SPRING 2008

HOUSTON DRILLERFrom the President

Howdy! I hope

this spring season brings a great sense of renewal and hope

for the future and that you will continue to dream big dreams and strive to be your very best … Oh, wait, that was the open-ing line for the Garden Society Tea next week. But seriously, I do hope that this year has gone well so far, and that it will continue. I am honored and humbled to ad-dress such a fine group of folks as the Houston Chapter of AADE. There is not a finer group in our industry, and I am proud to be associated with you. We have had a very full and exciting year so far, and we are entering the race to the finish of the AADE season. The Golf Tournament, Houston Fluids Conference and the Saltwa-ter Fishing Tournament are just around the corner. I hope that you all understand how important you are to making all of these events a success by giving generously and participating wholeheartedly.

The Las Vegas Casino night was a huge success. The committee, headed by George Schoggin once again outdid themselves and put on a great party. I suspect that

you enjoyed the new venue at the Woodlands Marriott. By moving there, the event accommodated nearly 20% more folks with plenty of room. Plans are under way for next year’s event, and I hope you will be able to attend. As I men-tioned, there are a number of up-coming events scheduled. The Golf tournament will be Monday, April 7 at Cypresswood. The tourney is always a good time to discuss the ins and outs of the drilling business and to work on your golf game. Everyone knows that golf scrambles help you improve your game. The Saltwater Fishing tour-nament will be May 30 in Galves-ton. Registration information will be sent out very soon, if you haven’t already received it. I hope you will be able to participate.

We have a number of great events planned by the Drill-ing Technology Committees. Remember that these technical meetings are free of charge and open to anyone interested. Also, the “Premier Fluids Conference” sponsored by the Houston AADE Chapter will be April 8 and 9 at the Wyndham Greenspoint. The monthly luncheon will be at the Wyndham on Thursday, April 9 in conjunction with the confer-ence. Make plans to attend. The event organizers do a great job of putting the conference together.

We continue to have very active AADE student sections at UT and A&M. Some of the students will be in attendance at the Fluids Conference. Each of the section’s membership has grown due to the efforts of some very capable leadership at each of those insti-tutions. These sections are very important to the goals of AADE. We want to provide an instant network for graduates and help make the transition into our industry as smooth as possible. We have also discussed initiating local “field trips” to expose students to the technologies and practices in our industry. These programs will only be possible with your and your companies’ involvement. If you ever have a chance, your at-tendance (or sponsorship) at one of the sections meetings would be invaluable. I hope that in whatever area a new industry professional might settle after college, he or she would plug into the local AADE chapter. For those of you who are new to the industry, make every effort to come to a luncheon or event. And for all of you old farts, make it a point to bring some new bloods along. Invite them to an event. It’ll give you a chance to pass on some of that sage wisdom it has taken all these years to gain.

Continued on page 2.

SPRING 2008

�HOUSTON DRILLERSPRING 2008

EditorIvan Bermudezibermudez@miswaco.com281.881.8768

Houston Chapter, AADEAmerican Association of Drilling EngineersP.O. Box 940069Houston, Texas 77094-7069

Meeting Reservations281.293.9800

Websiteaade.org/houston

BOARD OF DIRECTORSPresidentRusty RitzHTK Consultants, Inc

1st Vice PresidentSteve HayesCommon Resources

2nd Vice PresidentDuane HalversonBaker Hughes INTEQ

SecretaryAndy EllisSt. Mary Land and Exploration

TreasurerJeff HughesHTK Consultants

STEERING COMMITTEEChairmanThom RollerMariner Energy

Terry RiggleAir Logistics L.L.C.

Ray Tommy OskarsenJohn Wright Company

Bonsall WiltonScomi Oiltools, Inc.

Bob TuChevron

Gary YoungOxy Oil & Gas

Juan PinzonBP America

Jeff DayMarathon Oil Co.

Jonathan MokEl Paso

I have mentioned this before, but I am continually reminded of the tremendous generosity within our industry. I recently attended the awards dinner for the Houston Live-stock Show’s Junior Commercial Steer Program. Not only were there endless financial benefactors from the oil field and related companies, but also many volunteers who each year give their valuable time and commitment to help these programs and many others be successful. You should all be proud of your efforts in the community. These programs develop responsible young citi-zens that make our nation better.

Thanks for all of your contin-ued support and participation in AADE. I hope you enjoy the upcoming events and meetings. With your help we intend to fin-ish the season stronger than ever.

Rusty RitzAADE Houston Chapter President

Continuing on an old tradition, we will feature the speakers

who graciously give their time and share with us relevant information about the future of our industry.

