Professional development of Drilling supervisors !

The number of competently trained, properly developed and experienced drilling personnel has
dropped dramatically over the last decade. Many operators are now simply short of competent
rig supervisors in a industry where technology has changed dramatically in that same time
period.
To be effective, the rig supervisor must be developed to a new knowledge and understanding of
drilling operations, optimisation techniques, operations/cost management, and new technology
to improve drilling performance, demand safe work practices, and protect the environment.
Executing drilling project objectives also requires a more systematic refinement of technical,
communications, understanding and awareness leadership, that only comes from a hands on,
practical, technical and competency based training program.
As history repeats itself and it ultimately will. When the magnitude and causation of operational
loss has once again been identified. (i.e. Which will no doubt surmise that 85% of loss is attributed to
job factors and peoples actions) The focus of loss control at the point of contact where all
operations are run from will once again exemplify how important the competency of the new
generation of supervisors will be.
If you do not generate a balanced organisational of experience, practicality, knowledge with
challenge graduates then developing drilling expertise will be very expensive due to the high
and costly price of re-learning mistakes that have already been made.
Today there are few quality drilling engineering degree or industry training programs that
specifically teach rig personnel the required technical and management skills to work offshore in
a progressive ever changing drilling and technological environment where the working culture,
behaviour and attitudes are totally distant to the onshore supportive (or sadly controlling)
environment.
There is a huge diversity in a job description, role and responsibility of a petroleum, reservoir,
and drilling engineer. So why has the industry not tailored training and development to meet
such specific drilling, engineering and supervisory requirement ? The success of this method
depends not only on the skills and learning capabilities of the trainee but also on the trainer's
time, motivation, knowledge, and ability to teach the skills necessary to direct drilling activities.

At best, such methods prepares new supervisors to handle future drilling situations similar to
those encountered during their on-the-job training. At worst, the trainees are left unprepared to
adapt their limited experience to unfamiliar situations. In reality, new supervisors are often
overwhelmed by the many details of their jobs. To minimise mistakes (operational loss), they
must focus on the basic aspects of their responsibilities.
The supervisor's main goal is to drill more usable footage for least cost per barrel with due
respect for safety and the environment.
Usable means the well can be evaluated, tested, and possibly completed with minimal formation
damage, maximum well control, and proven mechanical integrity.
Supervisors must plan, schedule, organise and co-ordinate drilling operations without forgetting
their primary responsibility: the integrity of the well bore.
To be effective, they must develop and use operational knowledge of the drilling project, apply
optimisation techniques to improve drilling performance, demand safe work practices, and
protect the environment 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Some managers feel there is nothing wrong with the way their company prepares and supports
its rig supervisors. Some companies have good development programs for rig supervisors;
others believe that abuse is a character builder.
Many drilling managers, however, can see the need for improvement in training programs.
With many companies reducing drilling programs and expanding international operations, the
possibility of a rig supervisor building an entire career in a specific geographical area is slim.
Such evolution requires a versatility of rig supervisors that previously was not required.

MANAGEMENT'S ROLE
The two main issues in preparing and supporting rig supervisors are getting them off to a good
start and continuing their development. Often, a drilling organisation welcomes a new body to its
ranks but then misses the opportunity to help him step out on the right foot. The company
sends him out on a low profile well "to sink or swim. " Lack of initial direction can leave the new
rig supervisor professionally isolated.
When is the last time a supervisor was sent to a meaningful seminar or school or given a verbal
pat on the back? Rig supervisors need positive reinforcement and continuing education.
Without the help of management, rig supervisors will not mature into the high-quality personnel
needed for tomorrow's diverse operational and technical requirements.
Such super drillers will include only those who can readily adapt to changing drilling operations,
routinely apply drilling optimisation techniques, demand safe work practices, and commit to
protecting the environment.
Company profits especially in todays environments can only be increased through efficient
drilling operations. The rig supervisor who plans and optimises drilling operations can increase
profits by decreasing the associated drilling costs. If he is allowed to do so.
Neglect in continually training and developing supervisors increases a company's risks from
their actions. Every manager should occasionally spend some time on a rig to appreciate fully
the potential operational and environmental liabilities of a drilling project.
Historically, developing supervisory experience has been expensive because of the mistakes
associated with in-experience. Huge sums of drilling and exploration funds have been
squandered over the past few decades because of these mistakes.

