IADC unveiled recently WellSharp ™, the drilling industry’s revolutionary new well control training and assessment program, during the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) in Houston. The IADC WellSharp program represents the world’s most advanced well control training program for professionalizing drilling.

A collaborative, industry-wide, industry-led effort to completely redefine well control training produced WellSharp, which emphasizes rigorous training for every person with well control responsibilities, whether office-based or rig-based.

“The whole of the industry worked together to dramatically improve the safety and reliability of drilling operations,” said Mark Denkowski, IADC Executive Vice President, Operational Integrity. “WellSharp represents a root and branch overhaul to address industry concerns with existing programs, such as knowledge gaps, practical/theoretical imbalance, variable teaching standards, skill retention and robust testing methods.”

The new program is designed to ensure that the industry’s workforce has the training and knowledge needed to both prevent incidents and respond swiftly and appropriately to unforeseen incidents. WellSharp provides the tools and supports needed to deliver significantly improved performance in the area of well control. New upgrades to the training and assessment program include:

• Focus on training for all personnel involved with well control and ensures that that training is commensurate with their role and responsibilities.
• Expanded course levels in line with OGP 476 recommendation to tailor training to the requirements of specific roles and responsibilities.
• Centralized electronic testing and grading to ensure global integrity and uniformity.
• Immediate test results with missed question learning objective guidance provided to instructors for each student.
• Improved instructor qualifications.
• Continuous training to maintain currency and increase retention.

“IADC’s WellSharp program offers a reliable and trustworthy set of training standards. It ensures that rig crews know what they need to do in any circumstance; they have the skills to do it right, every time, all the time,” said Stephen Colville, IADC President and CEO. “I am encouraged by the early response from operators and regulators, who are excited about the program and believe it to be a step-change in industry well control training. I am confident that WellSharp will make a contribution to improved performance and safer operations for the global drilling industry.”