section 2 - iadc - international association of drilling ...• driller course—well control for...

FOR INDUSTRY REVIEW AND COMMENT

First Edition—Revision 0 of 45 Date Posted for Review: 19 May 2014 Deadline for Submitting Comments: 06 June 2014

SECTION 2:

Proposed Requirements for

Accreditation

Global Well Control Assessment

& Training Standard

Global Well Control Assessment and Training Standard: Proposed Requirements for Accreditation


First Edition—Revision 0 Page 1 of 45 Date Posted for Review: 19 May 2014 Deadline for Submitting Comments: 06 June 2014

Contents 2 Requirements for Accreditation ....................................................................................... 4

2.1 General Requirements ........................................................................................ 4

2.2 Courses ...................................................................................................................... 5

2.2.1 Target Audiences for Courses .......................................................................... 5

2.2.2 Course Descriptions ............................................................................................. 5

Awareness Course ................................................................................................ 5

Introductory Course ............................................................................................. 6

Driller Course ......................................................................................................... 6

Supervisor Course ................................................................................................. 6

Well Planning and Well Control Risk Mitigation (“Engineering” Course) ...................................................................................................................... 6

2.2.3 Well Control Training Supplements .............................................................. 7

2.3 Course Delivery ...................................................................................................... 7

2.3.1 Class Delivery Options ........................................................................................ 7

2.3.2 Well Control Training Supplements .............................................................. 8

2.3.3 Course Length and Recertification Frequency .......................................... 8

2.3.4 Well Control Extended Learning Units (ELUs) .......................................... 9

2.3.5 Class Sizes ............................................................................................................. 10

2.3.6 Instruction Time ................................................................................................. 11

2.3.7 Trainee Course Materials ................................................................................ 11

Training Manual ................................................................................................. 12

WCI Quality Statement and Comment Policy .......................................... 12

Trainee Agreement to Upload Records ..................................................... 12

2.4 Simulation and Other Practical Exercises ................................................. 12

2.4.1 Simulator Capabilities ...................................................................................... 12

2.4.2 Simulator Exercises ........................................................................................... 13

2.4.3 Live Test Well Exercises .................................................................................. 13

2.4.4 Other Practical Exercises ................................................................................ 14

2.5 Facilities and Equipment................................................................................. 14

2.5.1 Classrooms ............................................................................................................ 14

2.5.2 Instructional Resources ................................................................................... 15

2.5.3 Traveling Schools ............................................................................................... 15




2.6 Instructor Qualifications ................................................................................. 15

2.6.1 General Requirements ..................................................................................... 16

2.6.2 Initial Approval of Instructors ...................................................................... 16

Awareness Course ............................................................................................. 16

Introductory Course .......................................................................................... 17

Driller Course ...................................................................................................... 18

Supervisor Course .............................................................................................. 20

Engineer Course ................................................................................................. 21

2.6.3 Upgrading Approval to a Higher Course Level ....................................... 22

2.6.4 Adding Approval for a Lower Course Level ............................................. 22

2.6.5 Adding Approval for Supplements .............................................................. 22

2.6.6 Renewing Instructor Approval ..................................................................... 23

2.6.7 Reinstating Previously Approved Instructors ........................................ 24

2.6.8 Written Instructor Certification Test ......................................................... 24

2.7 Trainee Assessment Process ......................................................................... 24

2.7.1 Managing Stack Options .................................................................................. 24

2.7.2 Knowledge Assessment ................................................................................... 25

2.7.3 Simulator/Live Well Assessment. ................................................................ 26

2.7.4 Proctor Qualifications and Responsibilities ............................................ 27

2.7.5 Reassessment Policy ......................................................................................... 27

2.7.6 Testing Protocol .................................................................................................. 28

2.7.7 Paper Written Assessments ........................................................................... 28

2.8 Administration and Process Control .......................................................... 28

2.8.1 Verification of Trainee Identity .................................................................... 28

2.8.2 WCI Quality Statement and Comment Policy .......................................... 29

2.8.3 Attendance Policy .............................................................................................. 29

2.8.4 Certificate Issuance ........................................................................................... 29

2.8.5 Records .................................................................................................................. 29

Accreditation Records ...................................................................................... 31

Standard Operating Procedures ................................................................... 31

Trainee Registration and Training Records ............................................ 31

Course Delivery and Administrative Records ......................................... 32

Quality Control Records .................................................................................. 32

Other Miscellaneous Records ........................................................................ 33

2.8.6 WCI Training Interruption Policies ............................................................. 33




Provider-Initiated Course Suspension ....................................................... 33

WCI-Initiated Suspension ............................................................................... 34

2.9 Site Visits and Audits ........................................................................................ 34

2.10 Quality Assurance .............................................................................................. 34

2.10.1 Responding to Non-Conformities ................................................................ 34

2.10.2 Monitoring and Implementation of Program Changes ........................ 34

2.10.3 Logo Usage and Other Processes ................................................................. 35

2.11 Schedule of Fees ................................................................................................. 35

2.12 Accreditation Agreement ................................................................................ 36

Appendix A: Recommended Course for Each Position .................................................. 37

Appendix B: Well Control Training Supplements and Extended Learning Units 40

Appendix C: Testing Protocol .................................................................................................. 42

Appendix D: Proctor Approval Requirements .................................................................. 44

Appendix E: WCI Forms and Documents Available for Training Provider Use ... 45

Table of Tables Table 1: Course Length and Recertification Requirements ............................................ 8

Table 2: Maximum Class Size for Introductory Course (Based on One Instructor and Minimum Course Length of 16 hours) ..................... 10

Table 3: Maximum Class Size for Driller, Supervisor, and Engineer Courses (Based on One Instructor and Minimum Course Length) ............................................. 10

Table 4: Minimum Requirements for Awareness Course Instructors .................... 16

Table 5: Minimum Requirements for Awareness Course Instructors .................... 17

Table 6: Minimum Requirements for Driller Course Instructors.............................. 18

Table 7: Minimum Requirements for Driller Course Instructors.............................. 20

Table 8: Minimum Requirements for Engineer Course Instructors ........................ 21

Table 9: Requirements for Renewing Instructor Approval ......................................... 23

Table 10: Surface and Subsea Stack Options ..................................................................... 25

Table 11: Time Requirements for Written Assessments* ........................................... 26

Table 12: Minimum Records Retention Time ................................................................... 30




2 Requirements for Accreditation

This section provides the requirements for gaining WCI accreditation, including the policies and processes that must be in place before applying for accreditation.

2.1 General Requirements

WCI accreditation is available to an “accreditable unit,” where “accreditable unit” is defined as a company, organization, or unit of a company or organization that:

Is managed by a director, manager, or head of the unit who has primary authority over and operational oversight responsibilities for the training entity seeking WCI accreditation, and has sufficient well control knowledge to direct the activities of the well control training entity,

Has a central management and administrative location where all WCI records are to be housed.

Operates according to centralized administrative and process controls that govern the well control training activities of the entire unit.

In applying for accreditation under WCI, the applicant company must comply with the criteria and operating procedures outlined in this section. The applicant is required to supply evidence of compliance during the application process that will be verified at the time of the site visit.

WCI acknowledges that training providers may employ innovative methods and technologies and that they may have legitimate reasons to do so. However, the core criteria contained here shall be regarded as a minimum standard for course content and design, delivery, administration, assessment, and quality control.

General requirements for accreditation are as follows:

Well control training operations shall be directed by training organizations that employ adult learning-based training methodologies, under the leadership of a suitably qualified and accountable person.

All well control training instructors must possess well control subject matter expertise for the course(s) to be delivered, and shall be suitably qualified through training and experience in well control training procedures (see Section 2.6).

The curriculum defined for each WCI course shall serve as the core curriculum for the accreditable well control training (see the course specific WCI-02 document for details). The curriculum and related assessments will vary according to level and stack qualification.

The applicant or accreditable unit shall observe any and all statutes and governmental regulations that bear upon its activities including, but not limited to, the prevailing standards of instruction, instructor qualifications, and health, labor, and safety requirements of the country, state, and district in which it is located.

Membership in IADC or membership in any association or organization shall not be required as a condition for gaining or maintaining accredited status under the WCI.

To initiate the accreditation process, a training provider must submit an application with required documentation.




The training provider that seeks WCI accreditation must prove compliance with the criteria. Therefore, the applicant seeking accreditation must prepare the application with a degree of thoroughness to withstand extensive technical review by WCI approved technical reviewers, the WCI Review Panel, and, ultimately, by the approved auditor(s).

In addition, the applicant must be prepared to supply further evidence of conformance with program requirements as requested during the review process.

WCI, associated staff, and members of the WCI Review Panel may provide consultative guidance to training providers inquiring about or undergoing the accreditation process.

2.2 Courses

A training provider may be accredited to offer one or more of the following five drilling well control courses:

• Awareness Course—Well Control Awareness

• Introductory Course—Introduction to Well Control

• Driller Course—Well Control for Drilling Operations

• Supervisor Course—Well Control for Supervisors of Drilling Operations

• Engineering Course—Well Planning and Well Control Risk Mitigation

2.2.1 Target Audiences for Courses

WCI training must be relevant to the trainee’s role and well control responsibilities. Appendix A defines the target audiences for each of the WCI courses. The matrix lists the common job functions, but may not be all-inclusive. Many optional job titles may exist for the same job function. If there is any doubt as to the course an employee should take, the employer should contact WCI for guidance.

