Tip the Scales
in Your Favor
You might think that you can’t get high performance from water-based
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performance, sustainability, and economics.
Well, M-I SWACO has developed one of the most complete portfolios
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Aqueous fluid solutions—water-based drilling fluids that are more
than just water.
slb.com/AFS Copyright © 2022 Schlumberger. All rights reserved. 22-WCFL-1260840
TAB LE OF CONTE NTS
Official magazine of
the International
Association of Drilling
Contractors NOV/DEC 2022
Volume 78 • Number 6
drillingcontractor.org iadc.org
There is growing optimism around the
global offshore drilling market and its
prospects for 2023, with dayrates and
utilization both expected to increase.
See article on Page 12. “Gulf of Mexico
Glow” painting by artist Crystal
Wreden. DRILLING OUTLOOK
Active Rigs
Drillship Utilization
Semisub Utilization
120 12 Buoyed by strong oil prices and rig demand, offshore drilling
100 to see
continued comeback in 2023
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
Total Rigs
Jackup
Tender
12 Rig Count
80 18 Analysts maintain optimistic outlook for onshore drilling market,
60 but uncertainties remain
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
40 22 Oil and gas projects draw renewed interest from investors 20 amid
energy supply shortfall
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
0 25 Drilling contractors can play important roles in supporting scale-up
Jan-22 18
Feb-22 Mar-22
Apr-22
of geothermal energy
BY STEPHEN WHITFIELD, ASSOCIATE EDITOR
WELL CONTROL & PRESSURE CONTROL EQUIPMENT
27 Saudi Aramco applies 4IR technologies to improve safety,
well control readiness at rig site
BY MICHAEL AFFLECK, ARAMCO OVERSEAS COMPANY; RICHARD PYE,
BODONG LI AND GUODONG (DAVID) ZHAN, SAUDI ARAMCO
Traffic light GUI
NOV ANNUAL RIG CENSUS
31 2022 NOV rig census shows a welcome recovery period,
but challenges loom ahead
BY TARJEI “TJ” MYKLEBUST, KARL APPLETON AND KEVIN SCHERM, NOV
ab le and
US Avail
6000 gs
Active Ri
e rigs
Av ailabl
s Activ e rig
5000 Data Analycs/AI
4000
3000 2000
1000 AUTO MATI O N & SAFET Y
0 2015
2011 2013
2007 2009
2003 2005
1999 2001
1995 1997
1991 1993
1987 1989
1983 1985
1979 1981
1975 1977
1971 1973
1967 1969
1963 1965
1959 1961
1955 1957
55 Uptake of automation, remote operations enhances need for
systematic alarm management
BY JESSICA WHITESIDE, CONTRIBUTOR
DRILLING CONTRACTOR • NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2022
3