I’m quite sure there’s a lot left to learn about my job. I’ll be mostly out working on drilling rigs, or at least that’s the current plan. This little mini hitch has me at the mud plant here on the slope. This is where all the fluids used on rigs (or “mud”) is made. Obviously, I can’t go into too much detail but there are all sorts of formulations for making different final products that are made here before being shipped out customers on rigs. My job will essentially be monitoring and running tests on the mud (that’s been mixed here) at the rigs to determine if properties need to be changed by adding different things. Basically, I get to cook with mud. And make the calculations to decide how much and what goes in. I’ve also been told there’s a lot of logistics involved here coordinating how much and when different fluids are needed.
This week I’ve just been learning a few basic tests that I might run on a mud check. It’s been a laboratory setting really. In addition I’ve been starting to read up on the chemistry, fluids dynamics, and learning about all the different Baroid products (what they are, what they’re used for, etc.). I’ve also had an opportunity to look at the program used to generate daily reports by entering in data from mud checks. Learning the software is on my to do list!
The other main knowledge I’m gaining is a basic background on how oil is drilled. I’ll draw up a basic sketch and explain that because it’s the easiest way, in my opinion, to explain how the process works as I understand it. Full disclosure, take this all with the knowledge that I’m still very much training and I don’t really have a full grasp quite yet.
