RDCR 2019: Where the Russian Drilling and Production Industry Meet

April 12th, 2019 – saw the TMG Worldwide team host the annual RDCR, Well Engineering Forum, in central Moscow, held at the exclusive Kempinski Baltschug Hotel, overlooking Red Square.

This year´s RDCR, which has fast become the most important yearly gathering for the Russian upstream sector, not only continued with its traditional multiple hall platform, covering; Drilling, Completions and Production – but was proud to host, in partnership with the The Research and Design Center for Gas and Oil Technologies (R&D Center for Gas&Oil Tech, JSC), a new Hall 4 – focussed on the ever increasing demand and implementation of Supervising Services.

RDCR 2019 brought together the entire value chain within the Russian Drilling and Production sphere for a full day of in-depth roundtable style discussion – and with the principles of the event based upon the sharing of knowledge and best practices, the RDCR 2019 delivered exactly what it promised; with participants highlighting regional best practices, stories and case studies, intermixed with excellent presentations focussed on the latest technologies and services.

As usual, the region´s largest oil companies were in full attendance, with drilling and production experts from the national and international operators, drilling and service companies, equipment and technology providers as well as many regional oil and gas institutes and universities, taking part in the day’s proceedings. RDCR 2019 offered its participants an excellent platform to listen to and interact in discussions directly with high level speakers from companies such as; Rosneft, Gazprom Neft, Lukoil, Tatneft, Repsol, ALREP, Shell and OMV amongst many others. 

With such a high level participation from the senior decision makers within the Russian drilling and production sector – RDCR delivered an excellent platform for sharing knowledge and best practices, and the feedback from attendees was fantastic!

The organisers were also proud to welcome some of the region´s and world leading suppliers of oilfield technologies and services the 2019 event. Long-time participants Hardbanding Solutions and MTU were proud to return as Gold sponsors, with Hall 4, Supervising Service partners Centre for O&G, also sponsoring the event as Gold. 

NOV, McCoy, Caterpillar, NewTech Services, Derrick, Drilling Systems, Interwell, TGT and Baker Hughes made up the Silver Sponsors. Downhole Products, were Bronze Sponsor with Eckel Industries, Katch Kan, PNG Drilling, APS Technology, Timken, Kluber Lubrication, Intera, Everest Mining Company, JSC Krasnodar Plant Neftemash and Zavodoukovsky Machine-Building Plant making up the event associate sponsors.

TMG Worldwide would like to thank and is proud of all event sponsors and participants for their continued support of RDCR. Together the RDCR will continue to bring value to the industry through collective development of the Russian drilling and production sector.

RDCR 2019, Operator Speakers Included:

Rosneft: Dmitry Krepostnov, Mikhail Samoilov and Ruslan Yagofarov

RN-UfaNIPIneft: Aliya Davletova

Gazprom Neft: Oleg Kalinin & Aleksey N. Peshekhonov 

Gazpromneft NTC: Anton Khomutov & Philipp Brednev

Gazpromneft-Vostok: Sergey Korolev

LLC Gazpromneft-SRC: Sergey Simakov

LUKOIL NVN: Georgy Chikhanov

NOVATEK: Yaroslav Korovaychuk

Tatneft: Igor V. Guskov

TatNIPIneft: Rustem Kateev & Almaz Mukhametshin

Repsol: Artur Abalain & Erik Abalian

Alrep JV, Repsol Russia: Rustam Tadzhibaev

Shell Exploration & Production Services (RF): Antoine D’Amore

OMV Russia Upstream GmbH: Michael Nigg

Hall 1

Drilling & Completion Services

RDCR Hall 1, always a popular hall with RDCR participants saw an excellent agenda prepared for the 2019 event, with the discussions focused on complex drilling and completion solutions. 

Optimization of well design, advanced drilling solutions and environmental impact were some of the key topics and it was Session 1 moderator, Andrey Melnikov, Deputy Head of Well Reconstruction, Rosneft, who started Session 1 proceedings, with Gazpromneft NTC, Repsol Russia and Baker Hughes making up the session participants.

