DNV GL has revised its classification rules for Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) systems and introduced two new class notations Drill(MPD) and Drill(MPD Ready).
Stena Drilling Ltd. (SDL) is the first drilling contractor to receive the notation Drill(MPD) for their harsh environment drillship Stena Carron.
MPD
MPD is an adaptive drilling process that allows greater control of the annular pressure profile throughout the wellbore. This can help operators drill new wells safely and more efficiently and in some cases to drill previously undrillable wells. Since 2013, DNV GL’s offshore standard DNVGL-OS-E101 Drilling Plant has covered the design and commissioning requirements for MPD systems.
Stena Carron
The SDL drillship Stena Carron was the first vessel to receive the Drill(MPD) notation from DNV GL and has already successfully drilled two ultradeep wells with its MPD system. MPD certification to the MPD Ready notation is also planned for two more SDL drillships, the Stena IceMax and Stena DrillMax.
Barrier-management Approach
'Over the last few years we have seen significant advances in the drilling sector,' says Ernst Meyer, Senior Vice President, Director of Offshore Classification at DNV GL – Maritime. 'With MPD for example, it is possible to drill through more narrow pressure margin formations and to drill more efficiently than with traditional methods. The new revision to our drilling facilities standard introduces a barrier-management approach which facilitates the certification of the most advanced drilling technologies of today and the future. Additionally, we have integrated software simulator testing into regular system certification, which improves our ability to efficiently evaluate the total performance of the control system.'
Caption: Stena Carron is the first drillship to receive the notation Drill(MPD) from DNV GL.