WCI trainees must successfully complete the course associated with his or her role and responsibilities before moving on to more advanced training. Regardless of the level of course completed, every trainee must maintain certification by completing the course for his or her current job position within the required recertification period. For example, a driller must successfully complete and maintain a Driller certification before being eligible to take a Supervisor course in preparation for promotion.

Personnel must re-certify at the level commensurate with their current job position prior to the expiration of his/her current well control certificate.

Due to the progressive content in the curricula, WCI recommends that trainees successfully complete the “Introductory” course before taking the “Driller” course. Furthermore, WCI recommends companies develop a strategy for dealing with and managing the risks of field promotions that could occur before an employee has earned the appropriate WCI certificate.

2.2.2 Course Descriptions

The following describes each of the courses. Further curricula details are provided in the appropriate WCI-02 document for each course.

Awareness Course

This course will be the WCI approved standard for positions that should have an awareness of well control operations, such as personnel in support roles (e.g., office and




non-drilling rig personnel). The course should be available for all personnel working near or in support of the drilling, workover, and completion operations. Instructor Led Training (ILT) or eLearning (e.g., computer based training, web-based training, or other electronic delivery) may be used for delivery of the WCI Awareness course’s content. The course should be a minimum of 4 hours and must be run separately from the other courses. A written assessment is optional. Recertification at this level is not required.

Introductory Course

This course emphasizes kick prevention and detection, and is recommended training. A 5-year renewal is required, with no grace period for renewal of this certificate. The first time a trainee takes the Introductory course, the trainee must take an ILT course. When renewing an Introductory certificate, the course may be taken as ILT or Self Study (eLearning or Workbook). The course must be run separately from the other courses. The minimum time requirement recommendation is 16 hours (including assessment time). A written assessment is required; a simulator or live well assessment is not required.

The course is relevant to personnel working on either surface stack rigs or subsea stack rigs.

Driller Course

The Driller course is designed for personnel who are engaged in drilling operations that have responsibility for detecting a kick and shutting in the well. This course builds on what trainees learned in the Introductory course and shall focus specifically on the Driller’s primary responsibilities rather than focusing on advanced calculations and well control methods. It shall include kick prevention, influx detection, well monitoring, and well shut-in. It is required training for the target audience as defined in Appendix A. It must be delivered as ILT for initial and repeat training. Written and simulator or live well assessments are required.

The Driller course must be run separately from the other WCI courses. A training provider delivering this course can include trainees requiring a Surface Stack or a Subsea Stack certification.

Recertification is required every 2 years, with no “grace period” allowed.

Supervisor Course

The Supervisor course should build on the kick prevention, influx detection, and well monitoring content of the Driller course, and include well kill operations and risk management. Therefore, the Driller course is a prerequisite for this course. The Supervisor course is required training for the target audience as defined in Appendix A, and must be delivered as ILT for initial and repeat training. Written and practical simulator or live well assessments are required.

The Supervisor course must be run separately from the other WCI courses. A training provider delivering this course can include trainees requiring a Surface Stack or a Subsea Stack certification.


Well Planning and Well Control Risk Mitigation (“Engineering” Course)

This course is the approved standard for personnel involved in well design. The course focuses on those aspects of well planning and design that are applicable to well control




such as rig and equipment selection, uncertainty management, casing seat selection, shallow hazards assessment, risk assessment and mitigation, and contingency planning, to name a few topics. The Engineering course shall be a standalone course and include foundational material from the Driller and Supervisor courses rather than requiring those courses as prerequisites for the Engineering course.

The Engineer course is required training for the target audience as defined in Appendix A. The training must incorporate simulation and scenario-based strategies, and must be delivered as ILT for initial and repeat training. Written and practical simulator or live well assessments are required.

The Engineer course must be run separately from the other WCI courses. A training provider delivering this course can include trainees requiring a Surface Stack or a Subsea Stack certification.


2.2.3 Well Control Training Supplements

WCI recommends the development of Well Control Training Supplements that can be added onto an existing course. These supplements would cover subject matter that certain trainees require over and above the material covered in the standard course. Examples of well control training topics that WCI is considering for development as Supplements are provided in Appendix B.

WCI would develop curricula for the supplements, define the additional training time required, and build appropriate assessments for each supplement. The expectation is that supplements would take between 4 and 8 hours of additional study. WCI would also develop an independent assessment for each supplement in the same way as the standard assessment. WCI would then accredit training providers to deliver the supplement(s) according the additional requirements specified for each supplement.

A trainee’s Certification of Completion would reflect not only the name of the core course completed but also have any completed supplements listed.

2.3 Course Delivery

Course delivery should use a variety of adult learning strategies, including scenario-based and simulation methodologies. Training providers must build proven educational principles into their delivery that include consideration of differences in trainees’ learning styles and generational learning preferences. Delivery methods that provide higher trainee involvement enhance knowledge retention, and are, therefore, recommended and considered highly preferable to lecture-focused methods.

2.3.1 Class Delivery Options

The training provider may not combine trainees for different courses into one class.

A number of course delivery options are available depending on course level (e.g., Awareness, Introductory, Driller, etc.) and Stack type (surface or subsea mounted). Some of these options permit combining stack options in one course because of the commonality of many course topics for the stack types.

Awareness and Introductory Courses: These two course levels are general in design and do not focus in-depth on well control topics specific to stack type. Trainees from surface or subsea rigs can attend the same course. Certification is general and not specific to stack type.




Driller, Supervisor, and Engineer Courses: These three course levels are more specific in design, with time needing to be spent focusing on topics specific to stack type.

Trainees from surface or subsea rigs can attend the same course. In the combined stack courses, a different course curriculum must be delivered to assure both stack types are addressed. Additional course time will be required. Refer to the following requirements for instructions in how to combine stack type within one course.

Combining Stack Options: WCI permits combining stack options within the same course. The training provider is responsible for managing classes with “mixed stack” trainees in a way that assures each stack option is adequately addressed. Material from both stack types must be included, and additional course time is required for delivery of the combined stack content. Stack content may be delivered in a way that the surface and subsea topics are mixed throughout the course or the subsea topics are covered as discrete “modules” at some stage during the course.

The training provider’s Application for Accreditation must provide details of how the combined stack course is to be managed.

See Section 2.7 Training Assessment Process for guidance on the assessment options available to trainees in combined stack courses.

2.3.2 Well Control Training Supplements

Guidance on delivery of well control training supplements will be provided at the time curricula are developed for the supplements. Be aware that delivery of supplements will require additional training and assessment time to be added to the standard course delivery time.

2.3.3 Course Length and Recertification Frequency

Table 1 below defines course length and recertification requirements for WCI courses.

Table 1: Course Length and Recertification Requirements

Course Length* Recertification

Frequency Simulation

Requirement

Awareness 4 hr. None --

Introductory 16 hr. 5 yrs. Required

Driller courses

Driller- Surface Stack only

24 hr. 2 yrs. Required

Driller- Subsea Stack only


Driller- Combined Surface/Subsea Stack





Course Length* Recertification

Frequency Simulation

Requirement

Supervisor courses

Supervisor- Surface Stack only


Supervisor- Subsea Stack only


Supervisor- Combined Surface/Subsea Stack


Engineering courses

Engineering- Surface Stack only


Engineering- Subsea Stack only


Engineering- Combined Surface/Subsea Stack


*Course length provided is the minimum time required. Training providers may increase the amount of time given to each course but may not deliver an accredited course with less than the required amount of time. Course length includes simulator or live well assessment time but excludes written assessment time for Driller, Supervisor, and Engineering courses.

All courses except Awareness course require renewal of certification. Every trainee must recertify by completing the course for his or her current job position within the required recertification period. For example, a driller must successfully complete and maintain a Driller certification before being eligible to take a Supervisor course in preparation for promotion.

2.3.4 Well Control Extended Learning Units (ELUs)

WCI recommends that employees complete well control extended learning units between recertification periods. This helps reinforce and maintain knowledge and skill levels within the workforce that may otherwise decline over time. Furthermore, it is an opportunity to expand knowledge and skills in both breadth and depth. Such ELUs may be expanded into Well Control Training Supplements to further meet the needs of the employee and his/her employer. Examples of potential Well Control Extended Learning Units are provided in Appendix B.

WCI will not be accrediting ELUs at this time.




2.3.5 Class Sizes

The class size approved for each course (up to the maximum) will be determined by the number of well control simulators available, number of instructors participating in the course, classroom space, course length, and course being delivered.

The maximum allowable class size will be:

Thirty-six (36) trainees in an Awareness course (Simulation is not required).

Eighteen (18) trainees in all other instructor-led courses.

Table 2 and Table 3 below show how simulator numbers dictate class size for Introductory, Driller, Supervisor, and Engineer courses.

Table 2: Maximum Class Size for Introductory Course (Based on One Instructor and Minimum Course Length of 16 hours)

Number of Simulators

Maximum Number of

Trainees Per Simulator

Group

Maximum Number of

Trainees Per Live Well Group

Maximum Class Size

1 3 5 6

2 3 5 12

3 3 5 18

Note: These limits are based on a course length taught in the minimum time required for the type of course.

