Well control is a set of procedures to control conditions around a well with the aim of gaining useful substances by protecting environmental health and worker safety. Petroleum and Exploration, Exploration and Related Businesses must comply with regional law on well control, including providing information on the procedures they use for inspectors. Inspectors can evaluate an asset at any time in surprise visits, as well as periodic inspections of a program.
There are two separate components for good control: active and passive measures. Active measures involve well-tracking conditions and adjustments to equipment, while passive measures require the use of static equipment such as blowout preventer to avoid emergency situations. It can help imagine a petroleum well like a car. If the oil company is the driver, active measures are activities such as adjusting vehicle acceleration, while passive measures are things like seat belts to keep the driver crashing through the window in case of an accident.
Before starting the drilling companies, it maps the geological formations of the area carefully and develops a plan of control and with the assistance of engineers. During the exploration procedures, these engineers control the pressure levels in the well and take samples to check for problems such as soil or deposits of unstable dangerous materials. As the oil company establishes a permanent well, designers have adequate control systems as well as pressure monitors and pressure control valves. They also have to install passive measures.
Engineers can track wells on site, as well as track them offsite, using remote data transmission. Control systems usually play alarms in emergency situations as dangerously high pressure or uncontrolled release of materials, alerting workers so they can respond and correct the situation. In the case of an outbreak, where a well begins to release oil and gas into the environment, the response usually includes fire fighting teams along with special hazardous materials to get under control and clean up the area.
A government body is usually responsible for the standard definition of good control and to enforce them, with the use of controls, awareness and education. These agencies maintain security statistics, and regularly evaluate to identify emerging industry trends and areas of interest. Companies with poor security records may have their oil and gas leases canceled or suspended until they can develop a plan to reform security procedures. They may also incur fines for pollution or health and safety at work.
