An Asset Team Cross-training Program. Not a drilling course, but an intense cross-training course for drilling supervisors and all asset team members & related parties.
BACKGROUND
The core program originated from the DEA-44 Horizontal Well Technology JIP of the late 80’s, and has since evolved through constant update and delivery over 260 times in every major petroleum basin globally, with consistently excellent review. During the 90’s it was delivered by Maurer Technology (subsidiary of Noble Drilling) to DEA-44 members and via open-industry commercial staging. In 2000, the program was available exclusively via the Petroskills global training consortium, and was unavailable to any other entities. As of April 2007, the Petroskills relationship terminated, and the course has since been available via Petris, NExT, Midland College, SPE and other technical training organizations globally. The program is very interactive and flexible, with easy customization to any specific asset or corporate culture setting for in-house staging.
SCHOOL OBJECTIVES
The primary objective of this intense six-day, split-week program is to provide students (operator asset team, D&C operational staff, management & support staff, key service providers and regulators) with an appreciation of the crucial multidiscipline aspect of optimized horizontal and more complex development well applications. The program provides a practical-based “big picture” of all the disciplines, issues, and team functions inherent in basic screening, assessing value added and implementation; and then addresses the advanced technical options of complex well design, construction, intervention and production including multi-branch, SAGD, CHOPS, Shale Gas, tight/light oil, Stack-Frac etc.
In addition, the course will:
- Review successful and unsuccessful complex well technology applications
- Expose common failure reasons and provide practical solutions
- Review well design attributes and competing completion options
- Foster multidisciplinary approach to horizontal & complex wells
- Enhance awareness of advanced exploitation operational risks vs. geological risks
The program features hands-on training with computer models utilizing actual field data. Class exercises walk through the “decision-making” process from candidate screening through multiwell development and workover operations. Additionally the school reviews the latest technical developments and novel applications. This multidiscipline program covers:
Horizontal/Complex Well Applications Completion Technology
Well Design, Multi-stage frack, Multibranch Geological Considerations
Production Engineering Drilling Technology, CT, ERD, MPD
Reservoir Engineering Principles Field Execution
Candidate Screening and Prioritization Field Case Studies
PC Program Examples Problem Identification and Avoidance
TARGET AUDIENCE
The program, which is continually updated, will benefit managers, geologists, geophysicists, engineers (drilling, completion, production and reservoir internal staff and key service providers), technicians, and others involved with modern exploitation technology applications. Students with no complex well experience will get a good feel for the potential of this technology and learn what analytical tools are available to them to screen, design, and implement this exploitation process in an optimal manner. Students with complex well experience will broaden their interdisciplinary knowledge and learn some of the latest technical breakthroughs and design options in respect to shale gas, tight-light oil, complex/smart completion technologies, MPD, CT etc; as well as the latest field experience do’s and don’ts.
MISSION STATEMENT
Provide a practical, core-competency cross-training program to help the asset team in optimally applying advanced exploitation technology to make more oil/gas faster, cheaper, at maximum social benefit.
Complex Well Core Competency Key Elements
Some of the elements which make the program a truly unique technical cross-training experience within our global industry are summarized as follows:
- The course is constantly updated with the latest relevant real field data and experience, and has unique capability to be customized to the specific asset setting of the local industry. The program’s split week schedule, (eg; Tuesday-Thursday over two consecutive weeks), has proved to be extremely popular for all clients as it eases the intensity for students, and makes it easier for managers to give up staff time as attendees can deal with day-to-day work tasks each Monday and Friday during the course duration. All class material, supporting video loops and technical presentation, and all reference material is provide in electronic version to each student via a personal tablet or stick, and hard-copy work/note book issued to each student.
- The mandate and focus of the program to effectively deliver all the asset team core competencies utilizing actual field data is unique, supported by daily quizzes, current asset specific field examples, and detailed exploitation project simulations, as are the resulting practical tools and methodologies delivered related to optimized complex well asset-specific/site-specific NPV & EUR goals, design, construction and operation.
- The asset team approach utilized in course format, material and delivery is unique. This program is the only course designed specifically to deal with the reality of asset team dynamics, to expose the numerous misconceptions of complex well design and application, and to address the unavoidable disconnect, which always exists to varying degree, between the various technical disciplines and filed operations supervisors. The program dramatically exposes the fundamental need of the team to find the balance between the various discipline-specific wants, the true value-added project site-specific needs, and the realistic capabilities and limitations facing field operations staff related to all aspects of well construction, stimulation, intervention and production.
