BP ADVANCED WELL CONTROL COURSE:
"Challenging on Two Fronts"

“BP Advanced Well Control” is a one-week training programme run by Aberdeen Drilling School (ADS) for BP drilling personnel. It’s designed as a well control school which addresses "operational" well control issues beyond the limits of a standard IWCF or WellCAP syllabus, by focusing on the "real life" practical aspects of well control. This is done through a combination of morning lecture-and-workshop sessions with practical simulation exercises in the afternoons. The team-based simulator work relates to the topics covered in the classroom. An IADC WellCAP exam is taken during the course, so candidates receive a recognised well control certification on completion of the training. However, the importance of this course goes far beyond “certification” requirements. Jim Cowie, BP Wells Program Manager (HAC - North Sea SPU) who is the BP “custodian” of the course, commented: “We need to be teaching the people in our organisation how to identify and manage well control situations, not just how to pass a well control exam.  This is what the Advanced Well Control course is about: it provides delegates with a deeper understanding of influx behaviour and the challenges when managing well control situations.”
 
Q: "How does it differ from a "normal" well control course?"
ADS: Rather than present the conventional basic well control theory aimed at preparing candidates for a well control test only, the BP course addresses such issues as HPHT and Deep Water well control concerns, which do not feature in a standard syllabus. Moreover, it focuses on well control situations from a practical perspective, far more in line with current industry well control philosophies. For example, "realistic" versus "theoretical" conditions one can expect when using the "Wait and Weight Method" for well killing operations are compared. The comparison shows that the "Driller’s Method" in a large number of "real life" situations can actually offer significant advantages over the theoretical results of the "Wait and Weight Method". The course is also intentionally structured with a split of classroom theory and team-based simulator work, theory in the morning and simulator work in the afternoon. This practical emphasis is radically different from a "standard" well control course where simulations are restricted to a familiarisation session followed by practical assessment. In this set-up the candidates get far more exposure to the rig and well control equipment and can play various roles (e.g. assistant driller, driller, supervisor, engineer). Well control situations in challenging well types (such as horizontal and deepwater) can be simulated.

Q: "Isn't this really two courses in one"?
ADS: The overall aim of the course is to provide a suitably challenging and rewarding opportunity for BP drilling/engineering personnel to significantly enhance their knowledge and understanding of operational well control scenarios. The course contents go far beyond those of a standard Well Control course. It provides far more than just the basics and some people find this somewhat confusing, as the insight gained from the operational well control course may show the “shortcomings” of some of the conventional approaches outlined and tested in a standard course/exam. It is, therefore, necessary to include an element of preparation for the well control exam. This is done in three ways:
1) Pre-course "Work Pack" exercises (given in advance of the course);
2) Exam-related homework assignments (given during the week);
3) Well Control "Principles" and "Equipment" sessions (as part of the class work).
It is expected that the personnel attending the course will already have sufficient appreciation of the fundamentals of well control, and will therefore be at a level which would allow them to take and pass the WellCAP exam while being given the opportunity to tackle realistic and up-to-date well control scenarios and related concerns in the classroom and workshop sessions. Also, in order to measure the candidates’ understanding of the “advanced/non-standard” elements of the course, ADS have added a “WellCAP Test Part 2” which relates to the issues taught in the course.

Q: "Why is this course of any importance?"
ADS: This course enhances knowledge, far beyond the “basics” and more in line with 'real life'. Its objective is to familiarise BP staff with real-life conditions that they will encounter in a well control situation, as these will be significantly different from those portrayed by basic theory and practices. This course provides a great insight into the impact of well control situations for deep water, oil based mud, horizontal wells and HPHT applications. Thus it provides the well engineering professional with crucial knowledge, as consequences of an unfortunate decision taken with the best of intentions, but based on incomplete and inadequate practical knowledge, can easily lead to a disastrous outcome.