2021 IADC/SPE Managed Pressure Drilling and Underbalanced Operations Conference & Exhibition

06.00 CST Welcome & Introduction

• Roger Van Noort, Chair, IADC UBO/MPD Committee; Deepwater MPD Implementation Team Lead, Shell

06.05 CST Keynote Presentation: MPD in PETRONAS

• Jumasri B. Terimo, Head of Wells Technology and Technical Assurance, PETRONAS

06.30 CST Panel Session: Lessons Learned during COVID – What We Have Learned to Make Operations Better During a Pandemic
Moderator: Martyn Parker, Vice President MPD Services, Pruitt

Panel presentations on how an Operator, Drilling Contractor and Services provider planned, commissioned, and executed new MPD operations during a time of global restrictions on meetings, travel etc. A new way of working that will likely continue as we move on.

• Akram Nabiyev, Sr. MPD Technical Advisor, Pruitt (SPE 206392)
• Nick Ward, Assistant Rig Manager, Stena Drilling
• Nathan Tuckwell, Wells Engineering Team Lead (Deepwater MPD), Shell

07.50 CST Break

08.00 CST Cementing & Open Hole Gravel Pack
Session Chair: Oscar Gabaldon, Drilling Technologies Development Manager, Blade Energy Partners

Case History of Controlled Mud Level (CML) for the Drilling of Multiple Deepwater Horizontal Wells in Shallow Formations below the Mudline with Narrow Drilling Margins, and for the Running and Cementing of Casing under MPD Conditions: Dave Smith, Business Development Manager, Americas, Wylie Cameron, Enhanced Drilling, Michael Teoh, Christopher Kelly, Cody Sloan, Shell
This presentation will showcase the first use case of CML as an enabling MPD technology to successfully access and navigate narrow margin and depleted formation drilling in DW GOM. The initial mud weight and ECD’s that were required would have made navigating the pore and fracture gradients difficult without control of the bottom hole pressure. CML was effectively used throughout both the well construction and completion phases in this multi well campaign.

An Industry First – A Successful Managed Pressure Horizontal Open Hole Gravel Pack Project: Its Preparation, Integration, Modeling, Procedures, and Execution Results: Chih Cheng Lin, Senior Production Technologist, Javier Vives, Jiten Kaura, Andrew Tallin, Patrick Campbell, Christine Hahn, Eduardo Jimenez, Nilesh Kadam, Jenny Byargeon, Buster Stewart, Derrek Karber, Adam Pittman, Roger Van Noort, Sacha Luces, Shell Exploration & Production Company, John Prince, Chevron North America, Dan Benson, John Weirich, Chevron Corporation, Yeneapre Apremu Aye, Schlumberger Technology Corp, Robert Douglas Gillette, Schlumberger, Dave Smith, Enhanced Drilling (SPE 206387)
How a Controlled Mud Level (CML) Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) system was used to place Horizontal Open Hole Gravel Packs in low Pore Pressure Frac Gradient (PPFG) margin reservoirs will be discussed. This industry-first accomplishment took extensive preparation and precise on-site coordination between CML and gravel pack operations. The margin between the pore and fracture pressures was too small to place gravel packs using any existing methods. Fortunately, CML was able to limit the downhole treating pressures to stay within the low PPFG limits. The post-job analysis reflects total coverage for the entire screen length and complete success.

Reclaiming the Operating Window: a Managed Pressure Cementing Workflow to Achieve Zonal Isolation Success in a Mature Field: Jeffrey Smith, Drilling Engineer, Todd Eberhardt, Wael Essam, Chris Mehler, Chris Scarborough, Jacob Leemhuis, BP, Lucas Rossi, Schlumberger, Thomas Barbato, Safekick (SPE 206396)
Successfully cementing production casing strings is one of the main challenges of well construction in mature fields. The implementation of cementing best practices can be difficult in the narrow pore pressure-fracture pressure (PPFG) window associated with reservoir depletion and complex well architecture. Managed pressure cementing (MPC) is a viable technique to address these challenges. This paper offers an optimized design methodology and critical considerations/parameters for MPC operations. It will also briefly describe the primary applications of MPC and specific/unique design considerations associated with each; namely, (1) mud weight less than pore pressure, (2) losses prevention, and (3) wellbore stability control. Lastly, it will provide a case history illustrating how MPC was used in one of the Operator’s mature fields, by giving an overview of the job engineering design process, the operational planning, and key learnings.