THE NEXT GENERATION

How should management support drilling supervisors?
The solution begins with balancing career development programs with necessary and
mandatory training and advanced schooling. Balanced career development is neither the
annual mandatory stuck pipe control school nor is it attending the same well control school five
times in 4 years. Balanced career development is not hiring course instructors from the yellow
pages because they are cheaper than recognised industry experts. Moreover, it is definitely not
scheduling a rig supervisor to a school only once every 10 years.
A supervisor should not work in the same field for 5 years nor be refused the opportunity to work
on challenging wells because he has less experience than others in the drilling group. Balanced
career development is different for each supervisor because of individual needs, strengths, and
weaknesses. A company must have plans for long-term career growth opportunities for any
serious program of preparing the next generation of supervisors.
These plans require a tremendous effort and are among the toughest chores for drilling
managers-probably why such a poor job has often been done in the past. In defence of drilling
managers, everyone in drilling knows that the rig schedule changes the minute it is published,
which makes it difficult to plan past the next crew change. The types of projects are generally
known, however. Rig supervisors who have experience with a particular geographic area or
certain well type should be rotated with the less experienced supervisors. The newer supervisor
receives valuable experience without leaving the company completely exposed.
For rig supervisors who have not received varied experience, those who have been supervising
rigs for 10 years can be thought of as having 1 year's experience 10 times. Cross-training
personnel on temporary assignments from different organisations within the company, such as a
field production job, will help the rig supervisors see how their efforts affect other disciplines.
The opportunities must be spread around, and good performance must be rewarded with perks,
such as a good temporary assignment or a practical schools.
Management should fairly evaluate the performance of rig personnel. Unfortunately, drilling
performance cannot be adequately judged from the office. Drilling managers must spend time in
the field to evaluate the rig supervisors and determine where they need further development.
The supervisor will then also know exactly what is expected of him. Assessment is also a
continuous process. Not a meeting once a year to complete ones staff report.

If a company asks its personnel to spend millions of dollars a year prudently, possess a broad
knowledge of drilling operations, understand and apply optimisation techniques to improve
drilling performance, coach safety to rig personnel, and protect the environment, all while
spending half the year or more away from their families, then the rig supervisors should also be
well paid.
"They ought to be glad they just have a job" is an attitude to eliminate from drilling managers'
thinking. Drilling managers must take care of their employees because a drilling organisation is
only as good as its rig supervisors.
In larger organisations in which rig supervisors are spread out geographically, at least one
person needs to be responsible for co-ordinating the development of all drilling professionals. A
co-ordinator can help ensure that the drilling professionals get varied experience and that the
company has the right people in the right place to optimise drilling expenditures.
Often, a rig supervisor's desires concerning location and type of work can fit nicely with the
company's objectives. Companies should consider these factors to avoid losing their
experienced supervisors. Co-ordinating is difficult without an individual analysing the "big
picture."

OPERATIONAL KNOWLEDGE
Operational knowledge helps the supervisor predict timing and the sequence of drilling
activities, develop contingency plans for interruptions or problems, control costs with logistical
planning, maintain working conditions within operational limitations, and effectively
communicate with others. Developing operational knowledge requires keeping good records
and a clear understanding of the well plan and objectives. Good records and procedures help
prevent accidents, preserve properties, and save money.
Operational knowledge includes the subjects of well geometry, well control, downhole and
surface equipment, location, logistics, and records (trip tank, kill sheet, drillstring record, contractor
equipment, rental equipment, service companies, and telephone numbers).