- We are constantly striving to ensure that interested parties have the proper anticipation of the program’s unique mandate. In that light, below is an e-mail from the Husky Drilling Manager in Calgary: “We staged an in-house version for 21 Husky asset team and D&C operational professionals earlier this month, with excellent review.” After which Mike sent this to his drilling manager counterpart on the East Coast of Canada: “I have just participated in a Complex Well Construction school. It was Husky organized, involving drilling, completions, and various staff members of the business units, reservoir, production, geology, etc. Bob Knoll was the instructor. The course was excellent, and it was highly rated by our folks. I myself enjoyed it. Bob’s vast experiences gleaned from his travels around the world were of most interest to me, in terms of the problems and learning’s from other operators. I recommend this school for our East Coast offshore development team. – Husky Drilling Manager, Calgary, October 2009.”
This is presented to illustrate a “driller’s view” of the multidisciplined cross-training aspect of the course. Typically, the G&G managers and team leaders quickly understand the cross-training necessity, but the D&C and field operational people seem to find it hard to understand that it is not a course on “making hole”, but rather “making oil/gas”, as the mission statement reads: “Provide a practical, core-competency cross-training program to help the asset team in optimally applying advanced exploitation technology to make more oil/gas faster, cheaper, at maximum social benefit.”
Complex Well Core Competency, Sample Agenda
DAY 1
CHAPTER 1 ─ Introduction, Hand out and Tablet
Introduction, school objectives and format, history and basic themes, pre-quiz. (Monday Quiz)
CHAPTER 2 ─ Complex Well Technology
Review of important horizontal-well applications, industry trends, basic well profiles, candidate screening, and well design process.
CHAPTER 3 ─ Basic Geology
Key new challenges and capabilities of earth scientists, review of seismic and 3D imaging, as they are altered by complex well applications.
DAY 2
Day 1 recap
CHAPTER 4 ─ Reservoir Considerations
Basic principles of horizontal well benefits and shortcomings, how to predict horizontal well performance, P.T.A. in horizontal wells, drainage radius, and fluid segregation.
CHAPTER 5 ─ Drilling Systems
Introduction to PDM motors, directional drilling and the four basic drilling systems.
CHAPTER 6 ─ Guidance and Geosteering
Guidance systems, geometric vs. geosteering, methods of geosteering, wellpath design, and computer generation.
CHAPTER 7 ─ Torque and Drag
Mechanics of drilling, steering, and problem avoidance in horizontal well construction and intervention.
Mississippi Lime Exercise – Part A
DAY 3
Day 2 recap
CHAPTER 8 ─ Re-entry, Short Version
CHAPTER 9 ─ Borehole Stability
Review of rock mechanic principles and industry experience, assessing the risk and problem avoidance of hole stability in horizontal wells.
CHAPTER 10 ─ Hole Cleaning & Hydraulics
The design and function of drilling fluids, solids removal, etc., specific to horizontal well applications.
CHAPTER 11 ─ Optional – Well Control
Review of altered well control observations/responses in horizontal wells, ECD effects, etc.
CHAPTER 12 ─ Optional – MPD (Managed Pressure Drilling) and UBD
Methods of balanced/underbalanced drilling, capabilities and risks, problem avoidance, equipment evaluation, etc.
Miss Lime Oil Game
DAY 4
Day 3 Recap
Mid-course Team Quiz
CHAPTER 13 ─ Formation Damage
Damage magnitude and mechanisms, risk assessment, damage avoidance design, and check lists.
CHAPTER 14 ─ Completions
Types, capabilities, limitations, risk assessment, completion design methodology for horizontal well applications, and check list.
CHAPTER 15 ─Zone Isolation, Short Version
Types, capabilities, limitations, risk assessment, and design methodology for horizontal well zone Isolation
Participant Case Studies
DAY 5
Day 4 Recap
CHAPTER 16 ─ Stimulation
Types, capabilities, limitations, segmentation design of conventional and novel stimulation options in both conventional and resource settings.
CHAPTER 17 ─ Multi-stage, Basic Physics
Review of rock mechanics and failure modes, remote sensing and modelling of DFN, ERV etc.
Chapter 18-Multi-stage Well Design Options and Tactics
Types, capabilities, & limitations of the various segmentation completions options; stack frac design, fluids and proppants, basic design and operational procedures for applications in tight/light oil and shale plays.
Participant case studies
Wet Sand Oil Game – Part A and Part B
DAY 6
Day 5 Recap
Wet Sand Oil Game – Parts C, D, and E
CHAPTER 19 ─ Multibranch Wells
Risks and benefits, capabilities and limitations, multilateral design methodology, field case histories.
