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?[…]

Are invert emulsion lubricants snake oil? Matt finally found one he likes – and he tells Justin why. […]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

Xanthan gum is a staple of water-based drilling fluids (and fake cheese). What makes it so special? Are there any cheaper alternatives?[…]

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 […][…]

The capillary suction timer, or CST, is sometimes used to test shale inhibitors. And Matt hates it.[…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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.[…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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 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 […][…]

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 […][…]

“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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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, […][…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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 […][…]

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.[…]

Justin was recently asked why the mud weight is lighter after a trip but returns to the original mud weight after circulating. Matt and Justin discuss minor settling versus sag […][…]

We want to thank our listeners, guests, and team for their support for another successful year of The Flowline! The holidays are in full swing and we want to give […][…]

There’s the price of something, and then there’s the actual cost. What are factors that help determine the total cost of a drilling fluid solution relative to overall drilling costs?[…]

High fluid loss squeezes are used when loss rates are at their worst. We discuss a field application of a new squeeze with special guests Richard Toomes and Jordan Benge, […][…]

Electrophoresis techniques allow for separation and reuse in a number of industrial and biomedical processes. What can they do for drilling fluids?[…]

Normally, when a chemical reaction occurs with drilling fluid, there is probably a lot of work required to get the mud back into shape. Are there situations and additives where […][…]

What makes fine grind barite different than conventional API barite? Where and when is it used to improve fluid performance?[…]

Gas hydrates present a number of challenges in drilling, completion, and production operations. What causes them and what prevents them from forming?[…]

What are our options when we need to change the mud weight while drilling? Is one solution better than another? Can solids control do all the work? Justin and Matt […][…]

What do you get when you combine the oilfield, charities, and an organization that brings people together? Magic. In this episode, Justin brings in Adelaide Nortier, Strategic Marketing at AES, […][…]

Cement integrity is critical for both well security and production performance. What can you do with a drilling fluid to make sure the cement job succeeds? Justin and Matt review […][…]

Foaming usually happens at the worst possible time. What’s causing it and what can you do about it? Justin and Matt will talk through the mechanisms, prevention, and treatment of […][…]

There are all kinds of drilling fluid base oil options out there. We’ve talked a lot about more environmentally friendly options, but in this podcast, we’ll talk about price-driven options […][…]

How can you predict wellbore instability? What are some of the key terms and concepts? Matt and Justin provide an overview – and, of course, talk about how it all […][…]

You’re ready to start the job, but is it better to mix everything at a liquid mud plant or at the rig site? Like everything else, it depends. Justin and […][…]

So, there’s a tool failure. You know where this is headed. What can you do at the rig site to gather information and help identify the cause? No matter what […][…]

So, you see some cavings at the shakers? Is it a mud weight issue? Could it be the water phase salinity? Something else? Justin and Matt take you through some […][…]

Lost circulation happens all the time in the mud business. It’s expensive and no good field hand wants it to get out of hand on their watch. We’ll discuss key […][…]

As a mud engineer, what are the first steps you take when you hear those dreaded words “we’re stuck”? What kind of information do you collect, and where do you […][…]

What do the global supply chain, inflation, and barite have in common? Plenty. In this episode, we will talk with Rory Allen, Managing Director of Anglo Pacific Minerals about shipping, […][…]

As with many things in the oilfield, there’s more than one way to skin a potato. In this case, there’s more than one way to mud up a brine. In […][…]

What’s going on with OPEC+? Are things getting more expensive for the long haul or just re-balancing from disruptions due to COVID 19? This week, we sit down with Josh […][…]

We have lightly touched on Amines when talking about shale inhibition in other episodes. This week, we dive deeper into the details from a chemistry standpoint, discussing reactions and how […][…]

Mud engineers just watch TV and perform mud checks, right? Definitely not. Justin and Matt walk us through a day on location as a mud engineer – minus the bologna […][…]

Hot or Cold? Let Justin and Matt warm you up with some banter about Temperature Modeling. There is a lot of information that can affect your drilling outcomes, we discuss […][…]

