IADC UBO/MPD Committee advances recommended practices, training standards

The IADC Underbalanced Operation and Managed Pressure Drilling (UBO/MPD) Committee continues to push forward on multiple fronts, from drafting new industry standards to expanding training accreditation. At the 2026 IADC/SPE MPD/UBO Conference in London on 16 September, Committee Chair Matt Kvalo spoke with DC about the committee’s ongoing initiatives. In particular, he talked about API recommended practices (RPs) related to managed pressure tripping, noting that two RPs have been released for both land and deepwater operations while additional RPs are undergoing review. He also provided an update on the IADC MPD accreditation program, which has been rolled out globally through seven training providers and is moving through an adoption and feedback cycle ahead of further expansion in 2027.