Basic Geology and Petrophysics.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Define the science of geology, petrophysic and production geology.
- Explain the build up of the earth.
- Name the three main groups of rocks in the earth crust.
- Explain plate tectonics.
- Define terms porosity and permeability.
- Explain and sketch folds and faults. Describe how migration can occur and oil and gas can be trapped.
- Sketch and describe structural traps and stratigraphic traps.
- Describe the various exploration methods.
- State steps and successive stages in an exploration program.
- Give and describe the well logging methods and the tools used to measure the formation parameters.
- Describe how the results of logging are worked out and explain the task of the reservoir engineer.
Drilling Sites and Drilling Rigs:
After this course the student should be able to:
- Name the major components of a drilling rig
- Describe the lay-out of an onshore drilling site
- State the considerations which influence the choice of a rig
- Name the various types of derricks and masts.
- Explain where the load ratings of a derrick or mast on site can be found
- Name the forces acting upon a derrick or mast.
- Calculate the static and dynamic load of derricks and masts.
- Give possible defects of a derrick or mast.
- Inspect a rig using a rig-inspection report.
Prime Movers, Transmissions, Rotary and Hoisting Equipment, Wire Ropes.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Give the criteria which apply when selecting power systems
- Describe what direct mechanical drive is.
- Give the advantages and disadvantages of electrical diesel drive compared to direct mechanical drive.
- Give a list of rules and regulations which a driller must follow to prevent accidents and breakdowns.
- Describe the basic operation of clutches and where they are used.
- Describe the basic operation and properties of torque converters, and give their advantages.
- Describe the electric drive system for both electric drive and the SCR system
- Explain why rig power is required.
- Calculate the rig power required by hoisting equipment, rotary mud pumps and DC motors
- Describe the composition and use of the rotary table
- Describe the use of a top-drive system
- List the main parts of hoisting equipment.
- Describe and explain the drawworks.
- Explain why drawworks have grooved drums.
- Describe different types of brakes used in drawworks
- Draw a diagram and explain the speed/torque characteristics of drawwork brakes.
- Describe and list the components of the blocks and how they are inspected.
- Describe the composition of the hook
- Name the various types of elevators and their application.
- Describe composition and how of slip-type elevators/spiders and how to inspect them.
- Describe construction and physical properties of wire rope.
- Name several kinds of wire rope terminations and give their strength in relation to breaking strength.
- Calculate the capacity of a drum or reel.
- Describe the reeving of a new block line.
- Calculate the work done during drilling, round trips, coring and casing.
- Explain the aim of the slip and cut program.
- Name the principal causes of wireline problems
- Make complete block line calculations.
Mud, Mud Pumps and Mud Systems.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Describe the function of mud and state the field tests carried out on drilling fluids.
- Calculate hydrostatic pressure, draw pressure gradients, calculate buoyancy.
- Give factors influencing the flow properties of the mud.
- Explain: viscosity, shear rate, shear stress, Newtonian and non-Newtonian fluids, plastic viscosity, yield point and gel strength.
- State and explain the factors influencing the carrying capacity of mud.
- Explain fluid loss and how to control it.
- Describe the filtration test.
- Describe where oil-based fluids are used and state the advantages/disadvantages.
- Explain where salt-saturated fluids are used.
- State types of fluids used in workover and well completions.
- Name the mechanical and formation factors that influence the choice of brine.
- Explain the causes of lost circulation, how to restore circulation and state the main types of lost circulation materials.
- Describe the working of single- and double- acting pumps. Explain why and where pulsation dampeners are used.
- Calculate pump capacity, required power, volumetric efficiency.
- Give reasons why pistons and liners have to be changed.
- Explain the function of a relief valve.
- Give applications of centrifugal pumps on the rig site.
- Explain cavitations, calculate required input power
- Describe the correct use of hopper and bulk storage tank.
- Explain the working of the mud cleaning system.
- Explain the basic working of a degasser and give possible causes of malfunction.
