By Jason McFarland, IADC President As this edition of Drilling Contractor magazine goes to press, world governments are debating the safest ways to open their countries back up after the COVID-19 pandemic upended the global economy and as the disease continues to threaten human lives around the world. The pandemic’s impact on the oil and gas industry has been catastrophic as well, putting oil markets in chaos and sending the price of oil tumbling. In this environment, it can be hard to find the right words to say to IADC’s members, as so much of the news we are bombarded with every day is negative. However, even amid these unprecedented circumstances, I have seen glimmers of hope. IADC members, in ...

US CARES Act to inject needed relief for small businesses, industries In response to the devastating economic impacts arising from quarantine and stay-home orders, the US Congress and Administration passed several relief bills, including the CARES Act, which provide direct stimulus relief for families, small businesses and corporate relief. IADC President Jason McFarland said: “IADC has not been spared from the devastating effects of the crisis; all of our 1,000 plus member companies and their employees are feeling it. While our members include a few large corporations, the majority are small companies working with local communities to provide the energy that makes modern life possible. These companies have harnessed decades of American ingenuity to provide millions of jobs to workers. ...

V2.0 of DDR Plus has been released to the industry following feedback received on V1.0 during 2019 By Stephen Whitfield, Associate Editor The IADC Daily Drilling Report (DDR) is a staple of the drilling industry, the primary data-collection form for rigs around the world and a key element in determining the duration of various processes that makeup drilling, completing and intervening operations. The data collected in the DDR have remained underutilized, however, in part because of a lack of structure. In early 2018, the IADC Advanced Rig Technology (ART) Committee launched a project to update and digitalize the DDR. The work led to an upgraded system, the DDR Plus, which is designed to be more usable for automated systems to ...

In this interview with DC, Elizabeth Craddock, VP of Policy and Government Affairs at IADC, outlines the recent legislation to help businesses stay afloat during the pandemic and how drillers can take advantage of it...

Due to the concerns regarding COVID-19, IADC is postponing and rescheduling IADC events and conferences as necessary. New dates for rescheduled events will be posted here...

By Jason McFarland, IADC President Eighty years ago in 1940, IADC was established to give voice to the collective interests of drilling contractors. The seeds sown by that small group of dedicated industry veterans have allowed IADC to grow into the influential association it is today. Through the massive industry changes and technological innovations of the past eight decades, IADC has remained steadfast in its support of drilling contractor interests. IADC’s founders outlined 12 association aims, which detailed what IADC stands for and goals for the newly established association. Those aims, whose focus includes advocacy, promoting the safety of our workforce and establishing committees to solve industry issues, remain true today. We have weathered the cyclical ups and downs that ...

ExxonMobil released a model framework for industry-wide methane regulations and urged stakeholders, policymakers and governments to develop comprehensive, enhanced rules to reduce emissions in all phases of production...

Contract durations, cost structure and regulations are three major challenges faced by drilling contractors in Nigeria, said Chuks Enwereji, Chairman of the IADC Nigeria Chapter, at the 2020 IADC Drilling Africa Conference in Accra, Ghana. In this video with DC, Mr Enwereji discusses these challenges, how the Nigeria Chapter is working with the government and regulators to support the drilling industry, as well as how and why someone should contribute to the chapter. Watch the video for more information.

Steve Brady named 2019 IADC Contractor of the Year at Annual General Meeting Steve Brady, Valaris, was named the 2019 IADC Contractor of the Year during the IADC Annual General Meeting in Austin, Texas, on 8 November. Mr Brady served as IADC Chairman in 2018, dedicating his term to outreach, competency and advocacy. “Steve has been a longtime and great supporter of IADC,” said Jason McFarland, IADC President. “From his work on the RAPID-S53 project to his year serving as our Chairman, he has championed the interests of drilling contractors and IADC, and it was an honor to present him the award.” The Contractor of the Year award is sponsored by National Oilwell Varco (NOV). It was established in 1998 ...

IADC praises Brouillette confirmation as new US Secretary of Energy In early December, the US Senate confirmed Dan Brouillette as the next Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE). In response to the Senate confirmation, IADC President Jason McFarland said, “Secretary Brouillette has a successful history of supporting US energy, and is well suited for his new role at DOE. IADC and our members look forward to an open dialogue with DOE leadership and are able and willing to serve as an educative resource to those who wish to understand more about drilling rigs and how they operate and the complexities of our business.” IADC submits Jones Act recommendations IADC and other trade groups recently provided recommendations to the US ...