Drilling surface hole is often overlooked because it happens so fast…or at least it should. Matt and Justin discuss the typical and not-so-typical fluid challenges.

What is pH anyways? Justin and Matt run through the basics and how they apply to drilling fluids.

Bentonite or gel is used to drill almost every well. Matt and Justin run through the basics of this versatile drilling fluid additive.

We came across a breakdown of wells costs put together by Richard Spears on LinkedIn. In this episode, we talk about all those cost factors. Is drilling mud that expensive after all?

It got really cold in Houston recently. Matt grills Justin on how they stay warm on Canadian rigs and what to look out for on rigs in locations where it doesn’t get cold very often.

Old habits die hard. What are some traditional views and methods in the fluids domain that might hold us back?

Happy Holidays from the Flowline! Matt and Justin share their holiday wishes and thanks to our listeners for their listening loyalty!

How can you learn what operators and service companies are saying about the state of our industry? Justin and Matt discuss what companies talk about and how you can learn.

A few years ago, the API updated the testing procedure for shaker screen classification. Matt and Justin discuss how screens are sized and the limitations to keep in mind. 

What is it like to open a new mud plant? Matt goes on location with Zane Yastro, Regional Operations Manager at our new Midland Mud Plant, to talk about it.

When you’re living out of a trailer and cooking for yourself, the food can get pretty bland. Matt and Justin discuss why a good meal can be great for rig morale and share some of their favorite memories. 

Matt and Justin welcome a very special guest – Matt’s Dad, Larry Offenbacher, to the show. Matt’s Dad shares his experience of 40 years in the oilfield and a few tips for surviving the energy industry. 

Extreme pressure testing is supposed to determine the film strength of a lubricant, but the test methods are…questionable, which is why Matt hates them.

Expecting a water flow, you went ahead and drilled with WBM instead of OBM – and now you’re encountering a water flow. What next?

We are no miracle workers, but sometimes we are asked to perform many. As a drilling fluids provider, we always get questions – what can we do about the mud during a water flow?

What’s in a name? Matt and Justin discuss the similarities and differences in friction reducer, ROP enhancer, and lubricant in the fluids domain. 

What’s it like to work in another country? Is it really all that different? Matt had the fortune of working internationally early in his career and describes some of his experiences as an American abroad. 

Let’s face it – there are a lot of green hard hats out there right now. Some of us have experience but just got back to work. Justin and Matt review some drilling fluid and general pointers for rig safety. 

PHPA, Amines, and Glycols Why do we seldom hear about glycols, and how does cloud point impact performance? Why does it seem PHPA and amines replaced glycols? Justin and Matt dig into some of the history and applications of each. 

Warehouses and mud plants are essential to drilling fluid maintenance. What are these facilities responsible for, and what does it take to keep them up and running? Justin and Matt discuss.

When it comes to being offshore, logistics are an essential part of an efficient drilling operation. Justin and Matt discuss the challenges of managing materials, boats, and fighting for space in the sack room.

Every year, we have a pretty special group of interns work with us and bring their energy to the office. Get to know two from this year’s group and hear their perspective.

Bigger. More tanks. A riser. Let’s talk about the things that make a deep-water rig circulating system different than a traditional land setup.

Matt and Justin dive into circulating systems, going over the process of where the mud starts and where it ends (spoiler alert it involves the Flowline).

We’re back at work and there are a lot of new faces at the rig site. What can you do as a mud engineer to make things with your derrick hand go as smoothly as possible?

It’s been a while since we’ve talked about the whole fluid circulating system. Justin and Matt go back to basics to discuss the tanks and volumes that hold drilling fluids.  

You’re about to come out of the hole. Is the mud in good shape? Should you treat now or just wait until you’re back on bottom? Justin and Matt discuss.

Flipping things around from last week, what are things to think about when you are drilling with brine and decide to make the change to oil-based mud?

Consider a scenario where you are losing valuable oil-based mud while drilling. What are some of the risks to swapping to brine to reduce your losses?

In this episode of the Flowline, Justin finds himself hunting down students at this year’s AADE Fluids conference to bring onto the podcast. Herson Cruz and Armando Lopez from the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology sit down and have a quick rapid-fire session discussing life as a Petroleum Engineering student in today’s environment. […]

Different brines have different properties based on a number of factors. In some cases, blending them provides a cost-effective solution – but only if they are compatible. Matt and Justin break down what to consider when using multiple brines in the same operation.

In this episode, Justin sits down with David Rathgeber, a Ph.D. candidate at Montana Tech and SPE Student Chapter President at this year’s AADE Fluids Conference.  David shares his journey as a Ph.D. student studying the relationship between hole cleaning and drilling performance. Specifically, David is focusing on designing a multi-phase fluid flow system to […]

Should we be talking more about just percent oil as opposed to trying to go by retort oil? In this episode, Matt answers Justin’s questions regarding retort oil vs OWR.

What comments belong in the daily mud report? After all, it’s the only area where you can explain how mud properties, costs, and consumption relate to ongoing activity. You better make it count!

What’s the makeup of a typical technical conference? Matt and Justin discuss what a conference is like and the different ways you can learn and grow professionally when you attend.

What are the options to get the lowest weight of a drilling fluid possible? Matt and Justin discuss various techniques and fluid systems – along with their advantages and disadvantages.

Shale testing is multi-dimensional. Certain tests can sometimes be more troublesome than helpful. Matt talks about why the linear swell meter might not be his favorite test – especially when it’s run without additional context.

The topic that is constantly on everyone’s mind: Oil Prices. In this episode, we discuss what makes up the price of oil, what the industry should look out for, and what that could mean for drilling fluids.

What are fluid roles to prepare the wellbore, get casing to bottom, and ultimately cement the casing string? In this episode, we’ll talk more about fluid considerations for a casing run.

There are a lot of types of sweeps used for hole cleaning, but seldom at the right time or for that right reason – and that can get expensive. Justin and Matt talk about the scenarios where sweeps are unnecessary and why it’s hard to break those habits.

“My relief sucks.” Why is it that when you come back from days off there is so much to fix?! Let’s discuss ways to strengthen the working relationship, how can you be a good back-to-back, and make sure your relief returns the favor.

In this episode, Matt and Justin sit down with William Villalobos, an inspirational senior Petroleum Engineering student at Texas A&M University. They discuss his work as a student and his efforts to align regulators, academia, and the industry. Click the link below for information on the #ESG Summit he’s organized at College Station on March […]

Want to drill fast? Drilling fluid properties include tradeoffs – some can help you drill faster, but other times you could face a nasty slow down if you don’t balance fluid interactions with the race to TD.

It seems that the oilfield is back to some sense of sustained activity – and you know what that means – more people are back to work. Some are new, some left, and some were here the whole time. Justin and Matt discuss how we adapt based on our background.

One of the more challenging aspects of mud school is all of the calculations – but they are really important. Matt and Justin run through just some of the concepts a mud engineer needs to master to thrive at the wellsite.

If you’ve ever had to talk about formation damage, you’ll realize it’s confusing and convoluted in many ways. Support Services Manager Leigh Gray joins Justin and Matt to talk about the issues with formation damage testing and share a few war stories along the way.

There have been a lot of questions and claims about aphrons since our last episode. Justin and Matt discuss some of the technical concerns and maybe spark the ire of the Internet in the process. 

What are some ways that oilfield waste is handled? Justin and Matt discuss waste management techniques and the big picture of weighing your options.

What role does shear play in drilling fluid? What are the sources of shear? Justin and Matt talk about why shear matters and how it impacts fluid properties.