CHAPTER 20 ─ Field Execution
From well design to field operations, critical failure modes, the manager’s check lists, case histories, and course summary.
Final Quiz/Final Team Quiz
Course Critique and Wrap-up
Social Event, Team Prize Awards
Complex Well Core Competency
Course Comments
Bob was a dynamic, approachable, and informative presence. ─ Open School, November, 2014.
Excellent course. Splitting between two weeks was a good idea. ─ Open School, November, 2014.
Overall great course. ─ Open School, November, 2014.
Learned a lot about all disciplines. ─ Open School, November, 2014.
Lots covered, all value added. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Lots of info! Great idea to break it up. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
I think you found an amazing balance given the complexity of the course. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Maybe a few more days, allows you to absorb more information. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Very passionate, intense and very knowledgeable. Great Experience. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Bob is a very good, knowledgeable instructor who is very passionate. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Best course ever which includes some pretty amazing content and places visited!!! Wished we had taken it two years ago! ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Long days and draining for non-technical person but learned a lot. Very worthwhile. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Your passion for what you do is very apparent and made the course very interesting. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Case studies were great. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Complex describes this course exactly. Asset teams are complex, as is all stages of wells from conception to abandonment. Great course – glad all teams came (land, geology, engineering). ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Great course, especially to get an understanding of other disciplines. ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
We just had a great in-house course on horizontal drilling and completions, including stage fracs. The course is given from an asset team perspective and is one of the best I’ve taken.─ Tyson Huska, VP Engineering ─ Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Corex Resources’ CEO’s comment to third party: “Further to our discussion at lunch a few weeks ago, I have finished the subject course and am only more enthusiastic about the course today than when we spoke. We had our entire asset teams present and the feedback I have received has been excellent. I highly recommend the course and have cc’d Bob so either you or he can contact the other to measure the degree of interest on your part. I trust all is well and look forward to our business plans intersecting in the not too distant future.” ─ Monty Bowers, President & CEO, Corex Resources, September 2014
Michael Smith’s comment to third party: “I presently took a great asset team course put on by a very smart gentleman named Bob Knoll. I think you may find it very valuable to your team or any Geology, Land, Completion Production and Drilling alike. One of the best courses I have personally ever taken. Hope you are alright with me passing on your contact as I know it made our team here tighter and we have made significant changes in our information flow and as well as many other aspects of the business. ─ Michael Smith, Corex Resources ─ September 2014
Course should represent value for tech. staff of all experience levels. ─ Lightstream Resources, May, 2014
Good overview of drilling operations that most people, including non-drilling engineers, don’t have. ─ Lightstream Resources, May, 2014
Do not mind split week… probably a good thing. ─ Lightstream Resources, May, 2014
I like the portability of the tablet, the fact that it’s easy to use, search, etc. Staggered week was very convenient. Bob, I like your presentation style. I thoroughly enjoyed the course and have learned lots. Thank you! ─ Lightstream Resources, May, 2014
I enjoyed the games and quizzes. ─ Lightstream Resources, May, 2014
The table is a great idea. Portable and I can easily take anywhere to review course materials. I think the staggered week concept is a great idea. ─ Lightstream Resources, May, 2014
This is the second time I’ve attended the CWCC class in the last 5 years. I was both amazed and delighted in the degree the course has been kept up-to-date with the latest field experience in gas shale and tight/light oil plays. The six-day, split-week format makes it easier to attend, and the shift to the tablets is a great addition. Great course, thanks a lot. ─ Lightstream Resources, May, 2014
I found tests, quizzes, team exercises were the best for learning. I’d rather make a mistake and learn here, better than on a $5M well. ─ Talisman Energy, January 2014
I would highly suggest this course – very thought provoking and informative. ─ Talisman Energy, January 2014
It is a very good course. It should be given to all assets (teams) so they can discuss their fields. ─ Talisman Energy, January 2014
Passionate instructor, keeps it interesting and entertaining. ─ Talisman Energy, January 2014
It is very thought provoking as to why we do what we do. Why do we do what we do? ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
Fully expect to send several staff members. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
Some managers need to see/attend in addition of sending subordinates. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
I would recommend this course to my associates. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
