Andrew Kirunda, Drilling Engineer at CNOOC Uganda Limited and Young Professional Chair of the SPE Uganda Section, to present technical work at ADIPEC 2026
Technical knowledge becomes most valuable when it is shared.
For petroleum professionals, contributing to the industry’s technical literature provides an opportunity to document field experience, share lessons learned, and enable the wider industry to benefit from practical solutions developed under challenging operating conditions.
It is therefore a great honour to share that Andrew Kirunda, Drilling Engineer at China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) Uganda Limited and Young Professional Chair of the SPE Uganda Section, will be participating at ADIPEC 2026, one of the world’s leading energy industry events, taking place in Abu Dhabi, UAE, from 2–5 November 2026.
Andrew will present the technical paper:
“Mitigation of Downhole Erosion in High Sand Drilling Environments: Field Application in an African Oilfield”
The paper addresses erosion challenges encountered by rotary steerable systems (RSS) during extended-reach drilling in high-sand, unconsolidated formations within an African onshore oilfield.
The study presents an integrated erosion-mitigation approach combining WC-10Co-4Cr surface strengthening using High Velocity Oxygen Fuel (HVOF) thermal spraying with drilling-fluid solids-management practices aimed at reducing abrasive particle loading within the circulating fluid.
The work combines laboratory-supported material characterization with field observations and operational performance data. Laboratory testing demonstrated improved hardness, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of the HVOF-applied coating, while field implementation resulted in reduced drilling-fluid sand content, extended RSS operating time, improved tool condition following retrieval, and improved drilling performance under high-sand drilling conditions.
From Field Experience to Industry Literature
The significance of this work extends beyond the technical solution itself.
Some of the industry’s most valuable knowledge originates from professionals working directly in the field, encountering complex geological and operational challenges and developing practical solutions to address them.
Documenting these experiences through technical publications allows lessons learned from individual projects and operating environments to become part of the broader body of petroleum engineering knowledge.
This paper therefore provides an opportunity to bring field experience from Uganda’s petroleum industry to an international technical platform, contributing African operational insights to the global engineering community.
A Milestone for Industry Professionals
As an industry professional and YP Chair of the SPE Uganda Section, Andrew’s participation highlights the importance of encouraging professionals across the industry to actively contribute to technical knowledge beyond their day-to-day responsibilities.
Professional development is not only about acquiring technical skills. It also involves sharing knowledge, publishing technical work, participating in professional forums, mentoring colleagues, and contributing to the advancement of the industry.
This achievement demonstrates what can be accomplished when industry professionals transform practical field experience into technical knowledge that can be shared with the wider engineering community.
It is also a reminder to professionals across Uganda that our field experiences, challenges, solutions, and innovations are valuable contributions to the global petroleum industry.
Uganda on the Global Technical Stage
ADIPEC provides an international platform for professionals from across the energy industry to exchange knowledge, showcase technological advancements, and discuss solutions to some of the industry’s most pressing challenges.
Having technical work originating from Uganda represented on such a platform provides an opportunity to showcase the growing technical expertise within Uganda’s petroleum industry and the contribution that professionals working in the country’s emerging oil and gas sector can make to global industry knowledge.
For SPE Uganda, this milestone reinforces the Section’s commitment to promoting technical excellence, professional development, knowledge sharing, and meaningful engagement across the petroleum industry.
Looking Ahead
As Uganda’s petroleum industry continues to progress, there is an increasing opportunity for professionals working across the sector to document their experiences, publish technical work, participate in international conferences, and contribute to the industry’s evolving body of knowledge.
The journey from field operations to technical publication and ultimately to an international conference stage demonstrates the value of turning operational experience into knowledge that can benefit others.
We congratulate Andrew Kirunda, Drilling Engineer at CNOOC Uganda Limited and YP Chair of the SPE Uganda Section, on this important professional milestone and wish him every success at ADIPEC 2026.
From the field in Uganda to the global technical stage, our experiences, our knowledge, and our contribution matter