Drilling fluids play a crucial role in drilling activity in shale fields, cooling and lubricating drillbits, carrying drill cuttings to the surface, controlling pressure at the bottom of the well, and ensuring that the formation retains   the properties defined for that well.The effectiveness of such fluids is highly dependent on solids control and the ability to separate the fluid from the cuttings/low-gravity solids so that clean fluid is recycled and circulated back into the system. If there are too many solids in the mud, ROP, torque and drag, wear, are all affected as well as potential lost circulation and production.The more capable the drilling rigs and the better the solids control technologies, the greater the drilling efficiencies and levels of potential production.

Course Objective

This course provides drilling management team members with the analytical tools needed to quantify the performance and the cost of solids control operations.  More importantly, the course explains the linkage between solids control, drilling fluids, and fluid related drilling waste.  A comprehensive approach is taught so that those attending will understand how changing solids control practices will affect drilling fluids cost and waste disposal costs.  The course aims to cut through the clutter of metrics used to report solids control performance enabling solids control best practices to be identified so that drilling costs are lowered without compromising drilling performance.

This course will provide some hands on testing so long pants and close toe shoes are needed for proper lab attire.