Plug and abandonment is becoming one of the oil and gas industry’s most important operational challenges.
Texas alone has more than 150,000 inactive wells. At the same time, plugging requirements are receiving greater attention, significant state and federal funding is accelerating activity, and operators are facing growing expectations around how wells are retired.
To help address that need, EWTC has developed a new Plug and Abandonment (P&A) course through SecureWell in partnership with RelyOn.
Last week, industry subject matter experts participated in a beta session of the course, reviewing the curriculum and providing feedback ahead of its launch. The session gave participants an opportunity to work through the material, identify areas that needed clarification and help ensure the course reflects the technical and operational realities of P&A work.
The two-day course covers the major considerations involved in planning and executing P&A operations, including federal and state regulatory requirements, well decommissioning and documentation, permanent barrier design and placement, barrier verification, well complexity and contingency planning, operational risks such as gas migration and aging infrastructure, and emerging P&A technologies.
EWTC will highlight the new P&A course at the State of Energy Services Conference on October 1 at the Bush Convention Center in Midland. The conference will include a dedicated P&A panel as part of the afternoon technical program, along with discussions on other SecureWell initiatives and technical issues facing the energy services sector.
The P&A course is part of EWTC’s broader effort to expand SecureWell with technical training developed in partnership with the people doing the work. As industry needs continue to change, EWTC will continue building courses and credentials that give members practical tools to prepare their workforce for the work ahead.
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