Drilling Engineering Technologies: Fluid Systems, Automation, and Process Optimization
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Earth Sciences".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 April 2026 | Viewed by 10
Special Issue Editors
Interests: drilling technology; well cementing; drilling and completion fluids; environmental protection in petroleum engineering; waste management; deep well waste injection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: drilling technology; competition and workover; drilling and completion fluids; waste management; deep well waste injection
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: drilling technology; drilling fluids; environmental protection; waste management; well control
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Drilling engineering is rapidly evolving, integrating advanced fluid systems, automation, and process optimization to enhance efficiency, safety, and environmental performance. Drilling fluids (mud) remain central to these operations, fulfilling critical functions such as cuttings removal, tool lubrication, and wellbore stability in increasingly complex formations. Significant research efforts are focused on developing sustainable fluid systems through green chemistry and circular economy principles, including the use of biodegradablewaste materials as effective additives. For challenging unconventional reservoirs (e.g., shales), tailored solutions such as nanomaterials are being applied to plug nanopores and mitigate formation damage.
Alongside fluid innovations, automation, and data-driven processes, optimization is playing a transformative role in drilling engineering. Advances in real-time monitoring, adaptive control systems, and predictive modeling are improving drilling accuracy, reducing non-productive time, and minimizing human error. This Special Issue invites contributions (original research and reviews) on recent developments in drilling fluid technologies, automation applications, and optimization methodologies for drilling, completion, workover, and hydraulic fracturing operations. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following: smart fluid design; rheology and hydraulics modeling; automated monitoring and control; cutting transport efficiency; loss circulation management; green additives; waste reuse; nanoparticle applications; and data-assisted drilling optimization.
Prof. Dr. Nediljka Gaurina-Međimurec
Dr. Borivoje Pašić
Dr. Petar Mijić
Guest Editors
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Keywords
- drilling fluids
- additives
- waste materials
- nanoparticles
- hydraulics
- rheology
- cuttings transport
- lost circulation
- formation damage
- hydraulic fracturing
- automation
- process optimization
- wellbore stability
- real-time monitoring
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