We begin with Dr. Richard Haut who spoke to us about the devel-opment of systems and methods to drill and operate in environ-mentally sensitive areas. Dr. Richard Haut is currently a Senior Research Scientist at the Hous-ton Advanced Research Center (HARC). He serves as the Princi-pal Investigator for various proj-ects associated with securing en-ergy for the future. A major effort is participation in the Environ-mentally Friendly Drilling pro-gram headed up by Texas A&M and Noble Corporation with the objective of integrating advanced technologies into a drilling rig system that significantly reduces the environmental impact of pe-troleum drilling and production.

We would like to thank Dr. Haut again for his time end enthusiasm during our March 6 luncheon.

About the SpeAker…

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At Balance’s DAPC System and High Speed, Drill String Telemetry

Plans to explore the shallow gas potential of the Nagar

prospect offshore Myanmar, PETRONAS recognized high risk issues. The nature of the pros-pect made kick detection speed and pressure control accuracy essential to avoid losing returns. A weak casing shoe, narrow drilling margin, the inability to control bottom hole pressure (BHP) while circulating out gas, and the short response time needed, demanded a solution before the shallow gas-bearing sands could be drilled safely.

Flow modeling indicated that the system and procedures would have to detect and shut-in a gas influx within three minutes, then commence circulating it out while controlling the BHP of a flowing, multiphase fluid within narrow safe limits. The Nagar well could only be safely drilled with a pressure manage-ment system that could maintain BHP within +/- 15 psi while drilling and +/- 45 psi during connections and well control.

This solution involved integrating elements of technology developed for automated pressure control, pressure while drilling (PWD), and high speed, drill string telemetry. The integrated system proved its ability to maintain a near constant BHP, with the accuracy and speed needed to safely and success-fully drill the Nagar prospect.

For more information visit www.atbalance.com281.558.3182.

StarTrak High-resolution Images

INTEQ’s advanced StarTraktm High-definition service now

offers the industry’s highest-resolu-tion logging while drilling (LWD) electrical imaging. For geoscien-tists and drillers, it provides a high-er level of confidence in the quality and completeness of the LWD data.

Operators can make more informed decisions in real time for optimized:uBorehole integrity

management—The service allows continuous monitoring of how the rock is reacting to the drilling process. Drilling-induced fractures, breakouts, sheer plane failures and other drilling hazards can be identified instantaneously.

u Wellbore placement—With more detailed information for bed orientation, sedimentary and structural features, geoscientists and directional drilling experts can identify the direct route with trajectory

changes fine-tuned to specific “sweet spots.”

u Structural characterization—Information about the orientation of faults and fractures is vital to making the right completion decisions, and also critical for safe drilling. The service allows the completion program to be continuously refined while drilling.

u Geological evaluation—A detailed understanding of the sedimentary environment based on subseismic details is key to planning a well. This service allows classifying image facies in real time, supplementing the identification of the fine-scale features seen in cores.

For more information contact StarTrakAnswers@INTEQ.com or visit Baker Hughes INTEQ at www.AnwersWhileDrilling.com.

Extend Seal Life for Mud Pump Pony Rods

Forum Oilfield Technolo-gies has introduced a Pony

Rod Enhanced Sealing Sys-tem (PRESS™) that can more

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than double the life of mud pump pony rod seals.

Manufactured from a propri-etary polymer, PRESS uses four sealing surfaces—plus an excluder wiper—making the system abra-sion-resistant and dimensionally stable to 275° F. Additional sealing system features contribute to seal life and ease of installation:u An outer O-ring provides

misalignment allowance for concentricity.

u Zinc phosphate coating prevents rust.

u Nonreversible shoulders on sealing cups help ensure mistake-proof installation.

u Two jacking holes make removing the seal gland from the pump housing effortless.

u Mounting bolts do double-duty, as they also are designed for use during jack removal procedures.

Currently available for Gard-ner Denver® mud pump models PZ-9, PZ-10 and PZ-11, additional enhanced sealing solutions for the PZ-8, F-1000, and FB-1600 are currently in development.

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For more information, con-tact Forum-OBI: Lou Daddario, 281.362.9180 or sales@forum-obi.com.

GEODynamics Introduces CONNEX™ Perforating – A New Class of Shaped Charge

In 2H2007, GEODynamics intro-duced a new class of Reactive™

shaped charge that delivers a step-change improvement in perfora-tion geometry and performance.

CONNEX™ charges generate a secondary reaction in the perfora-tion tunnel thanks to proprietary liner metallurgy and charge design. The new charges deliver debris-free tunnels with no crushed zone, even in low quality rock and with no need for underbalance when perforating. Depth of pen-etration is comparable to lead-ing deep-penetrating charges.

Since the external profiles of the charges are identical to convention-al products, they can be deployed in existing hardware, following standard operating procedures.

