Operators, contractors must work together to define MPD-readiness, boost adoption of MPD

Over the years, operators have increasingly turned to managed pressure drilling (MPD) not only to manage narrow pressure windows but also to enhance kick detection and save rig time. During this downturn, in order to stand out from the competition, drilling contractors began outfitting more of their rigs with the equipment needed for MPD, Ben Pomford, Head of Drilling Solutions for Maersk Drilling, said at the 2018 SPE/IADC Managed Pressure Drilling and Underbalanced Operations Conference in New Orleans, La., on 17 April. In this interview with DC at the conference, he explains that while there’s an eagerness to make rigs MPD-ready, there’s also a lack of consensus on what exactly “MPD-ready” means. He also discusses how operators and contractors can come together through groups like the IADC UBO/MPD Committee to harmonize conflicting viewpoints on what constitutes MPD-ready and further drive MPD adoption.