The above values in Table 2 are based on the following simulation requirements:

Maximum of three (3) persons as a team on one simulator for simulator exercises. Five (5) persons per team are permitted when using a live well.

Minimum two simulator/live well exercises per team per course.

Minimum 2 hours of practical simulator/live well exercises per team per course. (Allocation of time to each individual exercise is at the discretion of the training provider. The training provider may spend more time in simulator or live well exercises, but must not spend less than 2 hours in total.)

Table 3: Maximum Class Size for Driller, Supervisor, and Engineer Courses (Based on One Instructor and Minimum Course Length)

Number of Simulators

Maximum Number of

Trainees Per Simulator

Group

Maximum Number of

Trainees Per Live Well Group

Maximum Class Size

1 3 5 6

2 3 5 12

3 3 5 18




Note: These limits are based on a course taught in the minimum time required for the type of course.

The above values in Table 3 are based on the following simulation requirements:

Maximum of three (3) persons as a team on one simulator for simulator exercises. Five (5) persons per team are permitted when using a live well.

Minimum three (3) simulator/live well exercises per team per course.

At least 25% of the minimum required course duration must be dedicated to hands-on simulator or live well practical training (not including time spent working kill sheets). (Allocation of time to each individual exercise is at the discretion of the training provider. The training provider may spend more time in simulator or live well exercises, but must not spend less than 25% of minimum required course duration.)

Time spent on Simulator or Live Well Practical Assessments is in addition to the 25% of minimum course duration that is required for instruction.

In each case above a single instructor will be in the Simulator/Live Well area for a number of hours, leaving trainees that are not participating in the simulator exercises unsupervised. Training providers will need to state in their application how those trainees who are not participating in the simulator exercises will be managed (e.g., use of other exercises, eLearning, kill sheets, calculations, etc.).

When submitting an Application for Accreditation, the training provider is required to specify the maximum class size for which the course is designed and the total course duration.

2.3.6 Instruction Time

At any course level, the training day shall be limited to 9 hours. This time limit applies to any combination of instruction, simulation, exercises, and written or simulator and live well assessments.

Sufficient time must be included for each trainee to practice identified skills. While Section 2.3.3 gives minimum time allocations for simulator and live well exercises, WCI urges training providers to maximize this time during the training course. Other activities, such as completing kill sheets, guided discussion, interactive eLearning, and the handling of equipment increase the “active” learning and skills development time.

2.3.7 Trainee Course Materials

Materials that must be given to each trainee at the beginning of the course include the following:

Course Manual

Quality Statement & Comment Policy

Copy of the signed Trainee’s Agreement to Upload Records Form (Form WCI-18) granting the training provider permission to upload the trainee’s WCI training records to the WCI database.




Training Manual

A training manual must be provided for each trainee’s use during the class and given to keep for future reference. This applies to Introductory, Driller, Supervisor, and Engineering courses only.

The training manual must include subject matter appropriate for the course level and stack qualification in conformance with the WCI curriculum requirements. Unless otherwise noted, it must also include the following:

Table of Contents

Chapters

Page numbers

Glossary of terms (may be provided as a separate reference)

Key well control formulae for the specific training course

Index (optional, but recommended)

This content may be addressed in one manual, or in separate modules or documents.

The manual may be printed or provided in an electronic format but must have the capability of being displayed by each individual trainee during the course (e.g., on a computer or an electronic tablet). If a printed manual is used during the course and then is retrieved from the trainee at the end of the course, an electronic version (e.g., CD-ROM, Memory Stick, etc.) must be provided to the trainee to take away after the course.

The manual(s) used must be submitted to WCI for review as part of the Application for Accreditation.

WCI Quality Statement and Comment Policy

The WCI Quality Statement and Comment Policy (Form WCI-70) must be distributed to each trainee at the beginning of each WCI course.

Trainee Agreement to Upload Records

The training provider must obtain written permission from each trainee to upload training records into the WCI database. The trainee’s permission shall be documented on Form WCI-18 Trainee’s Agreement to Upload Records, with a copy of the signed agreement form retained by the training provider and a copy given to the trainee.

2.4 Simulation and Other Practical Exercises

Training providers must develop simulator and other practical exercises that complement the course content being delivered. Exercises shall model the type of operation for which the trainee will be certified and reflect the complexity of the operational environment.

Each trainee must perform simulator or live well and other practical exercises if required by the curriculum.

2.4.1 Simulator Capabilities

The simulator equipment must be operational for delivering the required level of training and for preparing the trainee for the simulator assessment. Simulators to be




used in the delivery of WCI courses’ practical simulator exercises and assessments should have the following capabilities:

Displaying standpipe pressure at normal and slow pump rates.

Displaying drill pipe (tubing) and annulus (casing) pressures.

Simulating a kick and displaying pump pressure, shut-in drill pipe (tubing) pressure (SIDPP), and shut-in casing (annular) pressure (SICP).

Showing pump pressure as trainee brings pump on or off line and simulating bottomhole pressure changes when trainee manipulates choke and pump rate (speed).

Showing initial and final pump pressure when trainee circulates out a kick.

Showing changes in SIDPP and SICP as trainee manipulates choke to circulate out a kick.

Allowing trainees to determine choke-line frictional pressures at various slow pump rates.

Displaying adjusted circulating pressures to compensate for choke-line friction.

Showing effects on SIDPP and SICP when trainee adjusts choke.

Display BOP operating pressures and allow trainee to adjust annular and manifold pressures.

Displaying effects of a hole in the drill pipe (or tubing), plugged bit or workstring, plugged choke, BOP leaks, and failure of BOP to operate.

Being configured to accommodate stripping and snubbing operations.

Storing trainee’s assessment performance and generating a report of performance.

2.4.2 Simulator Exercises

A WCI-approved simulator shall be used to provide each trainee hands-on learning and assessment.

The number of simulators must be indicated on the application along with the name and model of each. Applicants should specify whether they are using a full-scale rig floor or portable simulator.

WCI recommend simulator exercises and assessments are conducted in a separate room from instruction or other training activities. If the simulator exercises must be conducted in the same classroom, the simulation cannot run concurrently with lecture or discussion-type classroom activities.

A simulator may be operated in the classroom to supplement the instruction or lesson with a demonstration of a well control procedure.

2.4.3 Live Test Well Exercises

Live test wells are an alternative method of delivering simulation exercises. The well to be utilized in training and assessment should be described in the Application for Accreditation. The description should include physical parameters of the test well (e.g.,




its depth), its capabilities and limitations, controls available, and the assessment methodology to be used.

2.4.4 Other Practical Exercises

Other practical exercises that are optional include, but are not limited to, the following:

Calculations

Exercise questions

eLearning modules

Equipment inspection

WCI encourage utilization of a variety of these exercises. The training provider will be asked to provide details of exercises in the Application for Accreditation.

2.5 Facilities and Equipment

All training facilities of the “accreditable unit” must be described in the Application for Accreditation. Training facilities may be located at the central location of the accreditable unit or may be located elsewhere but have strong management and administrative ties to the central location of the accreditable unit. (If needed, refer back to Section 2.1 for a definition of “accreditable unit.”)

The applicant must provide training facilities and equipment information to satisfy every criterion defined in this section.

2.5.1 Classrooms

Facility floor plans (with dimensions) shall be provided for all classrooms and other rooms utilized for simulation and other practical exercises. The floor plans should include a sketch of classrooms and room layout, inclusive of dimensions and designation of simulator locations. Space should be adequate for the number of trainees and simulators specified for the course(s). Course administration areas do not have to be designated on the floor plan.

The floor plan must match the actual physical characteristics of the facility during the program’s audit. If the facility or floor plans changes during the application process or any time after gaining accreditation, the training provider must notify WCI of these changes before the next audit.

The facility must have adequate lighting, ventilation, and space for the trainees to be seated at a reasonable distance apart during classroom activities and written assessment. The simulator assessment must be carried out in a separate classroom or in the same classroom that has been segregated by screening trainees who are being assessed from those trainees who are not being assessed. Lecture or discussion-type classroom activities cannot run concurrently with the assessment.

All training facilities used for course delivery must be described in WCI-03 Application for Accreditation.

Other off-premises facilities may be used for administration of the written and practical simulator or live well assessments if use of those facilities has been pre-approved by WCI. Whether operated by the same training provider or operated by a third party, these facilities must be identified in the Application for Accreditation.




When a separate facility is to be utilized for assessments, the applicant must report where the assessments will take place and must provide the minimum requirements the training provider will use in selecting the alternate facility. This is especially important for traveling schools, where the training location is not a fixed location, but may vary from course to course. The selection criteria must be sufficiently specific to provide WCI assurance of the adequacy of the facility.

2.5.2 Instructional Resources

Educational aids and equipment, if utilized for instruction, should be reported on the application. The following are examples of additional equipment that should be reported:

Visual aids, such as models of well components (e.g., BOP, pumps)

Tubing, rings, flanges, connections, etc.

Software, photos, diagrams

eLearning components or web-based programs

2.5.3 Traveling Schools

Applicants for accreditation who plan to deliver WCI courses at locations other than the designated facilities identified and described in the application must define the minimum criteria for selection of remote training location facilities. The criteria must demonstrate that the applicant is meeting the intent of the WCI facilities requirement as defined above in Section 2.5.1.

