Offshore staff
ABERDEEN, UK – Aberdeen Drilling Consultants (ADC) has been helping oil workers across the world learn how to maintain drilling operations since the COVID-19 pandemic struck.
The company has offered its Understanding Rig Inspection online course to all clients free of charge. In the past few months, more than 500 people from businesses including operators, drilling contractors, contractors and certification organizations have signed up to the training from locations around the globe, including the Americas, Australia, Asia, West Africa, and Europe.
Kit Trahan, Vice President – ADC Americas, who led the support to clients, said: “It is important to us that our clients are able to maintain their operations, so we chose to offer to help train their staff to be able to identify the early signs of mechanical fatigue, systems failures, and other issues.
“Having people with that level of knowledge will ensure rigs are maintained to an operational level. It is critical to us that we help our clients adapt to the new environment we are all working in.”
The online course – which is made up of video footage, animations, and technical input from the company – was initially developed in 2012 in response to requests from clients. Nearly 10,000 people have signed up since it was launched. Not only has the course been SQA certified, but it has also been vetted by the International Association of Drilling Contractors and now makes up 10% of the master’s course in Petroleum Engineering at the University of Aberdeen.
Kit added: “With people unable to travel to attend training courses right now, we are pleased to be able to provide clients with a viable alternative, which allows people to progress at their own pace.
“The great thing about the course is that it’s not technically heavy or engineering-based, so it is accessible for everyone, no matter their role. We have had people who are involved in procurement and other areas complete the course in order to help them understand drilling operations in more depth.”
The course has been developed to focus on the key areas of ADC’s expertise and can be used to help organizations plan for projects which may not be starting until 2021 or 2022.
ConocoPhillips Malaysia is among the company’s clients whose employees have undertaken the course. Drilling Superintendent Philip Hayden said: “All the feedback from my team has been positive.
“While many of us are familiar with some of the equipment on the rig there is quite a lot that has escaped people’s attention over the years. The comprehensive nature of ADC’s modules has worked as a good reminder for the former and a great introduction or overview of the latter. It was a great learning experience.”
08/31/2020
