Deepwater Familiarization

Introduction to Deepwater

• Introduction, Challenges of Deepwater: an introduction to the deepwater setting, and the main challenges associated with wells drilled in deepwater.

• History: the background to the progressive move into deeper water, with discussion of rig generations and capabilities.

• Geology, Overburden, Pore & Fracture Pressure, Geomechanics: the geological setting, and how the deepwater environment affects key drilling risks, including PPFG and geomechanics.

Deepwater Metocean Environment and Rig Selection

• Metocean & Seafloor: the meteorological and oceanographic environment and how this affects the design and operation of MODUs, platforms, workboats, and aircraft supporting deepwater wells.

• Station Keeping: Mooring and dynamic positioning systems and their pros and cons.

• Rig Selection: taking into account the operating environment, market, generation, hull type, and station-keeping requirements, as well as crew competence and management systems.

Well operations in deepwater,

• Open Water Operations: operations conducted prior to setting BOPs

• Shallow Hazards: the hazards faced prior to having well shut-in capability

• Conductors: design and operational concerns in setting conductors

• Wellhead Systems: design and operational aspects of subsea wellheads

• Cementing: concerns associated with cementing in deepwater

Rig Equipment, Well Control, and Additional Considerations

• BOP Systems & Drilling Riser: BOP selection and operations in deepwater

• Drilling Equipment: specific challenges associated with deepwater wells and how equipment has been developed to meet these

• Well control fundamentals: key aspects of well control in deepwater

• Drilling Fluids: concerns associated with drilling fluids in deepwater

• Additional deepwater considerations: salt, well design issues, awareness of new technology, and operations management in deepwater