Session 1

Anton Khomutov, Director of the Technological Development Program at Gazpromneft NTC was the first to take to the floor in session 1, making a presentation looking at Well Design Optimization on the Tsarichanskoe Field.

Artur Abalain and Erik Abalain, Drilling Engineers at Repsol, were next presenting, focussing their talk on a Complex Engineering Approach to the Drilling of the 1st ERD Well (3.03 Complexity Ratio) in the Central Part of Western Siberia. 

Nikita Bezvenyuk, Completion Technical Sales Manager and Ivan Litvintsev, Drilling Applications Engineer from Baker Hughes finished of this session looking at Complex Solution for Drilling and Completion of the Achimov Formation.

Session 2

Dmitry Krepostnov, Project Engineer, Technology and Engineering Division, Well Construction Department at Rosneft started session 2, focused on Increasing Drilling Efficiency and Reducing Environmental Impact with Rosneft’s Drilltec B2 Drilling Fluid.

Rustem Kateev, Head of Completion Laboratory, Ph.D. at TatNIPIneft, was next to speak, with a very interest presentation titled: Updating of Technical Requirements and Laboratory Test Methods for Cement – An Urgent Need for Technical Progress in the Construction of Wells in the Russian Federation.

Philipp Brednev, Head of Drilling Technology Division, Gazpromneft NCT finished of the morning session, with his presentation reviewing Automated Inflow Control Devices – Field Experience of First Field Trial in the Messoyakha Field.

Session 3

Philipp Brednev, Head of Drilling Technology Division, Gazpromneft NCT was to speak after lunch, overviewing the Results of TAML-4 Well Construction in the Novoportovskoe Field.

Almaz Mukhametshin, Lead Research Scientist, TatNIPIneft, followed with the title: TAML 6 Completions, Creating A Hermetic Sealing Solution for Multilateral Wells.

Georgy Chikhanov, Lead Drilling Engineer at Lukoil NTC finished this session with a case study: Well Completion Using Inflow Control Devices at the Filanovsky Oil Field.

Session 4 

New to RDCR 2019, session 4 – “Digital Oilfield”. 

Rustam Tadzhibaev, Drilling Manager, Alrep JV, Repsol Russia – gave a comprehensive overview of what “the Digital Oilfield” consisted of with a focus on Digitalization in Oil&Gas Well Construction.

Samoilov Vladimir Vasilievich, Director of the Scientific and Technical Centre ‘Automation, Measurements, Engineering’, followed up with a look at Maintaining Formation Pressure and Increasing Production of Heavy Oil using Digital Technology.

Nikita Kayurov, Deputy Director General for Geology, NNTC finished of this session discussing Integrated Technologies for Digital Drilling.

Hall 2

Drilling Equipment & Operations

Hall 2, started the day with standing room only as RDCR participant packed into the “Moscow Conference Hall” to participate in a traditionally very lively discussion hall. Hall 2 focusses on the latest equipment and operations related to drilling and this year’s event produced some excellent sharing of best practices and debate.

Dean Sillerud, Head of the Technical Development Group at Eurasia Drilling, was the moderator of session one and welcomed Gazprom Neft, OMV Russia, and McCoy Global to the panel. 

Sergey Korolev, Head of Drilling Engineering Department for Gazprom Neft Well Drilling Department, was the first person to speak in this session, discussing Optimizing Horizontal Drilling in Fractured Carbonate Reservoirs Using MPD.

Jan Paul, Drilling Manager and Michael Nigg, Chief Scientist and Technology Manager for OMV Russia Upstream GmbH, were next up, who between them highlighted a record breaking Casing While Drilling operation by OMV.

Presenting next was Alexander Astakhov, McCoy Global Representative for Russia and Former Soviet Union Countries and a regular RDCR speaker who took to the lectern with a presentation titled “The more advanced technologies, the more applications”.

Session 2

Zamir Abdullaev, Ph.D., MBA, General Director for PNG Drilling Company, was first to speak in this session, with his presentation titled; PNG Drilling Company Experience in Operation of the New Generation Robotized Drilling Rigs in Russia.

Dmitry Usoltsev, General Director, Hydrobur-service LLC, a Newtech Services company, and next to speak, focussed his discussion, titled: Drilling Tools Manufacturing in Russia: New Horizons. 

