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I have been a member of the American Association of Drilling Engineers for about 15 years. It has been rewarding to see it grow from a small group of regional chapters into an international association. One event I always am sure to attend is their bi-annual National Fluids Technical Conference and Exhibition, as it’s one of the best opportunities to learn about new innovations that are driving the oil and gas drilling industry forward.

This year’s conference was held April 15-16 in Houston and covered a wide range of topics, including: drilling fluids, hydraulics & rheology, cementing, completions and formation damage. More than 800 attendees from 80 companies exhibited, gave technical presentations and received awards. In addition, students from 14 universities presented their research findings on various product chemistries.

Automated Systems Advance Oil and Gas Industry

The transition to more automated procedures was the overriding message at this year’s event. Everything from drilling rigs to fluid handling equipment is becoming increasingly automated to improve efficiency, safety and effectiveness. While many processes are still manual, the incentives to move to automated processes are becoming increasingly important.

While the move to more automated systems was a major area of focus, the conference allows us to stay current with trends within the oil and gas drilling industry. For example, many mud systems are now utilizing significantly improved solid control systems to remove unwanted solids and keep barite or high gravity solids.  It’s important our solutions have compatibility with systems that are intended to clean up and reuse.

Minimizing Formation Damage 

Another key area of focus for the oil and gas drilling industry is reducing formation damage. Companies are closely evaluating their systems to minimize core invasion and rock retention so pores don’t plug during drilling and block the flow of oil. It’s encouraging to see a growing awareness and appreciation for drill-in fluid’s ability to produce a measurable difference in production by reducing plugging effects – particularly water-based drill-in fluids.

Our customers are constantly going to the the next level in terms of adjusting their systems to overcome challenges related to temperature, clean-up and formation damage. As the oil and gas industry continues to move forward with automated systems and innovations to increase efficiency, Chemstar will continue creating water-based drilling solutions to meet those needs. If you have any questions about our line of drilling products, feel free to send me an email to further discuss your options.

-Bruce Hanshaw
Business Manager, Global Oil & Gas Applications