Doug Hector, Senior Instructor at Aberdeen Drilling School, explains how the revised IWCF well intervention training is designed to ensure candidates can fully demonstrate the technical knowledge required in a wide range of scenarios including an emergency well kill.
From 01 July 2019, IWCF candidates were introduced to the new Well Intervention Pressure Control (WIPC) syllabus and assessments* as part of the updated IWCF Well Intervention programme. Responding to the principles that were outlined in IOGP Report 476, the new IWCF syllabus includes a number of enhancements designed to deliver improved role-specific learning outcomes for personnel such as Equipment Operators, Supervisors, Engineers, and Service Leaders. Recommendations for enhancements to well control training, examination and certification (August 2016).
In line with the new syllabus, Aberdeen Drilling School’s teaching material has undergone significant development and the interactions between instructors and candidates are proving to be more engaging and more relevant to today’s well intervention operations.
Doug Hector, describes what the changes mean for candidates: “The Level 3 and Level 4 WIPC training courses now include significantly more technical and safety critical knowledge. It is no longer enough to just understand the information, you need to be able to demonstrate that knowledge in the written assessment.
“This means working through the practical calculations required in the field to demonstrate, for example, that pressure equipment is fit for purpose. And to ensure that this is delivered, we’ve evolved our teaching methods to meet these new learning objectives by putting more emphasis on how our candidates will both gain and make evident a full understanding of the standard well intervention pressure control methods.
“It is also worth noting that the ‘IWCF Barrier Philosophy’ has been updated to incorporate the barrier principles of ISO, NORSOK and API – and this now provides a basis for all barrier-related assessment questions. In short, what we have in place is not only a more rigorous training course, but a more relevant and respected certification for well intervention professionals worldwide.”
The improvements to the WIPC training are the latest in a number of developments at Aberdeen Drilling School focused on well intervention..
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New Well Intervention Training Explained