Drilling and Reservoir EngineeringHPHT Well Design and Drilling
Above roughly 150 degrees Celsius and 10,000 psi at the reservoir, ordinary assumptions stop holding: mud density changes with temperature, elastomers fail, electronics die and trapped annular fluid can burst casing as the well heats up. Delegates work through the HPHT envelope and its consequences in sequence: temperature dependent fluid density and ECD, narrow margins, kick behaviour of gas dissolved in oil based mud, annular pressure build up and its mitigation, and casing and connection selection under thermal cycling. Wellhead and BOP ratings, elastomer and seal qualification, logging and MWD tool limits and cementing at high temperature follow. Well control adapted for HPHT, including fingerprinting and flow check discipline, closes the programme. Delegates leave able to identify HPHT design drivers and plan a well around them.
Course objectives
- Define the HPHT envelope and the design consequences of each boundary
- Calculate downhole mud density and ECD corrected for temperature and pressure
- Explain gas solubility in oil based mud and its effect on kick detection
- Assess annular pressure build up and select mitigation methods
- Select casing, connections and elastomers for thermal cycling
- Specify wellhead, BOP and downhole tool temperature and pressure ratings
- Design cement systems that remain stable at high temperature
- Adapt well control procedures through fingerprinting and flow check discipline
Who should attend
- Drilling engineers planning deep high pressure wells
- Well design and well integrity engineers
- Drilling superintendents and supervisors
- Completion engineers on HPHT projects
- Drilling contractor technical managers
Course outline
- 01Defining HPHT and its design drivers
- 02Temperature effects on fluids and ECD
- 03Kicks in oil based mud at high temperature
- 04Annular pressure build up
- 05Casing, connections and thermal loads
- 06Seals, elastomers and equipment ratings
- 07High temperature cementing
- 08Logging and MWD tool limits
- 09HPHT well control practice
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 16 to 20 November 2026 | Windhoek, Namibia | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 28 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 | Maputo, Mozambique | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate | |
| 8 to 12 February 2027 | Cape Town, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 22 to 26 February 2027 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate |
HPHT Well Design and Drilling
From R8,500