WELL CONTROL
Mandatory maintenance of well control is the supervisor's highest priority. The lack of wellcontrol standards and procedures unnecessarily endangers personnel, equipment, and the
environment. The supervisor must conduct operations to minimise the chance of a kick. If a kick
occurs, however, the kick must be managed to ensure that control is not lost during the kill.
Therefore, the supervisor must oversee the assembly and testing of well control equipment and
never permit short cuts which can be dangerous and costly to the Supervisor and the company.
E.g. a rig supervisor for one operating company delayed the blow-out preventer (BOP) test beyond the 7day period on his own initiative. The supervisor was charged with a criminal violation, and the company
received a $750,000 fine.
Documentation enhances a rig supervisor's well control knowledge. Sketches of BOP stack and
choke manifold schematics can save valuable time in well-control situations. For example,
knowing the spacing between rams helps to quickly verify whether the drill pipe tool joint lies
safely above or below a closing ram. Drawings can reveal inadequate equipment or plumbing
errors that might otherwise get overlooked.
Keeping a trip-tank record helps the supervisor monitor proper hole fill-up on trips to avoid a
potential kick. The record charts the actual and theoretical fill-up volumes and the cumulative
gain or loss. The proper reaction to gain or loss may vary from area to area; thus, a record of
previous trips is important.
Maintaining a partially filled-in kill sheet can save time when a kick occurs. A periodic update
keeps well-control prevention and response on the supervisor's mind. As a precaution against
calculation errors, both the rig supervisor and the contract driller need to complete and compare
kill sheets.

WELL GEOMETRY
A well bore schematic provides a visual representation of well construction and geometry. The
schematic serves as a focal point for discussions on operational procedures, potential problems,
and well history.
The well bore schematic should include detailed information on depths, casing dimensions and
strengths, hole diameters, cement tops, annular volume factors, and formations with potential
problems such as washouts, heaving and differential sticking, lost circulation, and hydrocarbon
shows.

EQUIPMENT
A drillstring record provides documentation of downhole equipment for performance evaluation
and reference in case a problem occurs with the tools in the hole. The drillstring record should
include descriptions, dimensions, and material specifications.
The rig supervisor should give particular attention to the purpose, grades, weights, connectors,
mechanics, limitations, internal diameters, external diameters, lengths, shapes, and "fish-ability"
of every component. The supervisor should ensure that drilling crews follow industry and
company standards on inspection and handling.
No tool should enter the hole without the supervisor having first completed a description and
sketch. The supervisor should always count and examine what goes in and what comes out of
the hole.
A mud system schematic with the tank dimensions, mud flow path, solids-control equipment,
and mud-mixing equipment assists in planning mud treatment and volumes. By sketching and
analysing the flow path and mud equipment, a rig supervisor may uncover poor use of solids
control equipment. The drawings also reveal mixing capabilities, pump characteristics, and gas
handling capabilities, all of which are critical in well control.

LOCATION
Drawing a location schematic helps in planning the site and placing rig equipment. A location
built too large wastes money, but a location not built to handle rig equipment is potentially
unsafe and more expensive.
The location schematic should identify each piece of equipment, provide good directions to the
location according to area landmarks, highlight environmental concerns, and contain any special
instructions from landowners.
An accurate map and rig directions efficiently guide service personnel and equipment to the rig
site, thus avoiding lost time waiting on misdirected equipment. Indications of environmental
factors, such as the likely flow path for a spill, can help concentrate the efforts should a spill
occur.
Respecting the requests of landowners can reduce costly damage claims and maintain good
community relations.