The new family of products is the first to be entirely developed and optimized for flow performance, using all natural rock targets. Test-ing in the company’s flow labora-tory under representative stress and pressure conditions shows perfora-tions shot with this revolutionary technology deliver more than 40

percent greater flow than those shot with conventional charges.

Lead implementers report step-change productivity im-provement in naturally flowing wells, and a dramatic reduc-tion in breakdown pressure and improvements in treating rate when fracture stimulating.

For more information, contact Matt Bell at matt.bell@perf.com, 817. 341.5363 or www.perf.com

Third-Generation Rotary-Shouldered Connection Developed by Grant Prideco

The new Grant Prideco Turbo-Torque-M connection is the

result of a two year comprehensive effort to design, test, and qualify these third-generation rotary-shouldered connections (RSC) for 20,000 psi internal and 15,000 psi external pressure service. The RSC incorporates a double-start thread form to reduce the num-ber of revolutions to makeup the connection by 50 percent reducing trip time. The thread form also provides a unique dual-radius thread root that offers a step-change improvement in fatigue resistance. A metal-to-metal seal provides pressure integrity. Performance was validated by extensive finite-element analysis and laboratory testing programs designed to produce harsh, ag-gressive dynamic loads to the connections. ISO13679 testing methodologies for casing and

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tubing were modified to evalu-ate the connection under com-bined load. In addition, the new connections provide increased mechanical and hydraulic per-formance compared to second generation high-torque con-nections while providing fa-tigue performance greater than standard API connections

To permit high torque drill-ing of extended reach, direc-tional and horizontal wells the development of third genera-tion, ultra-high torque connec-tions provide reduced tripping times and the mechanical and hydraulic load requirement. The development of this third-generation gas-tight pressure rated connection provides en-abling technology for high-pres-sure completion and workover, drill-stem testing, UBD and intervention riser applications.

For more information, contact James N. Brock at jim.brock@grantprideco.com www.grantprideco.com

Security DBS Incorporates Vibration Mitigation into XR™ Reamer Design

Security DBS Drill Bits has embedded vibration mitigation

technologies into the XR™ Reamer hole enlargement while drilling tool, with a self-body stabilization design that minimizes BHA whirl and produces a smooth, quality enlarged hole. To mitigate the severe stresses caused by typical hole enlargement tools, the self-stabiliz-ing design shifts cutting structure loads to the tool body, eliminating side-loading that can initiate whirl. By controlling lateral movement of the cutting structure, torsional vibration is minimized, reducing stick-slip and extending vibration protection to string components.

Unlike other partially or fully stabilized tools, the design opti-mizes stabilization length such that the fulcrum point is unaffected and cutter engagement remains con-stant, even during transitions. No additional stabilization is required.

Like a force balanced drill bit, the self-stabilized body design provides sufficient concentricity to reduce vibration forces at the reamer, improving cutting structure efficiency and enhancing quality of the enlarged hole. Because it bears the side loads at formation transi-tion while drilling and enlarging the hole, self-body stabilization

is especially beneficial in rotary steerable directional applications and interbedded formations where the anti-vibration protection reduces string failures and NPT.For more information, contact Kevin Glass at 936.442.4849 or www.halliburton.com/xrreamer.

Quantec PDC

Hughes Christensen’s Quan-tec™ application-specific PDC

drill bit is the industry’s premium solution for the most technically challenging applications. A new

design pro-cess, highly impact- and abrasion-resistant cutters, and bit designs customized to meet the needs of each appli-cation are fundamen-tal to this

totally reengineered product line.

Whether drilling faster through an interbedded zone in Wyoming, breaking through Oklahoma formations drilled previously with roller cone bits, or getting to TD through the Travis Peak and Cotton Valley in east Texas, this PDC technology is delivering u higher average ROPu greater durabilityu greater stabilityu lower drilling cost

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Improve drilling efficiency: A rigorous engineering and

research initiative developed a new design philosophy: diamond volume management (DVM). Based on DVM, the increased me-chanical and hydraulic efficiency of each bit enables higher ROPs and longer runs. This ultrastable, light-set PDC increases drilling efficiency without compromis-ing bit and BHA stability.

Drill farther: Because one cutter does not fit

all drilling challenges, Hughes Christensen engineers developed a group of cutters that addresses the specific wear and impact issues you encounter. These cutters achieve the optimum balance between durability and wear resistance while retaining a sharp, efficient cutting edge.

For more information, contact hccbits.com

NEW - Cold Climate Bi-Directional Skidding Rig

Production is underway on two IDM Group 1600 hp Polar

Developer rigs. These cold climate rigs with bi-directional skidding systems are designed to move from well to well in less than two hours with full setbacks. They are engineered to skid on both the X and Y axes with the full setback, which allows the operator to drill in a producing-while-drill-ing well program of two rows of wells, on 20-foot well centers,

and up to 200 feet from the initial well location. It is cost effective and time efficient, while incor-porating the latest technological advancements in rig development.

