COURSE OVERVIEW:

This course provides an integrated view of smart well drilling and completion for horizontal wells with a strong focus on well integrity throughout the entire life cycle. It links well planning, trajectory design, drilling practices, completion architecture, and integrity management in order to deliver smart horizontal wells that are safe, reliable, and capable of delivering sustained production and surveillance value.

Participants will examine how smart well concepts (downhole sensors, inflow control devices, interval control valves, control lines, and advanced completion hardware) are combined with modern horizontal drilling technologies, trajectory choices, and geosteering practices. The course explores how these choices influence mechanical loads, wellbore stability, pressure envelopes, zonal isolation performance, and the long-term integrity of the well, particularly in challenging reservoirs and complex multi-zone developments.

Key integrity concerns such as wellbore instability, hole cleaning deficiencies, losses and ballooning, liner and casing damage, compromised barriers, completion leaks, control line failures, sand production, and annular pressure build-up are addressed in detail. The course emphasises practical workflows that link real-time data while drilling with completion design and integrity management plans, including surveillance and intervention strategies. By the end of the course, participants will be equipped to plan and execute smart horizontal wells in a way that proactively manages integrity risk and maximises technical and economic value.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After completion of the course, the participants will be able to:

• Explain the role of smart horizontal wells in field development and reservoir management.
• Describe the key elements of smart well architecture as applied to horizontal producers and injectors.
• Translate reservoir and production objectives into functional requirements for smart horizontal well designs.
• Identify the main drilling engineering considerations for horizontal smart wells, including trajectory, dogleg severity, and torque and drag.
• Recognise the main mechanisms of wellbore instability and integrity loss in horizontal sections and extended reach wells.
• Evaluate the impact of mud systems, pressure regimes, and equivalent circulating density on horizontal well integrity.
• Outline good practices in hole cleaning, cuttings transport, and tripping for long horizontal sections.
• Select appropriate completion concepts for smart horizontal wells, including packers, inflow control devices, and control line layouts.
• Define zonal isolation and barrier strategies for smart horizontal completions and assess their vulnerability to integrity failure.
• Interpret drilling and completion data, including real-time measurements, to diagnose emerging integrity concerns.
• Identify critical integrity threats over the life of a smart horizontal well, such as annular pressure build-up, sand production, and completion leaks.
• Plan surveillance programs that combine smart well data, pressure monitoring, and integrity checks.
• Define intervention and workover strategies to address integrity problems in smart horizontal wells while preserving functionality.
• Apply structured risk assessment and assurance processes to smart horizontal well drilling and completion decisions.
• Review and challenge smart horizontal well designs, contractor proposals, and integrity assessments from a multi-disciplinary perspective.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

• Drilling and well engineers are involved in planning and executing horizontal wells
• Completion and workover engineers are responsible for smart well designs and interventions
• Reservoir and production engineers focusing on smart wells and horizontal well performance
• Well integrity and assurance engineers and technical authorities
• Field and operations supervisors, company representatives, and rig-based leaders supporting smart horizontal well operations
• Subsurface and field development staff evaluating smart horizontal well applications
• Technical managers and project leaders who approve well designs and integrity plans

TRAINING COURSE METHODOLOGY:

A highly interactive combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and case studies will be employed to maximise the transfer of information, knowledge, and experience. The course will be intensive but practical and highly interactive. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. The attendants will also be encouraged to raise more of their questions and to share in developing the right answers using their analysis and experience. There will also be some indoor experiential activities to enhance the learning experience. Course material through PowerPoint equipped with necessary animation, learning videos, and general discussions will be provided.

The course participants shall be evaluated before, during, and after the course.

COURSE CERTIFICATE:

National Consultant Centre for Training LLC (NCC) will issue an Attendance Certificate to all participants who complete at least 80% of the total attendance time requirement.