New state-of-the-art Well Control School launched

A new state-of-the-art facility recently launched by our Drilling and Workover (D&WO) Training Division has doubled the number of participants the organization can bring in to meet Saudi Aramco’s demand, all while enhancing the learning experience and exceeding international standards in well control training.

Ambitious beginnings

Planned, developed, and implemented over a number of phases, the project transformed a warehouse into a state-of-the art well control school. Adding to its international quality measures, the D&WO Training Division that oversees this new facility is accredited by the Accrediting Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET).

D&WO Training rigorously seeks to keep its programs current, relevant, and educationally sound by maintaining ACCET and keeping other accreditations current such as the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC).

D&WO’s in-house well control training not only maintained the international standard of well control training and certification, but also exceeded many aspects, including:

• Increased hands-on training and simulation time performance by at least 36% more than IADC and IWCF well control training providers
• 10% higher certification passing scores
• An additional assessment of Saudi Aramco well control policies and procedures.

A greater intake for training

The new school includes two state-of-the-art classrooms — with space for 24 participants — in a facility that holds four different types of well control simulators and its one-of-a-kind visualization wall.

With this new facility, D&WO is doubling its annual intake. Over the past five years, it has succeeded in certifying more than 2,500 employees to handle all well control situations. It has also assessed more than 500 experienced new-hire foremen before field deployment as an additional quality safety measure to meet Saudi Aramco’s additional quality and safety standards.