Page 17 - Practical Well Planning and Drilling Manual

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[Introduction]

active system so that none was lost overboard. I was chewed out for
this initiative the following morning because I did not follow instruc-
tions, even though we had saved valuable mud and not polluted the
South China Sea. This lip-service attitude still exists in some places.
There are two keys to drilling a cost-effective well and your well-
planning efforts should be directed at these two keys. The first key is
avoiding problems, which is chiefly related to the mud properties and to
good drilling practices (but not by being overly cautious!). Do the job
properly, avoid unplanned short cuts that often lead to unnecessary
problems, and pay that extra bit to get the most suitable mud system.
The second key is maximizing progress, which is more related to opti-
mum bit/BHA selection, optimum drilling parameters, good forward
planning, and good drilling practices.
The success of a well is determined first by the effort devoted to
producing the best possible well plan, and second by the competence
of the supervision while drilling, bearing in mind the two keys. This
book is about those things—effective well planning and managing/
supervising the drilling operation. I hope that this book will be a use-
ful tool to drill safer, fit for purpose, cost-effective wells, and I look for-
ward to your feedback on how well I have achieved this.

Steve Devereux, CEng, MIMinE, MIMgt
http://www.drillers.com

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