DRILLBITS -May 2015
This Month’s Articles
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IADC Announces Revolutionary New Industry Well Control Training Program
IADC recently announced the availability of WellSharp ™, the drilling industry’s revolutionary new well control training and assessment program. WellSharp represents the world’s most advanced well control training program for professionalizing drilling.
A collaborative, industry-wide, industry-led effort to completely redefine well control training produced WellSharp, which emphasizes rigorous training for every person with well control responsibilities, whether office-based or rig-based.
“The whole of the industry worked together to dramatically improve the safety and reliability of drilling operations,” said Mark Denkowski, IADC Executive Vice President, Operational Integrity. “WellSharp represents a root and branch overhaul to address industry concerns with existing programs, such as knowledge gaps, practical/theoretical imbalance, variable teaching standards, skill retention and robust testing methods.”
The new program is designed to ensure that the industry’s workforce has the training and knowledge needed to both prevent incidents and respond swiftly and appropriately to unforeseen incidents. WellSharp provides the tools and supports needed to deliver significantly improved performance in the area of well control. New upgrades to the training and assessment program include:
- Focus on training for all personnel involved with well control and ensures that that training is commensurate with their role and responsibilities.
- Expanded course levels in line with OGP 476 recommendation to tailor training to the requirements of specific roles and responsibilities.
- Centralized electronic testing and grading to ensure global integrity and uniformity.
- Immediate test results with missed question learning objective guidance provided to instructors for each student.
- Improved instructor qualifications.
- Continuous training to maintain currency and increase retention.
“IADC’s WellSharp program offers a reliable and trustworthy set of training standards. It ensures that rig crews know what they need to do in any circumstance; they have the skills to do it right, every time, all the time,” said Stephen Colville, IADC President and CEO. “I am encouraged by the early response from operators and regulators, who are excited about the program and believe it to be a step-change in industry well control training. I am confident that WellSharp will make a contribution to improved performance and safer operations for the global drilling industry.”
For more information about WellSharp, please visit the IADC Website.
IADC’s John Atkinson to Retire
John Atkinson, IADC regional director-North Sea, will retire on 31 May 2015.
John joined IADC in 2013, after a distinguished career in the drilling industry. He began his career with Ben Line Group, before joining Ben Odeco Limited and later Atlantic Drilling Limited. He joined Diamond Offshore Drilling UK Limited in 1992 as technical services and safety case manager. He held various positions within Diamond, working in geographies across the world, including Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and Scotland.
Throughout his career, John has supported IADC, having previously served as both vice chairman and chairman of the IADC Australasia Chapter and as vice chairman of the IADC North Sea Chapter.
“John brought an incredible amount of expertise and professionalism to his role as an advocate for the drilling industry in the North Sea,” said Mike DuBose, IADC Vice President – International Development. “In his two years in this position, he has opened many doors, allowing IADC to have a voice on issues affecting our operations. For many years, John has tirelessly supported IADC and believed in our mission, and I wish him the very best in his retirement.”
IADC Competency Assurance Guidelines Now Available
The IADC Competence Assurance Guidelines are now available, offering the industry a set of recommendations for building an effective competence assurance program. The document is available free to the industry.
The guidelines are the product of a collaborative effort among industry competence experts, working through the IADC Workforce Development Committee, who shared their experiences, challenges and lessons learned to develop the new guidelines.
The document lists the essential definitions to ensure that programs and managers speak the same language with regard to competence, and then explores the purpose and types of programs and how they can be set up. Additionally, the importance and function, or design, of competence management systems, key roles in a program, management commitment, and quality assurance are fully explained. Finally, types of data and information management, competence assessments, resources for defining competencies and elements of an implementation plan are provided.
The IADC Competence Assurance Guidelines are available via the IADC Website.
IADC Issues Letter Regarding BSEE/BOEM Arctic Rule
On 27 May, IADC submitted a response to US Department of the Interior’s proposal rule to revise and add new requirements to regulations for exploratory drilling and related operations on the Outer Continental Shelf seaward of the State of Alaska. The proposed rule was issued jointly by the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) and the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) on 24 February 2015.
IADC’s letter expressed concern with the following:
- The prescriptiveness of the rule in its references to operations of floating units, such that operations by other types of units are seemingly not permitted
- The unnecessary burdens and the duplication of effort in developing and submitting the proposed Integrated Operations Plans
- The potential for the proposed BOP pressure test interval to adversely affect system reliability and the related need for coordination of all overlapping provisions of the proposal with any final action taken with regard to BSEE’s proposed rulemaking for Blowout Preventer Systems and Well Control, published on 17 April 2015.
- Over-involvement by BSEE in operational decision-making.
Additionally, the letter also expresses concerns about uncertainties regarding individual and contractor responsibilities and liabilities to the proposed rule in consideration of the agencies’ revised policies regarding joint and several responsibilities for compliance with and enforcement of BSEE’s regulations.
For more information, please contact Alan Spackman at Alan.Spackman@iadc.org.
Derek Hart Joins IADC as Regional Director – North Sea
Derek Hart has been named Regional Director – North Sea, with responsibility for advocating for IADC members in the North Sea area and supporting activities of the IADC North Sea Chapter.
