Changes in well control training to meet the challenge of reducing well control incidents

The number of safety related incidents in the Oil and Gas industry has steadily declined over the past 20 years. However, the frequency of well control incidents has not followed the same trend. The Norwegian regulator (Petroleum Safety Authority) has recently documented this finding as related to the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. Globally, the International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) Report 637 and recent data from Wild Well Control also support this conclusion – in fact, Wild Well Control data shows that the frequency of well control incidents may be increasing. The loss of experienced personnel due to reduced activity during the COVID-19 pandemic may have contributed to this. Now that activity is increasing again, the industry faces a challenge in recruiting skilled personnel. Current well control courses predominantly cover the well construction process, with minor emphasis on the whole life cycle of the well. However, a significant number (in some areas close to half) of well control incidents occur after the well construction process is completed. Based on analysis of the main contributory factors to well control incidents, IOGP has recently updated Report 476 ‘Recommendations for enhancements to well control training, examination and certification’. This paper reviews the changes to Report 476 and discusses how International Well Control Forum can contribute to reduce the well control incident rate with focus on the Well Control in Design and Lifecycle Management course.