IADC CONNECTION • EDITORIAL
IADC, members
keep focus
on people,
collaboration, industry value
FROM THE PRESIDENT
I believe in the long-term value of the oil
and gas industry. This belief comes from
the fact that energy directly impacts the
goals of individuals, organizations and
communities around the world. However,
the industry is facing a number of obsta-
cles, including those around regulatory
and logistical constraints, market frag-
mentation, and workforce recruitment and
retention. While these near-term challeng-
es are being addressed, it’s important to
note that IADC and its members are also
focused on the long game. Three primary
thematic areas will help us stay the course
in 2022 – collaboration, people, and indus-
try value.
Adapting to change
through collaboration
In his editorial in the last issue of this
magazine, Jeremy Thigpen – IADC’s
2022 Chairman and CEO of Transocean –
stressed the need for collaboration. “Our
collective efforts can yield demonstrable
results when we collaborate, share knowl-
edge, tackle common problems and devel-
op solutions to critical issues,” he stated.
This is the idea behind IADC commit-
tees – a pillar of the association through-
out its 80-plus year existence. I’m proud to
say that, not only did committee activity
not cease during worldwide lockdowns ,
but the virtual aspect of committee meet-
ings allowed new faces from around the
world to start popping onto screens. We
know the significant impact IADC com-
mittees have made over the years, and we
recognize the additional potential with
increased access for all members. By pro-
viding hybrid options for committee meet-
ings, we will maximize members’ ability to
collaborate and make an impact.
42 The past two years have taken their toll,
but have also revealed inherent connec-
tions within our industry. These connec-
tions serve as a platform for broader and, in
some cases, more non-traditional collabo-
rations. A recent example is IADC’s recip-
rocal membership with the International
Petroleum Industry
Environmental Conservation Association (IPIECA). With
IADC’s growing sustainability efforts, this
connection provides our members with
the chance to align initiatives and col-
laborate across upstream and downstream
industries. IADC will continue to preserve
existing connections in 2022 while also
seeking new, non-traditional opportuni-
ties to expand its network.
Taking care of people
In Mr Thigpen’s editorial, he also
addressed the challenge of attracting tal-
ent during this period of market recovery.
“The opportunities for next-generation
drilling professionals will be plentiful
for those who are smart, ambitious and
believe in the value this industry creates,”
he said.
IADC recognizes that the talent of
tomorrow needs to be identified and nur-
tured today. The energy and growth we’ve
seen from our Young Professionals (YP)
Committee and student chapters program
signal that we are meeting an industry
demand among its newest talent. Potential
initiatives under consideration for YPs
include a “Lunches with Leaders” series
to facilitate cross-functional development
and regional networking events where YP
Committee members are based. Involving
YPs and IADC student chapters in indus-
try conferences, committee meetings and
chapter activities creates additional oppor-
tunities for engagement. If we nurture the
best resource we have, they will be better
informed and equipped to learn, lead and
achieve future goals they have for them-
selves and the industry.
The challenge around people doesn’t
stop there. Once they are in the industry,
we must train and develop them in order to
keep them in the industry. IADC has been
accrediting training providers for decades,
but offerings must adapt as the industry
progresses. As such, we are developing
new offerings in 2022 around H 2 S, ESG and
IADC’s flagship WellSharp program.
Jason McFarland, IADC President
Demonstrating industry
value with facts
The fact is that hydrocarbon fuels
solve a lot of problems for humanity. Mr
Thigpen states that “one of the key chal-
lenges we face is educating the public on
hydrocarbons’ critical role within civiliza-
tion – something we all take for granted.”
Current conversation about the energy
transition has a lot of the industry talking
past each other. ESG is not a new paradigm,
but the baselines and benchmarks are
siloed among varying organizations in the
energy, financial and regulatory sectors.
The IADC Sustainability Committee will be
stepping up efforts in this area, including
addressing sustainability reporting guid-
ance to help our industry be a resource as
the slow, steady adoption of alternative
energy sources continues. Additionally, the
Energy Efficiency Subcommittee of the
IADC Advanced Rig Technology Committee
will offer opportunities for alignment on
key topics between operators, drilling con-
tractors, vendors and regulators.
Whatever our goals are as individuals, as
organizations or as communities big and
small, there will be challenges and obsta-
cles to overcome. As easy as it is for some
consumers to flip a switch and access ener-
gy, IADC members recognize that energy
sources cannot be switched quite as easily.
It will be a slow and gradual transition to
alternative energy sources, and IADC and
its members have an active role to play
both during and after that transition.
