About us

The European Union Directorate committee representing the National Energy Ministries, Industry Trade Associations and Trade Unions formed to create common standards in well control training and certification in Europe. They recommended that a standard training syllabus was introduced with a certification programme for drilling personnel to ensure safe working practices and wellbeing.

After review, the industry created a Forum to manage and develop the assessment and certification programmes. This led to the European Well Control Forum (EWCF) being established at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce in The Hague, The Netherlands on the 1st of December 1992.

As the organisation continued to grow, it was renamed the International Well Control Forum (IWCF) to reflect the true geographical nature of the organisation

The introduction of the Well Intervention Pressure Control (WIPC) programme represented a strategic step forward for the organisation.

The IWCF secured the quality management accreditation ISO: 9001, a major advance for the organisation in terms of demonstrating its operational credentials.

With a decade of work behind it, IWCF had developed and maintained a certification programme in use in over 54 countries worldwide, despite the varying economic fortunes of the industry.

IWCF was reporting remarkable growth in its operating envelope: from a few hundred candidates annually in its formative years to more than 13,000 – and growing.

IWCF appointed its first Chief Executive, this marked the start of a process to revamp the IWCF administration processes to meet industry demands and, more broadly, to lead a cultural change across the organisation.

July– Antony Quin assumed the Chief Executive role and focused on the organisation’s strategic moves to modernise, not least via the introduction of technology-led processes and practices.

September– Stichting The International Well Control Forum (a foundation established in the Netherlands in 1992) made a donation to International Well Control Forum, a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) No: SC045842 under the Charities and Trustee Investment (Scotland) Act 2005, that has its principal office at Inchbraoch House, South Quay, Montrose, Angus, DD10 9UA.