Drilling and Reservoir EngineeringDeepwater Drilling Design and Operations
In two thousand metres of water the rig is held on station by thrusters, the BOP sits on the seabed and the margin between pore and fracture pressure in the shallow section can be almost nothing. Delegates follow a deepwater well from the mudline down: conductor jetting, shallow water flow and shallow gas hazards, riserless drilling and pump and dump, then running and landing the subsea wellhead and BOP. Marine riser analysis, dynamic positioning and drift off limits, emergency disconnect sequences and metocean planning are covered, including the current and swell conditions met off the West and East African margins. Riser margin, gas in the riser, hydrates and cold seabed effects on fluids and cement complete the picture. Delegates leave able to plan and review floating rig operations and their marine interfaces.
Course objectives
- Plan conductor jetting and structural casing installation
- Assess shallow water flow and shallow gas hazards in the top hole
- Describe riserless drilling and pump and dump practice
- Explain subsea wellhead, BOP and control system architecture
- Evaluate marine riser loads and operating envelopes
- Apply dynamic positioning limits and emergency disconnect planning
- Manage riser margin, gas in riser and hydrate risk
- Adjust fluid and cement design for cold seabed temperatures
Who should attend
- Drilling engineers on deepwater projects
- Subsea and wellhead engineers
- Offshore installation managers and toolpushers
- Drilling superintendents on floating rigs
- Marine and DP personnel interfacing with drilling
Course outline
- 01Deepwater environment and floating rig types
- 02Conductor jetting and top hole design
- 03Shallow hazards and riserless drilling
- 04Subsea wellheads and BOP stacks
- 05Marine riser analysis
- 06Dynamic positioning and emergency disconnect
- 07Riser margin and gas in riser
- 08Hydrates and cold seabed effects
- 09Deepwater operations planning
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 to 6 November 2026 | Cape Town, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 9 to 13 November 2026 | Kampala, Uganda | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | |
| 23 to 27 November 2026 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate | |
| 4 to 8 January 2027 | Nairobi, Kenya | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | |
| 15 to 19 March 2027 | Pretoria, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate |
Deepwater Drilling Design and Operations
From R8,500