IDM has a proven history of producing cold climate AC rigs and equipment. Our use of cut-ting-edge technology provides our customer with better control of the entire drilling process. The Polar Developer is equipped with a climate controlled driller’s cabin with touch screen and joy-stick control technology liter-ally at the operator’s fingertips.

The rigs are under construction at our Houston facilities and the 1st rig is scheduled for delivery in Q 2 of 2008 with the second rig in Q 3 of 2008. Both rigs will be stationed in the Rocky Mountains.

For more information, contact Barry Olsen, Regional Sales Mgr.www.idmequipment.com

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Downhole

Radio Frequency Identifica-tion (RFID): adapted to

downhole applications to actuate

tools and transfer information to/from the BHA. RFID tags, with unique identification codes, and reader devices are designed to withstand the oilfield envi-ronments and geometries .

Applications include chang-ing tool status downhole without tripping. Tag data is transmit-ted in fluid, gas, air or conden-sate. First used (North Sea well) when a circ sub was operated by pumping a tag past the downhole reader. Circulation subs are opened/closed on demand as many times as desired. There are many drilling applications for spotting heavy muds or LCM-laden materials (tool designs can include isolating the lower BHA to prevent plugging with LCM).

Value lies in improving well operations and reducing rig time. The technology is being adapted to retrofit existing hydraulic tools. Designs are underway on drilling disconnects whereby a specific tag actuates the specific disconnect (more than one in the string) in order to speed operations. RFID technology allows tools (scrapers, underreamers, cutters, stabiliz-ers, etc.) to be incrementally opened/closed. Tags are small and durable enough to pump through motors, MWD, etc. and actuate equipment below them.

For more information, contact Phil Snider, Marathon Oil Compa-ny pmsnider@marathonoil.com.

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MEERKAT PT Dual-motion Shaker

M-I SWACO has introduced its patented MEERKAT PT

dual-motion shale shaker that is ideally suited for drilling rigs and separation operations where space is at a premium and perfor-mance requirements are high.

The new generation solids-con-trol technology is engineered to adapt to changing drilling rates and conditions throughout the well construction process. In lin-ear motion, the shaker is designed to manage the high volume of drill cuttings generated in sur-face hole sections. The unit can be changed on the fly to balanced elliptical motion with the flip of a switch for maximum reten-tion time, which produces dryer cuttings as the well progresses.

Because drilling rates and conditions change as drilling progresses, solids-control equip-ment must be able to handle vary-ing solids characteristics. When premium drilling fluids are used, maximum fluids recovery is of heightened concern. Owing to its

high throughput capacity, the shak-er easily can handle the cuttings load produced by high rates of pen-etration (ROP), thereby reducing rig time. When in balanced ellipti-cal motion, the shaker also recovers significant volumes of useable drill-ing fluid, while reducing disposal requirements by producing drier cuttings that require less treatment.

For more information, contact Albert Walraven, M-I SWACO at awalraven@miswaco.com.

TuffCuttertm Bits Provide Excellent Reliability for Gulf Coast Drilling

ReedHycalog has delivered excel-lent reliability in the demand-

ing applications of the Gulf Coast. TuffCutter powder forged (PF) cut-ters have been combined with the new RockForcetm bearing system to achieve outstanding results.

In order to improve drilling per-formance in the GOM, these unique roller cone tooth bits were applied and opti-mized using a non-welded powder metal forging technique together with a re-engineered high precision bearing configu-ration. The bearing system was completely re-engineered from the ground up, incorporating:

u High-energy cone retentionu Silver-plated bearing surfacesu Tight tolerance designu Advanced lubrication &

pressure compensation

The PF technique produces a unique “hybrid” type cutting structure that is neither a conven-tional mill tooth, nor an insert type bit. The patented PF process enables the forging temperatures to be kept to 2,160° F, effectively maintaining more tungsten carbide and superior abrasion re-sistance. Flexibility in the process enables hardmetal formulations to be customized to provide the right mix of impact resistance and du-rability to improve the overall per-formance for a given application.

The resulting combination of reduced tooth chipping, tooth breakage and tooth wear with the improved high precision bearing has provided longer bearing life in the GOM.

For more information, contact Steve Berkman at 936.444.4105 or www.reedhycalog.com.

Deeper, Smarter EM Drilling Technology

Sharewell Energy Services has developed an EM MWD with

depth capabilities below 12,000 feet capable of decoding signal through formations not currently conducive to EM technology.

