“Drilling Towards ProductionÔ”.   This will be our theme for 2020.  This is a direct result of the discussion held during the Annual Technical Forum.  It is not enough just to drill faster; we have to drill with a purpose.  The purpose is to make the wells as productive as possible. How can we, as the directional drilling industry, impact production?  Actually our industry has a profound impact on production.  Accurate placement; quality well bores; less tortuousity; recognizing and staying in the most productive zones; all of these are elements of the well construction process that our industry has a direct or indirect influence on.  As an industry we need to recognize these things and do what we can to positively impact them.

This will take communication and training.  Awareness must come first.  A few months ago we had a completion engineer as a guest speaker.  Her expertise was in ESP or electric submersible pumps.  She was amazed at what we do and how that impacts her area of responsibility.  Once again, the quote “I didn't know that” rings out.

This will take a conscious effort on our part, but I believe that it will be worth the effort.  The training and communication must be a two-way street.  We have to educate the other parts of the industry as to what we do and how we do it in order for them to understand the implications.  Conversely, we need to have an awareness of the things that we do that impact them.

As you look at the schedule for 2020 you will see this as an underlying theme.  In addition, we will add other, off-schedule efforts to inform the operators and service providers in-house, take the message to them.  At the risk of sounding dramatic, the viability of our industry depends on it.

Think through what I have said and if there is something you would like to add please drop me a note.  It will take all of us working together to make this happen.