Class would be good for entire asset team. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
Great information, great pace and entertaining. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
Thank you for the course. I hope to get the remaining asset and management team into future courses. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
This was a great start-to-finish course on how to plan for wells which are not every-day ordinary nothing special wells, but new and different wells that require additional thoughts. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
This school provided me with tons of knowledge and industry insights which will help me to ask the right questions as a member of an asset team. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
I particularly appreciate Bob’s level of engagement. He brings an eye opening level of experience, enthusiasm and knowledge. I am grateful for this chance to spend a week with him. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
Engineers had attended earlier class, recommended to management we attend. Worth the time. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
Give a good insight of upfront objectives. Excellent for different disciplines to understand difficulties and challenges each of the others must deal with. ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
I enjoyed the course very much and enjoyed working with Bob very much!! ─ SPE Farmington, December 2013
Material was good and very informative. ─ Open School, Sept. 2013
More interactive exercises. They were excellent! ─ Open School, Sept. 2013
Absolutely keep the role play, it brings this course all together as to why teams are important. ─ Open School, Sept. 2013
Excellent material and adds greatly to background information. ─ Open School, Sept. 2013
I believe a lot of industry need to understand teams. ─ Open School, Sept. 2013
The instructor is very knowledgeable. ─ Open School, Sept. 2013
This is a good course to understand drilling of horizontal wells. ─ Open School, Sept. 2013
This was one of the best courses. I learned a lot. ─ Open School, Sept. 2013
The overall course was awesome. ─ Open school, March 2013
I have a more in-depth knowledge of downhole, etc. ─ Open school, March 2013
I will recommend this course to others. ─ Open school, March 2013
There was a tremendous amount of material offered. ─ Open school, March 2013
For what I wanted from the course (understanding basic/complex concepts), the course met my needs. Very satisfied! ─ Open school, March 2013
Plan on bringing it in-house. ─ Open school, March 2013
Course was quite valuable, necessary and valid. I learned heaps. ─ Open school, March 2013
Bob, Thoroughly enjoyed your course. You did a great job presenting. You are passionate and extremely knowledgeable about horizontal drilling. ─ Open school, March 2013
I liked the broad nature of the course. ─ Encana, February 2013
Very engaging speaker. ─ Encana, February 2013
Exceeded my expectations. ─ Encana, February 2013
Great course. ─ Encana, February 2013
Case examples were excellent. ─ Encana, February 2013
Drilling and well construction discussions were excellent. ─ Encana, February 2013
Very good for challenging well construction with all disciplines. ─ Encana, February 2013
The oil games were great! ─ Encana, February 2013
The quizzes and team exercises were very beneficial to learn the material. ─ Encana, February 2013
The best course I‘ve taken cross-functionally. Excellent engagement, enjoyed the oil games. ─ Encana, February 2013
Yes, valuable information within several disciplines in industry. Great for anyone involved in downhole operations. ─ Open School, November 2012
Very knowledgeable. Love that Bob is engaged and passionate about what he is teaching.
Like the reference of recent papers. ─ Open School, November 2012
Keep up the good presentation. ─ Open School, November 2012
Best course I have taken. This was like combining many years of knowledge and summarizing into a few short days with an encyclopedia to take with you. I came out of the course with many ideas and more knowledge that I think will add considerable value for the rest of my career. Sincere thanks! ─ Open School, November 2012
Exceptional course! Fantastic job, Bob! ─ Open School, November 2012
Senior management should take this course. ─ Open School, November 2012
Instructor is very knowledgeable. Good examples. ─ Open School, November 2012
I would recommend this to anyone who is a team player. ─ Encana, September, 2012
Very interactive. Good tests and quizzes. ─ Encana, September, 2012
Exercises are excellent. ─ Encana, September, 2012
Really emphasizes technology has come a long way. ─ Encana, September, 2012
Excellent; definitely would recommend to my colleagues. ─ Encana, September, 2012
Thanks, Bob. Lots of value, especially last 3 days. ─ Encana, September, 2012
Many years of practical industry experience are so valuable. It will be a shame when this experience retires. ─ Encana, September, 2012
This is a great course to cover concepts and not get stuck on technical equations. ─ Encana, September, 2012
“It’s a very complete course.” – CNRL, June 2012
“I will highly recommend this course to my peers and subordinates.” – CNRL, June 2012
“Good course to put all disciplines on the same page.” – CNRL, June 2012
“Course promotes getting you to think outside the box.” – CNRL, June 2012
“I believe that everyone at all levels in a company should have to take this course at least once!” – CNRL, June 2012
“Excellent course; opened my mind.” – CNRL, June 2012
“Excellent course material. Bob did an amazing job keeping the class’ attention.” – CNRL, June 2012
“This course was over my expectation.” – CNRL, June 2012
