Don’t look down! AIS Survivex gets rare insight into life onboard a decommissioning rig
316 feet high. 4,000 tonnes of steel. Over 100 persons on board.
The Well-Safe Defender is a floating city for 110 energy workers and is currently moored quayside at the Port of Cromarty Firth in Invergordon.
The AIS Survivex team got a rare opportunity to visit the Well-Safe Defender and see offshore life on a bespoke well plug and abandonment rig up-close thanks to our well decommissioning client, Well-Safe Solutions.
Key members of our operations, sales and marketing teams visited the Well-Safe Defender semi-
submersible rig to get an insight into how training translates in the field.
In a past life, the Well-Safe Defender was used to drill for North Sea oil. Since being taken into Well-Safe Solutions ownership in summer 2022, the Well-Safe Defender has been converted to play a part in the energy transition as a bespoke well decommissioning asset.
The rig is currently undergoing a host of efficiency enhancements ahead of its mobilisation this month for a well plug and abandonment (P&A) campaign with Spirit Energy on the Trees and Chestnut fields.
This trip was also a great opportunity to put faces to names and strengthen our business relationships with key Well-Safe Solutions contacts.
AIS Survivex has been delivering and managing all training for Well-Safe Solutions since 2019 under a Training Management Service (TMS) contract and is currently carrying out a range of training to prepare the Well-Safe Defender’s crew for its forthcoming campaign.
Visiting the Well-Safe Defender offered a unique chance to sample life onboard, see training in action and learn first-hand about the challenges clients in oil and gas decommissioning face.
Linzi Ryan, Head of Marketing at AIS Survivex, said:
“None of us had ever been onboard a rig before so this was potentially a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to experience first-hand the kind of environment that lots of our delegates get to see every day at work. It’s quite a departure from sitting at a desk all day!
“The thing that really struck me was the scale of everything – although I’ve seen thousands of images of rigs, being onboard a real one was gob-smacking and really helped me better understand the offshore experience.
“We were given a guided tour by the OIM and got access to all areas of the rig including the helideck, drill floor, accommodation quarters and the control room, as well as being treated to lunch in the galley.
‘What’s the food like offshore?’ is a common question asked by our delegates and now I have first-hand knowledge… A full roast at 11AM on a Thursday? Sign me up!
“It was really interesting to see the drill floor as it looked just like the view on the simulators we use for drilling and well control training. This brought home to me the realism of our training and how important that is."
“During the visit, we also watched our instructor delivering onboard Working at Height and Confined Space training to some of the crew.
"For clients short on time or those who require entire teams training together, onboard training like this is extremely effective.
"Delegates can use the exact equipment, company procedures and environment they’ll be working with, so easily relate to the training and focus on the course content.
"This, teamed with the fact that onboard training is done during work-time, means delegates tend to be very engaged in the entire process.
“Seeing and experiencing life on a well decommissioning rig was an incredible experience and really hammers home to me the importance of health and safety training and what we do at AIS Survivex.
"I would like to thank Well-Safe Solutions for giving us this unforgettable experience and wish the Well- Safe Defender crew all the best in their upcoming campaign.”
Claire Adams, Training and Competency Advisor at Well-Safe Solutions, said:
“With over 360 staff working for Well-Safe Solutions, we are focused on safe, smart and efficient delivery of well plug and abandonment – and all of this begins with effective training.
“AIS Survivex have supported Well-Safe Solutions on multiple occasions by providing multi-skilled trainers to provide rig-based training on all our assets as part of our rig readiness plans.
“Two AIS Survivex multi-skilled trainers were delivering a suite of courses to our crew onboard the rig to enhance personnel and team compliance against our matrix.
“The input of the AIS Survivex trainers is paramount in ensuring the relevant Well-Safe Solutions personnel held the correct training certification to ensure operational compliance prior to the rig mobilising for its upcoming P&A campaign with Spirit Energy.
“Collaborative working is key to our success and a safety-first mentality is critical for offshore workers.
"Thank you to AIS Survivex for helping to ensure that Well-Safe Solutions personnel are the amongst the best trained in the North Sea.”
The Well-Safe Defender leaves Invergordon in the spring and will decommission 14 wells as part of its P&A campaign.
Want to learn more about Onboard Training?
Download our brochure or contact us directly on 0330 202 0569 / email training@ais-survivex.com to begin your journey to a safer, smarter and more efficient workforce.
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