Drilling Principles & Calculations Training Course

1. Introduction to Drilling Operations

1.1 Drilling Fundamentals

• Role of drilling engineering in field development including (exploration to production approach, well lifecycle)

• Drilling system components including (rig systems, downhole tools, surface equipment)

• Drilling engineering workflow including (planning, execution, evaluation)

• Key performance indicators including (ROP, drilling efficiency, NPT)

• Introduction to API RP 13B and IADC guidelines for drilling operations

1.2 Well Planning Concepts

• Well design objectives including (target identification, trajectory planning)

• Technical limit analysis including (benchmark performance, optimization opportunities)

• Risk assessment methodologies including (risk matrices, mitigation strategies)

• Economic considerations including (AFE preparation, cost estimation)

• Geological considerations including (formation properties, potential hazards)

2. Drilling Mathematics & Units Conversion

2.1 Essential Mathematics for Drilling

• Units of measurement including (imperial, metric, oilfield-specific units)

• Conversion factors including (pressure, volume, density conversions)

• Dimensional analysis including (unit consistency, equation verification)

• Circular geometry including (area calculations, volume determinations)

• Basic statistics for drilling including (averages, trends, distributions)

2.2 Applied Calculations

• Volume calculations including (annular volumes, displacement volumes)

• Gradient calculations including (pressure gradients, temperature gradients)

• Rate calculations including (flow rates, penetration rates)

• Force and energy calculations including (torque, WOB, hydraulic horsepower)

• Time-based calculations including (circulating time, trip time estimation)

3. Well Planning & Trajectory Calculations

3.1 Directional Drilling Mathematics

• Inclination and azimuth calculations including (survey calculations, dogleg severity)

• Build and turn rate determinations including (toolface orientation, BHA capabilities)

• Vertical section and departure calculations including (2D and 3D projections)

• Tortuosity analysis including (micro-doglegs, wellbore smoothness)

• Anti-collision calculations including (separation factor, clearance assessment)

3.2 Wellpath Design

• Vertical well design including (deviation control, verticality tolerances)

• Build and hold trajectories including (kickoff point selection, inclination targets)

• S-shaped well profiles including (build, hold, drop sections)

• 3D well planning including (complex trajectories, multi-target wells)

• Extended reach drilling calculations including (step-out ratio, drag limitations)

4. Drilling Fluid Calculations

4.1 Mud Properties Calculations

• Mud weight calculations including (equivalent density, pressure conversions)

• Rheological property calculations including (viscosity, yield point, gel strength)

• Solids content analysis including (retort analysis, MBT calculations)

• Filtration characteristics including (filter cake thickness, filtrate volume)

• Chemical treatment calculations including (additives concentration, mixing ratios)

4.2 Hydraulic Calculations

• Flow rate optimization including (ECD management, hole cleaning requirements)

• Pressure loss calculations including (bit nozzles, drill string, annulus)

• Equivalent circulating density including (hydrostatic, frictional pressure components)

• Surge and swab calculations including (tripping speed limitations, pressure effects)

• Bit hydraulics optimization including (jet impact force, hydraulic horsepower)

5. Wellbore Stability Calculations

5.1 Pressure Management

• Pore pressure estimation including (D-exponent, sonic log methods)

• Fracture gradient prediction including (leak-off test interpretation, stress analysis)

• Safe mud weight window calculations including (minimum and maximum limitations)

• Wellbore strengthening calculations including (hoop stress enhancement, fracture plugging)

• Ballooning detection including (breathing well analysis, pressure response curves)

5.2 Wellbore Stability Modeling

• Mechanical earth modeling including (stress field determination, rock strength analysis)

• Failure mechanism predictions including (shear, tensile, collapse modes)

• Stability analysis for inclined wellbores including (stress transformation, critical angles)

• Time-dependent stability calculations including (shale hydration, swelling potential)

• Temperature effects including (thermal stress, circulation temperature profiles)

