MEMO
Date:
To:
From:
Re:
June 25, 2015
MDS Clients
Bill Murchison
IWCF and IADC Certification
The IWCF and the IADC have made significant changes to their well control programs. Many of
these changes were driven by a document from the Oil and Gas Producers (OGP) known as the
OGP 476. The IWCF new regulations took effect on August 31, 2014. The IADC WellSHARP,
which replaced the IADC WellCAP, took effect on April 1, 2015.
As an example of a change, there are now five different levels of well control. They are designed
to be progressive in nature. The IWCF and IADC are both following the recommendations of the
OGP 476, but their specific interpretations and requirements are slightly different.
When IWCF candidates enroll in a Level 4 Well Control (Supervisor) course, they will be
required to have a current Level 3 (Driller) or Level 4 well control certification. If they have
never been to a well control course, they will have to go to a Level 2 (Introductory) course and a
Level 3 course prior to enrolling in the Level 4 course. For IADC, only drilling contractor
personnel will need to have Level 3 certification before obtaining Level 4. There are no
prerequisites for non-contractor personnel.
In July, IWCF will be introducing the new FORUM. This web-based system will handle many
of the administrative aspects of registering students with the IWCF. Prior to starting a class,
students will be asked to create an IWCF account on FORUM with all their information (i.e.
information currently submitted through a CPIF form). If students are unable to create this
account for themselves, then their training coordinators will need to handle this responsibility on
their behalf. Students will be able to view their training and qualification records on file with
their FORUM account. A training guide for the new FORUM will be issued to help everyone
navigate through this new system.
With the new IADC WellSHARP, students will take the test online on the last day of the course.
Test questions will be generated from an IADC pool of questions. There will also be an IADC
proctor in the classroom to administer testing. With the old IADC WellCAP, tests were
generated by each well control training school, and were approved by the IADC. Tests were
administered by the training provider, and no outside proctor was required.
Our Operational Drilling Technology (ODT) course is a Level 4 course, so everyone enrolling
for IWCF certification will need to have prior well control certification at Level 3 or above to
enter the course. Since the ODT is on the training matrix of many companies, they will need to
revise their training matrix and schedule other well control classes prior to their attending the
ODT class.
International Well Control Forum
Inchbraoch House
South Quay
Montrose
Angus DD10 9UA
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44-1674-678120
Fax: +44-1674-678125
E-mail: admin@iwcf.org
http://www.iwcf.org
Our ref: IN-2014-04
21st March 2014
Information Notice No. 2014-04
Guidance for Progression through Levels 2-4
Dear Member,
Following previous communication in Information Notice 2013-09 ‘Timescale for
Implementation of OGP 476 Recommendations’, IWCF would like to remind you that the
implementation date for progression through levels 2-4 will be 31st August 2014.
Training centres will be expected to ensure candidates booking on courses commencing 1st
September 2014, meet the new criteria for the required level of training.
For guidance on candidate eligibility please see the attached flowchart. Should you have any
queries please contact testsessions@iwcf.org for clarification.
Yours sincerely
David Price
Chief Executive Officer
ANSI-RAB Certificate No. 11341/1
RvA Netherlands Certificate No. 11341/2
IWCF is a non-profit association (Stichting), registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, The Hague, No. 41157732
V1 – March 2014
IWCF-QA-PL2-4-FC-V2– IWCF Progression Levels 2 to 4 flow chart
Printed copies are UNCONTROLLED: It is the user’s responsibility to verify printed material against the controlled document
ISO 9001: 2008
Page 1 of 1
Minimum 10 days booking procedure applies for all courses.
Current re-sit
rules apply
Note 2 -
No
Certain job roles are exempt from the practical assessment associated with Level 3 training e.g. Engineer. Exempt candidates must take a knowledge test at an IWCF accredited test centre at Level 3
before progressing to Level 4.
Pass
LEVEL 4
See note 2
No
Current re-sit
rules apply
Current re-sit
rules apply
See note 2
Yes
Pass
LEVEL 3
Yes
No
Dispensation where candidate
has undergone industry accepted
vocational training
Note 1 -
Dispensation given where a candidate has
successfully completed an appropriate inhouse graduate training programme
(See Note 1, for alternative
path to Level 4)
Pass
LEVEL 2
NEW
CANDIDATE
Progression through Levels 2 to 4 of IWCF Well Control Training
Yes
Is the
candidate eligible
to do Level 4
Certification?
