New measures to improve skills on well-control operations are expected to reduce the risk of another Macondo-type well blowout such as happened in the Gulf of Mexico.
The International Well Control Forum, which sets global training standards for well-control, said it would deliver a “step change” in competence.
IWCF has worked closely with a taskforce of the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers to shake up and improve training, examination and certification. IWCF said its new programme was a “holistic, non-analytical approach” to meeting recommendations developed with the industry, with the goal being the avoidance of another tragedy on the scale of Macondo.
IWCF’s training has been expanded to cover areas highlighted by a study of the causes of past incidents. Role-specific training is designed to make learning more relevant to individual roles, rather than the current more generic approach. The syllabus will be continually reviewed to make sure it covers all the latest equipment, practices and incident data.
Well operations crew resource management training will also be introduced to give non-technical skills to well operations teams.
In the longer term, IWCF proposes introduction of a modular approach to training and frequent role-based operational simulations.
Other improvements currently at the development stage are expected to be rolled out later.
Montrose-based IWCF said the overall package provided a foundation for permanent change in offshore operations globally.
David Price, IWCF chief executive, added: “As the only independent body wholly focused on well-control training and accreditation, representing all stakeholders across the industry, we are raising our game. The ultimate goal for everyone is to deliver a step-change in competence assurance of well control knowledge and understanding. This means taking a fresh look at what we teach, how we teach it, how people learn and the tools we use to assess and assure competence.”
The Macondo well blowout in the Gulf of Mexico in April 2010 killed 11 men and spilled millions of barrels of crude into the sea.
Since its foundation in 1992, IWCF has certified more than 160,000 people on nearly every continent through 210 accredited training centres.
Watch our exclusive interview with David Price below
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