6. Casing & Cementing Calculations

6.1 Casing Design

• Load case analysis including (burst, collapse, tension scenarios)

• Design factor determination including (safety margins, critical sections)

• Running force calculations including (hook load, buoyancy factors)

• Buckling and compression limits including (critical buckling force, helical buckling)

• Connection selection including (torque ratings, pressure capacities)

6.2 Cementing Calculations

• Slurry volume calculations including (annular space, excess requirements)

• Displacement calculations including (plug location, contamination prevention)

• Thickening time predictions including (temperature effects, pressure effects)

• Hydrostatic pressure management including (U-tubing prevention, formation protection)

• Quality control calculations including (cement bond evaluation, top of cement estimation)

7. Drilling Optimization Calculations

7.1 Rate of Penetration Optimization

• Bit hydraulics optimization including (HSI calculations, nozzle selection)

• Weight on bit and rotary speed relationships including (founder point determination)

• Drill-off tests including (interpretation, parameter optimization)

• Specific energy calculations including (efficiency evaluation, formation drillability)

• Mechanical specific energy including (bit performance evaluation, formation transitions)

7.2 Drilling Economics

• Cost per foot calculations including (bit performance, penetration rate effects)

• Invisible lost time analysis including (connection time, flat time reduction)

• Performance benchmarking including (technical limit curves, performance ratios)

• Offset well comparisons including (normalized metrics, learning curve effects)

• Value of information calculations including (logging while drilling justification, coring decisions)

8. Drill String Design & Calculations

8.1 Drill String Mechanics

• Neutral point calculations including (tension/compression transition)

• Torque and drag modeling including (friction factors, wellbore geometry effects)

• Buckling analysis including (sinusoidal, helical buckling thresholds)

• Fatigue analysis including (stress cycles, connection life prediction)

• Vibration modeling including (critical rotary speeds, damping factors)

8.2 BHA Design

• Weight and buoyancy calculations including (effective weight, buoyancy factor)

• Stabilization analysis including (stabilizer placement, hole size effect)

• Directional tendency prediction including (point-the-bit, push-the-bit systems)

• Stiffness calculations including (moment of inertia, bending resistance)

• Motor performance calculations including (differential pressure, output torque)

9. Drilling Fluids Engineering

9.1 Advanced Mud Calculations

• Temperature effects including (viscosity changes, rheological models)

• Pressure effects including (compressibility, barite sag potential)

• Contamination modeling including (cement, formation fluid dilution)

• Solids control efficiency including (screen selection, separation performance)

• Lost circulation material calculations including (pill concentration, bridging theory)

9.2 Specialty Fluids

• Drill-in fluid design including (reservoir protection, formation damage control)

• Kill fluid calculations including (well control scenarios, density requirements)

• Completion fluid metrics including (density control, cleanliness criteria)

• Spacer design including (rheological hierarchy, interface management)

• Waste management calculations including (dilution rates, treatment requirements)

10. Well Control Calculations

• Kick detection calculations including (pit gain, flow check procedures)

• Well control methods including (driller's method, wait and weight calculations)

• Gas migration effects including (bubble expansion, surface pressure increase)

• Choke line friction including (pressure losses, equivalent circulating density)

• Kill sheet preparation including (pressure schedules, pump stroke counting)

11. HSE in Drilling Operations

• Risk assessment techniques including (risk matrices, control effectiveness)

• Environmental impact calculations including (waste volume, emissions estimation)

• Operational safety thresholds including (safe operating envelopes, trip margins)

• Regulatory compliance metrics including (reporting requirements, performance standards)

• Emergency response planning including (contingency scenarios, response time modeling)

12. Case Studies & Group Discussions

• Regional case studies from Middle East operations including (HPHT wells, extended reach wells)

• Drilling optimization successes including (significant performance improvements, NPT reduction)

• Problem-solving exercises including (stuck pipe scenarios, lost circulation management)

• Integrated drilling optimization including (balancing conflicting parameters, holistic approaches)

• The importance of proper training in successful drilling operations