09.00 CST Adjourn

06.00 CST Welcome & Introduction

• Roger Van Noort, Chair, IADC UBO/MPD Committee; Deepwater MPD Implementation Team Lead, Shell

06.05 CST Keynote Presentation Human Factors:  

• Grant Wallace, Managing Director, Salos-Sunesis

06.30 CST Eastern Hemisphere Case Studies
Session Chair: André Alonso Fernandes, MPD technical authority group coordinator, Petrobras

A New Condition Monitoring System Improves the Reliability of the RCD Element During the MPD Jobs: Krysztof Machocki, Science Specialist, Aramco Overseas Company Zahrah Marhoon, Ossama Sehsah, Saudi Aramco (SPE 206386)
No catastrophic failures of the RCD were encountered when the RCD condition monitoring system was installed and running in the field up to date. The novelty of this condition monitoring system is in the approach of measuring and displaying critical values to the operator during the job and possibility to quantification of the factors affecting the RCD elements lifetime.

Successful First Implementation of MPD Technology Offshore Australia: Regulatory, Technical and Operational Lessons Learned: Konstantin Puskarskij, Head of Technical, Maersk Drilling, David Edge, Michael Pope, INPEX, Helio Santos, SafeKick, Henry Pinkstone, MR WellSpec, Phil McKenzie, RPS Group (SPE 206390)
The successful first implementation of closed-loop Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) technology offshore Australia, on a 6th generation semi-submersible rig is described. It covers the process of obtaining safety case acceptance from the government regulatory authority, the project concept design phase, the preliminary and detailed well engineering scope, training, equipment installation and commissioning. The paper concludes describing the successful application of MPD on the first well, including the effective use of MPD well control, dynamic MPD FIT, LOT and Pore Pressure testing; highlighting the improved capability and flexibility in detection and controllability of mud loss events.

First Managed Pressure Cementing with 7” Liner Overcoming a Challenging ERD Well Offshore Madura: Helmi Fauzi, Field Engineer, Irwan Rubianto, Sisworo, Schlumberger, Galih Samudera, Hafidz Ali, M Zarir B Musa, Petronas Carigali Indonesia (SPE 206394)
First the basis of design of the MPD and MPC plan including ECD management at the different depths of interest and operating parameters to tackle lost circulation zones below the 9 5/8” casing shoe and wellbore instability at the bottom part of the 8-1/2” hole section is outlined. Then the presentation will discuss about the actual drilling, tripping, and rollover in the 8-1/2” hole section utilizing MPD and 7” liner cementing utilizing MPC, it will compare the planned and actual parameter. Finally, the presentation will be closed with the conclusion and lesson learned.

Expanding Horizon – A Feasibility Study on Implementing PMCD Operation Using Coiled Tubing Drilling Technology to Develop Marginal Reserves in Karstic Carbonate Reservoir, Offshore Malaysia: Ahmad Zahid Murshidi Zakaria, Drilling Engineer, Muhammad Idham Khalid, Shahrul Nizam Mohd. Effendi, Petronas (SPE 206388)
A study is done to explore the feasibility of drilling a karstic reservoir with total losses issue using Coil Tubing Drilling package by applying PMCD principles. The presentation will go through the background of the project (generic field information, reservoir properties, well design and architecture), the critical design elements for the system (technical requirements, safety standards, operational and logistical factors) and the contingency scenarios considered. The proposed CTD package arrangement, PMCD method and LAM selection will be discussed along with other results and findings.

07.50 CST Break

08.00 CST Completions
Session Chair: Chris Scarborough, Well Control and MPD SME, BP

Using MPD Techniques for Lower Completion Replacement: Unleashing A Powerful New Solution For Challenging Workover Interventions: Eduardo Schnitzler, Technical Advisor for Completions, André Alonso Fernandes, Guilherme Bolfarini Harami, Paulo Henrique Pereira da Silva, Renato Storani de Almeida, Roger Savoldi Roman, Willian Medina Ascâneo, Petrobras
MPD techniques can be used in some workover and completion operations, such as the lower completion replacement. The presentation covers the first application of this kind of solution in a deep-water well. A new approach has been developed, in which adapted MPD techniques are used to cope with the fluid losses and avoid loss control operations and its associated impacts while maintaining a safe operation. This new solution has set an alternative workover philosophy for some Brazilian pre-salt wells and opened new opportunities worldwide by the application of this innovative solution.