2.6 Instructor Qualifications

Instructors employed or otherwise utilized by WCI-accredited training providers must be qualified and approved to teach the subject matter he/she will present. Specific requirements are based on the course level and stack qualification for which the instructor is requesting approval. Either the training provider or an instructor may submit an application for WCI instructor approval.

Once approved as a WCI instructor, the instructor is expected to maintain his or her approval by demonstrating continuing retention and updating of well control knowledge and skills.

Approved WCI instructors may teach for multiple accredited training providers. To be registered to teach for a specific training provider, the instructor must have been included in the training provider’s Application for Accreditation or may be added as an approved instructor for the training provider at a later date. The training provider is responsible for requesting that WCI add other approved instructors to their registry of approved instructors who are authorized to teach for the training provider.

Instructors must recertify every 5 years by submitting to WCI evidence of their being actively engaged in delivery of WCI-accredited courses and other documentation specified in Section 2.6.6.

Sections 2.6.1 through 2.6.8 give details of Instructor approval requirements.




2.6.1 General Requirements

Requirements differ for new instructors seeking approval and current instructors seeking to maintain approval. The requirements vary according to the course level(s) the instructor requests approval to teach.

Before embarking on the approval process, prospective new instructors for Introductory, Drilling, Supervisor, or Engineer courses will need to meet specific requirements based on their previous work experience. Their previous work experience will dictate the course level they can be initially approved to teach.

Further details of instructor requirements for initial approval are noted in the Section 2.6.2 below.

Once initially approved, the instructor must complete a period of stand-alone instruction and may require further practice and approval before being permitted to teach other course levels or supplements. See Sections 2.6.3 and 2.6.4 for details on gaining approval for additional course levels. Section 2.6.5 gives details for seeking approval to teach supplements.

All WCI instructors, once approved, are required to maintain their approval levels and courses. See Section 2.6.6 for requirements for maintaining WCI instructor approval.

2.6.2 Initial Approval of Instructors

Requirements for gaining initial approval to teach a WCI course are dependent upon the course for which approval is requested. The requirements each applicant must meet are defined in this section. See the subsection for the specific course to determine the requirements and evidence the applicant needs to submit with the Application for Instructor Approval (Form WCI-05).

Awareness Course

Minimum requirements for instructors seeking approval to teach the Awareness course are defined in Table 4. The applicant for this level must satisfy each of the three requirements. Requirement 2 provides optional pathways for demonstrating the applicant meets the requirement.

Table 4: Minimum Requirements for Awareness Course Instructors

Awareness Course Instructors

Requirement 1: Experience

1. Wellsite/Rig/Oil industry experience—Worked +3 months in oil-related industry

Requirement 2: Well Control Training (one of the following two options)

1. Valid Well Control Certificate—Successful completion of an industry recognized Introductory Well Control course or higher. (If this option is selected, the certification must be renewed every two years.)




Introductory Course

Minimum requirements for instructors seeking approval to teach the Introductory course are defined in Table 5. The applicant for this level must satisfy each of the five requirements. Requirements 1 and 2 provide optional pathways for demonstrating the applicant meets the requirement.

Table 5: Minimum Requirements for Introductory Course Instructors

Introductory Course Instructors

Requirement 1: Experience (Choose one of the five following options)

1. Wellsite/Rig/Oil industry experience—Worked +6 months on rig-floor or equivalent*

2. Instructional experience—Worked +12 months on rig with training as part of job function**

3. Instructional experience—Worked + 18 months as full-time vocational instructor; rig experience not required

4. Professional teaching experience—Professional certification as a teacher with minimum 18 months classroom teaching at secondary education level or above; rig experience not required

5. Work experience—Minimum 2 years working in industry with a professional certification or Bachelor’s degree; rig experience not required.

Requirement 2: Well Control Knowledge (choose one of the following two options)

1. Valid Well Control Certificate—Current valid certificate showing successful completion of the Driller well control course or higher. (If this option is selected, the certification must be renewed every two years.)

2. Written Instructor Certification Test—Successful

2. Written Instructor Certification Test—Successful completion of a WCI Written Instructor Certification Test at the Driller level or higher. (If this option is selected, the Test must be repeated every three years.)

Requirement 3: Other Training

1. Successful completion of a Train-the-Trainer or Presentation Skills course. (This does not have to be a WCI approved course.)




completion of a WCI Written Instructor Certification Test at the Driller level or higher. (If this option is selected, the Test must be repeated every three years.)

Requirement 3: WCI-Approved Train-the-Trainer Course

1. Successful completion of a WCI approved Train-the-Trainer classroom skills course.

Requirement 4: Basic Drilling Technology Course

1. All potential instructors without rig experience must successfully complete a basic drilling principles course of 32 hours minimum duration.[

Requirement 5: Observed Teaching***

1. Teach equivalent of four (4) full Introductory courses (classroom delivery and simulator/live well exercises) supervised by a well control instructor approved by WCI for the Introductory course or higher. This must be completed within 12 months prior to applying for WCI approval.

* Equivalent Job Position: any position in Appendix A that requires an Introductory, Driller, Supervisor, or Engineer level certification.

** Job function: not a full time instructor but has training duties; e.g. safety officer, H2S specialist, and fire officer.

*** Guidance on how to provide evidence of meeting Requirement 4: Observed Teaching is provided on Form WCI-05.

Instructors who satisfy the initial requirements for Introductory level instructor approval can also apply for approval at the Awareness level. No additional training is required to teach at the Awareness level.

For approval at a higher course level, see Section 2.6.3 for details.

Driller Course

Minimum requirements for instructors seeking approval to teach the Driller course are defined in Table 6. The applicant for this level must satisfy each of the four requirements. Requirement 1 provides optional pathways for demonstrating the applicant meets the requirement.

Table 6: Minimum Requirements for Driller Course Instructors

Driller Course Instructors

Requirement 1: Experience (Choose one of the following 4 options)

1. Wellsite/Rig/Oil industry experience—Worked +6 months as Assistant Driller or equivalent*




2. Instructional experience—Worked +18 months on rig with training as part of job function**

3. Instructional experience—Worked + 2 years as full-time vocational instructor; rig experience not required

4. Professional teaching experience—Professional certification as a teacher with minimum 2 years classroom teaching at secondary education level or above; rig experience not required

Requirement 2: Written WCI Instructor Certification Test

1. Written Instructor Certification Test—Successful completion of a WCI Written Instructor Certification Test at the Driller level or higher for the stack type(s) they will instruct. (If this option is selected, the Test may be taken at the instructor employer’s facility and must be repeated every three years.)

Requirement 3: WCI-approved Train-the-Trainer Course

1. Successful completion of a WCI approved Train-the-Trainer classroom skills course

Requirement 4: Observed Instruction***

1. Teach equivalent of five (5) full Driller courses (classroom delivery and simulator/live well exercises) supervised by a well control instructor approved by WCI for the Driller course or higher and conduct four (4) simulator or live well assessments on trainees. The approved WCI instructor and the trainee instructor must sign the assessment record. This must be completed within 12 months prior to applying for WCI approval.

* Equivalent Job Position: any position in Appendix A that requires a Driller, Supervisor, or Engineer level certification.

** Job function: not a fulltime instructor but has training duties; e.g., safety officer, H2S specialist, and fire officer.

*** Guidance on how to provide evidence of meeting Requirement 4: Observed Teaching is provided on Form WCI-05.

Instructors who satisfy the initial approval requirements for Driller course level can also apply for approval at the Introductory and Awareness levels. Additional requirements apply for the Introductory-level approval. See Section 2.6.4 for details.

For approval at higher course levels, see Section 2.6.3 for details.




Supervisor Course

Minimum entry-level requirements that instructors seeking approval to teach the Supervisor course must meet are defined in Table 7. The applicant for this level must satisfy each of the four requirements.

Table 7: Minimum Requirements for Driller Course Instructors

Supervisor Course Instructors


1. Wellsite/Rig/Oil industry experience – Worked +2 years as Driller or equivalent*


1. Written Instructor Certification Test—Successful completion of a WCI Written Instructor Certification Test at the Supervisor level for the stack type(s) they will instruct. (If this option is selected, the Test may be taken at the instructor employer’s facility and must be repeated every three years.)

Requirement 3: WCI-approved Train-the-Trainer Course


Requirement 4: Observed Teaching**

1. Teach equivalent of five (5) full Supervisor courses (classroom delivery and simulator/live well exercises) supervised by a well control instructor approved by WCI for the Supervisor course and conduct four (4) simulator or live well assessments on trainees. The approved WCI instructor and the trainee instructor must sign the assessment record. This must be completed within 12 months prior to applying for WCI approval.

* Equivalent Job Position: any position in Appendix A that requires a Supervisor or Engineer level certification.

** Guidance on how to provide evidence of meeting Requirement 4: Observed Teaching is provided on Form WCI-5.

Instructors who satisfy the initial approval requirements for the Supervisor course level can also apply for approval at the Driller, Introductory, and Awareness course levels. Additional training is required for the Introductory and Driller course levels. See Section 2.6.4 for details.




Engineer Course

Minimum entry-level requirements that instructors seeking approval to teach the Engineer course must meet are defined in Table 8. The applicant for this level must satisfy each of the four requirements.