“Opened my mind to this subject. Would like to take this course again to add to what stuck.” – Husky, May 2012
“Very informative – wish I had taken it years ago!!” – Husky, May 2012
“The best oil and gas course!” – Husky, May 2012
“Very good course. Bob is perfect.” – Husky, May 2012
“Bob, please consider writing a book with all of your field experience, observations, what is good, what is not good, visions and directions to follow so that the new generations can benefit from all your knowledge and hard work! Thank you for sharing.” – Husky, May 2012
“Good overview of integrated team.” – Husky, May 2012
“This is a good course to encompass all aspects of drilling.” – Husky, May 2012
“This course should be mandatory for all project managers. ERCB people should attend it to have a better understanding of what they ask (e.g., gas migration repairs with “zero bubbles allowed at surface.”)” – Husky, May 2012
“Every team should have an opportunity to attend.” — Pengrowth, March 2012
“Thank you and come back soon. Please teach it at universities.” — Pengrowth, March 2012
“I was on an excellent training course here the last few weeks (that was taught by Bob Knoll). We did it over 6 days in the Pengrowth office building with approximately 15 employees. The overwhelming consensus was that the course was great training for understanding horizontal wells (from geology, drilling, completions, fracking, to producing the last drop from the well). Bob has a lot of personal field experience with drilling these types of wells, with industry challenges and with giving this course. There is a running competition through the week that pits each team of 3 against each other. Bob’s discussions pieced together and challenged some of my assumptions about horizontal wells.” — Pengrowth, March 2012
“Definitely good course that opens the mind up to multiple issues and approaches that come with complex well designs.” — Arc, February 2012
“Great course — gave me many ideas to follow up on.” — Arc, February 2012
“Bob definitely knows his material and has great experience to provide examples to help illustrate the material.” — Arc, February 2012
“The course really opened my eyes to the complexities and number of factors to consider when drilling any well in any formation.” – Nexen, January 2012
“This was a great class. I appreciated all the practical examples and concepts. I would highly recommend this course to anyone.” – Nexen, January 2012
“Enjoyed your dynamic presentation style – team exercises and all” – Nexen, January 2012
“This is the best, most applicable industry course I have taken. I just finished drilling 2 HZ
multilateral UBD concept wells and I feel we could have achieved better outcomes if we had taken this course prior (although hindsight is 20/20 so it’s hard to say). I wish more people from my asset team had attended.” – Nexen, January 2012
“Enjoyed learning what the rest of my asset team does and how much forethought must go in to horizontal drilling.” – Nexen, January 2012
“Yes, I appreciate that this course was what it was described to be – cross discipline! In future, this will help me appreciate my co-workers and their challenges/objectives when planning, drilling, etc., the wells.”- Nexen, January 2012
“I would make it mandatory for all professionals between 5 to 10 years’ experience.” – PetroBakken, Calgary, September, 2011
“This was an excellent course. I liked that it was about practical examples and not about deriving equations, etc.” – PetroBakken, Calgary, September, 2011
“By far the best technical course I’ve ever been on. Takes technical information and applies it to real world applications.” – PetroBakken, Calgary, September, 2011
“Bob drove us hard, but I wouldn’t want it any other way. Thank you very much for the time, energy, enthusiasm and passion you put into it for us.” – Husky Oil, Calgary, June, 2011
“I thoroughly enjoyed the presentation, learned that a lot of preconceived notions that I had need to be challenged. Saw the vast technological change over the past 15 years since I was personally involved in horizontal drilling.” – Husky Oil, Calgary, June, 2011
“It’s a course that helps people interact better with all other disciplines. This is huge.” – Pengrowth, Calgary, February, 2011
“I think all teams should be REQUIRED to take this course.” – Pengrowth, Calgary February, 2011
“Bob, thank you again for the very effective and timely training you have provided to Enerplus’ technical, management and executive staff over the last year. Both the 5-day asset team cross-training program (complex Well Core Competency, one of the best technical training events I have attended in my career) and the 1-day executive version are great programs. I really do want to thank you for your persistence in getting Enerplus to “taste the wine” of these programs earlier last year. The two executive versions we have internally staged recently for over 40 of our managers were a great success as both technical and non-technical executives and managers have a far better understanding of the complexities with execution in our business. What the unique 5-day asset team program teaches is so fundamental to our business model for the future that it is important that we get a majority of our technical teams to participate. We have had three full team courses in-house this year, and have plans for additional courses in the future. It is clear from the average course ratings of 4.5 out of 5 from all participants that the delivery and content value is excellent and we are seeing the direct effect the training is having on our asset teams during their day-to-day efforts to improve on all our complex well exploitation pursuits.” – Chris Stephens – Manager, Canadian Gas Business Unit, January 18, 2011.