Rig Instrumentation.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Explain the importance of drilling instrumentation.
- Name the most important instruments on the rig.
- Explain the function and working of the weight indicator and rotary torque instruments.
- Explain how RPM's and SPM can be counted.
- Give some causes of standpipe pressure variations.
- Explain how to mount remote pressure gauges correctly.
- Explain how drilling parameters are recorded.
- Explain and describe flow line recorder, pit volume totalizer.
- Explain the dangers of H2S and MAC value and explosion limits.
- Describe the function of the mud gas detector
Basic Drilling Engineering Courses
Drill String Design.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Define the terms stress, strain, yield point, yield strength and yield stress.
- List the forces exerted on a drill string
- State causes of fatigue and corrosion.
- List the tests and inspections carried out on drill pipe, drill collars and drill string accessories.
- List and explain the characteristics of drill pipe and tool joints.
- Calculate the maximum height of tool joints above the slips to prevent bending during tonging.
- Determine the allowable torque and pull on API drill pipe.
- Calculate length and number of drill collars needed for a particular WOB.
- Describe the function and application of casing protectors, stabilizers, crossover subs, float sub and HWDP.
- List five items important for preventing drill string failures.
- Explain the working of a mud motor and a turbine, their application and correct use.
Drill Bits.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Describe the composition of roller cone bits, PDC bits and diamond bits.
- Determine the correct bit choice via a bit classification system.
- List the design considerations for the different bit types.
- Determine the terms crushing, scraping and gouging and in what formation these cutting actions take place.
- Describe the various types of nozzles used in bits
- Name the factors that influence bit performance.
- Describe the drilling parameters (WOB, RPM, flow rate) and their relation to each other.
- Describe why and how a drill off test is carried out.
- Describe and carry out a rock bit evaluation.
- Give the causes of wear and possible remedies.
- Explain when coring is used.
- Describe the composition and correct use of a conventional core barrel.
Drilling Hydraulics.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Give the objectives of a drilling hydraulics program.
- List the parameters that should be considered when designing a hydraulic program.
- Calculate volume output and hydraulic power supplied by the mud pump under given conditions and given pump specifications.
- Give the equations for pressure drop at the bit, jet velocity and annular velocity.
- Give the effects of changes in the fluid velocity, density and pipe length on pressure losses.
- Determine the values of c and N in the equation P = c.QN in a given situation.
Casing Practices.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Specify why casing has to run in wells.
- Specify the main types of casing strings and their specific functions.
- Describe the various casing connections and specify their operational characteristics.
- Specify the function of float shoes and float collars.
- Specify why casing centralizers are used and how they are installed.
- Specify when collar-type and when slip-type elevators are used.
- Specify why a circulating head is used.
- Specify the importance of proper storage of casing material in offshore operations.
- Make the relevant check calculations for a given derrick and casing run to be run.
- Specify what should be done on receipt of casing materials and tools at the rig.
- Specify and describe what should be done to prepare a rig for a casing job.
- Describe why a wiper trip has to be made before the casing is run.
- Describe the proper casing running procedure.
Cementing Practices.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Specify why a casing has to be cemented.
- List the various techniques of primary cementation.
- Explain hydraulic bond and shear bond of the cement and how bonding is improved.
- List reasons for a secondary cementation.
- Specify and explain the use of light-weight cement slurry.
- State why the quality of mix water should be checked.
- Specify the function of spacers, wiper plugs and how they are used.
- Specify different slurry mixing systems and compare their advantages and disadvantages.
- Describe single-stage and two-stage cementing. List the sequence for two-stage cementing.
- List the operating sequence for liner cementation and specify the additional equipment.
- Describe the cement pressure test.
- Specify how top of cement column can be estimated.
- Make the calculations for preparing:
- A single stage primary cementation
- A two stage primary cementation
- A stinger surface casing cementation.
- A liner cementation.
- A balance plug-back cementation
Well Control and Well Control Equipment.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Define the terms kick, blow-out, primary control, secondary control.
