Human factors experts agree that about 80 percent of incidents in the oil and gas industry are the result of human error. Proper training and assessment is critical to reducing these incidents. Therefore, the upstream sector has implemented a program that represents a paradigm shift in well control training and assessment worldwide. This program focuses on the safety-critical knowledge and skills required for specific rig-based positions. Members of the Well Control Committee of the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) came together post-Macondo to redesign the well control training and assessment standard. They agreed to the following foundational elements of the new standard: five "levels" of training; curricula that are focused on the safety-critical job responsibilities of rig personnel; a standardized, proctored online knowledge assessment; enhanced use of simulation for individual trainees; clarified and enhanced instructor qualifications; and the expectation that trainees will complete the training and renew their credentials at the level appropriate to their job position. The new standard requires trainees to be more engaged in the learning process and to undergo individual skills assessments. The knowledge-assessment database identifies specific knowledge gaps, allows instructors to review and close the gaps with each trainee before the completion of training, provides metrics regarding the alignment between the course taken and the trainee's job position, and affords analysis of instructor performance. Trainees have reacted positively to the new format and content and to the blending of theoretical and practical knowledge in the standardized assessment. Several unexpected benefits have been realized through this collaboration: 1) Development and implementation of the new standard is raising awareness of operational inconsistencies not only from company to company, but also globally. 2) Industry stakeholders can come together to find and agree on solutions and to address industry, public, and regulatory concerns. This effort represents a new kind of commitment to safety, one in which we hold ourselves and others accountable for the benefit of all. When experts representing the primary stakeholders (operators, contractors, and industry trainers) came together voluntarily to develop and agree on this new standard, they were acknowledging that safety is a part of the non-competitive space of the oil and gas industry. Perhaps more importantly, they were acknowledging the significance of the human element in effective well control.
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