Operational Performance Training using High Fidelity Simulations and Advanced Human Performance Techniques
Authors: Pathy Kuhanesapathy Thavaras , Khazali Khairul Amir , Battisby Clive , Wallace Grant , Christie Bruce 
Published: March 2022

High reliability, high potential risk industries, such as aviation, have recognised through root cause investigations that most accidents are the result of human errors. The O&G industry is no different and drilling is particularly reliant on human actions and interactions.

In August 2020, the organisations mentioned above deployed a fully immersive On-The-Rig (OTR) Simulator for the execution of a Drilling-Well-On-Simulator (DWOS) project on the semi-submersible Maersk Developer to prepare the crew to drill the 1st Petronas Deepwater exploration well (name redacted to Well X) offshore Suriname. The offset well data showed a high-risk probability of Well control and stuck pipe in addition to other risks that required to be actively managed.

The business partners created a high-fidelity / fully immersive DWOS by programming and conducting rig and well specific simulations. A combination of leading simulator technology with advanced human factors and technical coaching accelerated crew competence.

The overall impact of the DWOS was significant both in terms of learning and operational impact:

The well was best-in-class in cost – (Cost Per Foot) and best-in-class in Schedule – (Days Per Thousand Foot). There was NO stuck pipe or well control issues. The operator has now recommended DWOS for all future complex wells, under a pre-defined criteria.

Initiatives or enterprises are only successful if there is full support and coordinated collaboration between the requisite parties. Three groups collaborated closely on the delivery of this coaching and training project, namely: the operator, the hardware and software provider and a specialist coaching and training company, utilising an OTR drilling simulator.

It had already been identified that there had been significant challenges on offset wells and that several substantial lost time events had occurred.

The coaching and training modules would therefore need to be created to prepare the crews in threat and error management of the anticipated hazards and those well construction tasks that had historically been troublesome, in this area.

Well X was the operator's first deepwater venture offshore Suriname, (Block 52), in ‘mid-water’ at 520 meters. Block 52 is located north of the coast of Paramaribo, Suriname's capital city and is situated in the prospective Suriname-Guyana basin where several major hydrocarbon discoveries have been made recently. Block 52 covers an area of 4,749 km² with water depths ranging from 50 to 1,100 meters.

Well X was planned as a five-string design with a contingency Liner. The objective of the project was to explore, test and evaluate the potential of hydrocarbons and to obtain sufficient geological and geophysical data for future exploration in the basin of offshore Suriname. On completion of the drilling and data acquisition the well was to be abandoned.

The dual activity semi-submersible, Maersk Developer, was chosen to drill and abandon the well. The Developer had completed a campaign in March and vast majority of the crew were new to the rig but were working on other D Rig designed rigs in the Maersk fleet.