Table 8: Minimum Requirements for Engineer Course Instructors

Engineer Course Instructors


1. Wellsite/Rig/Oil industry experience – Worked +2 years as Wellsite or office-based drilling supervisor or equivalent*


1. Written Instructor Certification Test—Successful completion of a WCI Written Instructor Certification Test at the Engineer level for the stack type(s) they will instruct. (If this option is selected, the Test may be taken at the instructor employer’s facility and must be repeated every three years.)

Requirement 3: WCI-Approved Train-the-Trainer Course


Requirement 4: Observed Teaching**

1. Teach equivalent of three (3) full Engineering courses (classroom delivery and simulator/live well exercises) supervised by a well control instructor approved by WCI for the Engineering Course, and four practical simulator or live well assessments of an individual or a team. The approved WCI instructor and the trainee instructor must sign the assessment record. This must be completed within 12 months prior to applying for WCI approval.

* Equivalent Job Position: any position in Appendix A that requires a Supervisor or Engineer level certification.

** Guidance on how to provide evidence of meeting Requirement 4: Observed Teaching is provided on Form WCI-5.

WCI recognizes that, at initial launch of the Engineers course, instructors meeting above requirements will not be available. Therefore, for a period of two (2) years following the initial launch of the Engineer course, WCI will permit Engineer course instructors to provide evidence of Observed Teaching by teaching the equivalent of four (4) full Supervisor courses (classroom delivery and simulator/live well exercises) and four Supervisor practical simulator or live well assessments of an individual or a team. The




approved WCI instructor and the trainee instructor must sign the assessment record. This must be completed within 12 months prior to applying for WCI approval.

2.6.3 Upgrading Approval to a Higher Course Level

Instructors may choose to seek approval to teach at a higher course level once they have achieved the initial WCI instructor approval. Advancing to a higher approval level can only be achieved one level at a time. This can be achieved as follows:

Following initial approval, teach five (5) stand-alone courses at the new course level for which upgrade approval is requested.

Complete required “Observed Teaching” requirements (course/classroom delivery and simulator or live well assessments) for the next higher course level under supervision of a WCI-approved instructor at the new level.

Successfully complete required WCI Written Instructor Certification Test at the appropriate course level or higher.

Submit required paperwork to WCI for approval.

The Train-the-Trainer course is generic across the courses and is to be taken only one time. It does not have to be repeated when seeking approval to teach a new course level.

2.6.4 Adding Approval for a Lower Course Level

Instructors who wish to apply for approval to teach a less advanced course or courses, whether at the time of initial accreditation or at a later date, must have completed the Observed Teaching requirements as stated below for each of the courses they wish to teach.

Requirements that must be met are as follows:

Teach two (2) classes and perform three practical assessments at the next lower level, e.g., two Driller courses if currently an approved Supervisor instructor.

Teach one (1) class at the second level down, e.g., one Introductory course if currently an approved Supervisor instructor.

Maintain current Written Instructor Certification Test for the most advanced level.

Seeking Awareness Instructor approval—Instructors approved at Introductory, Driller, Supervisor, and Engineer level need only fill out the correct paperwork to register as an Awareness instructor.

Re-certification of all levels must be achieved at the time the initial course is due for re-certification. See Section 2.6.6 for details on re-certification.

2.6.5 Adding Approval for Supplements

Instructors requesting to teach Well Control Supplements (described in Section 2.2.3) must satisfy additional approval requirements. Additional requirements instructors must meet include:

Be a currently approved instructor at the Driller, Supervisor, or Engineer level.




Teach four (4) full Supplemental courses at the level for which approval is requested; instruction must be, supervised by a well control instructor approved by WCI for the relevant Supplement and stack type.

Successfully complete the WCI Written Instructor Certification Test specifically designed for the required supplement.

Submit required paperwork to WCI for approval.

2.6.6 Renewing Instructor Approval

WCI approved instructors must renew their approval every 5 years. Requirements for renewal instructor approval are defined in Table 9.

Table 9: Requirements for Renewing Instructor Approval

Requirements for All Instructors

1. Take a WCI approved 1-day Train-the-Trainer refresher course.

2. Provide evidence of having delivered well control course instruction for the course(s) the instructor is approved to teach.

a. Awareness course Instructors must delivery 60 hours since last WCI approval date

b. Instructors at all other course levels must deliver a minimum of 360 hours since last WCI approval date*

Additional Requirements—Awareness and Introductory Course Instructors (choose one of two options)

1. Provide evidence of holding a currently valid standard well control certificate

2. Provide evidence of passing the Written Instructor Certification Test within the past 3 years

Additional Requirements—Driller, Supervisor and Engineer Course Instructors

Provide evidence of passing the Written Instructor Certification Test within the past 3 years.

Test should be for the course(s) and stack types you are teaching. If more than one course and stack type, then a combined test should be taken.

* A balance of hours between different courses must be shown in renewing to teach more than one level and stack type.




2.6.7 Reinstating Previously Approved Instructors

Instructors whose approval has lapsed will be required to renew the initial approval following the process and requirements as stated in Section 2.6.2 for the level they want to teach.

2.6.8 Written Instructor Certification Test

The Written Instructor Certification Test will be an independently proctored, written test comprising of in-depth well control questions. The test is required for instructors teaching at the Driller, Supervisor, and Engineer levels, and is optional for Awareness and Introductory course instructors. The intent is to ensure instructors have an in-depth understanding of well control relevant to the curricula the instructor is to teach.

The passing grade shall be 70%.

Instructors teaching both surface and subsea stack types will take one combined stack test for each course at different course levels.

2.7 Trainee Assessment Process

The WCI requires a twofold assessment process that evaluates the trainee’s well control knowledge and skills in all courses except the Awareness course, which does not require trainee assessment. The type and level of assessment is course dependent.

The knowledge assessment process requires each trainee to pass a standardized, centrally accessed, written test.

Skills assessment will be performed using standardized processes (to include standardized assessment criteria and templates) and an approved well control simulator or live well.

Certain core safety critical questions on the written assessment or decision points during the skills assessment are pass/fail and will result in overall failure if missed. All other questions or skills demonstration have a 70% passing score.

Key aspects of assessments are described in the following sections.

2.7.1 Managing Stack Options

The stack type affects not only WCI course content, but also trainee written and simulator or live well assessments.

The Introductory course contains content for both surface and subsea stack, therefore the written assessment administered to trainees will be a combination surface and subsea stack assessment. A simulator assessment is not required for this course.

WCI offer three stand-alone assessment options for each of the Driller, Supervisor, and Engineer courses. These options affect the management and delivery of both the written and the skills assessments. The options are described below.

Option 1: Surface-Stack Only Assessment—This option covers only surface-stack topics. All trainees must complete and pass the surface-stack written assessment and the surface-stack simulator or live well assessment. The trainee passing both assessments will be issued a surface stack only Certificate of Completion.

Option 2: Subsea-Stack Only Assessment—This option covers only subsea-stack topics. All trainees must complete and pass the subsea-stack written




assessment and subsea-stack simulator or live well assessment. The trainee passing both assessments will be issued a subsea stack only Certificate of Completion.

Option 3: Mixed Surface-Subsea Stack Assessment—This option provides for assessment of both surface and subsea stack types. The trainee must pass both a combined subsea/surface written assessment and a subsea-only simulator or live well assessment. The trainee passing both assessments will be issued a combination subsea/surface stack Certificate of Completion.

The following table summarizes the assessment process for the multiple stack options.

Table 10: Surface and Subsea Stack Options

Training Option Assessment Requirement

Surface Stack course only (Option 1)

Written surface stack knowledge assessment and surface-stack simulator or live well skills assessment

Subsea Stack course only (Option 2)

Written subsea stack knowledge assessment and subsea-stack simulator or live well skills assessment

Combined Surface/Subsea Stack (Options 3)

Written combined surface/subsea stack knowledge assessment and Subsea Stack simulator or live well skills assessment

2.7.2 Knowledge Assessment

Written knowledge assessment is developed by WCI in conjunction with industry work groups. The following details apply to this assessment and its administration.

All questions are stored on a central database owned and maintained by WCI.

Computer-generated written tests are customized to course and stack requirements.

The tests are randomly computer-generated with answers also randomly generated.

Tests are to be given online via computer, electronic tablet, or other electronic device.

An independent proctor shall observe all written assessments at the Driller, Supervisor, and Engineering levels. The proctor is not required for the Introductory course written assessment.

Selected core safety-critical questions are pass/fail with all remaining questions requiring a 70% pass rate.

Maximum time to complete the written assessment is course dependent. See Table 11 for specific course times.

Trainees are permitted to ask questions or seek clarification of a test question. Their questions will be directed to the proctor. The proctor will request assistance of the instructor.




Instructor must be available to answer technical questions if requested.

Trainees shall be allowed to review missed questions with the assistance of the instructor following completion and submission of the test.

Introductory courses delivered using eLearning will have a different final written assessment procedure. See Appendix C for details.

Table 11: Time Requirements for Written Assessments*

Test Level Proctor

Required Maximum Time

Allowed

Awareness Test not required

Introductory 1 hour

Driller ✓ 2 hours

Supervisor ✓ 3 hours

Engineer ✓ 3 hours

*Customers requiring a training provider to add additional test questions that

cover their specific requirements (e.g., company specific or local content) are to

be in addition to the above time allotments. The trainee’s performance on the

additional questions will not affect issuance of the WCI certificate.