The Integration of Managed Pressure Drilling and Automated Well Control Technology: Bryan Atchison, Managing Director, Safe Influx (SPE 206385)
Digitalisation and automation have been deployed in the oil and gas industry and can account for massive efficiencies in wells operations. Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) and Automated Well Control are examples of technologies which have been successfully implemented and can mitigate risks and costs associated with drilling in challenging environments. A combination of both systems has been developed to deliver both pressure control and well control in an efficient and less error prone manner. This presentation will describe the integration of MPD and Automated Well Control and how it works.

Triple MPD Technique for Drilling and Intelligent Completion Deployment on an Abandoned Deepwater Well: André Alonso Fernandes, MPD technical authority group coordinator, Eduardo Schnitzler, Marcos Vinicius Barreto, Roger Savoldi Roman, Willian Medina Ascaneo, Leandro Grabarski, Fabio Fabri, Petrobras
After temporally abandoning a deep-water well at Santos basin due to inability to safely and successfully proceed operations, 3 different MPD techniques (SBP, PMCD and FMCD) were utilized, upon well reentry intervention in order to reach target depth and deploy lower completion. An integrated approach and proactive changes to design of existing solutions led to the successful installation of intelligent completion, in a total loss scenario, within budget and with no reservoir damage.

09.00 CST Adjourn

06.00 CST Welcome & Introduction

• Roger Van Noort, Chair, IADC UBO/MPD Committee; Deepwater MPD Implementation Team Lead, Shell

06.05 CST IADC UBO/MPD Committee Update

• Roger Van Noort, Chair, IADC UBO/MPD Committee; Deepwater MPD Implementation Team Lead,  Shell
• Martyn Parker, Vice Chair, IADC UBO/MPD Committee; VP MPD Services, Pruitt

06.15 CST Technology Advancements
Session Chair: Leiro Medina, Vice President Technology, Beyond Energy Services

Integrating an MPD System on a Jack-Up Rig; Why You Should and How You Can: Jason Polkinghorne, MPD Specialist, Michael Cadd, Robert Graham, Shell U.K. Ltd, Emil Stoian, Weatherford, Richard Sandell, Blade Energy Partners, Jason Nugent, Valaris (SPE 206395)
The benefits of Managed Pressure Drilling are well understood in the drilling industry but until now, had never been integrated into a Jack-Up rig. For a UK North Sea HPHT campaign, the MPD Service Provider, Drilling Contractor and Operator collaborated to develop the World’s first fully integrated, permanently installed MPD system for a Jack-Up, capable of drilling the most challenging narrow-margin HPHT wells.
Overcoming the perceived complexity and cost of MPD are common obstacles. Integrating MPD systems into jack-up rigs addresses both challenges by simplifying logistics planning and operations and reducing costs. Putting MPD at the heart of the rig’s drilling system offers a wealth of advantages to Operator and Drilling Contractor and provides “MPD on demand” for all operations undertaken from the rig.

Analysis of Riser Gas Pressure from Full-scale Kick Experiments with Instrumentation: Mahendra Kunju, Research Assistant, Dr. Mauricio Almeida, Louisiana State University (SPE 206389)
As the use of adaptive drilling process like MPD facilitates drilling of otherwise non-drillable wells with faster corrective action, the drilling industry should review some of the misconceptions to produce more efficient well control methods. This paper discusses results from full-scale experiments recently conducted in an extensively instrumented test well at LSU and demonstrate that common expectations regarding the potential for high/damaging internal riser pressures resulting from upward transport or aggregation of riser gas are unfounded, particularly when compressibility of riser and its contents are considered. This research also demonstrates the minimal fluid bleed volumes required to reduce pressure build-up consequences of free gas migration in a fully closed riser.

Systematic Build-Up Pressure Analysis Advances Accurate Fingerprinting of Formation Breathing in Gas Wells: Maria Retuta, MPD Specialist, Beyond Energy (SPE 206397)
An overview of an innovative MPD technique in fingerprinting wellbore breathing characteristics in gas wells is provided. Supporting evidence of its effectiveness in Alberta’s Deep Basin is discussed through various case studies presenting consistent results across multiple wells and multiple operators.

07.15 CST Training
Session Chair: Leiro Medina, Vice President Technology, Beyond Energy Services

Utilizing MPD for Drilling the Utica/ Point Pleasant Fractured Formation with PMCD Contingency: Gildas Guefack, MPD Technical Advisor, Sagar Nauduri, Pruitt
In the past, drilling the Utica/Point Pleasant formation in the Appalachian Basin, utilizing conventional and unconventional drilling techniques, had proven to be very challenging for most operators. The traversing fractures and fault zones in the formation present a wide variation in pressures making it challenging to drill. With proper and established Constant Bottomhole Pressure (CBHP) MPD plans with a Pressurized Mudcap Drilling (PMCD) contingency in place, the MPD team successfully helped drill the fastest dry gas well for this operator with the least Non-Productive Time (NPT) in Pennsylvania.

