3T Energy develops virtual reality system for SANAD platforms

A new virtual reality training program has been developed to train workers in hazard awareness on Saudi Aramco Nabors Drilling’s (SANAD) land-based drilling rigs.

Developed by 3T Energy Group, the program was created to help refresh the skills of and improve safety for SANAD personnel working on land-based assets in Saudi Arabia. 3T said in a statement that the program automatically links with a custom-built competency management system to provide the workforce intelligence that enables SANAD to tailor future training.

“This platform allows us to gather a wealth of information on individual performance which wouldn’t be possible with any other training method,” Coy Wilcox, training manager at SANAD, said. As well as allowing us to track the progress of our training, the system gives wider insight into how well procedures are being followed and understood, and it enables us to make fact-based decisions on future training. This will ultimately assure the highest levels of safety across our assets.”

Virtual reality scenarios covered shutdown procedures, working at height, and working on the drill floor. Workers undertook health and safety processes and procedures within the virtual programs and experienced consequences when the correct procedures were not followed.

The results of this training were then uploaded automatically to a custom-built competency management system, which could then be accessed in real time remotely.

“We were delighted to work with SANAD on this training solution,” Clive Battisby, director of simulator operations for 3T Energy Group, said. “Virtual reality creates an immersive learning environment unrivaled in terms of memory retention. By making mistakes in the virtual world, you simply don’t make them in the real one.”