All knowledge assessments shall require an independent proctor to ensure fairness and security. See Section 2.7.4 for details on proctor responsibilities and qualifications.

Costs associated with independent proctors are the responsibility of the training provider.

Online options for knowledge assessment delivery may not always be available in some areas; therefore, traditional paper testing arrangements shall be permitted in certain situations. A paper written assessment shall be administered under the control of the independent proctor. Prior WCI approval for the proctor to administer a paper written assessment is required.

Sample test questions are available in WCI-12.

2.7.3 Simulator/Live Well Assessment.

The Driller, Supervisor, and Engineer courses require each trainee to complete a practical assessment on a simulator or “live” well. Criteria for performing the skills assessment is developed by WCI and standardized for worldwide application.

The following details apply to simulator or live well assessments.

The WCI -approved instructor shall be the simulator assessor. If the training provider wants to use an independent assessor that assessor must first be approved by WCI before being permitted to perform assessments.

No independent proctor is required for simulator or live well assessments.

Pass grade for simulator and live well assessments is 70%.

Assessments will incorporate a number of immediate pass/fail criteria, e.g., shutting well in with pumps running, maximum kick size.




A model simulator/live well assessment template has been developed by WCI as a minimum standard on which training providers can develop their own assessment criteria and grading sheet. This is available in FormWCI-07

Simulators store key assessment data to assist with grading and audit. Copies of key data (commonly in graphical format or the training provider’s own assessment grading sheet) shall be available to the auditor during the WCI audit (either hard copy or electronic format is acceptable).

Simulator or live well assessment documentation must state the type of problem scenario given to the trainee.

All simulator or live well assessment records are to be signed by the assessor, maintained as part of the trainee’s record, and available for WCI audit purposes.

The simulator assessment must be carried out in a separate room or in the same classroom that has been segregated by screening trainees who are being assessed from those trainees who are not being assessed. Lecture or discussion-type classroom activities cannot run concurrently with the assessment when the assessment is taking place in the classroom.

2.7.4 Proctor Qualifications and Responsibilities

A proctor shall be independent of the training provider and be approved by WCI prior to performing the proctor role. The training provider is responsible for identifying potential proctors, and seeking WCI approval.

The proctor’s responsibilities include the following:

Helps set up the tests (in conjunction with the training provider) and restarts tests as needed due to any computer malfunctions.

Monitors trainees for cheating or other irregularities.

Permits the instructor to give guidance to trainees on any technical queries the trainee may have on a question, and monitors process. (The proctor must be present when the instructor gives guidance.)

Stops the test for any irregularity, e.g., trainee found to be cheating, creating a disturbance, incorrect use of mobile devices, etc. (The instructor may serve as a witness if the proctor must stop the test due to cheating.)

Administers and grades the paper test (where applicable).

Qualifications of Proctor are defined in Appendix D.

2.7.5 Reassessment Policy

The WCI passing grade for both the written and simulator or live well assessments is 70% or above.

If a trainee does not satisfactorily pass the written assessment and scores less than 50%, the trainee fails the course. The trainee may not be reassessed. The trainee must repeat and pass the full WCI training course before being certified.

If the trainee’s written assessment score is from 50% to 69% then one reassessment must be made available. The trainee may opt to be reassessed on the same day or arrange with the training provider another time for the reassessment.




If a trainee does not satisfactorily pass the practical/live well assessment, one reassessment must be made available to the trainee. The reassessment may be either during the current training course or at another time agreed to by the trainee and the training provider.

The reassessment shall not be identical to the original assessment. The computer generated knowledge assessment will contain different questions. The practical assessment must use a different well scenario.

The written or simulator reassessment may be taken at the site where the original assessment was given or at another facility operated by the same training provider.

If the trainee chooses to complete the reassessment at a later date, the reassessment must be completed within forty-five (45) days of the original assessment date. Failure of the trainee to complete the reassessment within the allotted time will result in the entire course and full assessment (written and simulator/live well) needing to be retaken.

Failure to pass any reassessment will require the trainee to attend the full course again in order to achieve certification. The trainee will be required to complete all parts of the examination process as required for a full course.

2.7.6 Testing Protocol

See Appendix C for detail on WCI testing protocol (procedure).

2.7.7 Paper Written Assessments

Under certain conditions, electronic delivery of the standardized written assessment may not be possible. The training provider must seek and gain WCI approval to have a paper written assessment administered prior to administering the test. The independent proctor will be responsible for administering and grading a paper test as well as reporting the trainee’s score to the training provider. The training provider will then be responsible for loading the trainee’s test score and other required data on the WCI computer system and issuing the certificate to the trainee once on-line.

When the written assessment is administered manually, the trainee will not be able to review the questions they missed or receive further feedback from the instructor.

The training provider will need to provide the trainee some means of manually providing feedback on the course and instructor directly to WCI.

2.8 Administration and Process Control

Accredited training provider must adhere to program administration requirements, policies, and procedures defined by WCI. These are defined below.

2.8.1 Verification of Trainee Identity

The applicant should have in place a written process for checking and verifying trainee identity. In-house training programs may rely upon employment processes and records, however third party training providers must establish a process for confirming the identity of the individual requesting and receiving training and written knowledge assessment.

A WCI certificate should be issued to, and in the name of, only the individual receiving the training and passing both simulator and knowledge written assessments.




2.8.2 WCI Quality Statement and Comment Policy

The WCI Quality Statement and Comment Policy (Form WCI-70) must be distributed to each trainee at the beginning of a WCI course.

The Policy is designed to advise trainees of WCI’s commitment to quality training. It also requests those participating in WCI training to communicate directly to WCI any comments or concerns they may have about the instruction received. Options for contacting WCI are via mail, phone, fax, or e-mail.

The WCI Quality Statement and Comment Policy must be provided in the language in which the course is being taught.

2.8.3 Attendance Policy

Accredited training providers must adopt an Attendance Policy that ensures a trainee miss no more than a total of four (4) hours of instruction before he or she is required to retake the entire course. If a trainee misses any portion of the course, the missed portion(s) must be completed before any final written test is administered to that trainee. The missed, and later completed, portion(s) must be documented in the trainee's record. (See Section 2.8.6 for details on managing missed portions.) If a trainee does not complete the missed portion within forty-five (45) days of the missed date, the final assessment may not be given and the entire course must be repeated.

2.8.4 Certificate Issuance

A WCI Certificate of Completion will be issued to each trainee upon completing a course and passing both written knowledge and simulator or live well assessments. The accredited training provider is responsible for the issuance of the certificate in accordance with WCI processes.

When a certificate is issued, the training provider shall retain a copy of the certificate and copies of all training records supportive of issuing the certificate.

WCI maintains a record of the certification. This certification record is used for future verification of individual’s well control training.

Training providers, once accredited, will be provided information on how to manage the WCI assessment and recording database. Failure of the training provider to correctly complete the certification record in the WCI database may be grounds for disciplinary actions against the provider up to and including revocation of accreditation.

2.8.5 Records

WCI-accredited training providers must maintain certain required records as evidence of adherence to the WCI program requirements.

Required records include:

Accreditation records

Standard operating procedures

Trainee registration and training records (e.g., kill sheets, simulator assessments)

Course delivery and management records

Quality control records




Other records as required to document course suspension, missed portions of course, etc.

Records must be maintained at the training provider’s “primary place of business,” which is indicated at time of application for accreditation. “Primary place of business” can be the location where classes are normally conducted, or a designated central administrative office. All required records must be retained at the primary place of business (unless other location is approved by WCI). Records of any courses conducted at remote or satellite locations or multiple training locations must also be kept at the primary place of business.

Large commercial organizations having training facilities located in different geographical areas and having separate administrative and records management centers will be required to submit a Application for Accreditation for each administrative center.

A training provider may request to retain records at a location other than the primary place of business. This request may be made at any time, and must be approved by WCI before initiation of the alternate records location. The training provider must show good cause for the satellite records location and must demonstrate that good records control measures are in place. Approval, once granted, may be withdrawn at any time a site visit report indicates the alternate location hampers the accessibility or security of the records.

All records should be: 1) complete, 2) accurate, 3) readily accessible at time of audit, and 4) secure. To be deemed “accessible,” an auditor must be provided access to all requested records at the designated location upon 2-hours’ notice. This notice must be given between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. local time, local weekends and holidays excluded.

Records may be retained electronically or as paper copy, although electronic recordkeeping is encouraged. Minimum retention time for records is shown in Table 12.

Table 12: Minimum Records Retention Time

Type of Record Minimum Retention Time (years)

Accreditation Records Duration of WCI Accreditation

Standard operating procedures

Duration of WCI Accreditation

Trainee registration & training records

Through one audit cycle*

Course delivery & management records

Through one audit cycle

Quality control records Through one audit cycle

Other miscellaneous records

Through one audit cycle

*Trainee certificates should be retained for duration of WCI accreditation.




Accreditation Records

Accreditation records include Application for Accreditation, notification of WCI accreditation, Certificate of Accreditation, Site Visit Reports, and Corrective Actions issued. Other records of important correspondence with WCI may be helpful to retain. These records shall be retained for the life of the accreditation.

Standard Operating Procedures

Each accredited training provider must have certain written standard operating procedures that define procedures and responsibilities for each of the following:

Registering trainees in the course

Verification of trainee identity

Management of trainee assessments, both simulator and written test

Quality Control processes

These procedures should be retained and accessible by all employees having responsibility for any of these processes.