Sergey Alentev, Head of Sales for STEP Oiltools (Derrick), followed with his speech titled: How Important is Solids Control Equipment for your Drilling?

Igor Malyshev, Deputy General Manager of the company Energomontor, finished of this session, his presentation discussed; The Application of CAT internal Combustion Engines and Transmissions in Power Units for Mud Pumps and Winches in Russia.

Session 3

Event moderator for this session was Mr. Alexey Sadovnikov, General Director of DP Master.

Oleg Fomin, Consultant, Oil and Gas Production Industry, was first to speak on; Drill Pipe Identification and Asset Management Using RFID Tags 

Mr. Colin Duff, Hardbanding Solutions Director for Duraband NC, who many credit for the ever increasing usage of hardbanding in Russia, was next to present with his speech title: Only a Quality Hardbanding Material Results in Significant Cost Savings While Protecting the Drill String.

Sergey Fedorov – Professor, Ph.D and Julia Ivanova – Associate Professor, Engineering Technology Department, Ph.D for Bauman Moscow State Technical University: finished this session with their presentation titled; Improving Wear Resistance of Threads, subs, Drill pipes, casing and ESP Systems by electromechanical Treatment.

Hall 3

Well Integrity, Interventions & Production Operations

Hall 3, a new discussion hall from RDCR 2018, was focused specifically on regional production and well integrity operations with the moderator for this hall, being RDCR veteran Martin Rylance, VP GWO Russia Global Sr. Advisor, BP Russia. 

Mr. Rylance started by outlining the goals of the day, highlighting that RDCR was set up 7 years ago, with the goal promoting good communication and interaction between Russian companies to share knowledge and best practices within the region. The idea of RDCR is that with the industry speaking together, the entire sector can grow and develop successfully as one, with everyone benefiting.

Roundtable Session 1

Yaroslav Korovaychuk, Head of Field Development Team for NOVATEK, was to start the discussions, with his presentation: Multi-Stage Fracturing of High-Pressure Gas Formations. 

Mikhail Samoilov, Head of Hydraulic Fracturing Sub-Department for “RN – Peer Review and Technical Development Center”, LLC, Rosneft, was next up, presenting; Acid-Proppant Fracturing Treatments: the Step Forward.

Mikhail Pustovalov, Senior Application Engineer for NOV Completion Tools, then made the presentation titled; Optimized Well Completion Design.

Sergey Simakov, Well Intervention Manager for LLC Gazpromneft-SRC, was the final speaker in this session with his focus; COIL Tubing – Current Challenges. From Objectives To Equipment.

Roundtable Session 2

Aliya Davletova, Chief Specialist Representative for RN-UfaNIPIneft, started the speaking in session 2, with a presentation titled; Geomechanical modeling – a tool for analyzing risks during drilling.

Alexander Zamkovoi, TGT, Business Manager for Russia & Caspian Region, discussed: New TGT Through-Barrier Diagnostics – Helping Ensure Seal Integrity in Challenging Wells in Siberia.

Arild Stein, Global Product Line Manager Electronics from Interwell, making their first presentation at RDCR, focused his speech on: In Well Barrier Integrity Testing and Documentation.

Oleg Kalinin, Functional Manager for Gazprom Neft, was the last speaker of this session, with his presentation; Geomechanical Modeling Predicition for the Total Loss Zones.

Post Show “Networking” Cocktail Reception and Live Entertainment

RDCR 2019 was an action packed day with in-depth discussions taking place across all 4 Halls. The event produced excellent conversations, presentations and Q&A sessions with speaking companies sharing their latest best practices and knowledge with all RDCR participants to promote collective growth.

Once the day’s final discussions were complete, it was time for all participants relax and enjoy some quality networking in a less formal and more relaxed atmosphere whilst enjoying the evening spectaculars.

All participants were treated to a cocktail reception followed by live entertainment from local artists, giving RDCR 2019 participants time to review the day’s discussions amongst friends and new business contact.

The feedback from participants to RDCR 2019 was outstanding with an excellent day enjoyed by all.