Rig Contractor's Best Practices and Lessons Learned for Contractor Owned MPD Deepwater Systems

Abstract For many years, the MPD industry was expecting the definitive adoption of the technology by the offshore rig contractor. During that period, rental models were the norm, but the trend is showing definitive signs of rig companies investing in MPD capital as well as preparing their own personnel to run MPD directly. With equipment that will be permanently installed on the rig, the rig contractors demand the level of technology that will better fit their business model for many years from MPD suppliers. Including capabilities to handle different MPD techniques with the same equipment in an efficient way in the event the project requires quick switches between MPD techniques such as, Constant Bottom Hole Pressure, Pressurized Mud Cap Drilling, and Riser Gas Handling. The rig contractor is now the owner of the MPD equipment and can offer it directly to the operator company instead of using a third-party service provider as an intermediary. With that said to have an entire MPD independence, the rig crew must be trained properly and comply with the competency system that third parties have demonstrated to be successful in using it during the developing years. This paper summarizes the practices, lessons learned, and knowledge transfer process that made the rig contractor successful in installing and using the acquired MPD equipment in different areas of the world while at the same time preparing their rig crew to operate the MPD software provided by the third-party MPD service provider.