations Tour Report | The Underbalanced Operations Tour Report The Underbalanced Operations Tour Report summarizes all the relevant data needed to monitor these challenging well programs. Designed to complement the traditional IADC Daily Drilling Report (DDR) form, the Underbalanced Operations Tour Report can be used in operations even when the DDR is not in use. |
| IADC Well Classification System for Underbalanced Operations and Managed Pressure Drilling | IADC Well Classification System for Underbalanced Operations and Managed Pressure DrillingThe “IADC Well Classification System for Underbalanced Operations and Managed Pressure Drilling” has been adopted by the IADC Board of Directors. |
| US MMS NTL for Managed Pressure Drilling | US MMS NTL for Managed Pressure Drilling This Notice to Lessees and Operators (NTL) provides guidance to ensure that you use and maintain equipment and materials necessary to ensure the safety and protection of personnel, equipment, natural resources, and the environment when you conduct a managed pressure drilling (MPD) project in the Gulf of Mexico OCS. It also specifies the information you need to include in the drilling prognosis section of your Application for Permit to Drill when you request approval to conduct an MPD project. |
| The UBO RIG PASS Program | The UBO RIG PASS Review Panel released the following UBO RIG PASS Curriculum Documents: The curriculum documents can be downloaded from the online UBO RIG PASS documents web page. Note: Copies will also be mailed or e-mailed upon request. Contact Information: Email: rigpass@iadc.org Phone:+1-281-578-7171 Fax:+1-281-578-0589. |
| Form WCT-2UBS and WCT-2UBS-X -Underbalanced Operations (Supervisory Level) and Cross-reference Material | WellCAP Curriculum Guidelines Released The WellCAP Review Panel released the following new WellCAP Curriculum Guidelines:
For more information, please refer to WellCAP Bulletin 01-02. This bulletin has been distributed to all WellCAP schools that are currently accredited or have accreditation pending. They may also be downloaded from the list of online WellCAP documents. |
| Guidelines for an Underbalanced Training Simulator | Guidelines for an Underbalanced Training Simulator |
| UBO & MPD Glossary | The UBO & MPD Glossary, December 2011 The UBO & MPD Glossary has been developed by the IADC Underbalanced Operations & Managed Pressure Drilling Committee to establish a common lexicon of terms used in the application of UBO & MPD technology. Users wishing to republish this glossary are asked to give attribution to “The Underbalanced Operations & Managed Pressure Drilling Committee of the International Association of Drilling Contractors”. |
| Guidelines for Fluid Selection for Underbalanced Drilling | Guidelines for Fluid Selection for Underbalanced Drilling The following document has been approved for posting to receive your comments. Please download and review. |
| Standards Gap Analysis (Excel Format) | Standards Gap Analysis The Standards and Nomenclature Subcommittee has undertaken a review of existing technical standards pertaining to equipment used in underbalanced operations. This chart summarizes the relevant standards and identifies gaps where standards may still need to be developed. The chart serves as a useful tool for planning and executing underbalanced operations and will guide the work of the Standards and Nomenclature Subcommittee. |
IADC provides web links as a member service. IADC does not warranty or endorse the accuracy or reliability of any of the information, content, or advertisements contained on websites linked to www.iadc.org or any of its subsidiary pages.
Committee Initiatives
API 16RCD Task Group
Updating API 16RCD, Specification for Rotating Control Devices
Underbalanced Operations Subcommittee
Updating API 92U, Specification Underbalanced Drilling Operations
Managed Pressure Drilling Subcommittee
Development of Influx Management Annex for API 92S and API 92M, Specification for MPD with Surface Back Pressure
Dual Gradient Drilling Subcommittee
Development API 92C, Specification for Controlled Mud Level Operations
HSE/Training Subcommittee
Seeking funding to implement MPD training program as an IADC accredited course
Riser Gas Subcommittee
Alternative methods for handling gas in the riser
Well Control Committee Liaison
Maintain communication between Well Control and UBO/MPD Committee. Seeking opportunities to create MPD awareness in Wellsharp curriculum
Regulatory Liaison
Maintain communication between regulators and UBO/MPD Committee