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About

Automated managed pressure drilling (MPD) helps maintain operating parameters precisely vs. conventional drilling techniques. MPD also mitigates risk, reduces downtime and improves the overall efficiency of drilling operations. A schematic diagram of an MPD system is shown in Figure 1. The major difference compared to conventional drilling is the rotating control device and the choke valve which makes the MPD a closed pressurized system. It allows additional flexibility during drilling to quickly increase-decrease, or change the pressure profile in the annular section by manipulating the choke valve. 

Beyond Energy is a leading Canadian MPD operator and wants to become the world leader in the technology. Recently Beyond Energy has established a flow loop at its Nisku test site to further advance the coke control strategy. In collaboration with Beyond Energy, the research team has proposed an advanced choke control system that can operate in, a wide range of conditions. Some of the capabilities for which the controller will be developed are: (i) maintaining bottomhole pressure at the desired setpoint for flowrate typically between 0.8-1.2 m3/min, up to a high of 2.4 m3/min, (ii) Drilling into connection/reduced circulation rate. The choke should be able to add 3000-5000 kPa very quickly, (iii) adaptable for shallow vs deep formation operation, (iv) choke control during reaming in/out, (v) tripping In/Out in a very viscous or less viscous fluid. We have been working for the past five years at Memorial University’s MPD lab to develop a comprehensive solution for the MPD system. In our research Beyond has been a partner and helped the project by providing field data and technical advice.

We have developed several advanced controllers for MPD systems that can deliver robust control performance in the event of system uncertainty during pipe connections and abnormal conditions (e.g., reservoir kicks, fluid loss). The proposed solutions range from a simple PID controller to an advanced nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) with fault handling capabilities. The proposed solutions have been extensively tested in simulation environments and on a scaled laboratory setup. The goal of the project is to develop the technology further and bring it to field-ready condition.

MPD technology has been typically used for oil and gas (O&G) operations. The energy landscape of the globe is changing and there is interest in green energy development. In this regard, geothermal energy is one of the preferred alternatives. Geothermal drilling (GTD) faces many of the same challenges as O&G drilling; for example, steam kick in GTD is similar to gas kick in O&G exploration. An additional goal of this project is to adapt the MPD technology to address the challenges of GTD. 

Team

Dr. Syed Imtiaz

Prof. Imtiaz comes from a chemical engineering background with a master’s degree in environmental engineering and a PhD in process control. Prior to joining Memorial University he worked as a staff consultant at Aspen Technology. He implemented advanced control solutions to a wide range of industries including different units (CDU, HDS, FCC) of refineries, Ethylene Plant, Methanol Plant and other Petro-Chemical plants. Dr. Imtiaz is co-PI for the Managed Pressure Lab at Memorial University. He has published 1 edited book, over 120 journal and conference proceedings, supervised or co-supervised over 40 Masters and PhD students. He is a recipient of Imperial Oil University Research Awared (2013-2016; 2022-2024).

Phone: 709-864-6749 
Email: simtiaz@mun.ca 
Office: IIC3021

Dr. Salim Ahmed

Dr. Salim Ahmed joined Memorial University of Newfoundland in February 2012 as an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. With a background in Chemical Engineering, He obtained a B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) before pursuing a Ph.D. degree in Process Control at the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering at the University of Alberta.

Prior to joining Memorial University, Dr. Ahmed held positions as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Alberta from 2006 to 2008 and as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Qatar University, Doha, Qatar from 2008 to 2012. In addition, he served as a lecturer in the Department of Chemical Engineering at BUET from 1997 to 2000.

Dr. Ahmed's current research focuses on the design of early warning systems for process industries. Supported by a Discovery Grant from NSERC and an IgniteR&D grant from the Research and Development Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador (RDC), the alarm system design project aims to develop a risk-based alarm system. During his Ph.D. research, Dr. Ahmed specialized in system identification, particularly in the identification of continuous-time models from sampled data, and continues to work on this topic. Other research areas of interest include model validation and valve stiction.

Phone: 709-864-7652
Email: simtiaz@mun.ca
Office: IIC3021

Tareq Zaman

I am a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Process Engineering at Memorial University, supervised by Dr. Syed Imtiaz and Dr. Salim Ahmed. Before starting my PhD, I taught in the department of Petroleum and Mining Engineering at Chittagong University of Engineering & Technology (CUET) in Bangladesh.

I earned my PhD in Scientific Computing at Memorial University, where I was advised by Dr. Scott MacLachlan. I completed an MEng in Oil and Gas Engineering from the same university. I also hold a BSc in Petroleum and Mining Engineering from Shahjalal University of Science & Technology in Bangladesh.

My current research focuses on applying machine learning and optimization techniques to solve advanced control and discretized PDEs problems. My research interests include multigrid methods, high-performance and parallel computing, optimization, reinforcement learning, fluid flow through porous media, reservoir modeling and simulation, drilling engineering, and control engineering.

MD Rahat Zaman

I am working as a Graduate Research Assistant under the guidance of Dr. Syed Imtiaz and Dr. Salim Ahmed, focusing on control algorithm tuning for managed pressure drilling.

Prior to this, I worked as a Solution Architect in the IT department of Grameenphone, which is a business unit of the Telenor Group. In this role, I gained valuable experience working with emerging technologies like IoT and Machine Learning-based data analytics.

I completed my Bachelor's degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering from the Islamic University of Technology (IUT), where I gained a comprehensive understanding of the fundamental concepts and practical applications in the field.Through my academic and professional experiences, I have developed a passion for cutting-edge technology and its potential to transform the industry.

Partners

Beyond Energy is engaging with MUN MPD lab to leverage some of the advanced research outcomes. In this effect Beyond has supported a NSERC Alliance application with cash contribution and in-kind support. Such developments would allow customers to have a more reliable and accurate pressure control during the drilling process, decreasing the likelihood of events that result in flaring of natural gas and minimizing the time required to drill their wells. Beyond’s R&D department is working closely with MUN researchers to further develop and make the technology field-ready. Beyond Energy has developed a state of the art flow loop facility in  Nisku, Alberta to act as a laboratory to test the control system technologies. The control algorithms developed by the MUN researchers will be implemented and evaluated for performance. This collaboration between MUN MPD lab and Beyond Energy has the potential of bringing some exciting technologies to the market.

Contact

Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science
Memorial University of Newfoundland 
St. John's, NL