Blade Energy Partners is pleased to announce its collaboration with Louisiana State University’s (LSU) Department of Petroleum Engineering in support of a research project entitled, “Improved Blowout Prevention Methods for Managed Pressure Drilling Operations”. The primary investigations will be conducted using transient, multi-phase computer simulations. The conclusions from those simulations, and field-applicable well control procedures based on those conclusions, will be confirmed with full-scale testing at LSU’s testing facility. Development of a formal procedure for the initial reaction to a kick is expected to be completed and tested during 2007. Development and testing of complete procedures for well control and associated complications is expected to be completed before or during 2009.

Blade Energy believes this developmental work is significant to our industry from several different perspectives. First, Managed Pressure Drilling is an important and evolving technology that promises to improve drilling practices, and consequently industry economics and activity levels in many geographic areas. One specific application is drilling through pressure-depleted formations in otherwise over pressured sections commonly found in mature producing fields. Another application is for wells drilled in deepwater where pressure tolerances between formation and fracture pressures are very narrow.

Second, the blowout prevention methods for Managed Pressure Drilling are commonly assumed to be simple adaptations of well-understood conventional methods. However, these new methods are only now being developed, there are disagreements on what formal procedures should be applied, and there are no explicit methods for identifying or reacting to operational complications.

Third, Blade Energy is actively involved in designing and managing various kinds of Managed Pressure Drilling projects. This project is an important opportunity to partner with LSU to develop and promote industry best practices. LSU, via its Petroleum Engineering Technology Transfer Laboratory, is a leader in developing and transferring effective well control technologies. The full-scale capabilities of the facility and experience of its faculty and staff make it uniquely qualified for conducting this research.

LSU and Blade Energy share the common objective of delivering new understanding and procedures that will enable the safe worldwide growth of Managed Pressure Drilling applications.