WorldWide Drilling Resource

35 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JUNE 2014 Drilling: The New Frontier Adapted from Information Provided by UT PGE Dri l l rigs plunge into water with depths greater than 10,000 feet, and wells exceed 35,000 feet deep. Down here, robots roam and humans do not exist. This scenario may sound like the introduction to a futuristic science fic- tion movie, but it is actually the new frontier of drilling as humans explore unknown territory in search of hydro- carbon resources to sustain society’s growing energy needs. Dr. Eric van Oort, a professor at UT PGE (University of Texas Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering) is debuting three new labs which will address cur- rent drilling issues and provide sound solutions on improving drilling safety and efficiency, while also addressing com- plex new drilling challenges faced by the industry. “We want to build the best drilling and completions-related program in the world...our students and faculty will have access to state-of-the-art equip- ment and facilities that support world- class teaching and research, as well as development of new technologies. Very few institutions in the world can claim the capabilities that these labs at UT will have,” said van Oort. Each of the three labs will focus on specific research and teaching topics such as: Zonal isolation improvement - Zonal isolation improvement is a control method which ensures oil and gas do not migrate up the annular spaces of a well once a reservoir has been drilled. Insuring proper zonal isolation is one of the key issues in today’s extreme off- shore environments, as well as onshore shale well construction. Research dis- coveries of this lab in the future could improve deepwater drilling methods, as well as make hydraulic fracturing more efficient. Real-time operations - This lab’s goal is to collect real-time data from participating drilling operations around the world to improve sensor fai lure analysis and complex data pattern analysis, and develop automation con- trol algorithms, etc. Drilling automation and efficien- cy - Students in this lab will use scaled- down drilling equipment in an attempt to automate the drilling process. Drilling dynamics and efficiencies will also be studied. The lab will help advance pro- totyping and research and development before wells are drilled. “There is a major need to create new systems and solutions as the outdated technology will not meet today’s, or future needs,” said van Oort. “Modernization of these programs is crucial for training the next generation of drilling and com- pletions engineers, especially because the bulk of petroleum engineers are approaching retirement.” The labs wi l l be a vital part of a first-class drilling program, having an interactive teaching aspect and an up- dated curriculum for undergraduates and graduates, emphasizing the mod- ern fundamentals key to success in the industry. Win a prize! Send your completed puzzle to: WWDR PO Box 660 Bonifay, FL 32425 or fax to: 850-547-0329 Congratulations to: ??? Winner for May! Time for a Little Fun! May Puzzle Solution: COMPUTER EMPLOYEE GUIDANCE INSTRUCT LEARNING NOTEBOOK TRAINING WEBINARS Unscramble these 4 WWDR advertisers. K A I T H S S M U P P _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ M E E R P I R C I L I A S _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ S U G C H E P _ _ _ _ _ _ _ E H N J E C T _ _ _ _ _ _ _