Incorporating human factors into training is key for mitigating well control events

Conventional well control training, when delivered by experienced facilitators, provides the proper procedures to keep people safe on the rig. It has worked well for a long time, yet it has limitations in that it may not sufficiently address human factors, said David Hazell, Senior VP at CAVU International. Conventional training “tests what one person learns from a book, how one person manages a simulator under exam conditions,” he noted. In a dynamic environment like a drilling rig, however, there are other factors that are just as critical as technical knowledge for mitigating risk – for example, communication under pressure, decision-making under pressure and situational awareness. Training programs, he said, must provide space for building those non-technical skills.

In this video taken from the 2025 IADC Well Control Conference of the Americas on 19 August in New Orleans, La., Mr Hazell discussed the limitations of conventional well control training further. He also talked about the strategies trainers can implement to better integrate human factors, communication and team dynamics into well control training programs.