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Recent developments in computational power and ad-vanced computer algorithm techniques have produced data fusion technologies that can be employed to create rugged, commercially viable telemetry systems for energy exploration.

A key element of the new design is a data-fusion receiver, which enhances the system’s ability to extract telemetry signals that are progressively weakened by depth and, or, formation. This data-fusion receiver adapts technologies used for interplan-etary deep space navigation and missile guidance systems.

The data fusion receiver hardware platform was de-signed to maximize electronic signal sensitivity, employing techniques adopted from bio-medical sensing devices.

Two separate high-efficiency PA systems have been developed: a downhole tool power amplifier and a surface power amplifier.

The System has full two-way communication between sur-face and downhole tools.

The deep reading EM tool has been successfully deployed on multiple wells in the Piceance Basin of Western Colorado, and has successfully decoded telemetry signals below 9,500 feet through the Barnett Shale.

For more information, contact Sharewell Energy Services, Hous-ton, Texas, at 713.983.9818

Smith Borehole Enlargement

Hole enlargement while drill-ing (HEWD) is an important

technique in deepwater drilling and provides great economic benefit. Because of its unique position in the BHA, the reamer cutting structure design, placement and relationship with the bit is critical in accom-plishing the job effectively. As the well goes deeper and downhole drilling conditions become more challenging, balancing of the reamer and bit cutting structures are critical. The simulation model’s ability to analyze a combination of variables such as formations, well profile, BHA design and parameters allows the entire drilling assembly to be optimized. This unique i-DRILL® capability means the Rhino® XS reamer’s cutting structure can be designed to achieve excep-tional performance with fast ROP and very low lateral and torsional vibrations, dramatically improv-ing overall drilling performance.

i-DRILL has delivered excellent field results by optimizing the Rhino XS cutting structure with the bits to achieve exceptional ROP, while exposing the entire BHA to extremely low lateral and torsional vibrations. An often overlooked benefit is the significant reduction of the stresses on expensive MWD/LWD components. This prevents costly

trips for tool failures, and extends the life of these components.

For more information, contact Charles Beam at CBeam@smith.com

O&G Low Impact Drilling Technology Desert Test Center Established

Texas A&M University and its partners have announced

the establishment of an Oil & Gas Desert Test Center (http://www.gpri.org) near Pecos, Texas, on the edge of the Chihuahua desert. The new Center will be set up to evaluate new low impact drilling technology in desert ecosystems such as found in CBM develop-ments in the Western U.S. The first project will be to construct and then perform demonstrations of low impact oil field lease roads designed to reduce the environ-mental impact of field develop-ment in desert like environments.

This project will be part of a University/Industry/Government partnership performing long term development and environmental monitoring of low impact oil and

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gas drilling technology. In addi-tion to evaluating new types of “disappearing roads”, the Desert Test Center will evaluate other technology being incorporated into Environmentally Friendly Drill Systems (EFD). EFD systems are being developed by A&M and its partner Houston Advanced Research Center (HARC) to develop identify and promote research to reduce the footprint of oil and gas operations in the West-ern states and in coastal margins.

For more information, con-tact David Burnett in the Petroleum Engineering De-partment at 979.845.2274 or burnett@pe.tamu.edu.

Novel Stabilizers for Casing Drilling are Formed with WearSox Spray Metal

Novel stabilizers are built directly onto Range 3 casing,

replacing integral blade stabiliz-ers (IBS) and pup joints. Multiple stabilizers can be built onto a sin-gle joint of casing to create a BHA. This is achieved with spray metal and the novelty of this process is that the wear metal can be built up to any thicknesses and shape.

Lab and field test results indicate the spray metal is

sufficiently robust to withstand

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normal downhole drilling forces and wear rates are better than steel.

Rig time and HSE exposure is reduced through simplifying the BHA and its associated make up procedure. The spray metal stabi-lizers also provide operators with a cost reduction from traditional IBSs. Where annular tolerances are tight this process allows a flow path which otherwise would be restricted by a circumferential band, as with crimp-on stabilizers.

Casing drilling hundreds of wells per year will benefit from the economies of scale which this new spray metal process offers. Given the reduced cost and comparable drilling performance to IBSs, spray metal stabilizers will replace IBSs in casing drilling BHAs for one major operator in South Texas.

For more information, con-tact John Gammage, Wear-Sox LP, www.wearsox.com.

Oil Base Foam Improves Drilling Conditions

The Oleo-Foam System, a hy-drocarbon based drilling foam,

minimizes formation damage in water sensitive reservoirs. This highly versatile system combines the stability and improved hole cleaning, lubrication and fluid loss control properties of foam, with the non-damaging characteristics of oil-based fluids. The use of suit-able de-foamers allows handling returns with surface separators or gas busters. Base fluids like diesel

or native crude can be recycled and sent to processing and re-sale, minimizing fluids and chemi-cal costs. Viscosifying additives ensure the system stability in a high temperature formulation (up to 400° F) and in a low tempera-ture formulation (up to 250° F).