LOGISTICS
In logistics planning, the supervisor concentrates on the timing and resources needed for
upcoming operations. The timing of personnel and equipment needs can be projected from
evaluations of past drilling records with adjustments for present rig performance. Upcoming
operations should be discussed with contractor and third-party personnel who may provide
insight on planning and procedures.
Knowing what equipment is available is important in logistics planning. The rig supervisor
should check equipment arriving on location as soon as possible to ensure that the equipment is
not damaged and that the ordered equipment was delivered.
The supervisor should also maintain a list of all the contractor's equipment to know what is
available in case problems occur. The equipment list can also be used to check the condition of
the contractor's equipment against the inventory list before the rig is accepted.
Maintaining a rental equipment list is necessary for the same reasons as keeping a contractor
equipment list, and this list is vital for keeping costs down. The rental equipment list should
include a description of the equipment, serial numbers, dates delivered and returned, mode of
transportation, rental costs, and the rental company's name and phone number.
Any used or unnecessary rental equipment should be sent in as soon as possible; however,
minimising transportation costs is also a goal. These two considerations can be optimised by
keeping accurate daily costs.
Rental equipment can easily become lost, damaged, or mixed with contractor and service
company equipment, resulting in otherwise avoidable expenditures.
An approved list of service companies should contain companies, with contacts and phone
numbers, for any service possibly needed.
The prices for services should be agreed upon in advance; otherwise, the supervisor must
either solicit bids when an unanticipated service is needed or pay book price. In areas new to a
rig supervisor, he should determine the closest fishing tool company and the best wire line
company in the area.
The rig site should also include a list of the telephone numbers of relevant government
agencies, medical services, and operator personnel to call in emergencies. This list should
include local hospitals and ambulance services, state and local police departments, the state oil

and gas regulatory agency, the operator's safety and environmental representatives, and local
fire departments.
Additionally, the list should include personnel from the operating company: the drilling
superintendent, the drilling manager, the drilling engineer, and the geologist.

OPTIMISATION
Drilling optimisation is the logical process of analysing effects and interactions of drilling
variables to achieve maximum drilling efficiency.6 Drilling optimisation starts with the well plan:
the casing-point selection, tubular design philosophy, and operating procedures. The
supervisor's ability to optimise drilling operations depends on the rig, the rig contract, well
location, well specifications, drilling conditions, company policy, and rig performance.
Many resources detail optimisation techniques for field applications. This section, however, only
highlights those areas over which the supervisor normally exercises control.

MUD SYSTEM
The mud system is related to many drilling problems.
If the hole does not have instability, cleaning, or other problems, then the supervisor should
continue to use the planned mud program.
The supervisor should stay alert for mud property changes that might signal a deterioration in
downhole conditions. When a potential problem arises, the supervisor should analyse the
situation to determine the causes and possible solutions.
Mud-related hole problems are induced b chemical or mechanical mechanisms. Chemicalinduced hole instability includes shale swelling, shale dispersion, and soluble formations.
Mechanical-induced hole instability includes shale sloughing, surging-and-swabbing, drillstring
geometry problems, annular hydraulics, well bore deviation, and fluid invasion.
One common tendency is to assume that chemical treatments, such as inhibition or dispersion,
will solve hole problems. However, treatment may be as simple as changing pump rates, shaker
screens, or mud weight.

HYDRAULICS
Hydraulics affect bit cleaning, hole cleaning, fluid pressures, hole stability, and penetration rate.
The supervisor can optimise these factors by selecting bit nozzles to maximise jet impact force
or some other criteria, adjusting annular velocities for adequate cuttings transport, calculating
downhole circulation and swab-and-surge pressure effects on well control and well bore
integrity, and monitoring velocities to maintain drilling mud in the proper flow regime (laminar or
turbulent).
These factors are usually adjusted to maximise the rate of penetration while the well is drilled
with the maximum allowed pump pressure with a flow rate between the minimum and critical
annular velocities.

