The first question when losses start is where the fluid is going. Seepage losses into a permeable sand respond to bridging material sized for the pore throats; losses into natural fractures need coarser material sized for the fracture width; induced fractures mean the pressure is too high and the cure is reducing it as much as plugging it; vugular losses may take everything pumped and respond only to settable systems.

Prevention is cheaper than cure and mostly means pressure management. Equivalent circulating density, surge pressures while tripping, and mud weight above what is actually needed all cause induced losses, and a significant share of lost circulation in narrow margin wells is self-inflicted. Wellbore strengthening treatments that raise the effective fracture gradient extend the window where the formation allows it.

Severe losses create a well control problem as well as a cost problem. A well that will not stay full has lost its primary barrier, and the response has to balance regaining circulation against keeping the hole full. Deciding when to stop treating and change strategy, to cement, sidetrack or set casing, is a judgement with large cost consequences either way.

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

• Identify loss mechanisms and the formation types associated with each.
• Predict lost circulation risk from offset and pressure window data.
• Apply prevention through mud weight and equivalent circulating density management.
• Design and apply wellbore strengthening treatments.
• Classify loss severity and select the response.
• Select lost circulation materials and design particle size distributions.
• Design and place pills and plugs.
• Apply cement and settable systems for severe losses.
• Manage drilling with total losses, including blind drilling and mud cap methods.
• Assess well control implications and cost impact, and capture lessons for future wells.

The course is instructor-led. Loss mechanisms and treatment selection are taught through case data in which participants diagnose the mechanism and choose a treatment, then see what was done and what happened. Material selection and particle size design are covered with worked examples. Participants are encouraged to bring their own loss problems for discussion.

Organisations sending participants to this training will:

• Reduce mud losses and the rig time spent curing them.
• Prevent induced losses through better pressure management.
• Select treatments that match the actual loss mechanism.
• Reduce well control risk arising from severe losses.
• Build field-specific loss treatment practice from experience.

Participants will:

• Be able to diagnose loss mechanisms from field evidence.
• Be able to design prevention and strengthening measures.
• Be able to select and design lost circulation treatments.
• Be able to manage drilling under severe or total losses.
• Be able to judge when to stop treating and change strategy.

• Drilling engineers
• Rig site supervisors and company representatives
• Drilling fluids engineers
• Drillers and senior rig crew
• Service company engineers supporting drilling
• Well engineers planning narrow margin wells

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.