The
IWCF Well Intervention Pressure Control certification
programme has been running at Aberdeen Drilling School since
1998. Dave Spink, ADS’s Well Services Instructor, gives
his views on the programme and its place in the industry.
Q: Why is it important to have such a certification programme?
Q: Why is it important to have such a certification programme?
Dave
Spink (DS): It’s important for a number of
reasons. Firstly, obtaining the IWCF certificate illustrates
a level of competence with regards to pressure control equipment
for completions and well intervention equipment. Also because the
IWCF certificate exam is performed by an independent invigilator,
the standard is identical world-wide. Secondly, additional knowledge
in the area of safety/emergency procedures is obviously
important. Much of the course material is devoted to "what-if" scenarios
which can help with regards to contingency planning.
DS: We
see people from all areas of operations, not only the well
services side, (wireline, coiled tubing, snubbing well testing etc) but
from the drilling side of operations as well. Often drilling
personnel are overseeing both drilling and well services operations on
the same location. The IWCF Intervention course gives these people exposure
to equipment and procedures they may not be familiar with. In addition,
we also have "specialists" (xmas tree hands, Petroleum Engineers,
graduates, shore based office personnel) who may never be involved directly
with well servicing operations, but want to increase their understanding
of what these operations entail.
Q: Well Control certification is universally regarded as "essential" for personnel involved in drilling operations. Its "well intervention" equivalent does not appear to have the same status. Do you agree and what are your thoughts on that?
Q: Well Control certification is universally regarded as "essential" for personnel involved in drilling operations. Its "well intervention" equivalent does not appear to have the same status. Do you agree and what are your thoughts on that?
DS: I
think that has been true in the past. I remember getting a lot of stick
from the drilling instructors for exactly that reason! It’s
not the case now, though. Some of the large oil companies are effectively
making this a "must have" certificate as they won’t allow
any well services personnel to work on their locations without it. If
you go on the web, for example, and look at job opportunities world-wide
(as I do for research purposes only, obviously!) you will find many
that insist on having the certificate.
For information about IWCF Well Intervention Pressure Control training, contact:
Aberdeen Drilling School’s Marketing Dept.
(Tel +44 (0)1224 572709 or email info@aberdeen-drilling.com)