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Pore Pressure and Geomechanics Monitoring

3 Day Course – $2, 900/delegate*
Effective prevention of drilling problems related to pore pressure, wellbore stability, and fracture gradient issues are critical for drilling success. Industry-wide, wellbore stability problems are estimated to cost between $1 billion to $10 billion annually. Many of these problems could be avoided if early warning signs were detected and addressed promptly. Unfortunately, these signs are often overlooked or identified too late to implement corrective actions, with a contributing factor being the miscommunication between engineers (drilling departments) and geologists (subsurface departments).

This course aims to bridge the gap between these disciplines by raising awareness of the causes, signs, and methods of controlling significant operational problems related to pore pressure, fracture gradient, and wellbore stability issues. Prevention is the cornerstone of the course, by encouraging attendees to “listen to the well” to avoid problems before they escalate.

Such knowledge is valuable for oil and gas, helium and hydrogen exploration, as well as appraisal and production in both onshore and offshore environments. Additionally, the challenges associated with pore pressure, fracture gradient limits, and wellbore stability are relevant to geothermal and carbon capture and storage operations, making this course applicable to engineers and geologists in those fields as well.

The training will consist of PowerPoint presentations and exercises based on real-time scenarios. Each section will conclude with open-forum discussions where participants can share their operational experiences.

After attending the course, delegates should be able to:

  • Understand the principles of pressure and fracture gradient modelling at the pre-drill stage.
  • Identify deviations from pre-drill plans using offset well data and drilling history.
  • Grasp pore pressure prediction concepts and their applications during drilling, tripping, cementing and wireline operations.
  • Develop principles for monitoring and interpreting data to identify wellbore problems.
  • Apply real-time analysis techniques for reliable PPFG modelling.
  • Detect abnormal pressures and losses, assess ballooning phenomena, and interpret sonic-based WBS models.
  • Calibrate models using pressure points, gas analysis, and fracture gradient estimation methods.
  • Evaluate the effects of mud weight and temperature on wellbore stability.
  • Assess the PP-FG-GM model uncertainties.

*The course fee excludes all taxes and delegate travel and accommodation costs.
The course is 3-days as standard, but it can be 2 or 4 days (and the cost will change accordingly), depending on if all attendees have completed/not completed the Pressures and Overpressure in the Subsurface course, or have some PPFG understanding and if Module 4 is of interest or not.

Detailed Course Overview
Module 1: Introduction to Pore Pressure and Wellbore Stability Concepts
- Fundamentals of pressure (understanding the system)
- Concepts of overpressure, underpressure, pressure transition zone and drilling window
- Overburden (lithostatic pressure) and compaction
- Concept of stress (and strain) and sources of stresses (stress regimes)
- Fracture pressure - what does it really mean?
- Obtaining pressure data
- Fluid contacts
- Effective stress concept - Terzhagi equation
- Causes of overpressure
- Introduction to rock properties
- Fracture theory
- Stresses around borehole
- Concepts of the breakouts and DIFs
- Impact of the directional drilling on the WBS
- Uncertainty in the PPFG-GM analysis
Module 2: Real-time Monitoring and Detection Techniques
- Pore Pressure prediction concepts
- PP-FG and GM problems while drilling, tripping, cementing and P&A - introductory concepts
- How to read pre-drills
- Human factors
- Normal Compaction Trend Analysis - introduction to Eaton techniques
- Importance of MW, ESD, ESDmin, ESDmax and ECD in the RT analysis, and the impact of the overbalance on the sensitivity of the PPFG/GM models
- Drilling into abnormally pressured zones
- Quantitative drilling-based PPg models
- LWD-based PPg models
- Introduction to seismic (and seismic while drilling) methods
- Model calibration: Pressure points in sandstones/carbonates
- Model calibration: well-control situations
- Model calibration: Gas system, gas analysis
- Fracture gradient and methods to estimate FG
- FIT, LOT, xLOT, openhole LOT/FIT techniques
- Causes of losses - drilling in the underpressure zones
- Ballooning/breathing - signs and causes
- RT methods to calculate WBS sonic-based models
- Model calibration: type of cavings, hole cleaning issues
- Temperature-related effects
- Impact of MW on the WBS and PPFG, stress caging
Module 3: Problem-solving and Corrective Actions for Wellbore Stability and Pore Pressure-Related Issues
- Participants will apply the concepts learned earlier in the course to real-life scenarios.
- Focuses on practical strategies and solutions to address wellbore and pore pressure challenges, including methods to mitigate or avoid major operational issues.
-- Drilling in the passive margins
-- Drilling in the carbonates and evaporitic systems
-- Drilling in normal, transtensional and compressive conditions
-- Deepwater drilling considerations
-- Shallow-depth drilling problems (water flows, sanding, biogenic gas)
-- MPD considerations
Module 4 (optional): Software Tools for Real-time Analysis
- This optional module introduces participants to industry-leading software for real-time data analysis and decision-making in managing pore pressure and wellbore stability.
- Curate, Well Surveillance, RokDocRT and RokDoc are introduced/used in this module.
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Prior to the course, Ikon Science will be in touch regarding payment and details of all course attendees.