Minimum retention of these records shall be not less than the duration of the accreditation.

Trainee Registration and Training Records

Trainee records consist of trainee contact information and attendance records, simulator or live well assessments, kill sheets used to assess trainee performance (if required), a copy of the certificate issued, and records of retraining due to missed portions of the course (if applicable).

Records must be kept for each trainee. Records documenting the performance and course completion of individual trainees may be kept in either hard copy (paper) or electronic (scanned original) format. These must be retained during the time the certificate issued to the trainee remains valid, or longer if required by local regulations. For WCI Driller and Supervisor courses, the certification is valid for two years. For WCI Introductory and Engineer level, the certification is valid for 5 years. WCI Awareness certificate does not expire.

Trainee records must include the following:

Copy of certificate including certificate number

Trainee Information:

Trainee's full name (as it appears on the trainee’s legal government-issued identification card (ID)

Employer (company name)

Trainee’s contact address

Trainee’s email address

Phone number (optional)

Job title




Trainee's identification number (e.g., employee number, passport number, national identification number, or other ID number assigned by the training provider)

Course attendance dates

Written and simulator (or live well) assessment scores (and retests)

Kill sheet(s) completed and signed by trainee (if applicable)

Trainee Agreement to Upload Records Form (Form WCI-18) indicating trainee’s permission for a third-party to retain the trainee’s training record, as applicable and as allowed by law or regulation

Each subsequent WCI course taken by a trainee requires the completion of a new set of records containing the above data.

This retention of training records is through one audit cycle, with exception of the Certificate of Completion that should be retained for the duration of the accreditation.

Course Delivery and Administrative Records

A class roster must be completed for each WCI course taught by the training organization. The class roster must include the following:

Type of course (Awareness, Introductory, Driller, Supervisor and Engineer; surface or subsea stack type as applicable)

Course dates

Instructor(s)

Training location

All trainees’ names with identification numbers and daily attendance information

Assessment records

List of approved instructors

Minimum retention for these records is through one accreditation cycle.

Quality Control Records

WCI requires training providers, once accredited, to maintain records that demonstrate their commitment to quality control of the WCI-accredited training processes. At a minimum, the accredited training provider shall maintain the following quality control records:

WCI and other client audit reports

Corrective Actions (CA) issued to the training provider

Record of the provider’s response to CA

Management of Change

Performance evaluations of instructors




Other Miscellaneous Records

The WCI-accredited training provider shall retain any other miscellaneous records that would be necessary to demonstrate adherence to the WCI accreditation criteria. Examples of such records include documentation of course suspensions, and records of trainees’ missing portions of a course and later completing the course. When in doubt about the type of records to retain, contact WCI for guidance.

2.8.6 WCI Training Interruption Policies

Applicants for WCI accreditation shall have in place policies and procedures that govern situations that may result in training interruptions, whether a trainee’s choice to suspend training until a later date or the training provider’s decision to suspend training deliver for reasonable cause (e.g., illness of instructor or natural disaster).

These policies and procedures shall be written and accessible to training provider staff as well as WCI auditors for review at time of audit.

The following stipulations apply to these policies:

The trainee must reschedule the missed portion of the course with the same training provider as the original course.

Missed portions must be completed within 45 days of the originally scheduled completion date.

The training shall be resumed at the beginning of the curriculum that was originally interrupted.

If this provision is used, the training provider must promptly report training interruption to WCI on Form WCI-22.

Provider-Initiated Course Suspension

When, in the judgment of the training provider, it is necessary in the interest of safety to suspend a WCI course due to severe and unavoidable circumstances (e.g., tropical storm or natural disaster), the WCI program permits such suspension with resumption of the course at a later date.

If the course is suspended prior to completion, the course may be resumed with the original trainees, and missed portions completed within 45 days of the date of the course suspension. New trainees may not be added to the class at this stage of the training. The trainees need to complete only the curriculum portions that were missed in the original course. A certificate shall be issued to trainees passing the final assessments, with the completion date on the certificate to show the original planned course completion date.

If the suspended course was a combination course and the missed portions may are later completed within 45 days of the suspension date, the trainees need to attend only the curriculum portions that were missed in the original combination course. The trainees passing the final assessments shall be issued a certificate that reflects successful completion of the combination course. The certificate issuance date will be the original planned course completion date.




WCI-Initiated Suspension

If WCI suspends a training provider’s accreditation, any course already begun may not be completed. Refer to Section 4.8 for additional information on WCI-initiated suspension of accreditation.

2.9 Site Visits and Audits

All accredited training providers are required to undergo an initial site visit, including observation of a sampling of instructors in the classroom, as a condition of accreditation. Other periodic audits and site visits are also conducted at a regular frequency, to be determined by WCI. WCI reserves the right to request an audit of an accredited training provider at any time.

For more information on site visits, please refer to Section 3.4.5 in this handbook.

2.10 Quality Assurance

An accredited training provider should have processes in place to assure integrity of the Program and strict adherence to the WCI accreditation criteria. At a minimum, the following processes should be implemented:

Verification of trainee identity

Verification of trainee eligibility to attend a WCI course (applicable to Supervisor course only)

Control of trainee and other records to assure those records are secure and remain strictly confidential

Responding to non-conformities identified during site visits and assuring corrective and preventive actions are fully implemented in a timely manner

Monitoring for WCI program updates and assuring updates are implemented

These procedures should be written, and include designation of person(s) responsible for the processes.

Other processes should be developed, as needed, to help assure adherence to accreditation criteria.

2.10.1 Responding to Non-Conformities

The accredited training provider is responsible for responding in a timely manner to non-conformities identified during a site visit or other WCI audit process. Actions and timelines to resolve a non-conformity must be appropriate for the issue identified, and agreed to by WCI-designated staff and the training provider.

Planned timelines must be strictly met; otherwise, the accredited training provider will be subject to disciplinary action. Continued failure to address non-conformities will ultimately result in revocation of accreditation.

For more information about responding to non-conformities, see Section 4.7 and 4.8 that addresses the corrective action process and responding to non-conformities.

2.10.2 Monitoring and Implementation of Program Changes

Any training provider that is accredited or awaiting accreditation must notify WCI of any program changes that will affect the accreditation. Changes that must be reported




include change in business structure, change in content or means of delivery of the WCI course, change in instructors, or changes initiated by WCI due to changing program requirements. E-mail or other written notification of implementation of change should be sent to WCI within 30 days of implementing the change.

Business unit changes that must be reported include change in program administrator, change in contact information, addition or deletion of a training location, and name change or other structural changes to the business model (i.e., merger with another company).

Changes to course content or delivery that must be reported include revision of course manual, addition or change in simulator equipment, removal of an instructor, change in simulator exercises or assessments, and renovation of training facility. Any change, even those that improve and enhance the WCI curriculum delivery, must be reported if it is a deviation from or an alteration of the program as approved by WCI. Addition of a new instructor or new course must first be reviewed and approved by WCI before being implementing by the training provider.

Changes to the WCI program criteria must also be implemented by the accredited training provider. Upon making a change in criteria, WCI will notify every accredited provider of the change, the timeframe within which the change must be implemented, and whether or not evidence of implementation must be provided to WCI. If evidence of implementation is required by WCI, any provider failing to supply evidence of implementation is subject to having their training program placed on Probation. Continued failure to implement requested changes and to supply evidence of implementation would result in Revocation of the accreditation.

2.10.3 Logo Usage and Other Processes

Any training provider accredited under the WCI program receives certain privileges of accreditation, including the right to promote its accreditation and to use the WCI name and logo in the promotion of the accredited course(s). All accredited training providers are responsible for appropriately representing its accreditation to its trainees and its customers, and should have processes in place to assure that all representatives of the organization (e.g., instructors, administrative and marketing staff) appropriately represent the WCI program. Failure to do so could result in revocation of accreditation. See Section 4.1.2 for more details.

2.11 Schedule of Fees

Fees include, but may not be limited to, the following:

Initial Application for Accreditation fee

Annual accreditation fee

Initial Instructor application fee

Instructor Certificate of Approval and Card of Approval

Instructor Renewal Fees

Fee for additional course that is submitted as a separate application

Written assessment fee per trainee




Audit fees—Expenses associated with the conduct of each WCI audit are to be reimbursed by the accredited training provider. Audit expenses include the auditor’s fee plus reasonable travel expenses.

Fees differ according to IADC member status.

WCI fees are published as Form WCI-06 Schedule of Fees and can be downloaded from the WCI website. Fees are periodically reviewed, with the Schedule of Fees updated as needed.

2.12 Accreditation Agreement

The applicant must sign and submit the WCI Accreditation / Audit Agreement Form (Form WCI-04). In signing and submitting this form, the authorized representative of the program agrees to certain conditions that include, but are not limited to, the following:

Accept WCI's accreditation standards and submit necessary information for participation as an accredited training provider in accordance with procedures set forth in this handbook.

Abide by the decision of the WCI as to the compliance or noncompliance of the training provider with applicable accreditation standards (subject to the right of due process appeal as defined in Section 3.6).

Follow and be controlled by all WCI operating procedures and rules.

Assure that the services it provides fully comply with the applicable accreditation standard at all times.

