Drilling and Reservoir EngineeringManaged Pressure and Underbalanced Drilling
Some wells cannot be drilled conventionally because the window between pore pressure and fracture pressure is narrower than the swing in bottomhole pressure each time the pumps stop. Managed pressure drilling closes that gap with a rotating control device and an automated choke. Delegates compare constant bottomhole pressure, pressurised mud cap and dual gradient variants, then the hardware: RCDs, choke manifolds, Coriolis flowmeters and backpressure pumps. Hydraulic modelling, connection procedures and the MPD operations matrix that separates influx management from well control are worked through. Underbalanced drilling follows, with nitrogen and aerated systems, multiphase flow, reservoir benefits and surface separation. Delegates leave able to judge when MPD or UBD suits a well and plan its execution.
Course objectives
- Explain why narrow pressure windows defeat conventional drilling
- Compare constant bottomhole pressure, mud cap and dual gradient techniques
- Specify rotating control devices, chokes and flowmeters for an MPD system
- Model annular pressure profiles during drilling and connections
- Apply an MPD operations matrix to distinguish influx management from well control
- Design underbalanced operations using gasified or aerated fluids
- Evaluate reservoir and drilling benefits of underbalanced operation
- Plan surface separation and handling of produced fluids while drilling
Who should attend
- Drilling engineers working on narrow margin wells
- MPD and UBD service engineers
- Drilling supervisors on MPD equipped rigs
- Well control specialists
- Reservoir engineers assessing underbalanced benefits
Course outline
- 01Narrow margin wells and the case for closed loop drilling
- 02MPD variants and their applications
- 03Rotating control devices and automated chokes
- 04Hydraulic modelling and connection management
- 05The operations matrix and influx response
- 06Pressurised mud cap drilling for severe losses
- 07Underbalanced drilling principles
- 08Gasified systems and multiphase flow
- 09Surface separation and safety
Scheduled sessions
| Dates | Venue | Format | Price | Register |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 to 23 October 2026 | Johannesburg, South Africa | Classroom | R19,950 per delegate | |
| 28 December 2026 to 1 January 2027 | Online | Online | R8,500 per delegate | |
| 4 to 8 January 2027 | Accra, Ghana | Classroom | USD 1,325 per delegate |
Managed Pressure and Underbalanced Drilling
From R8,500