Optimising operations, reducing human error and testing new products are just some of the ways Drilling Systems’ simulators are being used across the globe.
Drilling Systems’ simulators are continuously advancing global safety for the oil and gas industry by proving they have endless innovative uses.
Our simulators are used for:
Testing New Products
Our DrillSIM:6000 helped verify proof of concept for Safe Influx’s game-changing Automated Well Control technology.
The use of the simulator was a differentiator for the development of this technology. Dozens of tests were carried out on the DrillSIM:6000 to replicate a huge range of well conditions from extreme to normal operations and the effects monitored to look at influx flows both with and without Automated Well Control. For the simulated scenarios, the technology reduced influx size to a safe minimum up to five times faster than conventional methods.
Following considerable testing against drilling simulator, a field trial using a traditional rig demonstrated the effectiveness of the standard system, proving up the functionality under different operational requirements. The Automated Well Control has been also interfaced with a MPD system and recently tested on a rig.
Co-founder and Managing Director at Safe Influx, Bryan Atchison, said: “Well Control is a safety critical function. Many oilfield incidents have been attributable to human factors. Our technology was designed to address this main safety issue, making the well control process safer by using automation.
“The Drilling Systems’ DrillSIM:6000 was crucial in verifying proof of concept. Using widely differing variations of reservoir properties, formation pressures and mud weights in this simulator, we were able to test how Safe Influx technology worked in a range of scenarios.”
“The results from those tests were remarkable. Now we have a ground-breaking technology which enables a step change in the performance of process safety for well control, reducing well control risks and costs, preventing loss of lives and benefitting the environment.”
Visit the Safe Influx website for further information.
Research
The University of Oklahoma conducted detailed studies into drilling language and commands using real-life scenarios on a Drilling Systems’ DrillSIM:50 simulator. A team of top oil and gas professors tested reaction times to dozens of drilling commands and phrases and discovered significant differences in responses and the emergence of ‘perfect’ and ‘imperfect’ phrases.
This research could be used to help shape a new universal language for drilling.
Associate Professor at Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering, University of Oklahoma, Catalin Teodoriu, said: “In aviation there are standard phrases for all operations so it doesn’t matter what language you speak or which plane you are flying, you know exactly what the meaning of any particular command is. This provides a ‘short-hand’ for communication and eliminates the possibility of misunderstandings or mistakes being made.
“For the oilfield, this type of universal standardisation in drilling communications has never been fully implemented but our research shows it could make a huge difference to the number of human error incidents and in maximising efficiencies.”
Mitigating Risks
Drilling the Well On a Simulator (DWOS) before a campaign is successfully reducing operational risks for many of our clients.
Well management specialists, Well Expertise, is using Drilling Systems’ On-the-Rig (OTR) simulator to prepare crews before a number of drilling campaigns.
Morten Laget from Well Expertise said: “We have an exceptional record of risk management and safety is our top priority. We strive to offer our clients any solution available that helps to reduce the risk of the operation and onboard simulator training is an excellent tool to help with this.
“Having previously used Drilling Systems’ OTR for well specific training before exploration drilling for Wellesley we knew it worked well to prepare the crew and build a confident operations team.
“Following the success of recent P&A training, we now plan to roll out OTR onboard training across at least three further exploration wells, including a HPHT well in 2022.”
Reducing Human Error
Within the oil and gas sector, 92% of well control events can be attributed to human factors, however the vast majority of drilling training focusses on technical excellence.
By combining human factors training with technical training, simulators can significantly improve the performance of drilling crews and reduce human error.
One of our clients mindful of the human risk factor is Fagskolen i Hordaland, which is located in Bergen city centre. Fagskolen has trained hundreds of students and oil and gas industry professionals in drilling and well control operations at its bespoke simulator facility.
Jørgen Eriksen, head of petroleum at Fagskolen, said: “Following a number of high-profile well control event on the Norwegian continental shelf over the past few years, the focus on crew training and the human risk factor is becoming increasingly important for operators and contractors. We have heavily invested in our simulator facility to ensure workers in the oil and gas industry are trained to the highest possible standards and are fully competent to cope with the challenges of working in the field.”