Whenever some resource breaks the mainstream scene, pundits always eagerly write off the oil and gas industry as obsolete. However, despite these obstacles, the petroleum sector demonstrated an excellent level of adaptability and now is expected to sustain a healthy 6% annual growth all the way to 2030.
These numbers are not the product of luck or favorable circumstances since the petroleum sector is currently facing some of the biggest adversities in recent history.
Succeeding in this arena requires thorough preparation and the use of tried and true good practices. Let us take a look then at a couple of reliable steps you can take to successfully kick off your drilling fluid business.
Have a plan and stick to it
Making it to the finish line is near impossible if you don’t know what your goal is or what steps you need to take to get there. So, before implementing any large-scale initiatives, take an honest look at your resources, do thorough market research, and see how far you can push your company. Once you get an idea of the long-term goals ahead of you, break them down into more limited short-term objectives, and then break these milestones into even more specific strategies, you can start working into daily business practices.
Leverage computational fluid dynamics
The business world is currently undergoing a process of digital transformation where the old practices are getting a digital overhaul and higher-level automation. Being so dependent on complex calculations and applied physics and math, drilling fluid engineering makes an excellent candidate for such an overhaul. Well, with the use of computational fluid dynamics (CFD) mud engineers are now capable of using AI to visualize the flow of gas and fluids and their effect on surrounding objects which makes their job much easier.
Use the best possible tools and products
The drilling fluid engineering is based on very strict and reliable practices that make very little room for improvement, at least on a larger scale. The area where you can make leaps ahead of your completion however comes in the form of tools and products that can considerably streamline your effort and make the mud drilling process far more effective. So, be sure to invest in the most reliable drilling fluid as well as other items like balance, funnels, and cups, since they can make or break whatever you are doing at the moment.
Master the soil identification
The successful application of the fluids we have mentioned above requires that you have an excellent knowledge of the soil you work with. So be sure to make mastering this technique one of your absolute priorities. Fortunately, this is yet another drilling process currently going through a fast-paced digital evolution so you will have a plethora of available assets to help you out. Some of the most important mentions include the likes of soil moisture sensors, texture calculators, and other soil diagnostic tools.
Eliminate waste as much as possible
Although it is not considered to be an entirely sustainable industry, the oil and gas sector is making huge steps toward refining its practices and making the entire sector greener. But, even if we speak strictly in the financial term, the O&G companies will be able to produce sufficient profit only if they keep the waste under control. Do your best, then, to spend extra time calculating the volume of fluid necessary for the operation. Researching the existing data and previous figures will prove to be more than helpful in this regard.
Prioritize safe practices
Last but not least, we would like to remind you that drilling operations are inherently dangerous which should give you a great incentive to make sure that your input in the entire process is positive and works toward improving the safety of the workers on the site. Granted, sometimes you will feel the pressure of the deadlines and the workload but always keep in mind that neglect, sloppiness, and lack of attention invite disasters that may have far greater negative implications than working at a safe and steady pace.
We hope these few guidelines will help you to find your way through the drilling fluid sector and use the current surge of the O&G industry to the benefit of your organization. Granted, being so deeply rooted in reliable and tested practices, mud drilling leaves very little room for innovation. But you can do your best to refine and improve all the individual facets of this process. And if you manage to do that, you will produce stellar cumulative results.
