What participants should be able to do:

The standard is not just remembering equipment names. Participants are expected to connect field observations, calculations and operating evidence to a practical decision.

• A01 - Rigs & circulation - Trace the circulation path, understand the main rig-system interfaces, and calculate pump output, annular velocity and circulation / bottoms-up time.
• A02 - Drilling fluids - Read the main field-test results and mud-report indicators that matter to solids control, including LGS/HGS, MBT, PV and sand content.
• A03 - Drilled solids & dilution - Estimate drilled-solids generation, interpret PSD, understand degradation and first-pass removal, and apply dilution / material-balance concepts.
• A04 - Shakers & screens - Check shaker motion, G-force, screen selection, flow split and condition; recognize common failure modes and whole-mud loss.
• A05 - Cyclones & degassing - Relate cut point to cone size, feed head and fluid properties; check pressure/cone loading and diagnose poor discharge or degassing performance.
• A06 - Centrifuges - Understand separation duty, calculate bowl G-force and processing rate, read feed/overflow/underflow behaviour, and troubleshoot the feed system.
• A07 - Mud system - Verify tank routing and processing sequence; check pumps, agitation, impeller placement, mud guns, mixing hoppers and dead-zone / bypass risks.
• A08 - LMP & dry bulk - Follow receiving, storage, reconditioning and loading; apply basic QA/QC, segregation and inventory checks.
• A09 - DWM - Map waste streams, evaluate handling / drying / recovered-fluid routing / dewatering / storage / treatment options, and understand oil-on-cuttings measurement.
• A10 - Performance & data - Build a practical cost and KPI picture, read trends and confirm digital signals against what is actually happening in the field.
• A11 - Applied day & capstone - Work through the agreed Day 5 route: carry out a safe walkdown where access exists, or investigate equipment/field cases using available evidence. Verify what can be verified, identify the likely root cause, and present a prioritized action plan with clear verification steps.

This advanced masterclass is designed for:

• Drilling Fluids Engineers (Mud Engineers)
• Solids Control Engineers and Supervisors
• Drilling Operations Engineers
• Drilling Supervisors and Superintendents
• Wellsite Representatives
• Rig Managers and Toolpushers
• Drilling Waste Management Professionals
• Operations and Performance Engineers
• Technical Authorities and Subject Matter Experts
• Experienced drilling and fluids personnel with a minimum of two years of relevant field or engineering experience.

Applied work across the five days:

• Mud-report interpretation and solids-condition diagnosis.
• Drilled-solids / PSD / dilution and material-balance case work.
• Shaker screen identification, G-force, flow split and failure-mode checks.
• Hydrocyclone head/pressure and cone-capacity checks.
• Centrifuge stream reading and duty assessment.
• P&ID and tank-routing work for bypass, back-flow, dead zones and recirculation.
• Waste-route mapping for land and offshore scenarios, using site evidence or case material.
• Cost / KPI and real-time trend interpretation against field evidence.
• Team mini-audit, findings register and capstone presentation.

Applied competency: minimum 75%, with all safety-critical items competent. A safety-critical failure requires reassessment even if the overall score is above the pass mark.

How Day 5 works:

Day 5 is not tied to offshore access. The agreed route can be a land-rig / site walkdown, a workshop or training-yard practical, or a structured field-case session using real operating problems, photographs, P&IDs, mud reports and data. The assessment format can move with the setting; the pass standard does not.

Land rig/site: Safe walkdown, flow-path verification, equipment checks, selected measurements, and field evidence.

Workshop/training yard: Hands-on inspection of available equipment or components, setup logic, condition checks, and common failure modes.

Field-case session: Real anonymized field problems using photos, P&IDs, mud reports, operating data and failure evidence. Teams diagnose the problem and build the action plan.

Offshore examples can still be discussed when they add value, but offshore access is not required to complete the programme. No participant is asked to change live equipment settings; site authority, permits, OEM procedures, interlocks and HSE requirements remain controlling.

Verification points:

• PC01- System flow & tank routing
• PC02- Shaker/screen/vibration / G-force
• PC03- Hydrocyclone / mud cleaner
• PC04- Mud degasser
• PC05- Centrifuge & feed
• PC06- Transfer/feed pumps
• PC07- Agitators & mud guns
• PC08- Mixing hopper/system
• PC09- Liquid Mud Plant & bulk silos
• PC10- Waste conveyance/vacuum transfer
• PC11- Cuttings dryer & recovered-fluid path
• PC12- Waste storage/skips / cuttings boxes
• PC13- Digital / data-quality verification

Course Structure:

Day1: (establish the rig, circulation, fluid and solids picture)

• A01- Drilling Rigs - Types, Systems & the Circulation Path
• A02- Drilling Fluids - Types, Properties & Impact on Solids Control
• A03- Drilled Solids, PSD, Dilution & Material Balance

Day2: (first-pass surface separation)

• A04- Shale Shakers & Screens
• A05- Hydrocyclones, Mud Cleaners & Mud Degassers

Day3: (centrifuges and mud-system performance)

• A06- Decanter Centrifuges & Feed Systems
• A07- Mud System - Tanks, Pumps, Agitation, Mud Guns & Mixing

Day4: (mud plant, waste, cost and data.)

• A08- Liquid Mud Plant & Dry-Bulk Systems
• A09- Drilling Waste Management - Equipment, Treatment & Logistics
• A10- Performance, Cost, Digital & Real-Time Analysis

Day5: (apply the theory through the agreed route - land rig/site, workshop/training yard, or a structured field-case session - and turn the evidence into an action plan.)

• A11- Performance, Cost, Digital & Real-Time Analysis

Day 5 is not tied to offshore access. The agreed route can be a land-rig / site walkdown, a workshop or training-yard practical, or a structured field-case session using real operating problems, photographs, P&IDs, mud reports and data. The assessment format can move with the setting; the pass standard does not.

Assessment and completion

Assessment is spread throughout the week. We want to see whether participants can understand the system, do the calculations, work with the evidence in front of them and explain why they chose an action.

• Pre-course diagnostic: Baseline only, not scored - 25 questions completed before Day 1.

• Module knowledge checks: 20% - Short checks across modules A01–A10.

• Final assessment: 35% - 100-mark equivalent, split written exam or controlled written exam combined with a case assessment.

• Applied competency: 25% - PC-01 to PC-13, assessed using site, workshop, or case evidence.

• Integrated capstone: 20% - Assessment covering root cause, evidence, action, and KPI.

Completion conditions

• Overall pass mark: 70%.
• Final assessment: minimum 70%.
• Applied competency: minimum 75% and all safety-critical items competent.
• Minimum attendance: 90%; missed material must be made up by an agreed method before the result is issued.
• Result bands: Pass 70-79%, Merit 80-89%, Distinction 90%+ subject to the assessment and safety conditions.

Assessment route. The exact format is agreed before delivery. It can remain a split written examination or use a controlled written + case-based format when that better matches Day 5. Changing the format does not lower the pass standard.

A RECTUS attendance certificate will be awarded to all participants who complete at least 70% of the total course duration.