In a world where perception, at times,
overshadows reality, the industry needs
to stay focused, and IADC is committed to
doing its part. I believe the key areas out-
lined above will help the industry stay the
course – something we must do to meet
growing worldwide energy demand. DC
M A R C H/A P R I L 202 2 • D R I L L I N G C O N T R AC T O R
NEWS CUTTINGS • IADC CONNECTION
IADC DrillingIN podcast highlights Well Integrity book
In the first episode of IADC’s DrillingIN
book review podcast, released 20
January, Fred Growcock, Chairman of the
IADC Technical Publications Committee,
spoke with author Les Skinner about
“Well Integrity for Workovers and
Recompletions.” Mr Skinner, Drilling and Operations
Advisor at Eureka Energy Advisors,
discussed some of the key content in
the book, including insight into how
to protect wells through the produc-
tion, workover and recompletion cycle,
from both an economic and a technical
standpoint. The book outlines the steps needed
to ensure that production wells can be
reentered and modified to maximize pro-
ductivity for long-term gain. Over the
course of seven chapters and six appen-
dices, it covers everything about the
basics of well integrity, workovers and
recompletions; recognition of symptoms
and performance of diagnostic tests to
determine well integrity and potential
failure modes; and assess risk and eco-
nomics. The book also features real-world
examples, with quizzes at the end of
each chapter.
Click here to watch the DrillingIN video podcast in
which Les Skinner (left) spoke with IADC Technical
Publications Committee Chair Fred Growcock about Mr
Skinner’s book, “Well Integrity for Workovers and Recompletions.”
IADC, SPE student chapters hold joint CCUS workshop
In late January, IADC and SPE stu-
dent chapters at the University of North
Dakota hosted a one-day workshop dedi-
cated to discussing current initiatives
and challenges related to carbon capture,
utilization and storage (CCUS).
More than 180 people attended the
workshop. Topics discussed includ-
ed subsurface geologic storage; CO 2 -
enhanced hydrocarbon recovery; reser-
voir monitoring and risk assessment;
case studies; industry applications;
economics, incentives and policy; infra-
structure; and non-technical consider-
ations. The student chapters hosted 12 talks,
10 speakers and 12 sessions at the work-
shop, which gave participants a com-
plete perspective on how, where and why
CCUS could grow in the future.
CCUS is an emerging field that involves
the capture of CO 2 from fuel combustion
or industrial processes, the transport of
this CO 2 via ship or pipeline, and either its
use to create valuable products or servic-
es or its permanent storage underground
in geological formations. Countries and
industry leaders are actively supporting
the R&D of CCUS technologies to achieve
a goal of net-zero emissions.
IADC committee, IPIECA
engage on sustainability
roadmap, reporting
Isabel Miranda, Director of Sustainability
and Social Performance at IPIECA, gave a
guest presentation at a meeting of the IADC
Sustainability Committee on 10 February.
IPIECA, which IADC joined late last year,
is a nonprofit association committed to
improving the oil and gas industry’s ESG
performance. Ms Miranda spoke about the
group’s recent work in aligning industry
stakeholders around sustainability.
One recent initiative is the Sustainability
Development Goals
(SDGs) Roadmap,
which IPIECA developed in collabora-
tion with the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development. The groups
looked at the 17 United Nations SDGs and
highlighted 10 where the oil and gas sector
has the most influence by driving inno-
vations. From there, the roadmap identi-
fied eight “impact opportunities” under
three themes: climate, nature and people.
It outlines short-, medium- and long-term
actions for IPIECA and the industry to
maximize each opportunity, with a focus
on scaling up good practices on climate
action, environmental responsibility and
social performance.
Ms Miranda also presented updates to
the Sustainability Reporting Guidance,
which IPIECA published with API and
the International Association of Oil & Gas
Producers in 2020. Notably, a modular
approach to reporting has been adopted:
The guidance now includes 43 indicator
categories, each with two revised tiers
of reporting elements, core and addition-
al. The updated guidance also has new
“key points to address,” with practical rec-
ommendations on developing a report’s
narrative. The reporting of performance
indicators related to climate change and
industry has also been improved.
The IPIECA Reporting Working Group
has already begun new discussions and
will likely begin formalizing additional
updates toward the end of this year.
D R I L L I N G C O N T R AC T O R • M A R C H/A P R I L 202 2
Scan me to access the
IADC Sustainability
Committee webpage.
bit.ly/37zvl62 43