“As requested, here is some feedback on the CWCC Course that I took on the week of March 22nd to the 26th. The course was extensive and covered significant amount of material over the five-day period. The material encompassed geology, rock mechanics, reservoir characteristics, drilling techniques, completion methods, stimulation techniques, as well as the overall economics. There was also a section dedicated to resource plays and stack fracs. This was a great overview of the role and responsibilities of all the disciplines involved and the importance of each with horizontal wellbore. It also gave everyone an appreciation of the existing technology that is currently being employed out there. However, the most important thing that was stressed from the beginning and throughout the course was that a successful horizontal wellbore could only be gauged upon having a productive economic wellbore at the end of the day, as opposed to what was important to the individual disciplines during its execution.
The Instructor, Bob Knoll, was very impressive. He is very knowledgeable and has a wealth of experience to draw upon. Not only does Bob have a Degree in Geology, he has worked as an offshore driller in eastern Canada and the North Sea, as well as on projects in the Middle East, Northern Alberta, and even heavy oil in Lloydminster… thus, there is not much that he has not seen firsthand. He is a great instructor and very passionate about his course. His class environment is about involvement and one that makes all class members active participants. His assignments are very interesting and involve case studies of wells drilled by various companies. To see the actual decisions made by other companies during their drills and to witness the mistakes they made is an invaluable teaching tool. Bob also gave several quizzes throughout the week to be completed individually or by the “Teams” which forced one to pay very close attention throughout the entire week.
Although I have not taken a technical course for a number of years, this one without a doubt proved to be one of the best, if not the best course, I have ever attended from a corporate perspective. I do not think that there could be a course more applicable to our everyday business… from geology, a reservoir, a drilling, a completion and a production aspect. Paramount Resources sent an entire asset team to the course which included a Geophysicist, Geologist, Completion Engineer, Reservoir Engineer, Drilling Engineer, and their Team Lead. Packers Plus also had nearly half a dozen of their technical staff in attendance. I would strongly encourage all disciplines to take this course and if a watered-down/shortened version were available, it would also be very informative to the PetroBakken’s Executives.” – Kevin Zern, PEng., Calgary – May, 2010.
“Wonderful – Covered a LOT, but there is nothing I could see to leave out. Each option has value. I will be recommending the course to my clients.” – Denver, April 2010
“I recently attended the Asset Team Complex Well Core Competency Course with Bob Knoll and highly recommend it to those in the new grad. program, particularly those involved in horizontal wells (anyone from geology, reservoir, production, drilling should take this course). I am sure the other Nexen attendees will also testify to the wealth of knowledge that is learned. The material is current and many examples and practice are given to students. Bob has a TON of knowledge and is also very enthusiastic and passionate about what he has to share. I recommend that another in-house course be brought to Nexen and be a part of the new grad. program at Nexen.” – EIT, Reservoir Engineering, Calgary, March 2010
“Last week I participated in a Complex Well Construction school. It was a one-week school that Husky organized, involving drilling, completions, and various staff members of the business units, reservoir, production, geology, etc. Bob Knoll was the instructor. The course was excellent, and it was highly rated by our folks. I myself enjoyed it. Bob’s vast experiences gleaned from his travels around the world were of most interest to me, in terms of the problems and learning’s from other operators. I recommend this school for our East Coast offshore development team.” – Husky Drilling Manager, Calgary, October 2009.
“I thoroughly enjoyed your Complex Well Technology Course I attended in Midland and found it tremendously valuable. Currently, I am a development geologist in the Horn River Team in northeast BC. I am very glad that I was able to attend the course at this time, because it
has allowed me to become familiar with all aspects of horizontal well design and has changed my approach to how these wells are drilled, completed and produced, as being truly a multidisciplinary collaborative effort. The most important take away that I had, was how complex and integrated all parts of well design are and that it is erroneous to think that each discipline is only responsible or should only have input, on their given specialty. Serious problems will arise if a program is approached in this way. Truly, complex well planning occurs
as team collaboration from day one, and begins by considering ‘how the last barrel will be produced.