(See Note 3)
(See Note 3)
No
Yes
Yes
Yes
Is the
Certificate Level 4, Old
Drilling Supervisor Level
or Old Level 2 WI?
No
Is the
Certificate Level 3 Old Driller Level
or Old Level 1 WI?
No
Is the
Certificate Level 2 or
Old Introductory Level?
No
Is the
Certificate
more than 24 months
beyond Expiry ?
IWCF-QA-PL2-4-FC-V2– IWCF Progression Levels 2 to 4 low chart
Printed copies are UNCONTROLLED: It is the user’s responsibility to verify printed material against the controlled document
ISO 9001: 2008
Page 1 of 1
Candidates who have a critical role in well control e.g. Driller or Wireline Operator are recommended to undertake Level 3 training. If level 4 (supervisory) training is requested it is
expected that the employer does so after undertaking a rigorous risk assessment and ensuring that sufficient role based training is being performed and documented to ensure that the
candidate has the required competence in their critical role. Only candidates with a supervisory role are expected (recommended) to undertake Level 4 training.
V1 – March 2014
Note 3 -
LEVEL 4
LEVEL 3
LEVEL 2 or 3
LEVEL 2
Yes
CANDIDATES
WITH PRIOR WELL
CONTROL CERTIFICATION
(IWCF or IADC/ WCI)
Progression through Levels 2 to 4 of IWCF Well Control Training
International Well Control Forum
Inchbraoch House
South Quay
Montrose
Angus DD10 9UA
United Kingdom
Telephone: +44-1674-678120
Fax: +44-1674-678125
E-mail: admin@iwcf.org
http://www.iwcf.org
Our ref: IN-2014-07
30th May 2014
Information Notice No. 2014-07
Requests for Dispensation
Dear Member,
Following previous communication in Information Notice 2014-04 ‘Guidance for Progression
through levels 2-4’, IWCF would like to communicate the following information.
It is anticipated that the majority of candidates will follow the progression from level 2 to level
3 to level 4.
Important points to note are;
1. Those candidates who already hold a certificate will not be required to undertake any
lower level but may repeat the same level or progress to the next level up
(Information Notice 2014 -04).
2. Levels 1 and 5 are not part of the progression.
In certain specific circumstances IWCF may grant dispensation to miss a level. This
dispensation will apply to;
1. National vocational training programmes – where candidates may attend level 3
without obtaining a level 2 certificate.
2. Documented graduate training programmes where a candidate may progress directly
from level 2 to level 4.
Note that dispensation will not be given on a candidate by candidate basis, but to candidates
who provide evidence that they have completed one of the two options above. The
programme must have been pre-approved by IWCF.
National vocational training programme
In this case the candidate must provide evidence that they have progressed through a
recognised National Vocational training programme during which they have covered all parts
of the level 2 syllabus.
An example of such a vocational training programme is that available in Norway.
ANSI-RAB Certificate No. 11341/1
RvA Netherlands Certificate No. 11341/2
IWCF is a non-profit association (Stichting), registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, The Hague, No. 41157732
International Well Control Forum
Graduate training programmes
This will apply when a graduate has successfully undertaken a level 2 course and then
completes a training programme which adequately covers the level 3 syllabus.
Examples of such programmes would be those held in-house by Shell (Round 1 and 2), BP,
Schlumberger, Total and other operators and service providers.
Dispensation will only be granted where details of the programme have been submitted to
IWCF by the company concerned and pre-approved.
Employers will be expected to submit a documented training programme, example
certificates and a contact for certificate verification. While IWCF will consider requests for
dispensation, the employer will be considered responsible for ensuring the competency of
the employee for the specific role and prove that they have covered and successfully
demonstrated the contents of the IWCF syllabus for the appropriate level. IWCF will review
course submissions on a case by case basis to ensure adequate coverage of the IWCF
syllabus.
IWCF will ask for a certificate or proof of attendance for any vocational training or Graduate
programme that has been indicated at registration.
If you have clients who are likely to request dispensation for their employees, we would
appreciate that you communicate this message to them.
If you have any questions please contact the IWCF head office for guidance.
Yours sincerely
David Price
Chief Executive Officer
ANSI-RAB Certificate No. 11341/1
RvA Netherlands Certificate No. 11341/2
IWCF is a non-profit association (Stichting), registered at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce, The Hague, No. 41157732