A REVIEW OF THE APPLICATION OF MANAGED PRESSURE DRILLING

Managed Pressure Drilling (MPD) has emerged as a critical technology for addressing deepwater drilling challenges including narrow pressure windows, formation uncertainty, and wellbore instability. Despite proven benefits, limited research has comprehensively reviewed optimal MPD configurations and implementation strategies for deepwater environments. This systematic literature review analyzed multiple published sources to identify best practices, evaluate existing technologies, and provide evidence-based recommendations.The review identified four critical success factors: comprehensive planning, appropriate technical configurations, disciplined operational procedures, and effective team integration. Three case studies from Gulf of Mexico, East Malaysia, and Mediterranean demonstrated quantified improvements of 35-81% in performancemetrics with substantial cost savings including USD 3.5 million contingency avoidance. Analysis revealed that MPD effectiveness requires formation-specific customization, with economic benefits extending beyond cost reduction to risk mitigation and enabling access to challenging reserves. Persistent challenges include extended response times, equipment reliability concerns, lack of standardization, and economic evaluation uncertainties. Priority research areas recommended include advanced control systems, equipment reliability enhancement, standardization initiatives, and comprehensive economic frameworks. These findings provide valuable guidance for optimizing MPD application in deepwater drilling environments.