Under Pressure

A comprehensive look at the latest in MPD regulations, MGS design, kick tolerance modeling, shifting blowout trends, CO2 management, and the future of energy.

The landscape of well control is constantly evolving. While foundational principles remain, the technologies we use, the regulations we follow, and the challenges we face are in a state of dynamic change.

This was the overarching theme at the recent 2025 IADC Well Control Conference of the Americas & Exhibition. The event served as a critical pulse check on the industry, with a heavy focus on the maturation of Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD), alongside insightful discussions on emerging risks, new energy frontiers, and next-generation hardware.

For those who couldn’t attend or want a comprehensive recap, we’ve summarized the most significant takeaways from a packed and informative conference.

New research shows that by expanding Managed Pressure Drilling from a point solution to a full-lifecycle philosophy, operators can safely extend lateral reach by 70%, cut tripping time in half, and take cementing off the critical path.

The relentless drive for longer laterals in Argentina’s Vaca Muerta field is a testament to the industry’s ambition. But with laterals now pushing past 3,200 meters (Fig. 1), operators are hitting a wall. The geomechanical complexity of the Quintuco and Vaca Muerta formations creates a narrow and unforgiving drilling window (Fig. 2), where conventional methods struggle with equivalent circulating density (ECD) management, wellbore instability, and costly non-productive time (NPT).