Aberdeen
Drilling Schools (ADS) is a training company with facilities in Scotland,
United States and Kuwait.
Established in 1982, the company specialises in the design and delivery
of operationally relevant short and long training courses and the production
of related technical manuals and documentation for the petroleum industry
worldwide.
ADS trains on average 1000 personnel worldwide per year in the theoretical
and practical aspects of pressure control for drilling and well servicing
operations, ensuring (through in-house and externally-validated assessment
processes) that they are ready for field operations using specific equipment
and systems.
ADS has developed and run company-specific in-house courses for many major
clients over the years. For example, ADS currently runs in-house training
programmes for both BP and Shell: the “BP Advanced Well Control”
and “Shell Operational Well Control” courses are aimed at
enhancing the knowledge of the professional drilling and engineering staff
of the client companies.
Customised training in drilling practices and technology, cost reduction
/ unscheduled events prevention, communication and leadership, are carried
out on a regular basis for clients worldwide.
The company’s training services are complemented by an in-house
‘Technical Authoring’ function, comprising a Technical Writing
Project Team and an internal Graphics / IT Department for the design,
production and publishing of technical documentation.
ACCREDITATIONS
ADS and its personnel are accredited to the following petroleum
industry organisations:
International Well Control Forum (IWCF)
International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC)
TRAINING COURSES AND FACILITIES
The following is a summary of the training courses, proprietary
publications and training-related equipment currently available at ADS:
TECHNICAL TRAINING
• Well Control (during drilling operations)- International Well Control Forum (IWCF) Well Control accredited courses
- International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) “WellCAP” Well Control accredited courses
- Advanced Well Control
- High Pressure High Temperature Well Control
- Horizontal Well Control
- Deep Water Well Control
- Slimhole Well Control
• Well Control (during well intervention/well servicing operations)
- Well Intervention Pressure Control (IWCF accredited)
- Workover & Completion Well Control (IADC accredited)
• Drilling Technology, Practices & Engineering
- Drilling Technology & Equipment (“Awareness” through “Advanced”)
- Casing & Cementing / Advanced Casing Design
- Extended Reach Drilling
• Training in the Prevention of Unscheduled Events (during drilling operations)
- BP-licensed “Training to Reduce Unscheduled Events” (T.R.U.E.)
- Stuck Pipe Prevention
- Drill String Failure Prevention
PERSONAL & PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING
ADS has developed and conducts generic and customized training courses in the following “soft-skills” areas:
• Effective Communication
• Leadership
• Team Building.
TRAINING PUBLICATIONS (available for purchase)
‘Basic Drilling Technology & Equipment’ (reference manual for non-drilling personnel)
‘Well Control for the Rig-Site Drilling Team’ (IWCF Accredited) Manual & CD
‘Well Intervention Pressure Control’ (IWCF Accredited) Manual & CD
‘Workover Well Control’ (IADC Accredited) Manual & CD
‘High Pressure High Temperature Wells’ Manual & CD
‘Rig Site Modular Training: Stuck Pipe Prevention’ (developed in conjunction with BP)
‘Drilling Calculations’ Self-Study / Distance Learning Modules
EQUIPMENT FOR PRACTICAL TRAINING
•
2 x DRILLSIM 5000 Rig Floor Drilling and Well Control Simulators
Two full-size simulators for drilling and well control operation in both
offshore and onshore operational environments. Computer-operated and suitable
for all stages of training from entry level to advanced drilling and well
control engineering.
Working alone or in groups, trainees can execute “real-world”
drilling or well control exercises created by an instructor. This develops
the trainee’s problem-solving skills, which in turn helps reduce
the risk of dangerous and expensive incidents occurring in the field.
• DRILLSIM 500 ‘Super Portable’ Drilling and
Well Control Simulator
Portable simulator comprising four miniature consoles and a laptop computer.
Used for training rig crews and drilling personnel at the well site or
classroom.
The equipment represents rig floor panels and consoles and responds as
it does in the field. Instructors use the simulator to recreate examples
of known and potential emergencies in a controlled environment, which
builds up the trainee’s confidence and troubleshooting skills, saving
time, money and enhancing safety.
•
DRILLSIM 50 ‘Mini-Portable’ Drilling and Well Control Simulators
The simulator hardware comprises a Drilling Controls Panel, Manifolds
Panel, Remote Choke Panel and BOP Panel. The equipment represents the
rig floor panels and consoles of the DRILLSIM 5000. Instructors can use
the simulator for refresher training at the well site or certification
under the International Well Control Forum (IWCF) program.
•
“Production and Well Kill Simulator” (“PAWS”):
Unique PC-based simulation package developed in-house by ADS.
Designed for practical classroom use to add a practical component to Well
Intervention Pressure Control training for well services personnel.
Recreates well intervention scenarios that complement the theory presented
in IWCF certified Well Intervention Pressure Control courses.
•
Schlumberger “SideKick” Advanced Kick Simulator
ADS is unique among training providers in holding a licence from Schlumberger
to operate the “SideKick” software package for training applications.
“SideKick” gas-kick simulation software is an advanced kick
simulator, suitable for simulating gas kick development, well control
events and wellbore hydrodynamics. The application is intended to simulate
the conditions leading up to a blow-out. It can also be used as a fully
transient dynamic under-balanced drilling simulator.
• High pressures validated to 15000 psi (extrapolation used at higher pressures)
• High temperatures validated to 350°F (extrapolation used at higher temperatures)
• Vertical and deviated wells (validated to 90°)
• Oil and water-based mud capabilities
• New physical model for gas rise in non-Newtonian drilling mud
• Computation of wellbore elasticity and its effect on pressure changes
• Enhanced algorithms for gas migration and frictional losses in slim holes, including high-speed pipe rotation and decentralized pipe
• Multi-zone influxes
• Drilling with a rotating BOP
• Annulus (parasite string) and drill pipe gas injection for under- balanced drilling
• Fluid loss to the formation via filtration
TECHNICAL AUTHORING AT ADS
Technical Writing and Graphics Departments
Aberdeen Drilling School has an in-house Technical Writing Project Team
dedicated to the development of manuals and policy and procedural documents
both for the company’s own internal publications as well as projects
for external clients.
The design, production and publishing of proprietary and client documentation
– in both paper and electronic format - is carried out by ADS’s
dedicated in-house Graphics Department which works alongside the company’s
technical writers and trainers to facilitate a comprehensive technical
authoring service to clients.
Within the petroleum industry, ADS known for its technical experience
and expertise, allied with a reputation for reliability and dedication
to producing a high-quality end product.
As a consequence of its reputation for excellence, ADS has worked in close
collaboration with a number of major oilfield clients on projects to write,
revise and update both company-wide and installation-specific documentation.
Some major recent and ongoing projects include:
• KPC (Kuwait) HSE Induction Training Manual
Oilfield Induction Training Manual
• BP Global ‘Well Control Policies’ (Vols 1-3)
• Enterprise Oil ‘Well Control Policies & Procedures Manual’
• Total E&P UK ‘Standard Drilling Instructions’
• Sonatrach ‘Well Control Manual’
• ChevronTexaco Corporate ‘Well Control Manuals Upgrade Project‘