DRILLSTRING
The drillstring can contain drill pipe of various weights and grades; conventional, spiral,
nonmagnetic, or square drill collars; and welded, integral blade, straight, or spiral stabilisers.
Roller reamers, jars, or shock-absorbing subs may also be required.
The correct drillstring configuration is essential to avoiding many drilling problems. The rig
supervisor runs a particular drillstring based on the well depth, rock type, required bit weight,
deviation control, differential sticking, possibility for H2S service, corrosion, tool-joint
requirements, hydraulic requirements, and casing wear. Additionally, dynamic stability and load
configurations are a concern in keeping the string together.
Critical operations may require frequent drillstring inspections. The rig supervisor must think of
every component as a potential fish--nothing should be run in the hole if it cannot be recovered
if lost downhole.

BIT SELECTION
The optimum bit minimises the cost per foot in relation to bit, rotating, connection, and trip costs.
Good bit records, knowledge of formations, and an understanding of bit design help in bit
selection. Bit technology manuals can give the rig supervisor background needed for bit
selection.

The most important part of the bit record is detailed dull-bit grading, and the International
Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) dull-bit grading system should be used properly. Bit
records are available from bit manufacturers, drilling contractors, and other operators.
Bit optimisation depends on knowing the formations to be drilled. The rig supervisor should
insist that the geologists provide a geologic column from surface to total depth, if available. The
geologic column includes all data that might affect bit performance.

BIT WEIGHT, ROTARY SPEED

For minimum cost during uncontrolled drilling, there is a unique bit weight and rotary speed
combination for the drillstring, bit, and hydraulics used. An experienced driller can find some
combination of bit weight and rotary speed to maximise the rate of penetration.
The supervisor must predict bit life not only as a function of bit weight and rotary speed but also
relative to the drilling cost relationships among rotating, connection, and trip time to determine
the lowest cost per foot.

KICK TOLERANCE
In most drilling operations, mud weight keeps exposed formation fluids from flowing. The
supervisor should manage mud weight to balance the maximum formation pressure plus an
additional mud-weight margin required for tripping.
If the mud weight increases too much, however, the well may not be able to handle a kick
without losing circulation. Therefore, when the calculated mud weight plus annular friction
pressure plus kick tolerance reaches the point at which the formation will fracture, drilling
should be halted, and the open hole should be isolated with casing and cement.

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITIES
The supervisor should ensure that dangerous equipment and structures are shielded to protect
workers and that rig and service personnel know how to work safely. Because unsafe acts
cause most injuries, a majority of accidents can be prevented by changing unsafe work
practices.
Procedures associated with pressure, torque, tension, or equipment movement require
particular attention.

The supervisor's environmental responsibility is to preserve water and air quality during location
preparation, drilling of the well, and location cleanup.10 Supervisors can best accomplish
environmental responsibility through a proactive stance of initiating the proper procedures rather
than through a reactive stance of defending past actions.
Drilling operations should be consistent with company environmental policies and procedures,
government regulations, and lease and landowner obligations. These operations require
permits, verbal communications, and documentation.
Specific responsibilities for preserving water and air quality include: spill prevention and
response, hazardous chemical management, waste management, reserve pit management.11

SPILL CONTROL
Preventing spills of oil or harmful products into protected waters and soil begins with the building
and maintaining of an adequate reserve pit and location.
The planning of the drilling pad should include careful consideration of potential sources of spills
and proximity to surface and groundwater. The supervisor must know the amount of seasonal
rainfall, soil type, and terrain.
Additionally, he must identify and contact capable personnel and equipment for spill response.
Any problem that may cause a spill requires immediate attention.
For emergencies, absorbent pads should be kept on hand. Levees around storage tanks
containing damaging liquids can help contain spills.

HAZARDOUS CHEMICALS
The drilling supervisor needs to ensure that personnel are educated on the proper handling of
hazardous chemicals. Personnel should be familiar with identification, health hazards protective
measures, and treatment for exposure.
The supervisor's responsibilities include the following:

Safely store and maintain any hazardous chemicals.

Try to reduce hazardous chemical use by substitution with less-hazardous chemicals.

Return unused chemicals and empty containers to the vendor or dispose of them at
approved facilities.

Document the transportation of hazardous chemicals to and from the location.