The Oleo-Foam system proved stable in a gulf coast well drilled with diesel foam at 18,000 feet in

a low pressure (<2.0 ppg EMW), high temperature (350° F) envi-ronment. The well penetrated the water sensitive Smackover and Norphlet formations. Impressive-ly, the foam preserved permeabil-ity in these water sensitive forma-tions and facilitated drilling in a single bit run with improved rate of penetration and no fluid loss.

For more information, contact Mike DiBiasio, Weatherford, at michael.dibi-asio@weatherford.comor 281.260.1418.

System 21 e-Learning Program

In response to the ever-increas-ing demands for competently

trained workers in the oil and gas industry, the Well Control School has developed the Internet delivery of its System 21 e-Learn-ing program. This program will offer WellCap certification training with IADC (Pending) and API accreditations. This new delivery method of a certi-fied training program offers

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some important benefits such as true cost savings and benefits.

The cost savings resulting in Internet e-Learning will allow training 24/7 at any location thus eliminating any travel time, lodging, and food associated with training at a fixed training center. The training is self-paced allow-ing the more experienced person to train at a faster pace and a less experienced person to train at their own comprehendible pace.

Another important advantage to Internet training is in addressing the standardization requirements desired by companies worldwide. This program delivers the same Drilling, Workover/Comple-tion, and Well Servicing (Coiled Tubing, Snubbing, and Wireline) courses regardless of the location.

For more information about e-Learning with System 21, please visit the Well Control School’s website at www.wellcontrol.com or call 713.460.4605. The newest technology delivered at

the right time in meeting and/or exceeding the competency training requirements of the oil industry.

New Third Generation Rotary-Shoulder Connection

In response to the industry’s continued advancement of

drilling deeper, further and more cost-effective wells, Work-strings, LLC introduced a new connection to its tubular fleet.

TurboTorque™ was released by Grant Prideco in 2006 as the industry’s first rotary-shoulder connection to offer a double-start thread and a taper that is fully optimized for each product size. The double-start thread reduces the number of revolutions to make-up the connection by at least 50 percent. The larger tubulars (5 inch - 6-5/8 inch) were optimized for speed of make-up while the smaller tubulars (2-3/8 inch to 4-1/2 inch) exhibit increased tensile and tor-sional capacities and offer improved

fishability. The connection is manufactured from a high grade (130 KSI) material and features a dual thread radii which reduce the stresses and fatigue. This connec-tion can facilitate more challeng-ing wells, provide increased cost savings and reduce risk during the well construction process.

The first commercial deploy-ment was on the Discoverer Deep Seas drill ship at Walker Ridge 678 in 7,016 feet of water. The drill crew documented improved trip times due to speed and handling of the 5-7/8 inch TurboTorque™ 585, 26.30 PPF, S-135, Range 2 drill string, while being utilized to drill Chevron’s 28,000 foot well.

For more information, con-tact Danijel.Hinger at Danijel.Hinger@workstrings.comor 337.989.9675

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EXECUTIVE BOARDPosition Name Company Office Fax Home Cell E-MailPresident. Rusty

RitzHTK Con-sultants

281.320.8269 281.875.0440 281.351.9182 713.298.4387 rritz@htkcon-sultants.com

1st Vice Pres.

Steve Hayes

Common Resources

281.362.1077 713.907.6644 shayes@common.resources.com

2nd Vice Pres.

Duane Halv-erson

Baker Hughes INTEQ

713.625.4962 281.209.7677 281.890.9636 281.381.0525 duane.halver-son@inteq.com

Treasurer Jeff Hughes

HTK Con-sultants

281.320.8269 281.875.0440 281.320.8088 713.828.3769 jeffh@htkcon-sultants.com

Secretary Andy Ellis

St. Mary Land & Exploration

281.677.2778 281.395.8854 713.725.1814 aellis@stmary-land.com

STEERING COMMITTEEExpira-tion

Name Company Office Fax Home Cell E-Mail

2008 Bob Tu Chevron 832.854.4814 713.855.2071 bobtu@chev-ron.com

2008 Ray Oskarsen

John Wright Co.

281.875.4835 281.220.9647 rtoskarsen@jwco.com

2008 Terry Riggle

Air Logis-tics, LLC

713.267.7621 713.267.7620 281.446.1259 713.515.2439 terry.riggle@bristowgroup.com

2009 Bonsall Wilton

Scomi Oiltools Inc.

