The International Association of Oil and Gas Producers (IOGP) has released the fourth edition of their report 476: Recommendations for enhancements to well control training, examination and certification.
The updated report focuses on:
- Addressing key issues
- Updated course titles
- Introducing a WIPC practical assessment.
Addressing key issues
The latest edition has a particular emphasis on addressing the topics detailed below.
- Key input parameters to well design (pore pressure and fracture gradients)
- Well design
- Design of activities on wells
- Well construction (drilling and completion)
- Well intervention, wellhead maintenance or workover
- Plugging, suspending, and abandoning wells.
Updated course titles
The report and accompanying levels guidance chart details updates to course level names. This ensures better descriptions of each level of training.
The organisation renamed the previous ‘Engineer and Approving Authority’ (also previously known as Level 5) training course to ‘Well Control in Design and Life Cycle Management’. This accurately defines the programme and allows more options for course delivery methods.
International Well Control Forum (IWCF) will provide further information on the Well Control in Design and Life Cycle Management course shortly.
Practical Assessment
IOGP Report 476 is making its first-ever recommendation to include a practical assessment for completion and intervention personnel at Level 3 and 4. More information on content and implementation will be available in due course. IWCF will provide further guidance to our global network of training centres once this is available.
Following the Macondo tragedy in 2010, IWCF adopted the recommendations from IOGP’s Report 476. This has strengthened IWCF’s mission ever since: to define, deliver and maintain the highest possible standards in well control training, accreditation and certification.
The updated report and levels guidance chart can be downloaded from the IOGP website here.
