Drilling and Reservoir EngineeringDrilling Operations for Non Drilling Professionals
Geologists, contract officers, finance staff and asset managers sign off on wells costing tens of millions of dollars, yet many have never stood on a rig floor or followed a daily drilling report. That gap shows when a budget overrun or a lost hole section arrives with no context. Delegates start with how a rig is laid out and who does what, then follow a well from spud to rig release: making hole, tripping, running and cementing casing, logging and handing over to completions. Common trouble such as losses, kicks and stuck pipe is explained in plain language, along with how a drilling contract, an AFE and a daily cost sheet fit together. Delegates leave able to read a drilling programme and a morning report, ask informed questions of the drilling team and judge whether a stated delay or cost is reasonable.
Course objectives
- Describe the main rig systems and the role of each person on the crew
- Follow the sequence of operations that takes a well from spud to rig release
- Read a daily drilling report and a well schematic with confidence
- Explain in plain language why losses, kicks and stuck pipe occur
- Interpret the structure of an AFE and track actual spend against it
- Distinguish the main drilling contract types and how risk is shared under each
- Recognise the safety and environmental controls that govern rig operations
- Ask well founded questions of drilling engineers and contractors
Who should attend
- Geologists and geophysicists working alongside drilling teams
- Contracts, procurement and supply chain staff in upstream companies
- Finance, cost control and joint venture accountants
- Asset, licence and regulatory managers
- HSE advisers and logistics coordinators new to drilling
Course outline
- 01Why wells are drilled and how a rig is organised
- 02Hoisting, rotating and circulating systems in outline
- 03From spud to total depth: a well's life in sequence
- 04Casing, cement and why a well is built in sections
- 05Logging, coring and handing the well to completions
- 06What goes wrong: losses, kicks and stuck pipe
- 07Reading the morning report and the well schematic
- 08Drilling contracts, AFEs and daily cost tracking
- 09Rig site safety and environmental controls
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 to 23 October 2026 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 23 to 27 November 2026 | Durban, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 4 to 8 January 2027 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate |
Drilling Operations for Non Drilling Professionals
From R8,500