281.260.6016 281260.6969 281.225.6042 281.433.3778 bonsall.wilton@us.scomioiltools.com

2009 Gary Young

Oxy Oil & Gas

713.366.5786 713.215.7399 t_gary_young@oxy.com

2009 Juan Pinzon

BP America Inc.

281.366.3468 juan.pinzon@bp.com

2010 Jeff Day Marathon Oil Co.

713.296.3217 713.499.6718 405.623.0375 jdday@mara-thonoil.com

2010 Jonathan Mok

El Paso 713.420.6271 713.445.8864 jonathan.mok@elpaso.com

2010 (Chair-man)

Thom Roller

Mariner Energy Inc.

713.954.5566 713.954.1566 troller@mariner.energy.com

2007-2008 AADE Houston Chapter Officers

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CHAPTER COORDINATORSCommittee Name Co. Office Fax Home Cell E.MailWeb Site Coord. Bonny

MooreBaker Hughes Inc.

713.439.8183 713.439.8043 281.859.5911 281.639.8987 bonny.moore@bak-erhughes.com

Publicity Coord. Ivan Bermudez

M-I SWACO

281.561.1613 832.351.4173 281.881.8768 ibermudez@miswaco.com

Insurance Coord. Terry Riggle

Air Logistics, LLC

713.267.7621 713.267.7620 281.446.1259 713.515.2439 terry.riggle@bristow-group.com

Business Coord. Mary Alice Daniel

AADE 281.293.9800 281.293.9800 281.589.1042 281.705.3600 mad56@swbell.net

Drlg Tech. Coord. & Tech Conf Liaison

Bernita Chavis

AADE 281.463.4757 281.463.4757 832.771.6097 bjchavis@hal.pc.org

COMMITTEE CHAIRMENCommittee Name Company Office Fax Home Cell E-MailDeepwater & Emerging Tech. Group Chairman

Greg Galloway

Particle Drilling Technolo-gies

713.896.8307 713.922.6489 ggalloway@par-ticledrilling.com

Fluids Mgmt Chairman

Bonsall Wilton

Scomi Oiltools

281.260.6016 281.260.6969 281.225.6042 281.433.3778 bonsall.wilton@us.scomioiltools.com

EVENT CHAIRMENEvent Name Company Office Fax Home Cell E-MailGolf Tourn.

Mike Mininni

Baker Hughes INTEQ

281.799.7634 mike.mininni@inteq.com

Golf Tourn.

Bob Zaun-brecher

HTK Consultants

281.320.8269 281.875.0440 281.494.1510 bobz@htkcon-sultants.com

Saltwater Fishing

Doug McDonald

Key Energy Services

281.996.8279 713.851.6256 dmcdonald@keyenergy.com

Casino Night

George Schoggin

Expro Group 281.994.1081 281.381.1050 george.schog-gin@expro-group.com

2008 Fluids Conf..

Jimmy Lozano

Chevron 832.922.7353 jimmy.lozano@chevron.com

Sporting Clays

Les McDaniel

PPI 713.818.2603 713.818.2603 713.818.2603 lmcdaniel@ppitech.net

2007-2008 AADE Houston Chapter Officers

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IMPORTANT NUMBERSEvent Name Company Office Fax Home Cell E-MailAADE Reservations

Mary Alice Daniel

281.293.9800 281.293.9800 281.589.1042 281.705.3600 mad56@swbell.net

Insurance Agent

Frank Arceri Arceri & Associates

504.304.7911 504.484.6383 mardigra-sinsurance@yahoo.com

CPA Firm Pam Ahler Ahler & Associates

281.999.1283 281.999.6688

Chapter Web Page

aade.org/houston

National Web Page

www.aade.org

Petroleum Club

Jeremie Millwee

Petroleum Club

713.659.1431 713.659.1281

AADE HOUSTON CHAPTER NATIONAL BOARD MEMBERSPosition Name Company Office Fax Home Cell E-Mail

Dir. ’08, Educational Initiative

Andy Ellis St Mary Land & Exploration

281.677.2778 281.395.8854 713.725.1814 aellis@stmary-land.com

Dir. ’08, Treasurer

Duane Halverson

Baker Hughes INTEQ

713.625.4962 281.209.7677 281.890.9636 281.381.0525 duane.halverson@inteq.com

Dir ’09, Secretary

Jeff Day Marathon Oil Co.

