Prepared and ready for well control emergency response

Analyzing the evolution of relief wells, from an option of last resort to a first line solution, reveals how the increases in accuracy and dependability allow these high-precision wells to be used as a tool that can reduce operational risk.

"Safety first” is more than a mantra in the oil and gas industry; it is a fundamental necessity in a business that is intensely scrutinized from all angles. Protecting people, property, and the environment is integral to having a license to operate, and nothing is more important than getting personnel safely on and off the wellsite and home to their families at the end of the day.

Since the 2010 Macondo disaster in the US Gulf of Mexico, detailed emergency response planning and access to purpose-built subsea response equipment became the norm to ensure industry readiness in case another deepwater drilling incident should occur.

Predicting sand erosion, using computer simulation, and exploring ways in which the reliability of the predictions has been enhanced, leading to safer, more efficient operations by Alistair Gill.