Total E&P Australia has signed up to use AGR’s Riserless Mud Recovery (RMR®) system for two exploration wells. They will be drilled over the next year in the Browse Basin off northwest Australia.

RMR® has been used by Total on several other projects internationally but this is the first time that the operator has used the system in Australia.

The main reason for using RMR® on these wells is the ability to drill through the unconsolidated sands of the Grebe formation. It is renowned for stuck-pipe problems when drilling riserless using seawater and sweeps.

RMR® enables the use of weighted, engineered mud in the top-hole section. All mud and cuttings are returned to the rig with no discharge to the seabed. The top-hole section can be drilled more safely, quicker and with less impact on the environment, claimed AGR.
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