These principles also apply to waste management.

WASTE MANAGEMENT
The U.S. Resource Conservation and Recovery Act defines hazardous wastes as wastes on its
published list or those that are characteristically hazardous. The latter class is hazardous if the
material is reactive, corrosive, ignitable, or toxic. Mixing hazardous wastes with non hazardous
materials renders the entire mixture hazardous.
Disposal of hazardous wastes is usually expensive. Therefore, hazardous wastes (solvents, for
example) should not be placed in reserve pits containing non hazardous wastes. Hazardous
wastes should be segregated and stored in labelled, leak-proof containers according to
regulations. The contents of an unknown waste should be tested to determine if they are
hazardous.
Common disposal methods include treatment and recycling, use of approved disposal facilities,
annular or deep well injection, land farming, on-site burial, solidification, and incineration.
The rig supervisor should scrutinise waste-management companies for regulatory credentials,
technical ability, and financial solvency.

PIT MANAGEMENT
The reserve pits should be built to retain wastes and to prevent overflow from seasonal rains.
The pit should be dug so that pit wastes cannot mix with usable ground and surface wastes.
Lined pits, barrier walls, or closed mud systems should be used in environmentally sensitive
areas. If discharges include materials other than freshwater muds, cuttings, and rig wash, pipes
or lined trenches should be used. The drilling pad and pits should be constructed to collect rig
wash, spills and leaks from drilling equipment, and storm water runoff and to keep off-site rain
water from entering the reserve pit.
The reserve pit wastes should be restricted to muds, cuttings, rig wash, excess cement, and
completion fluids. Non freshwater fluids, such as oil-based muds, should be stored in lined pits.
Mud and cuttings containing hydrocarbons or salt should be isolated from those already in the
reserve pit.
The supervisor should avoid operations that may puncture liners or use wastes which are
incompatible with liner materials.
Pit management includes the responsibility to close the pit if necessary. During pit closure, free
oil and other pit liquids should be removed for proper disposal. The pit may need to be tested for
total dissolved solids, organic, and metals, depending on the compositions of the cuttings or
mud additives.
Residual pit solids should be disposed of in a manner to protect soil and groundwater, according
to regulations and lease obligations.
Disposal methods include burial, spreading on land, encapsulation, and use of approved
facilities. Possible freshwater disposal options include well injection, evaporation, and spreading
on land. At the end of a drilling operation, recyclable muds should be returned to the vendor,
and the drilling location should be cleaned, levelled, and restored.

GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS
Rig computers and technical drilling software can help collect data, compile reports, perform
time-consuming calculations, and keep the office current. However, a rig supervisor should
never go to a location without a tool box containing technical references, operating tools,
general references, and drawing and analysis tools.

He must remember that batteries may fail, communications may go down, software may crash,
the office works normal hours, and customs officials do as they will.

LEADERSHIP
The supervisor's leadership directly influences rig operations and morale. Leadership is defined
by principles, not by personalities.
Good leadership requires personal integrity, a strong work ethic, and a positive attitude. The
supervisor should never compromise safety, environmental responsibilities, or work standards.
Honesty, safety, environmental protection, and expected work standards should be fairly
enforced as a condition of employment. The supervisor who follows this policy will earn respect
and have control over the operation.

COMMUNICATION
The supervisor should become an expert at asking good questions to clarify any points made in
conversations and should make a habit of writing down important instructions.
Likewise, he must keep all groups informed of current and planned operations that affect them.
Other interdisciplinary groups, such as reservoir and production engineers, are often left out of
the communications loop once drilling operations start, but they often have vital offset or
regional information, as well as input for logging, testing, and completion work.
Whenever possible, the supervisor should follow the chain of command in communicating
instructions. If problems develop, the rig supervisor should inform management and be
prepared to describe the problem accurately and recommend the best solution.
Because a rig supervisor is often the only contact the company has with drilling operations, the
supervisor's observations play a major role in management decisions.