Mechanical specific energy, the energy required to remove a unit volume of rock, is the most useful single measure of drilling efficiency. It rises when the bit is dull, when vibration is wasting energy, when the hole is not cleaning or when parameters are poorly matched, and it does so before rate of penetration falls noticeably. Tracking it turns optimisation from opinion into measurement.

Parameters are the cheapest lever. Weight and rotary speed can be changed in minutes and their effect measured immediately through drill-off tests. Yet many wells drill an entire section on parameters chosen at the start, because nobody runs the test or because the parameters are set by habit rather than by what the formation responds to.

Flat time is where the hours actually are. In many wells, drilling accounts for less than half the section time, and connections, tripping, casing running, cementing and waiting account for the rest. Optimisation programmes that focus only on penetration rate improve a minority of the time and leave the majority untouched. This course covers both.

By the end of this training, participants will be able to:

• Apply drilling mechanics to understand what controls penetration rate.
• Calculate and use mechanical specific energy.
• Design and interpret drill-off tests.
• Optimise weight, rotary speed and flow rate for the formation and bit.
• Select bits and bottomhole assemblies for performance.
• Optimise hydraulics for hole cleaning and bit energy.
• Control vibration as a limit on performance.
• Apply real-time optimisation workflows and automated drilling systems.
• Reduce flat time across connections, tripping and casing running.
• Measure performance, manage learning curves and benchmark against offsets.

The course is instructor-led and data-based. Participants analyse real drilling data to identify where time is lost and what limits performance, design drill-off tests and specify parameter and equipment changes. Campaign cases show learning curve improvement and the practices behind it. Participants are encouraged to bring their own drilling data for discussion.

Organisations sending participants to this training will:

• Reduce days per well and cost per metre.
• Identify and remove the real limiters on drilling performance.
• Reduce flat time as well as drilling time.
• Build repeatable optimisation practice across a campaign.
• Measure performance improvement credibly.

Participants will:

• Understand what controls drilling performance.
• Be able to run and interpret drill-off tests.
• Be able to analyse drilling data and identify limiters.
• Be able to reduce flat time systematically.
• Be able to measure and benchmark performance.

• Drilling engineers
• Drilling performance engineers
• Rig site supervisors and company representatives
• Drillers and senior rig crew
• Service company engineers supporting drilling
• Operations and campaign managers

Upon successful completion of this training course, delegates will be awarded an official Certificate of Completion issued by the Petroleum Engineers Association (PEA), an ISO 9001:2015 certified training organization. The certificate carries 10 Credits and formally records the total learning hours completed.

Each certificate is signed by the Course Facilitator and the CEO of the Petroleum Engineers Association, and serves as verifiable proof of professional training that delegates can present to employers and professional bodies worldwide.