Drilling Performance and Well Delivery Leadership Training Course

Programme Summary

Drilling performance and well delivery leadership form the subject of this five-day training course for drilling and wells leaders at advanced level, ending in a well delivery improvement plan for their next campaign. Rig time dominates well cost, yet many organisations measure only non-productive time and miss hidden losses. The approach moves from planning against the technical limit to drilling risk, well control, contractor performance and structured learning. Mars Training Centre UK delivers this programme in drilling performance and well delivery.

The Business Case

Days saved on each well across a multi-rig campaign release capital, while one stuck pipe or well control event can erase a year of gains. Leaders who plan to the technical limit, manage hazards early and learn from every well improve well delivery without compromising barriers.

• Days per Thousand Metres and Cost per Well: Fall as invisible lost time and flat time are removed.
• Non-Productive Time: Declines as wellbore stability, hole cleaning and stuck pipe risks are controlled.
• Well Control and Barrier Incidents: Reduce as barrier status is verified and kick detection practice is enforced.

Principles and Evidence Base

• Technical Limit Planning: Separating achievable best time from historical performance structures the planning work in Session 1.
• ISO 16530-1: Well integrity life cycle governance and the two-barrier principle frame the barrier management in Session 3.
• API Standard 53 and API RP 59: Well control equipment and well control operations practice guide the kick and shut-in review in Session 3.
• After Action Review: Structured learning from each well supports the performance cycle in Session 5.

Intended Participants

• Leaders accountable for drilling performance across a rig fleet or campaign.
• Managers who approve well designs, drilling programmes and contractor selection.
• Superintendents who direct rig operations and remedial action.
• Engineering leads who analyse offset wells and set performance targets.

The programme serves national and international oil companies, drilling contractors, integrated service providers and geothermal developers.

Learning Outcomes

1. Participants will be able to construct a well plan that targets the technical limit using offset well analysis.
2. Participants will be able to diagnose invisible lost time and non-productive time from daily drilling reports.
3. Participants will be able to evaluate wellbore stability, hole cleaning and stuck pipe risks for each hole section.
4. Participants will be able to verify well barrier status and well control readiness before critical operations.
5. Participants will be able to design drilling contractor performance indicators and incentive terms.
6. Participants will be able to lead after action reviews that convert well results into planning changes.

Programme Structure

Day 1: Drilling Performance and Well Planning

How fast and at what cost can this well be drilled?

• Offset Well Analysis and Performance Benchmarking
• Technical Limit and Drilling the Limit Planning
• Well Design Review: Casing Points, Trajectory and Bit Selection
• Time and Cost Estimates With Probabilistic Ranges
• Flat Time Activities and Their Reduction

Day 2: Drilling Risk and Hole Problems

Which downhole hazards destroy schedule, and how are they prevented?

• Wellbore Stability and Mud Weight Window
• Hole Cleaning, Cuttings Transport and Equivalent Circulating Density
• Differential and Mechanical Stuck Pipe Prevention
• Lost Circulation Prevention and Treatment
• Drilling Fluids Selection and Performance Monitoring

Day 3: Well Control and Barrier Management

Are the barriers in place and the crew ready to act?

• Two-Barrier Principle and Barrier Diagrams Under ISO 16530-1
• Kick Detection, Shut-In and Kill Method Selection
• Well Control Equipment Requirements Under API Standard 53
• Well Control Operations Practice Under API RP 59
• Barrier Verification Before Critical Operations

Day 4: Rig and Contractor Performance

How are rigs and service providers held to drilling performance targets?

• Daily Drilling Report Analysis and Time Coding
• Invisible Lost Time Measurement and Connection Practice
• Drilling Contract Models and Performance Incentives
• Contractor Key Performance Indicators and Scorecards
• Rig Crew Competence and Pre-Spud Readiness

Day 5: Applying Well Delivery Leadership

Is the next campaign set up to deliver better wells?

• After Action Reviews and Lessons Learned Registers
• Feeding Day 4 Time Analysis Into Day 1 Technical Limit Plans
• Embedding Day 2 Hole Problem Controls in Drilling Programmes
• Linking Day 3 Barrier Checks to Operational Decision Points
• Well Delivery Improvement Plan Completion

Methodology

The programme relies on case analysis built from daily drilling reports, offset well data and incident timelines. Participants plan, review and debrief fictional onshore and offshore wells, including high-pressure and depleted sections.

• Suggested activity: Building a technical limit plan from three offset wells.
• Suggested activity: Coding a month of drilling reports to expose invisible lost time.
• Suggested activity: Running an after action review on a stuck pipe event.

Capstone Output

Each participant completes a well delivery improvement plan for their next campaign. It contains benchmark performance, technical limit targets, the main hole problem risks and controls, barrier verification points, contractor indicators and the learning cycle. It is used to align operator and contractor teams before spud.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is drilling performance and well delivery training suitable for wells directors as well as superintendents?

Yes. It is set at advanced level for leaders who own drilling results and assumes field experience of drilling operations.

Which standards does the drilling performance and well delivery programme rest on?

It rests on technical limit planning, ISO 16530-1 for well integrity and barriers, API Standard 53 and API RP 59 for well control, and the after action review method.

How is the well delivery improvement plan from drilling performance training used at work?

You can use it to set campaign targets, brief rig teams before spud and track contractor performance.

How does drilling performance and well delivery training differ from a well control course?

Well control courses train crews to detect and kill kicks. This programme addresses the whole delivery of a well: planning, risk, barriers, contractors and learning.