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 DRILLING THE UNDRILLABLE:
UTILIZING MANAGED PRESSURE DRILLING
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 Drilling technology has evolved vastly since Edwin Drake drilled the first commercial oil well in Titusville, Pennsylvania in 1859 with a derrick made of pine wood that drove an iron pipe 32’ below ground. Realizing this technique would not work in drilling the unconsolidated sands in the Spindletop Field near Beaumont, TX in 1901, Anthony Lewis utilized rotary drilling technology and pumped drilling mud down hole to prevent the hole from caving-in. Many drilling techniques have evolved since Lewis struck oil at 1,139’ which sprayed oil in the air at a rate of 100,000 bbls per day and guided America into making oil economically feasible to use in the mass consumption of fuel; but no specific drilling technology has had a greater impact in the oil and gas industry than the surge of Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) technology in the last decade.
Managed Pressure Drilling provides a closed-loop circulation system in which pore pressure, formation fracture pressure, and bottom hole pressure are balanced and managed at surface. Drilling mud is supplemented by surface backpressure which can be adjusted much faster in response to downhole conditions compared with changing mud weights conventionally. The intention of MPD is to avoid continuous influx of formation fluids into the wellbore, minimize losses downhole, and avoid setting additional casing strings. Click here to read more from Graham Thompson on Brammer's use of MPD equipment.
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PIPELINE AND HAZARDOUS MATERIALS SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
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Federal Register Volume 86, No. 217 Published 11/15/21. Effective Date 5/16/22.
 The new federal regulation will add an estimated 400,000 miles of previously unregulated gathering lines to the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) jurisdiction. The primary target of the new rule addresses 8.625 inches outside diameter and larger gathering lines that were historically exempt from regulation due to their location in unpopulated areas (Class 1 locations). The new rule also includes non-metallic pipe (plastic, composite, etc.) that is 8.625 inches or greater gathering lines with MAOP greater than 125 psig. Historically, regulated gathering lines in populated areas were classified as Type A or B lines depending on MAOP and populations density. The newly regulated segment is classified as Type C. All other gathering lines that do not fall under Type A, B, or C are designated as Type R gathering lines.
By November 2022, gathering pipe operators must identify their gathering pipelines. This includes doing class surveys and applying the API RP 80 document (Guidelines for the Definition of Onshore Gas Gathering Lines) to determine gathering status. In addition to expanding the scope of regulated gathering lines, all operators of gathering lines (including Type R) must file annual reports for 2022 due by March 15, 2023. The annual reports must include information including:
- Miles of gathering lines by decade of installation
- Miles by pipeline diameter
- Miles by pipe material and corrosion protection status
- Number of leaks repaired or scheduled for repair
The new rule requires Incident Reporting for both Type C and Type R lines for any event meeting the definition of an incident that occurs after the effective date of the rule (5/16/22).
Click here for additional resources, such as class location definitions, incident report forms, and annual report forms. Brammer's industry experience can help you navigate this new regulation easily, please contact Russ Rogers at russ.rogers@brammer.com for more information.
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THE OIL & GAS SUPPLY CHAIN IS S--L--O--W--I--N--G DOWN!
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 It’s no secret any longer but procuring the goods and services involved in drilling and completing oil and gas wells has really been a challenge. Costs are rising almost daily and delivery times on many of the goods needed to carry on the uninterrupted and timely business of turning new production to the pipelines and tanks are presenting lots of challenges. Three particularly challenging areas are:
OCTG: The mills are over-whelmed and delivery times are dictating spud dates regularly. Unless you are in a continuous drilling program where pipe was procured on a scheduled delivery many months ago, casing is probably the longest lead time item in the domestic industry now. From a standing start most operators are looking at 3-6 months or more for deliveries of 5-1/2”, 7-5/8”, 9-5/8”, 10-3/4”, 13-5/8”, etc. Many specialty items are much further out than that.
FRAC SAND: Local sand mines have become prevalent, but it is still hard to stay ahead of the sand volumes needed for the frac activity in the lower 48 presently. Even when promised timely delivery, upsets associated with trucking and other issues have caused delays in many frac timelines. Some operators have been forced to either wait on sand at considerable extra expense or juggle their sand schedules to use different mesh sizes or lower quality sand.
LOCATIONS: Building locations timely in the Ark-La-Tex/Haynesville Shale region is really becoming a challenge. With the rig count approaching 70 (67 at last count), the main drivers for the slowdown are rationing and allocation of cement, lack of adequate trucking resources (including drivers) and the availability of equipment (cement cutters being at the top of that list).
These three challenges and many others associated with the delivery of goods and services to the oilfield are compounded for operators who are drilling a one off well or maybe just a handful of wells in years’ time. Like that old saying goes…it’s the best of times and the worst of times all at the same time!
If we can help you with your drilling and completion needs, please contact Pat Brown, our VP Operations at 318-429-2280 or pat.brown@brammer.com. |
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COPAS OVERHEAD ADJUSTMENT
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 COPAS Accounting Procedures provide for an annual adjustment of the fixed rate overhead for drilling and producing wells. During the 2022 Spring Meeting, the membership voted to approve the recommended adjustment of +0.4% effective April 1, 2022. Read More |
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Let Us Help with Your E&P "To Do" Lists
2022 is coming on strong. Commodity prices up and Covid-19 down makes for lots of activity. Whether your mature oil & gas assets are slipping through the cracks while the drill bit is driving performance or your internal resources are limiting your ability to turn PUDs into cashflow, we can help. Brammer Engineering can be a long- or short-term safe harbor for many of these producing assets or your one-off drilling program. Let us demonstrate how Brammer Engineering can supplement your staff to manage producing properties and/or execute a drilling program that just won’t wait for staffing limitations.
We work at your discretion and on your timeline. We offer everything from the full meal deal (“soup to nuts” as Bob Brammer used to say) to cafeteria style services of your choosing.
If you have needs that are time sensitive but your resources are constrained, please call or email us to discuss the services that we can provide. We can extend your operating capacity safely, timely, effectively, and efficiently to add value to your bottom line. Please visit our website at www.brammer.com for more information on our company or call or email directly to:
Keith Evans/President 318-429-2351 keith.evans@brammer.com
Pat Brown/VP Operations 318-429-2280 pat.brown@brammer.com
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What is your position at Brammer?
Peloton Administrator
What responsibilities does that include?
My responsibilities include managing the Peloton WellView application, entering daily production volumes, billing clients, setting up new vendors, and creating new projects within our system.
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 How many years have you been at Brammer?
Seven years in June.
How many years in the energy industry?
Eleven years.
What do you enjoy most about working at Brammer?
I enjoy working for such a well known and successful company. No matter the obstacles that arise within the oil and gas industry, Brammer keeps pressing forward!
What do you think sets Brammer apart?
Brammer offers a multitude of services for clients in the oil and gas industry. Every department is eager and determined to offer assistance any way they can.
What is the most important thing you have learned since starting at Brammer?
I have learned that the working atmosphere is crucial to your job performance. When everything flows efficiently, the progress of the company is sensational!
Click here to read the full interview with Sierra Jenkins.
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"What's up buttercup?"
Pink ladies in bloom!
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BROADCAST QUIP
"The inherent vice of capitalism is the unequal sharing of blessings; the inherent virtue of socialism is the equal sharing of miseries."
- Winston Churchill
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