Overview
Covers all major aspects of high-pressure, high-temperature (HPHT) well construction: the theory, technicalities, risks and challenges, with case studies of successful projects and past mistakes. Special emphasis is placed on geopressure detection and analysis.
Beyond technical knowledge, the course addresses communication, team building and safety leadership, so attendees understand the challenges ahead and the mitigations needed to minimise the probability of failure.
Course agenda
Day 1
- Defining the HPHT environment
- Geological and geophysical aspects of abnormal pressures
- Previous challenges in HPHT wells
- HPHT vs normal well operations
- Domino theory
Day 2
- Operational front-end planning
- HPHT drilling practices and equipment
- Mitigating challenges from earlier HPHT wells
- Losses and gains: supercharging, frac fills, ballooning
- HPHT well control: on bottom, stripping, out of hole
Day 3
- Water vs oil based muds
- Gas solubility in oil based mud
- Fingerprinting the well
- Alternative drilling fluids
- Pit discipline
Day 4
- Building a visible safety culture
- Managed pressure drilling in HPHT
- Case history: lessons from Macondo
- Casing design considerations in HPHT wells
Day 5
- New technology for formation evaluation
- Cementing practices
- HPHT testing practices
- Course review