Page 13 - Practical Well Planning and Drilling Manual

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Acknowledgments

During my drilling career, I was lucky to have the guidance of many
good drilling people, and the examples of many good (and a few not-so-
good) people to learn from. Shell gave me my start as a trainee driller,
and the time I spent with them was invaluable. I was taught how to do
things properly and safely under the “old” training scheme whereby you
earned your spurs on the drillfloor. My experience as a driller has been
important throughout my career, even as a drilling manager. It is a great
pity, and I believe detrimental for our industry, that few companies train
people all the way through the ranks any more.
Stuart Smith, drilling fluids consultant, taught me a great deal
when we worked together in Egypt. He contributed a lot of material for
this book and continues to contribute to my CD Drilling Manual,
enhancing the value of both.
Mark Hillman, drilling fluids consultant, contributed material on
brines. Mark worked on developing potassium formate brines. He has
also contributed to my CD Drilling Manual.
Dr. Eric van Oort of Shell and Dr. Fersheed Mody of Baroid taught
me much about wellbore stability and mud design during interesting
discussions and E-mail sessions. Some of the lessons I learned from
these are included in this book. Fersheed has also contributed to my
CD Drilling Manual.
Baroid Drilling Fluids, Milpark, and Tetra Technologies (UK) Ltd.
allowed me to use their technical literature on muds and brines,
including copying illustrations. I’d specifically like to thank Ray Grant
of Baroid, Martin Ellins of Baker Hughes Inteq (Milpark), and Ian
(Chalky) White of Tetra for their help.

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