Drilling Fluid Management Plans

In today's industry, most asset owners require detailed Drilling Fluid Management Plans as a design requisite to ensure project success and environmental compliance. With a Certificate IV in Drilling Operations and advanced training from the world-renowned Halliburton Drilling Fluids School in Houston, Texas, I bring extensive expertise in drilling fluid management and recycling operations. Our in-depth understanding of drilling fluid dynamics is crucial for optimizing system efficiency and ensuring successful project outcomes.

Experience and Expertise

Throughout my 13-year career, We have managed numerous projects involving complex utilities and challenging geologies. Our experience includes creating detailed Drilling Fluid Management Plans that account for permeation, rate of penetration, bottoms up time, and waste removal analysis. These plans are designed to enhance drilling performance and streamline operations, resulting in increased productivity and reduced rework.

Key Components of Drilling Fluid Management Plans

• Drilling Fluid Design and Calculation Assumptions: Our plans use industry-standard calculations and allowances for accurate volume estimations, ensuring that drilling fluids are tailored to specific project requirements. This includes considering geology, hole size, formation, and mud-cleaning system efficiency.

• Rate of Penetration (ROP): The drilling contractor provides this based on geology reports to correlate production and tooling calculation.

• Bottoms Up Time: Calculating the duration for drilling fluid to travel from the bottom of the borehole to the surface is essential for evaluating the efficiency of the circulation system and ensuring safe and effective drilling operations.

• System Efficiency: Our plans focus on maximising system efficiency through careful management of drilling fluid properties, including viscosity, mud weight, and gel strength. This ensures optimal cutting transport and borehole stability.

• Waste Removal Analysis: Effective waste removal is critical for maintaining system efficiency and environmental compliance. My plans include comprehensive waste removal strategies that ensure all drilling byproducts are managed and disposed of appropriately.

• 100% Circulation and Partial and Total Loss Calculations.

Technical References

Our approach is supported by industry-lead technical references, ensuring that all aspects of drilling fluid management are grounded in proven methodologies and best practices:

• Bennett and Wallin, 2008. Step-By-Step Evaluation of Hydrofracture Risks for HDD Projects, Proceedings of 2008 No-Dig Conference, Dallas, Texas, April 27-May 2, 2008

• Luger, H.J., and Hergarden, A.M., 1988. Directional Drilling in Soft Soil: Influence of Mud Pressures, International Society of Trenchless Technology, No-Dig Conference 1988.

• Gilles Gabolde, and Jean-Paul Nguyen 2006 Drilling Data Handbook Eighth Edition

• David Bennett, Ph.D. P.E., Samuel T. Ariaratnam, Ph.D., P.E., P.Eng. NASTT’s Horizontal Directional Drilling (HDD) Good Practices Guidelines – 4th Edition, 2017

• Australasian Society for Trenchless Technology Standard for Horizontal Directional Drilling 2015

Custom-Built Design Suite

This is a custom built-in-house design suite that can be tailored to individual businesses for tender or design submissions, providing a distinct advantage. Fluid design programs are becoming a more common requirement through asset owner specifications. This program also identifies construction length calculations, tooling hours to determine tooling requirements, mud usage calculations and sullage cost estimates.

By combining our experience, and a proactive approach to drilling fluid management, we ensure that each project achieves its goals efficiently and profitably. Our comprehensive Drilling Fluid Management Plans are designed to address every aspect of the drilling fluid process, from initial design to final execution, providing a roadmap for success.