RGU works alongside oil and gas firms to deliver drilling training course

RGU, Halliburton and Drilling Systems worked closely together to design and deliver the customised course to familiarise drilling and operational crews with Halliburton’s MPD equipment and operations, as well as well-specific practises and procedures.

The courses were delivered by RGU and Halliburton for Noble drill crews and Total members which involved a combination of classroom training and drilling the MPD well on the simulator using Drilling Systems’ advanced simulator technology.

MPD is widely used on exploration, high pressure and high temperature and infill drilling campaigns and the demand for MPD is becoming more popular globally as the number of easily drilled wells decrease and more complex ones remain. Training for these types of conditions is essential.

RGU and Drilling Systems mapped the well profile and geometry into the simulator ahead of the training to create an accurate downhole model. Well-specific procedures such as making connections and tripping pipe were also replicated exactly as they would be in the field. This ensured that training was highly realistic and much more effective than a generic ‘catch all’ training programme.

Giving the crews hands-on experience of simulated scenarios and procedures improved their understanding of MPD operations and provided an invaluable insight into how these differ from conventional drilling operations in a safe and controlled environment. It also created a strong team work environment and enhanced team communications.

Professor Phil Hassard, Simulator Manager, at RGU's Energy Transition Institute, said: “This training course was developed to be well-specific, allowing the crews to practice operations and build confidence in a highly realistic and accurate environment. There are important differences in MPD and conventional drilling and It’s crucial to join the dots to improve overall understanding. Communications is arguably one of the most important aspects of the complex operations involved in MPD. Training the crews together ensured a shared understanding of, not only when to undertake particular procedures, but most importantly why these are needed.

“By the end of the tailored training courses, there were visible improvements in the team’s performance. Communication was strong and the team was working well together. Watching the driller take instruction from the MPD operator and implementing actions smoothly and accurately on the final day of the course showed how effective the training had been.

“RGU and Halliburton worked closely together on this project, alongside Drilling Systems, in linking the actual Halliburton MPD system and equipment to the RGU 6000 and 5000 simulators. It is a perfect example of academia and industry working together effectively to raise standards and improve competency for the offshore energy sector.”