713.296.3217 713.499.6718 405.623.0375 jdday@marathonoil.com

Dir. ’10, VP Jeff Hughes HTK Consultants

281.320.8269 281.875.0440 281.320.8088 713.828.3769 jeffh@htkconsul-tants.com

Insurance Terry Riggle Air Logis-tics, LLC

713.267.7621 713.267.7620 281.446.1259 713.515.2439 terry.riggle@bristow-group.com

Chapter Rep. George Hanst

Cenergy 713.965.6181 713.965.6204 281.655.4100 713.806.5657 george.hanst@cen-ergyintl.com

Publicity Chairman

Ivan Bermudez

M-I SWACO 281.561.1613 832.351.4173 281.881.8768 ibermudez@miswaco.com

2007-2008 AADE Houston Chapter Officers

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SPRING 2008

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AADE Houston Chapter 2008 Casino Night

Amazing, is just one of many words used to describe this

years event held at The Marri-ott, The Woodlands Waterway Hotel and Resort. Over 1,000 oilfield patrons enjoyed an el-egant night of gaming, exquisite cuisine, spirits, fabulous music and most of all the enjoyment of engaging in conversation and laughter with our friends.

The challenge of moving the event to this premiere location was taken on with enthusiasm and a ton of energy by our 2008 committee with the full support and anticipation by the AADE Houston Chapter 2008 Board of Directors. When deciding to take this year’s event to the next level, the committee took on the respon-sibility of significantly increasing the level of sponsorships and par-ticipation within our industry. I

am excited to say that they not only met this challenge but indeed far surpassed all of our expectations.

This incredible accomplish-ment is of course a direct reflec-tion of the commitment made by all of our sponsors and guests. We want to extend our deepest gratitude for your participation and support of the 2008 event.

This year we were privileged to have a record breaking level of ma-jor sponsorships which included our first AADE Houston Chapter Casi-no Night Event Underwriter, Smith Services & Smith Technologies. A special “Thank You” goes out to Bryan Dudman and his entire orga-nization for their continued signifi-cant support of the AADE Houston Chapter and all of the events this or-ganization proudly hosts each year.

On that same note, the follow-ing organizations provided major sponsorships; HTK Consultants for Ronnie Renfro and his Big Band, Expro for the Grand Prizes, Master Rig International for the Slot Machines, Halliburton Fluid Services for the Craps Tables, FMC Technologies for the Fortune Tellers & Card Readers and BJ Ser-vices for the Casino Night Photos. Your contribution to this great event and to the AADE Houston Chapter is greatly appreciated.

We thank you again for attend-ing the AADE Houston Chapter 2008 Casino Night and look forward to seeing you next year for anther spectacular evening.

AADE Casino Night Committee

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AADE Houston Chapter 2008 Casino Night

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AADE Houston Chapter 2008 Casino Night

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AADE Houston Chapter 2008 Casino Night

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Carolyn Berry is New Business Coordinator

Carolyn Berry is the new Business Coordinator for the

Houston Chapter and National Board of the American Associa-tion of Engineers (AADE).

Since 2002, Carolyn has worked for Weatherford International where she has also been the registrar for the AADE Salt-water Fishing Tournament.

Premier Fluids Technical Conference

The Houston Chapter of the American Association of

Drilling Engineers will host The Premier Fluids Technical Confer-ence covering subjects considered to be improvements and innova-tions in drilling and comple-tion operations. This conference will be of interest to major and independent operators, service companies, drilling contrac-tors, equipment and materials manufacturers. The conference will be held at the Wyndham Greenspoint Hotel, Houston, Tex-as, on April 8 and 9. Please note that Our April Luncheon Meeting is being held in conjunction with our Fluids Technical Confer-ence and Exhibition. If you are registered to attend the Technical Conference you do not need to make separate lunch reservations, your full conference registration includes this luncheon. However, payment for the luncheon only will not grant you access to the Conference on that day. For more information contact Carolyn Berry at carolynberry@att.net.

Upcoming Meeting Dates for the MDrilling Technology Committees u March 26, 2008 - Fluids

Management Group (FMG) meeting to be held at the Marriott Houston Westchase Hotel 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

u April 23, 2008 - Deepwater and Emerging Technologies Group (DETG) meeting to be held at Halliburton 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

u May 21, 2008 - Deepwater and Emerging Technologies Group (DETG) meeting to be held at Halliburton 1:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Registration is available online at our chapter web site www.aade.org/Houston/. You may also find copies of selected presentations for viewing online after the meet-ings. For additional information, contact Bernita Chavis at AADE Drilling Technology Commit-tees Coordinator 281.463.4757 or bjchavis@hal-pc.org

News & UpcomiNg eveNts

Carolyn lives in Dayton with her husband and their daughter.

When not working, she enjoys boat outings with her family.

Carolyn and Mary Alice will be working together to ensure a smooth transition over the coming months. Please join us in welcoming Carolyn in her new role with the Houston Chapter. Carolyn can be reached at carolynberry@att.net.

HOUSTON DRILLERHouston Chapter, AADEAmerican Association of Drilling EngineersP.O. Box 940069Houston, TX 77094-7069