TAB LE OF CONTE NTS
Official magazine of
the International
Association of Drilling
Contractors JAN/FEB 2023
Volume 79 • Number 1
drillingcontractor.org iadc.org
Nabors is developing capital-light
automation systems that can improve
both safety and efficiency, like its RZR
robotics module, which has been
retrofitted to the X29 rig. Read more on
Pages 7 and 28. Cover photo courtesy of
Nabors Industries.

CRITICAL ISSUES IN DRILLING & COMPLETIONS
10 Investments in digital systems, sustainability
will help drillers carve niche in new
landscape BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
14 Renewed focus on safety needed as
industry deals with labor shortage amid
activity ramp-up
BY LINDA HSIEH, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
16 Technology allows drilling contractors to
bring added value beyond traditional work
scope 22 Open architecture, end-to-end solutions can
help to advance industry’s digital journey
BY LINDA HSIEH, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
26 Petrobras looks to disruptive technologies
to ensure all E&P projects have ‘double
resilience’ BY LINDA HSIEH, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
28 Financial and human capital challenges
call for the industry to adopt new ways of
thinking BY LINDA HSIEH, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
19 14
Industry must fill talent gap for both today
and tomorrow as it seeks long-term value
creation BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
D E E PWATE R D R I LLI N G MAR KETS & TECH N O LOG I E S
32 Fast innovation process allows Petrobras to tap Búzios with lower cost, higher reliability
BY LINDA HSIEH, EDITOR AND PUBLISHER
MANAGED PRESSURE DRILLING
33 Dilution-based dual-gradient technique
aims to remove limiters for drilling ultra-
deep wells
37 Machine learning-based pressure
MPD-enabled real-time pressure testing
helps Shell improve safety in ‘conventionally
undrillable wells’
38 management technology brings full
automation to MPD operations
BY ERIC VAN OORT, LEWIS J. DUTEL
AND LUC DE BOER, ULTRADEEP ENERGY COMPANY
35 BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD,
ASSOCIATE EDITOR
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
New well design and MPD deployed to
manage pressure uncertainties in Gulf of
Thailand BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
D R I LLI N G CO N T R ACTO R • JAN UARY/FEB RUARY 2023
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