PTS conducts IWCF and IADC drilling and well intervention certification courses
INTRODUCTION TO WELL ENGINEERING
Ever since the first production in the 4th century AD, of brine and gas through bamboo-drilled wells in China, ultimately resulting in the first commercial oil wells in Canada and USA in the 19th century, people have been fascinated by the drilling industry. To be able to drill a hole in the ground, through known and unknown geology and all of this within a hostile environment of high pressures and temperatures, speaks to the imagination of many. To drill oil and gas wells successfully, the rigs we drill with have to be equipped with ‘state-of-the-art’ technology. The planning and execution phase has to be of a high standard too, not in the least to meet today’s stringent regulatory health, safety and environmental standards.
This course aims to familiarize attendees to the unique world in which we drill and complete a well. As a result, at the end of the course attendees will have a better understanding of all phases of drilling and well intervention operations and should be able to put this understanding to good use in their daily work activities.
The Course Contents: -
The course ‘homes in’ on all key elements of Well Engineering, from the first geological indications that we ‘may’ find potential hydrocarbons, along the journey of drilling into the unknown, and topping it up with activities such as Completions and Well Intervention. In summary, the course includes: -
Exploration Phase and Basic Geology
Rig Units, onshore and offshore
HSE Considerations
Power Systems [Rotating, Hoisting and Pumping]
Drill String and Drill Bits
Drilling Fluids
Instrumentation and Data Acquisition
Casing, Tubing and Cementing Operations
Wellheads, Barriers and Well Control
Directional Drilling and Surveying
Drilling Problems and Resolve
Completion Design and Installation
Well Intervention Activities [Wireline, Coiled Tubing, Snubbing]
Workover and Well Integrity
Stimulation and Well Testing
Interactive Quizzes
The course is meant for staff, in- and outside the Well Engineering discipline, who are interested to enhance their knowledge of the drilling and completion/well intervention process. This may result in a better interface with disciplines they need to interact with in meetings or it may make them a more productive team member in a project. Support staff in particular, such as those in HR, Contract & Procurement, HSE, Finance, etc., would be our primary target and would also benefit most. Apart from the learning aspect, the course is also meant to be fun and highly interactive.
Main learnings: -
Appreciate how geological events over the time span of millions of years provide the drilling industry with opportunities to extract hydrocarbons
Understand the Health, Safety and Environmental aspects that apply to the drilling [and production] industry
Understand drilling terminology and commonly used drilling jargon
Recognize the various rig types and units used in the drilling industry
Understand the functionality of equipment and processes required to drill and complete a well, both onshore or offshore
Appreciate drilling and completion operational and geological challenges and how these are planned for and then managed effectively
Understand and appreciate the critical function of drilling and completion fluids and how properties of these are controlled
Understand the reasons why and methods applied to run casing and perform cementing operations
Understand the reasons why and methods applied to run wellheads and Xmas Trees, permitting well integrity during drilling and production phases
Understand primary and secondary barriers and the well control equipment and well control methods applied
Understand how a drilled well is completed to ‘get ready’ for various types of production methods
Recognize the various well intervention units that permit the drilled and completed well to be repaired and maintained ensuring life cycle integrity
Understand how wells may have to be stimulated, such as with acid or proppant fracking, enabling these wells to produce at commercial rates
Appreciating why crew training and optimal communication will greatly assist in achieving drilling and production objectives
Delivery: -
The course is delivered as a: -
2-day event, classroom or virtual, using presentation slides, multi-media, reference material, well control simulator and quizzes to ensure the session is enjoyable and that knowledge is retained and/or further enhanced.