07.35 CST Break

07.45 CST Case Studies
Session Chair: Isabel Potzky, MPD Operations Manager, Pruitt

Collaborative Engineering and Design Leads to Optimized MPD Land Rig Concept: Svein Hovland, Chief MPD Software Development Engineer, Rick Gonzalez, Ian Knight, Harshad Patil, Frontier International Gregory Matherne, Precision Drilling (SPE 206393)
A description is given of how collaboration between a technology provider and a drilling contractor led to an optimized MPD concept for land rigs. The system was designed for fast rig moves and walking within pads with minimum disruption to other processes. The MPD control system has capabilities to scale to multiple equipment configurations and interfaces through an open communication protocol. This adaptive control system requires no field calibration or specialist knowledge, allowing sustained operations with a minimum crew size. Ongoing work will be presented that includes fully integrating MPD into the rig’s automation platform, to maximize efficiency of MPD services.

Bridging the Gap: A Case Study into Highly Depleted Reservoir Entry in a Mature HPHT Field: Susannah Stott, Life Cycle Well Engineer, Robert Graham, Michael Cadd, Shell (SPE 206398)
This case study shows how two highly depleted reservoirs – previously considered un-drillable – were entered using a combination of technologies and a novel strategy. Both wells used a drill-in liner, MPD and designer mud as the backbone of the strategy. However, different subsurface realisations resulted in different outcomes for each well.

08.25 CST Gooseneck Connection Technology
Session Chair: Isabel Potzky, MPD Operations Manager, Pruitt

An Overview of a Recently Deployed Assisted Gooseneck Connection System for Deepwater MPD Specialty Joints: Brian Piccolo, Technical Sales Director, AFGlobal
This presentation covers an assisted gooseneck connection system which was operated in 2020 in US GOM and will be operated in both US GOM and Brazil in 2021. This system has demonstrated the capability in the field to significantly improve the speed of deployment operations which are on critical path and improve moonpool safety by reducing exposure time and simplifying the connection operation. The presentation will cover the design and operation of the assisted gooseneck connection system in detail and discuss the evolution of gooseneck connection technology from Gen 1 to Gen 2 to the current assisted gooseneck connection system.

08.45 CST Adjournment

• Roger Van Noort, Chair, IADC UBO/MPD Committee; Deepwater MPD Implementation Team Lead, Shell

Alternate Presentations:

These presentations will be recorded and made available on demand for 60 days, exclusively for conference participants.

First of its Kind Virtual Drill HPHT/MPD Well in Simulator: Tom Milburn, Head of Commercial, Maersk Training, Essam Sammat, Nadzirah Mahamud, Weatherford
A breakdown is given of how the training programme was designed and delivered and some of the outcomes achieved. (SPE 206384)

Challenges and Opportunities Related to Use of Models in Drilling Operations: Maria Ottermo, Researcher, SINTEF, Knut Steinar Bjørkevoll, SINTEF Industry, Tor Onshus, NTNU, Cybernetics and Robotics (SPE 206391)
Automation of managed pressure drilling has a big potential for improving consistency, efficiency, and safety of operations, and is therefore pursued by many actors. While this development mitigates many risk elements, it also adds some related to for example mathematical algorithms and remote access. This work is based on document reviews, interviews and working sessions with the industry and adds insight on how risks associated with moving to higher levels of automation of managed pressure drilling can be mitigated to a level were risk-related benefits are significantly larger than the sum of added risks.

Real-Time Multi-Event Anomaly Detection Using Isolation Forest and A Deep Neural Network for Enhanced MPD Robustness: Qifan Gu, Graduate Research Assistant, University of Texas at Austin (SPE 206399)
A novel event detection and classification system for MPD applications will be presented. The system employs a machine-learning-based anomaly detection method and a residual neural network, trained using a large dataset consisting of simulated data for six types of drilling events. Compared to existing methods, our system shows lower missed alarm rate, lower false alarm rate, earlier alarming, significantly improved classification capability and the ability for further extension to more drilling events. The proposed EDS method will greatly facilitate the implementation of more automated and robust MPD systems to ensure drilling with enhanced safety and efficiency.