The 2022 IADC International Well Control Conference & Exhibition was held 11-12 October in Oslo, Norway. This conference sought to examine the innovations that are shaping the future of well control, from technology to personnel competencies. This event focused on timely technical presentations highlighting recent developments and innovations in technology, techniques, training, management systems, and a wide variety of other topics that affect well control.
DRILLBITS
Monthly eNewsletter from the IADC
Recap: 2022 IADC International Well Control Conference & Exhibition
Jim Rocco, IADC Senior Director – Government & Industry Affairs – Offshore, provided insight as a participant on a conference panel moderated by the Petroleum Safety Authority (PSA) Norway. The panel, Well Control – the Future – Unified Voices, provided a forum for discussion regarding the following:
Regulators, operators, and the broader supply chain are exceedingly focused on the pursuit of activities that sustain optimum safety for people, the natural environment, and our assets; offshore stakeholders are always striving to showcase an industry reputation that substantially contributes to the well-being of an energy-intensive global economy. In this spirit of value-added engagement, the International Regulators’ Forum (IRF) invited The International Association of Oil & Gas Producers (IOGP) and The International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) to share key insights and observations with a view to pursuing shared improvement opportunities. Such opportunities currently being explored include: enhancing Well Control preventative measures; Identifying key concepts upon which industry digitalization strategies may take shape; and leveraging investigation quality/learning events. Whilst both society and the industry recognize the need for regulators to maintain “arm’s length” to the industry they regulate, this working model is already delivering results. It enables a shared tone, intended to help accelerate best-practice protocols and improvements across the globe. The panel explored tangible deliverables and challenges that underpin the aim of this informative effort.
The IRF has developed Problem Statements in consultation with IADC and IOGP. The subsequent results have yielded a “roadmap objective” resulting in the following three Problem Statements:
- Enhancing the left side of the “top event” bowtie (see the diagram below)
- Building out a more robust process for learning from incidents
- Establishing a Digitalization Concept for the upstream industry
According to Rocco,
“It is the intention of IADC that our association, alongside IOGP, continues to engage in regulator discussions on these and other issues to enhance opportunities for learning and communication with an aim towards continuous improvement. Technology, processes, and the upstream workforce continue to grow and innovate at an ever-increasing rate. IADC and IOGP coordination with the IRF and other regulators around the world will be increasingly important to ensure that all regions of the world have access to the best practices and technical capabilities that continue to mitigate risks and maximize the production of vital energy resources.”
| Thank you to everyone who made this conference possible, including attendees, sponsors, presenters, panelists, exhibitors, program committee members, and staff!
Program Committee Members |
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| Ricky Cummings, Chevron Gary Kelso, BP Corrado Leali, ENI Angus Mather, Baker Hughes Rune Mesel, Odfjell Drilling Andrew Parkinson, Shell Thor Paulsen, Equinor Geir Smaaskjer, Lundin Stein Arild Tonning, DNO North Sea Øyvind Tuntland, Petroleum Safety Authority Norway Bruce Worthington, Seadrill Lars Nydahl Jorgensen, IADC |
