Managed Pressure Drilling: What Is It Anyway?

ABSTRACT

Of the many papers written on the subject of Managed Pressure Drilling, a few talk about what Managed Pressure Drilling is. Many are heavily weighted describing the benefits of specific forms of equipment or techniques. To our knowledge, no paper written before this one has yet described the direct economic benefits of utilizing Managed Pressure Drilling technologies in comparison to a conventionally drilled well. This paper describes the impressive savings in rig time and mud costs at a time when a great many AFE’s do not accurately reflect actual drilling costs.

Although today, Managed Pressure Drilling is probably best described as an emerging technology; it can safely be assumed that in addition to the decrease in mud costs (from little lost circulation) and rig costs (from reduction in trouble and non-productive time) the anxiety and the frustration level of the drilling personnel are likely diminished as well.

Malloy K.P., “Managed Pressure Drilling – What Is It Anyway?” World Oil, March 2007.