IADC launches WellSharp well control training, assessment program

IADC announced the launch of its WellSharp training and assessment program 6 May at OTC in Houston. The collaborative and industry-led effort redefines well control training, ensuring that both office- and rig-based personnel have the knowledge required to prevent incidents and to respond quickly to unanticipated circumstances. In this video, IADC Competence and Learning Development Specialist Brooke Polk speaks with DC’s Alex Endress about how WellSharp will help to improve drilling safety.

For more information about WellSharp, click here.

IADC unveiled WellSharp, the drilling industry’s new well control training and assessment program, during OTC in Houston on 6 May. A collaborative, industrywide and industry-led effort to 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. Upgrades to the training and assessment program include:

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  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 currently 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,” IADC President and CEO Stephen Colville said. “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.”

Diamond Offshore Drilling will begin its first WellSharp course in May. “The new method of assessment now provides us the ability not only to assess the students, our employees but also training providers around the world, which is a capability we did not have in the past,” Petar Radulovic, Director of Learning and Development, Diamond Offshore Drilling said during the WellSharp news conference at OTC. “We’ll be able to identify strengths. We’ll also identify weaknesses. By identifying those weaknesses, we’ll be able to effectively and consistently alter the curriculum to close those gaps on a global level.”