Client: International drilling contractor
Location: UK/Norway
Challenge: Undertake a comprehensive rig audit for the client to use as part of tender for an HPHT well contract, and ensure that the rig met the HPHT safety cases for both UK and Norwegian waters.
Solution: Building on our previous experience with the client, and their proactive approach to sharing learnings across their fleet, we were able to deliver this MCOSP-P17 HPHT Safety Case highly efficiently.
Aberdeen Drilling School had worked with this particular contractor – an international specialist in harsh environment drilling in medium or deep waters. Over a number of years to ensure that its fleet of 5th and 6th generation floaters all conform to the voluntary MCOSP-P17 HPHT safety standard as well as the offshore regulatory requirements for offshore operations in the UK and Norway.
We were asked to compile a MCOSP-P17 Safety Case for the only rig in the client’s fleet which Aberdeen Drilling School had not previously audited for compliance. Because the rig was working in the Norwegian water, and tendering for work in the UK, the client believed that using an independent 3rd party to audit the rig for voluntary compliance with the high MCOSP-P17 safety requirements for HPHT operations was an excellent way to support market cross-overs.
On this project, one of our Well Engineers rotated offshore in Norway to the rig in order to perform the equipment audit. Working with the OIM and the Toolpusher, our engineer made a comprehensive audit of the rig’s systems and equipment, including all management systems, processes and procedures in place for delivering safe and efficient HPHT well operations. Back onshore, our engineering completed a gap analysis of our client’s corporate policies, processes and procedures, including their document control and learning management systems.
Having worked with this international drilling contractor on a number of previous MCOSP-P17 Safety Cases, we’re delighted to report that this audit and subsequent analysis highlighted no major or minor gaps for the cross-border HPHT operations the client was tendering for.
It is clear that this client has been on a strong learning curve as part of the voluntary adoption of the high MCoSP-P17 requirements for HPHT operations. This is evidenced by the proactive approach adopted by the clients onshore support teams and the offshore rig crews in addressing identified HPHT-specific risks, putting barriers and mitigations in place for each.
Perhaps more importantly, our client has also ensured that any learnings made on one rig have been communicated across the fleet to ensure that appropriate procedures and processes are already in place to meet the demanding standards of the voluntary model code of safe practice.
“It was a pleasure to work with our longstanding client on this project. Feedback from the focal point was extremely positive with particular high praise for communication throughout and they were delighted with the end result” – Wes Valyo, BD Manager Europe, Aberdeen Drilling School