With more than 32 years in the offshore oil and gas industry, Derek began his career in the British Merchant Navy. He then joined Transocean, where he spent 27 years, first as Control Room Operator and Barge Master and OIM, before transferring onshore in 1992 to the Aberdeen QA/Safety Department. He then accepted a role as QHSE Manager for the North Sea in 1994 and was promoted to QHSE Manager for Europe and Africa in 2005. He was seconded to the Macondo investigation in 2010 and 2011, before returning to the North Sea and retiring from Transocean in early 2015.
“Derek’s long history in the drilling industry provides the region a strong advocate for issues and topics specific to those with activity in the North Sea,” said Mike DuBose, IADC Vice President – International Development. “He takes over for John Atkinson, who is retiring at the end of May, and I look forward to his strong contribution on behalf of IADC’s members. “
Derek can be reached via email at Derek.Hart@iadc.org.
“Well Cementing Operations” Book Now Available
“Well Cementing Operations”, a new book authored by Ron Sweatman and published under the auspices of the IADC Technical Publications Committee, is now available for purchase through the IADC Bookstore.
The book covers techniques and developments never before published in a single source and provide an overview of basic well-cementing theory, best practices and real-world applications, calculations and problem-solving exercises. The publication is a valuable learning tool for readers at all levels, providing information that historically was only available through experience or industry short courses.
To purchase, please visit the IADC Bookstore.
LAST CALL: IADC Chairman’s Anniversary Award Program Submissions
IADC believes in the importance of continually improving performance for the drilling industry. The Chairman’s Anniversary Award was developed to recognize field-based individuals who have made a direct impact on improved performance for their company, either through a project or personal effort. The Award will be given every five years as part of IADC’s anniversary celebrations.
Award winners will demonstrate how their innovative project directly improved performance in the field in one of the following ways:
- Eliminating injuries
- Enhancing process safety
- Reducing NPT
- Improving equipment reliability
- Increasing efficiency
Submissions will be accepted until Sunday, 31 May and will be judged based on the above criteria by a selected group of IADC staff and industry veterans. The winner will be contacted in August and the award will be presented by IADC Chairman Ed Jacob during the IADC Annual General Meeting on 5 November in San Antonio.
For more information, please visit www.iadc.org/chairmans-anniversary-award
IADC Australasia Chapter Celebrates 50th Annual General Meeting
The IADC Australasia Chapter (IADC-AC) celebrated its 50th Annual General Meeting on 19 May in Melbourne.
The IADC-AC owes its existence to the formation of the Oilwell Drilling Contractors Association of Australia in 1964. Those who convened the group were visionary pioneers who shared a passion for providing leadership to the drilling sector of the Australian E&P industry. In the 50 years since, the ODCAA, and the subsequent IADC Australasia Chapter, have made significant contributions to the industry, particularly with regard to well control training.
This commitment, first as the ODCAA Well Control School, and later through the partnership with the National Drilling and Well Control Programme, ensures that vital training and assessment of competency in well control is widely available in Australia. Thousands of rig crew members, drilling engineers and industry professionals in the region have benefited from these programs, with the positive impact directly attributable to the Chapter.
In a letter to the Chapter marking the occasion, Steve Colville, IADC President and CEO noted, “In the last 50 years, the industry has seen huge changes, challenges and technological advances. By encouraging and facilitating members to meet, interact and engage on issues affecting the Australian drilling industry, the IADC Australasia Chapter contributes to the vision set by IADC, where members are offered an opportunity to connect, collaborate and create. Truly something to celebrate, and I would like to personally congratulate the Chapter on behalf of the entire Association.”
For more information about the Australasia Chapter, please visit the IADC Website.
IADC Issues Letter Regarding MODU and Dynamic Positioning Requirements
On 6 May, IADC submitted a response to the U.S. Coast Guard’s notice of proposed rulemaking to establish minimum design, operation, training and manning standards for mobile offshore drilling units (MODUs) and other vessels using dynamic positioning systems to engage in Outer Continental Shelf activities. The proposed rule, Requirements for MODUs and Other Vessels Conducting Outer Continental Shelf Activities with Dynamic Positioning Systems, was issued on 28 November 2014.
In the letter, IADC noted substantial issues with the proposal, noting that the association does not believe that the proposal can be progressed to a final rule without a supplementary notice of proposed rulemaking to resolve significant deficiencies in the proposal. Many of those deficiencies relate to the prescriptiveness of the proposal. The letter encouraged the Coast Guard to move further toward a performance-based rule as it revises the proposal.
In particular, IADC’s letter noted that:
- The proposal presents no clear and feasible path to implementation
- The proposed definitions of Critical OCS Activities are inappropriate
- Provisions regarding Dynamic Positioning Operators and their training can be significantly improved
- Regulatory requirements simplified for efficiency
For more information, please contact Alan Spackman at Alan.Spackman@iadc.org.
Accreditation Updates
RigPASS
Competence
Safety Alerts
For the latest safety alerts, visit www.iadc.org/safety-alerts
Alert 14-29: Personnel basket failure serious near hit
Rigs Receive ISP Certificates
For certificates received since last LTI (in years):
New IADC Members
IADC welcomes 42 new members:
DRILLBITS Volume 25, Number 5
Ed Jacob, Chairman • Stephen Colville, President and CEO • Amy Rose, Editor
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+1/713-292-1945. Fax +1/713-292-1946.
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