Submit to site visits / audits, as required, requested, or otherwise deemed necessary or desirable by WCI.

Promptly comply with any requests of WCI for necessary information if a claim of noncompliance with accreditation procedures or standard is filed against the training provider.

Reimburse WCI for any expenses associated with investigation of a complaint against the training provider, unless the claim was filed by another training provider and is found to be without merit, in which case the charging training provider shall reimburse WCI.

Reimburse WCI for expenses incurred in connection with a meritless charge that it files against another accredited training provider.

Indemnify and hold harmless WCI, et al., from all liability, loss, damages, costs, or expenses, including reasonable attorney’s fees, which may be incurred.

Note: WCI may terminate the Accreditation and Audit Agreement for causes set forth in the Agreement.

Appendix E provides a list of all forms and documents available for the applicant seeking accreditation.




Appendix A: Recommended Course for Each Position

(Commonly accepted position titles are used here. Other titles may apply for the same position.)

Company Type Positions Course Recommended

for the Position*

Well Servicing Casing running personnel, casing-crew (non-supervisory)

A

Well Servicing Downhole equipment specialists/operators A

Contractor Motorman A

Operator Office-based logistics coordination personnel and logistics supervisors

A

Operator Office-based operations geologist A

Well Servicing Other non-supervisory and non-critical drilling or intervention personnel

A

Contractor Roustabout, deck crew, and crane operators A

Well Servicing ROV personnel A

Service Well control trainers—in house or commercial (for Awareness course)

A

Well Servicing Casing crew supervisor I

Well Servicing Cementer I

Contractor Derrickman I

Contractor Dynamic positioning operator I

Contractor Floorman I

n/a Geologist (wellsite) I

Contractor MPD/UBD wellsite service personnel (non-supervisory) I

Operator OIM (for installations not primarily involved with drilling)

I

Operator Operator OIM I

Contractor Pit hand, pump man, shaker man I

Contractor Subsea engineer I

Contractor Assistant driller D





for the Position*

Contractor Barge engineer D

Contractor Captain/Master D

Well Servicing Coiled tubing driller D

Well Servicing Directional driller D

Contractor Driller (including intervention and workover drillers) D

Contractor Land contract engineers (drilling engineer [land]) D

Well Servicing Mud engineer D

Well Servicing Mud logger/wellsite drilling data engineer D

Operator Onshore monitoring crew D

Well Servicing Wireline/Slickline crews D

Operator Assistant wellsite supervisor / drilling engineer S

Operator Drilling/Intervention wellsite supervisor, superintendent, or company man (day & night)

S

Contractor MPD/UBD wellsite supervisor S

Operator Office-based drilling supervisor / superintendent (not involved with well design approval)

S

Operator Office-based intervention or workover supervisor (not involved with well design)

S

Contractor Office-based rig, drilling, or intervention manager S

Operator Office-based wellsite completions engineer/senior completions engineer

S

Contractor OIM for mobile offshore drilling and intervention units S

Contractor Rig manager (shore-based / superintendent [land]) S

Contractor Rig Superintendent Offshore (most senior offshore leader for DC, may be OIM)

S

Contractor Toolpusher (including intervention and workover toolpusher)

S

Contractor Drilling contractor wellsite engineer E

Operator Office-based drilling engineer/senior drilling engineer E





for the Position*

Operator Office-based drilling manager (first line management) E

Operator Office-based drilling supervisor / superintendent (involved with well design approval)

E

Operator Office-based intervention or workover manager E

Operator Office-based intervention/workover engineer/senior engineer

E

Service Well control specialist (e.g., Wild Well) E

* Course Codes used:

A – Awareness Course

I – Introductory course

D – Driller course

S – Supervisor course

E – Engineer course




Appendix B: Well Control Training Supplements and Extended Learning Units (ELUs)

Well Control Training Supplements:

Examples of Well Control Training Supplements for which standardized curriculum may be developed by WCI are listed below:

Supplement Well Service & Workover for Drillers

Supplement Well Service & Workover for Supervisors

Supplement Well Control Emergency Management Fundamentals

Supplement Managed Pressure Drilling Fundamentals

Supplement Underbalanced Drilling Fundamentals

Supplement High Pressure, High Temperature Wells Fundamentals

Supplement Underground Blowouts Fundamentals

Supplement Well Control with Air Drilling

Extended Learning Units (ELUs):

As a guide to potential developers of ELU’s, the WCI recommend applying the following parameters to ELU development:

One ELU credit should be equivalent to 1 hour of classroom training. A stand-alone ELU course may be valued at no less than ½ ELU credit.

ELUs can be on any well control topic, can include simulation time, and can be instructor-led or eLearning.

Individual companies may determine content and amount of ELUs their employees should take.

An ELU must have some form of measurable assessment.

Possible ELU subjects:

a. H2S

b. Kill Methods

c. Kick Detection Techniques

d. BOP Equipment

e. Well Control Calculations

f. Pit Management

g. Fingerprinting Well Behavior

h. Handling Lost Circulation




ELUs specific to equipment, rig-type, and environment may also be developed. It is expected that certain ELUs will be customer-specific and developed in conjunction with a training provider/developer.




Appendix C: Testing Protocol

Knowledge-Based Test

Training providers shall ensure that the following protocol is in place whenever a written test is conducted:

Training provider shall assist trainees to log in to testing database*

Training provider shall review testing instructions with the class.

Independent proctor will verify identity of test candidates before beginning the test. Proctors will use documents such as national ID’s, passports, driver’s license (with photograph) or other valid means.

Proctor will start all test candidates at the same time.

All tests are to be “closed book.”

Seating arrangements should ensure privacy of each candidates test questions.

In normal circumstances, only one candidate at a time should be permitted to leave the examination room while the test is in progress.

Test protocol allows the candidate to have only the following items available during the test:

Formula Sheet supplied by training provider (This may not be part of a course manual or other handout reference document.)

Blank kill sheets and blank paper (for calculation work)

Reference tables specific to the course level (e.g., weights, pipe or annular displacements/capacities, and may not be part of a course manual or other handout reference document)

Handheld calculator—Calculator should be non-programmable type and preferably supplied by training provider.

Candidates who have submitted their test and have been told their score are allowed to stay in the room and review the questions they got wrong.

All kill sheets and paperwork are to be collected by the Proctor before a candidate is to leave the room following the test.

* Some changes may be made to this protocol following “pilot” testing of the database under examination conditions.

Simulator/Live Well Assessment

Training providers shall ensure that the following protocol is in place whenever a practical skills test is conducted:

Only two candidates are allowed to be on a single simulator at a time; one to be assessed and one to assist if required.

Each candidate must complete all elements of the skills assessment without assistance from others in the room.

All assessment documentation must be based on the WCI model practical assessment guidelines.




Module 1 of the WCI model practical assessment guidelines and the kill sheet (see Module 2 of the Supervisor assessment) can be assessed and documented at a separate time before items 2, 3 and 4; this is at the discretion of the training provider. Items 2, 3 and 4 are to be carried out as a continuous assessment.

Introductory eLearning Final Test

Final testing for the Introductory eLearning is currently under discussion based on current development of the question database.




Appendix D: Proctor Approval Requirements

WCI require that written assessments be proctored by an individual who is suitable qualified for the role. Persons who serve as proctors must be preapproved by WCI before serving in the role.

Applicants for WCI Proctor must meet two basic requirements. These requirements are listed below, with requirement 2 giving optional paths to satisfying the requirement:

Independent of the well control training provider (i.e., not an employee of the training provider)

Professionalism, evidence of which can be met by one of the following five (5) options:

Professional qualification (active or retired)—someone who requires a professional qualification to perform their job; e.g. teacher, college lecturer, accountant, legal person, doctor, banker, chartered engineer, etc.

Employee of professional organization—person who works for a “professional” company; e.g. education, accountancy, legal, medicine, banking, engineering, etc.

Legal Notary or equivalent—person who is allowed to notarize official legal documents. Note: This person may work for the parent company of the WCI accredited training provider, but not work directly within the WCI training center.

Official independent testing center staff that can carry out their duties at the training provider’s premises

Independent testing center staff member where the training provider sends trainees for their final written assessment

Proctor Training Requirements

The person who would seek to be approved as a WCI Proctor must first complete the following required training.

Complete the WCI eLearning training for:

WCI proctoring procedures

Role of well control training in the oil industry

Sign document of compliance to follow WCI procedure

Be fluent in the language in which the test is to be administered

Application for Approved Proctor The application form is currently under development.




Appendix E: WCI Forms and Documents Available for Training Provider Use

WCI-01 WCI Handbook for Accreditation

WCI-02 Course Curriculums WCI-02x Curriculum Cross-Reference Tool

WCI-03 Application for Accreditation WCI-04 Accreditation/Audit Policy Agreement

WCI-05 Instructor Application

WCI-06 Schedule of Fees WCI-07 Simulator and Live Well Assessment Template

WCI-10 Application Process Flowchart WCI-12 Sample Test Questions

WCI-13 Trainee Missed Portions Policy WCI-30 Instructor Transfer Form

WCI-31 Instructor Continuing Education Credit Request

WCI-32 Instructor Conference Certificate of Attendance WCI-33 Instructor Evaluation Form

WCI-61 Site Visit Report

WCI-67 WCI Quality Statement and Comment Policy