Course Terms and Conditions
1. Ikon Science shall provide, at its cost, comprehensive training course materials comprising PowerPoint slides, worksheets, trainer notes and case notes as required for the relevant Ikon Science training course described above (the “Course”) and in sufficient numbers for all attending participants (the “Materials”). Such Materials are to include exercises and case studies as well as a selection of relevant articles (where available) that may be of use to facilitate further understanding of the subject matter.
2. The individual attending the training course (the “Attendee”) acknowledges and agrees that all intellectual property in the Materials belongs exclusively to Ikon Science or third party providers thereof (where applicable) and the Individual shall not acquire any express of implied interest therein. The Attendee shall not (i) copy or otherwise reproduce the Materials, (ii) use the Materials for commercial purposes or otherwise than for the direct purpose of completing the Course, or (iii) sell, lease, transfer, publish or otherwise make available or disclose the Materials or any part thereof (whether orally, in writing or in electronic form) to any third party (including any other person, company or any employee, officer or agent of the Attendee.
3. Ikon Science shall provide one (1) suitably skilled and experienced trainer who shall deliver the Course in a professional manner and otherwise in accordance with the objectives, target audience and outline set out in this letter.
4. This Course booking form must be signed by: (i) an authorised signatory of the company being invoiced for the Course (“Company”); or (ii) by the Attendee if prior payment has been made on a personal basis and in advance.
5. This contract for the provision of training is governed by English law and subject to the exclusive jurisdiction of the courts of England & Wales.
6. In the event that the Company issues a purchase order to Ikon Science which relates to training for a specified number of Company personnel in the use of Ikon Science software as specified therein, Ikon Science hereby grants to Company a non-exclusive, non-transferable licence for each such personnel to use the relevant software (“Training Licence”) provided by Ikon Science in connection with the such training (“Training Licence”) solely for such training purposes and for no commercial or other purposes whatsoever. Training Licence shall be installed by Company on such equipment as Ikon Science shall specify and, unless otherwise agreed in writing, each Training Licence shall expire seven days after its date of issuance. Save as aforesaid, Ikon Science’s standard software licence terms which are not inconsistent with the terms of this paragraph shall apply to all Training Licences granted hereunder.
7. All prices quoted are net of all relevant taxes (including VAT).
8. If full payment is not made on booking, it shall be required within thirty (30) days of the invoice date.
9. The Attendee or Ikon Science may cancel or postpone the training course by written notice to the other. In the event that the Attendee cancels the course up to thirty (30) days prior to the course taking place Ikon Science will refund in full any fee paid in respect of the training course. If cancellations are requested by the Attendee between 30 and 14 days prior to the agreed training course commencement date, Ikon Science reserves the right to retain 50% of the full fee. If such cancellation by the Attendee is made less than 14 days prior to the training course commencement date, the Attendee will forfeit the fee in full.
10. If a request for postponement of the training course is received at least 14 days prior to the course taking place, the Attendee and Ikon Science shall work together in good faith to agree alternative dates for the training course. For the avoidance of doubt, if the request is received within 14 days of the training course commencement date Ikon Science is under no obligation to agree an alternative date and the Attendee will forfeit their fee in full.

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