- Sketch and explain a PZ diagram with hydrostatic and overburden gradient.
- Describe how the overburden or bulk gradient can be calculated.
- Define the terms: normal-, over- and under-pressured formations.
- State and explain the mechanism causing abnormal formation fluid pressures.
- Be familiar with the stresses acting on a borehole.
- Define the upper and lower limit of primary control.
- Explain how the correct mud weight can be determined in an unknown area.
- State how over-pressure predictions are obtained.
- Explain how during drilling and tripping influx entering the well bore can be noticed.
- State the close-in procedure of a well while drilling and while pulling.
- State the importance of practice drills carried out on the rig.
- Calculate the new mud gradient after a well is closed in.
- Explain the four phases in well control and sketch these phases in a standpipe pressure graph and in a choke pressure graph.
- Make the calculations necessary for killing a well.
- Define the function of well control equipment.
- Sketch a diagram of the well killing system and describe the functions of the equipment involved.
- Describe the working of the choke.
- Describe annular preventers and the precautions to increase life of rubbers.
- State the requirements for a hydraulic system or accumulator unit.
- Explain why the pre-charge of the accumulator is so important.
- List the additional well equipment required during tripping.
- Give the test procedure for all well control equipment.
Fishing Operations.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Specify causes of fishing jobs.
- List considerations prior to fishing jobs.
- Describe junk-retrieval tools.
- Explain how a bit twist-off can be prevented.
- Explain how drill-pipe and drill-collar twist-off can be prevented.
- Summarize the warning signs for differential sticking and key-seating.
- Describe how to estimate the length of free pipe by using a stretch test.
- Describe the procedure for backing-off a stuck pipe.
- Describe the operation of an internal pipe cutter and internal fishing tools.
- List the limitations of internal fishing tools.
- Describe the composition and operation of an overshot.
- Explain when wash-over tools are used.
- Explain the mechanism of jars, accelerator and surface jar.
- List precautions when jarring.
Directional Drilling.
After this course the student should be able to:
- State reasons for directional drilling.
- Draw a well plot of a deviated well and name design factors.
- Define Magnetic North, True North, Grid North, declination, convergence.
- Give definitions of commonly used terms in directional drilling.
- Describe tools used to kick-off.
- Explain how down hole motors are oriented.
- Compose a building assembly, dropping- and holding assembly.
- Describe the working principle and use of magnetic surveying instruments.
- Explain the importance of non magnetic drill collars.
- Describe the working principle and use of gyroscopic survey instruments.
- Explain tool setting for inclination change only, azimuth change only and both.
- Describe the use of orientation and deflection tools.
Offshore Operations.
After this course the student should be able to:
- Name the environmental elements that influence offshore drilling.
- Explain the general lay-out of and drilling practices on fixed platforms.
- Show how to calculate the setting depth of a marine conductor.
- List precautions usually taken in respect of tender stability.
- Give the correct expressions for vessel movements.
- Give the advantages and disadvantages of jack-up platforms.
- Explain what a free standing well with surface BOP is and how it is drilled.
- Explain what a mud line suspension system with BOP at surface is.
- Describe the composing parts and tools used in a mud line suspension system.
- Explain the terms used in floater's stability and rig motions.
- Explain how floaters are kept on location.
- Name and describe the equipment required to compensate for the rig movements.
- Give a brief outline of a sub sea well head with BOP's on sea bed.
- List special equipment for sub sea well control.
- Describe the operation of a fail safe valve.
- Name the main components of a sub sea BOP control system.
- State the function of a marine riser and describe the different parts.
- Give a summary of the drilling sequence for a well with BOP's at sea bed.
- Describe the seating and the sealing of a casing string in a sub sea well head.
- Describe testing a stack before it is lowered to the sea bed.
- Describe the test after landing the BOP stack including the marine riser with choke and kill line.
- Give a brief description of what has to be done when abandoning a well.