A course like this provides a basis for all disciplines to “get on the same page” and to be able to communicate since many times geologists, engineers, drillers and field consultants do not always speak the same language. I now feel that I am able to understand the concerns that other disciplines have, and how, as a geologist, I can communicate more effectively. Given Encana’s resource play model, in which most reservoirs are economically utilized by horizontal well-bores, I feel that this course and the asset team cross-training that it provides, would be extremely useful.” – Jesse Dean, Encana- Midland Texas Staging, November, 2008
“I want to drop you a note regarding the Complex Well course that I attended in May. I must say it was one of the better courses I have taken in my career. It is not a theory course, but rather a practical instruction based on Bob’s extensive experience with leading edge horizontal well technology. I took a number of experience-based recommendations from the course that will be applied in the coming winter-drilling season. I would not only recommend the course to anyone involved with horizontal well applications, but would also suggest the technical people in asset teams that work together take the course together.” – Murray Weatherhead, Devon Canada, September, 2008
“I just wanted to give you the credit, after giving you a lot of resistance at your school last year. DOC drilled seven horizontal New Albany Shale wells in SW Indiana, and if you remember, my fear of collapsing shale caused me to run slotted liners. All would have been okay, if the drilling results were also the IP’s (100-125’ flares while drilling overbalanced, with rotating head and buster), but things went south after leaving them shut in for 12 months while putting in gathering and infrastructure. You told me to pull the liners, remember?
I attempted to run in with a 2 7/8”, 8 rd tubing work-string, but couldn’t get left hand torque down to the top of the liner to screw into the left hand 4 ½” XH box x 4 ½” 8 rd casing pin. The tubing backed off. I then laid down the tubing, picked up a string of 2 7/8” rental string of DP and a casing spear, slicked down the hole, stabbed the hangar and pulled the 4000”+ of 4 ½ “ 10.5# casing with 18K# over pull. Old Bob was right, you can quote me on that (you said you would put any money on pulling 9 out of 10). Everyone in Indiana thought I was insane and just wasting money. Thanks for your recommendation; we will be fracing the horizontal as soon as equipment and design can be finished.” – Terry J. Cammon, President Diversified Operating Corporation, 303-384-9611, July 2008.
“Thanks for letting us know about the Complex Well Technology-Core Competency ’08. I would like to send two other members of my team to attend this unique training – I still consider this course the best ever training in my life and still continue to use almost all of the advices you gave me. In my role as Completions Coordinator and former drilling engineer I came to appreciate more and more all the experience you shared during the class – it has been very valuable and now I have the opportunity to make the difference, I’ve been able to bring the drilling and completions departments closer and closer especially now that we are in the process of drilling more HZ wells for heavy oil.” – Hector Munoz, Husky Energy, Calgary, 2008.
“I wanted to thank you for extending the invitation to attend the Complex Well Technology Core Competency class you taught through Petris a few weeks ago. Even though I have less than a year of experience under my belt, your class was of great value to me. Much of what you discussed was detailed enough for more seasoned students but still taught so that I could follow along. Also, many points you made where meant to change the way people address horizontal wells; with someone at my experience level, this course has taught me to envision horizontal wells the correct way from the beginning. I would definitely recommend this class to anyone that either is involved directly in working with horizontal wells or to someone that just wants to learn more. Any and all experience levels will take a great deal from this course. Thanks again.” –Matthew Dernick, Weatherford EDI. D&C Engineer, Houston, November, ‘07.
“My name is Tom Radford and I work for BP. I am currently seconded into Kuwait Oil Company, where I head up the geophysical group for the West Kuwait Field Development team. I have been drilling horizontal well and multilateral wells since 1997. I attended Petroskill’s Well Planning and Operations, Asset Team Cross-Training class, taught by Bob Knoll, in December of 2005 in London, and was overwhelmed with the course. In the 3 decades that I have worked for Amoco/BP, this is the best course I have attended. This course is at least in an order of magnitude above any other course that I have been on, heard about, or read about. Throughout my career, I have attended industry, internal, and academic courses. Until this course I had yet to find a course where the instructor knew the academic part, had a significant amount of first-hand experience, and had been intimately involved with the industry’s experience. Bob brings all three of these aspects together.Furthermore, his approach in the classroom makes for an engaged and interactive participating class. Moreover to what Bob brings to the class, the content of the class is absolutely vital and critical to drilling non-vertical wells in our industry today.