Why is it important to properly collect, categorize and label mud samples? What happens to that sample once it gets to the lab? Matt and Justin discuss sampling and why […][…]

It’s not anything fancy, but let’s discuss Relaxed Filtrate Systems. In episode 114 of the Flowline, Matt and Justin give a quick history of filtrate systems, what they are and […][…]

Justin and Matt revisit brine fluids in this weeks episode of the Flowline. Part 2 of this series touches on different applications and functions on brine in the drilling fluids […][…]

The term ‘surfactant-based’ is thrown around a lot when discussing drilling fluid materials  – but what does that actually mean? In this episode, Matt and Justin discuss different types of […][…]

PHPA does some great things for shale inhibition. Matt and Justin discuss what it is, how it is used, and offer a few pointers.[…]

Uintaite, more commonly known as Gilsonite®, is a natural, resinous hydrocarbon found in the Uintah Basin in northeastern Utah. It is used to reduce fluid loss, is efficient at mitigating […][…]

In this episode, Matt and Justin had the pleasure of chatting with Nicolas Acuna, 2021 Petroleum Engineering graduate of the University of Houston & President of the UH AADE Chapter. They […][…]

In this episode, Matt and Justin revisit what a “mud weight window” is, the key elements, and why mud weight is important for well control. […]

This week, we talk with Josh Nordquist of Ormat, a fully integrated geothermal energy company. We discuss geothermal concepts how oil and gas technology contributes to geothermal energy production. Josh […][…]

Geothermal drilling has become a hot topic for renewables across the energy industry. In this episode, we discuss geothermal drilling fluids and as Justin so cooly put it, “the United […][…]

Scavenger Slurries – Occasionally mentioned in a mud manual, they can affect us and need to be part of the drilling fluids conversation… Matt breaks down what scavenger slurries are […][…]

In this episode, Matt and Justin had the pleasure of chatting with Alexander Davis, Petroleum Engineering Student at Texas Tech University & President of TTU AADE Chapter. They gain his prespective on […][…]

A case study is a research method to gain a better understanding of a subject or process. They are an example of using something, whether it be a product or […][…]

Solids control is an important part of running a cost effective drilling fluid system. In this episode, we’ll talk with our solids control expert, Leonel Lujan, who helps our customers […][…]

This week we’re celebrating a milestone as we release the 101st episode of The Flowline. We’ve had so much fun recording each episode to share with you, our loyal listeners, each […][…]

In this episode, Justin and Matt talk to Justin Disney, Director of Laboratory and R&D Services at Jacam Catalyst. They’ll talk about Jacam Catalyst, Justin’s history and role, and how […][…]

It depends. When asked, “what is the best drilling fluid?” the answer is, “it depends.” Nothing is cookie-cutter: every drilling formation, environmental and regulatory specification varies from one well to […][…]

During the drilling process, it is possible to encounter formations that contain H2S (Hydrogen Sulfide). In this episode, Matt and Justin discuss operational concerns, precautions to take, and treatment applications […][…]

Nanotechnology – one of those ‘buzz words’ you hear around the industry, but what is it and how is it applied when it comes to drilling fluids? In this episode, […][…]

There’s lots of anxiety around the words and actions of a new administration. Matt and Justin share a few thoughts about energy and the practical reality that makes oil and […][…]

Whether we know it or not, we are always collecting data that can be an indicator of how well we are performing. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) provide a focus for […][…]

History has taught us a lot of things, but as things change, we have to remember our old habits had a rationale that may no longer apply. Matt and Justin […][…]

“Automation” is a buzz word that has been flying around the industry for a few years, but how does it apply to our day to day drilling operations? In this […][…]

In this episode, Matt and Justin dig into ‘weird’ mud tests. Justin brings up different mud tests and checks, things that are not common in the drilling process, but do […][…]

Managed Pressure Drilling or MPD, comes up often enough, so it’s important to be aware of it and what the implications are. In this episode, Justin picks Matt’s brain on […][…]