Knowledge Systems, Inc. conducts a new joint industry project (JIP) on wellbore stability methodologies. Aimed at reducing expensive well construction problems such as wellbore collapse and lost circulation, the multi-company research effort is the latest in a series of Knowledge Systems joint industry projects on predicting earth pressure and in-situ stress.

"Billions of industry dollars are spent annually dealing with wellbore stability-related issues," said William Standifird, Knowledge Systems senior vice president of operations, "and wellbore stability predictions are central to casing and fluid plans, trajectories and drilling practices."

The objective of the Practical Wellbore Stability Prediction Joint Industry Project is to identify and develop best practices for practical wellbore stability analysis, as well as develop guidelines to assess the relative priority of data types and the minimum data needed for effective modeling.

The project plans to examine about 250 wellbores from five regions around the world. Studies are planned for:
• U.S. deepwater Gulf of Mexico
• U.S. Gulf of Mexico shelf
• Western Canada (WCSB)
• Australian northwest shelf
• North Sea

According to John Jones, senior staff drilling engineer at Marathon Oil Company, "The value of documenting some of our own best practices, having them peer reviewed, compared with the best practices of other operators, and perhaps having them improved upon or expanded is easily worth the cost of participation."

Knowledge Systems is currently enrolling participants among operators and service companies. The study is set for kickoff in early 2007 and will take about 12 months to complete.