This alone would be enough to write this note to you, but there’s more. Horizontal drilling is in its infancy, yet everyone in the industry is an expert. However when you question their experience you often find that their stated qualifications is that they possess an OBE “Other Bugger’s Effort”. In the oil patch today, there are really only a small handful of professionals that have drilled more than 20 horizontals. But everybody is an expert. The great thing about Bob is that he really is a world-class expert. The Well Planning and Operations, Asset Team Cross-Training (formerly DEA-44) course is different. The examples are first hand. The examples are many and from different basins, continents, drilling practices, the list goes on. After taking the course, either a working professional or a cigar puffing manager can understand the horizontal well from conception to production. Not only will they understand it, but they will have real data examples as their backup for making their decisions.
So far these are only words, but my commitment to this course is so great, that upon my return to Kuwait from taking the course, I initiated and drove the process to bring this course to Kuwait. As you may be aware, as of this week, Bob is turning 20 more Kuwait professionals from simple vertical well designers to 20 knowledgeable, trained, and confident horizontal drillers.” – Sincerely yours, Tom Radford, West Kuwait Geophysical Group Leader, Dec. 2005
“I recently attended a week-long course entitled: Exploitation Technology, an Asset Team Cross-Training Program. The course instructor was Bob Knoll, consultant out of Calgary. I would highly recommend this course to anyone involved in planning and executing well plans, completions, and production operations. Bob communicates well his in-depth knowledge of current exploitation technology, including strengths and weaknesses, and how technology is employed on a case by case basis to achieve the desired results. The material is presented utilizing real world examples and multiple “what if” scenarios. Several hands-on exercises reinforce the concepts developed in the class. At the end of the week I had a more thorough and integrated understanding of how and when to use selected technology depending on changing subsurface conditions.
The reason I’m writing you is to give you feedback on this course and to let you know that internally, folks must not be aware of the value of this course. This is a Petroskills-OGCI school, supported by BP, yet I was the only BP person represented. Please forward this note to someone within our technical training staff or possibly HR. Hopefully it will stimulate some interest among engineers and geoscientists in this very practical and worthwhile school”. – BP, Houston, 2004
“I recently attended the Petroskills, LLC sponsored Exploitation 2004: Asset Team Cross Training in Houston, TX, taught by Bob Knoll. The title of the course is somewhat misleading in the fact that the course covers all crucial disciplines of horizontal well applications. This course was formerly known as DEA-44 Horizontal Technology. I highly recommend this course for managers, engineers (drilling, production, reservoir and completion), geologists and geophysicists. I had some experience in onshore horizontal well drilling and production before the course. I was amazed by the multidiscipline techniques this course provided for candidate screening, reservoir considerations, well course design, drilling technology, field execution and production (artificial lift). The most valuable portion of the course for me was “Minimizing Reservoir Damage”. The input from those present that work in other parts of the world was also valuable. There were many good case studies provided as well as challenging classroom exercises. The course helped me see how important “big picture” planning is for all members of
the asset team. I wish I had attended the course before we drilled our wells and noted many things I will do differently the next time around.” ─ Amerada Hess-Houston ─ December 2002.
“My development team recently attended “Exploitation Technology 2003: Asset Team Cross Training” an OGCI/Petroskills sponsored course. This course (formerly known as DEA-44 Horizontal Technology) covers the multidisciplinary aspects of horizontal well applications, and the related new technology which continues to develop at an increasing rate. I would recommend that those managers, engineers, geologists, geophysicists and commercial analysts interested in broadening or refreshing their knowledge consider this course. The course materials include significant reference lists for topics like candidate screening, reservoir considerations, well course design, drilling technology, field execution and production (artificial lift). It has previously been widely attended by many of EnCana’s drilling personnel who can also share their thoughts with you.
Taking my development team on this course also provided an opportunity for team building and sharing thoughts on “big picture” or multidisciplinary planning. Depending on your team’s demographic and skill sets you may find this course of great value in your asset planning discussions. You may also find the input and experience of industry attendees from your region will help to focus your horizontal well planning and applications.” ─ Gary Hyde, EnCana ─ East Coast Development ─Jan. 2003
“This is the most value-adding, thought-provoking and change-fostering course I have ever had in 23 years in the O&G industry!” — BP, Houston — August, 2002
“This course is a must for those evaluating the use of horizontal well technology within an asset group. Although there is ample material available from industry and academic sources which address the technical aspects of horizontal well technology, a void exists when searching for good practical knowledge presented in a logical fashion. The course fills this void by presenting practical knowledge of do’s and don’ts, case studies with both technical and operational outcomes, and perhaps, most importantly, a multidisciplined approach to horizontal well applications.” ⎯ D.W. Eubank, Professor, Petroleum & Geological Engineering, University of Oklahoma ⎯ December, 2000