A contract with the International Association of Drilling Contractors (IADC) to enhance IADC’s existing system of competence for the drilling community was awarded to Petrofac through Petrofac Training Services (PTS).

In addition to generic rig positions, the new project will identify knowledge, skills and abilities (KSA) for highly specialized occupations, such as subsea engineers, as well as create formal evaluation process guidelines based on the KSA position requirements.

IADC developed the original KSAs and released them initially in 2000. Those first KSAs represented the basic skills and knowledge necessary for competence for 12 rig positions. In addition to job-specific KSAs, the IADC Training Committee also developed a general KSA focused on health, safety and environmental issues.

The KSAs will help to clarify job roles and responsibilities and identify development opportunities to close any KSA gaps that may arise from the evaluation process. The resulting increase in competence levels should minimize risks from human error, helping to achieve safer, more efficient and environmentally sound drilling operations globally. 

The scope of work will be completed in a phased approach. It will begin with the identification of KSAs and the evaluation guidelines for safety-critical positions with well control responsibilities. The program will then address the remaining non-safety-critical positions.

“The revamped KSAs will provide the industry with a benchmark for globally consistent drilling position requirements, as well as recommend means for effectively evaluating personnel,” said Stephen Colville, IADC president and CEO. “It will also help personnel identify areas where further training and development are needed and point them to resources to help close those gaps."