2026 Bits & Balls Forum/Tournament

Date: Tuesday, February 24, 2026

Drill Bit Forum Registration Open: 7:30 A.M.

Gold Tournament Registration Open: 11 A.M.

Shotgun Start: 1 P.M.


Location:

Highland Pines Golf Club

6700 Highland Pines Dr.

Porter, TX 77365


For custom sponsorships, please contact

ellicia@iadd-intl.org

or suzanne@iadd-intl.org


Drill Bit Forum Pricing             Golf Pricing

Member- $175                          Single Golfer- $275 SOLD OUT

Non-Member- $195                  4Some Team- $875 SOLD OUT


Forum Agenda

7 to 8 a.m.

Registration opens ( for both events), Coffee and light breakfast, Exhibits open

 

8 to 8:15 a.m.

Intro and safety briefing

 

8:15 to 10 a.m.

Session 1 - Permian & Delaware Basin - Drilling Challenges


Moderators: Ole Gjertsen, SLB & Derek Nelms, Baker Hughes


Operator’s Panelists:

  • Ross Durkee - OXY
  • Vladimir Crvenjakov, Wells Engineer - Chevron 

Bit Providers:

  • Halliburton, Greg Grosz: Shankless Bit Technology: from Steel to Matrix


  • SLB, Dalia Garduno : Taking Unconventional Curve & Lateral Next Level


  • NOV, Moustafa Saleh: Improving Delaware Intermediate Performance with Strategically Oriented Shaped Cutters


  • Taurex, Cameron Devers: Diagnostic Bit Forensics. Case study of rapid cutter development and testing for rapidly advancing lateral wells in the Delaware Basin


  • Baker Hughes, Armin Kueck: Smooth is Fast: A new Simulation Based Approach to Design Stable PDCs for RSS

 

10 to 10:30 a.m.     

Break, Exhibits open, Golf Check-In


10:30 to 11:15 a.m.

Session 2 - Drilling Challenging Intermediate Sections in the Western United States and East Texas/Northern Louisiana


Moderator: Douglas Stephens, Ulterra


Operator’s Panelists:     

  • Brad Huggard - AETHON
  • Allen Sinor - The Competency Alliance

Bit Providers: 

  • Ulterra, David Desormeaux: Improving Drilling Performance of the Intermediate Section, Travis Peak Formation


  • Taurex, Cameron Devers: 14.5 mm Cutter Technology and Bit Design as a Response to Hard Rock Challenges in the Travis Peak

       Intermediate Sections


  • Ulterra, Matt Case: PDC Bit Technology Shears Fractured Granite to Access Geothermal Power


  • NOV, Richard Rivera: Cutter grade and shape selection for geothermal


11:15 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

Session 3 - Technical Challenges in Jumbo-Size Drill Bit Applications for Deepwater Operations


Moderator: Gloria Agudelo & Kevin Glass, DB Bit Services


Operator's Panelists:

  • Oscar Sanchez, Drilling Optimization Specialist, Chevron
  • Piero d’Ambrosio, Drilling Optimization Specialist, BP

Bit Providers:


  • Baker Hughes, Brandon Cherry: 26-inch Deep Water Drill Bit Development
  • Halliburton DBS, Deysy Baez: 26" PDC Bit Development: GoA
  • SLB, Dexter Trahan: GoA26" Section Challenges & Solutions
  • Ulterra, Jorge Silveus: Addressing Technical Challenges or Torque Management


12 to 12:15 p.m.

Break, Exhibits Open


12:15 to 12:40 p.m.

Lunch, Presentation by David Bat

Golf Check-In Ends


12:40 to 12:45 p.m.

Closing Remarks from Derek Nelms, Baker Hughes & Douglas Stephens, Ulterra


1:00 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Golf Tournament

Exhibits remain open






THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS