IADC WellSharp® Drilling Well Control – Introductory

The aim of the IADC WellSharp Introductory Drilling Well Control course is to provide candidates with an understanding of the features of drilling a well and the fundamental principles involved in maintaining well control.

The IADC WellSharp “Well Control for Drilling Operations – Introductory” course has been designed for the following positions from Operator, Contractor and Service Company personnel:

The course is delivered through presentation of a series of interactive lectures supported by videos and animations, supplemented by a classroom workbook and further self-study exercises. Where available, candidates are also introduced to drilling simulation with the use of a range of simulators including the DS5 drilling software which allows candidates to put the well control theory into practice.

The minimum duration of this course is 16 hours followed by a 1-hour online assessment administered by IADC.

At the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Perform static and dynamic pressure calculations across a range of wellbore and formation conditions
• Calculate volumes and capacities for a range of drilling and tripping operations and calculate the effects on bottom-hole pressure during these operations
• Explain the effects of gas migration on wellbore pressures
• Describe the causes of kicks for on-bottom and off-bottom conditions
• Explain the procedures for shutting in a well for a range of operations
• Complete a kill sheet for vertical and deviated wells
• Specify the well control equipment requirements for surface and subsea operations
• Describe the principles underpinning the constant bottom hole pressure methods of well kill
• Using a simulator, identify a kick and shut a well in

The course covers the following modules:

• Well control concepts
  Formation pressure, hydrostatic pressure, balance and underbalance, formation strength, kicks and blow-outs, shallow gas, barrier principles.
• Calculations
  Force, pressure and area, hydrostatic pressure, volume of pits, pipe displacement and capacity, annular capacity and volume, relationship to kill sheet.
• Mud and pit management
  Function of mud, types of mud, cement, completion fluids, mud weight and viscosity, mud balance.
• Risk management
  Risk management and well plan.
• Abnormal pressure warning signs
  Cuttings and cavings, mud condition, consequence of not communicating.
• Causes of kicks
  Reduction of mud weight or level, mud weight, losses, failure to keep hole full, swabbing and surging, abnormal formation pressure.
• Kick detection
  Pit gain, mud glow, flow with pump off, incorrect hole fill, well monitoring alarms, criticality of early detection, subsea kick detection, false kick indicators.
• Shut-in procedures and verification
  Shut-in process surface and/or subsea, diverting.
• Post shut-in monitoring and activities
  Record keeping and pit levels.
• Well control drills
  Pit, trip, diverter.
• Well control methods
  Drillers, wait and weight, role of crew during well kill.
• Kill sheet and pre-recorded data
  Kill sheets, pre-recorded data.
• Equipment
  Pit level, mud returns, suction and return pits, mud mixing equipment, mud cleaning equipment, trip tank system and monitoring, design of BOP system within kill process, correct manifold alignment, surface and subsea variations, well control equipment tests, annular preventers, ram preventers, wellhead and connectors, choke and kill lines, HCR and failsafe, IBP, standpipe manifold, choke manifold, chokes, pump stoke counter, pressure gauges, closing unit, mud gas separator, vacuum degasser.

Successful completion of the course and a pass mark of 75% or above in the assessment will result in IADC WellSharp Introductory Level certification, which is valid for five years.