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Oil and Gas Drilling Rig Operations and Well Control Risk Assessment

Oil and Gas Drilling Rig Operations and Well Control Risk Assessment

  • • 100% Compliant with Australian WHS Acts & Regulations
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Oil and Gas Drilling Rig Operations and Well Control Risk Assessment

Product Overview

Identify and control organisational risks associated with Oil and Gas Drilling Rig Operations and Well Control through a structured, management-level WHS Risk Management framework. This Risk Assessment supports compliance with the WHS Act, demonstrates Due Diligence, and helps protect your business from operational and legal liability across complex well operations.

Risk Categories & Hazards Covered

This document assesses risks and outlines management controls for:

  • Governance, WHS Duties and Contractor Management: Assessment of PCBU obligations, officer due diligence, contractor selection, interface agreements, and oversight of third-party drilling and well services providers.
  • Safety Management System for Well Operations: Management of policies, procedures, well operations manuals, management of change, and document control specific to drilling and well control activities.
  • Well Design, Planning and Engineering Verification: Evaluation of well design standards, casing and cementing programs, barrier schematics, independent verification, and design risk reviews prior to drilling.
  • Well Control Philosophy, Barriers and Emergency Response: Assessment of primary and secondary well control strategies, barrier integrity management, kick detection systems, and escalation and response protocols for loss of well control.
  • Blowout Preventer (BOP) Systems and Pressure Control Equipment: Management of BOP configuration, testing regimes, certification, maintenance, pressure control equipment selection, and compliance with OEM and regulatory requirements.
  • Rig Structural Integrity, Derrick Operations and Hoisting Systems: Evaluation of rig design limits, structural inspections, derrick and substructure integrity, drawworks, hoisting systems, and safe load management for drilling operations.
  • Plant, Equipment Maintenance and Integrity Management: Systems for planned maintenance, inspection, defect reporting, and lifecycle management of critical drilling, rotating and pressure-containing equipment.
  • Coil Tubing, Slickline, Wireline and Logging Operations: Management of specialist well intervention activities, equipment interfaces, pressure control heads, and coordination with rig and well control systems.
  • Production Flowback, Frac Tanks and Water Injection Management: Assessment of flowback handling, temporary pipework, tank integrity, pressure control, and produced fluids management during testing and stimulation.
  • Training, Competency and Well Control Certification: Protocols for competency frameworks, well control accreditation, refresher training, drills, and verification of competency for key well operations roles.
  • Fatigue, Rostering and Remote Operations Management: Management of remote and extended operations, roster design, fatigue risk controls, accommodation standards, and supervision of isolated workforces.
  • Permit to Work, Isolation and Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS): Assessment of PTW systems, energy isolation, lock-out/tag-out, and coordination of drilling, production, and construction activities during SIMOPS.
  • Emergency Preparedness, Incident Management and Recovery: Planning for emergency scenarios, incident command structures, blowout and major accident response, business continuity, and recovery arrangements.
  • Hazardous Substances, Pressure, Fire and Explosion Risk Management: Management of flammable and hazardous chemicals, high-pressure systems, ignition source control, fire and explosion protection, and hazardous area classification.
  • Environmental Protection and Waste Management for Well Operations: Controls for spills, produced water, drilling fluids and cuttings, air emissions, noise, and waste management in line with environmental approvals.

Who is this for?

This Risk Assessment is designed for Business Owners, Operators, Drilling Contractors, Well Engineers, and Safety Managers responsible for planning, governing and auditing Oil and Gas Drilling Rig Operations and Well Control activities.

Hazards & Risks Covered

Hazard Risk Description
1. Governance, WHS Duties and Contractor Management
  • • Unclear allocation of WHS duties between operator, drilling contractor, and specialist service providers (coil tubing, slickline, wireline, frac, flowback, water injection)
  • • Inadequate WHS governance structure for multi‑contractor drilling and well operations
  • • Failure to establish and maintain consultation, co‑operation and co‑ordination arrangements as required under WHS Act 2011
  • • Conflicting commercial pressures leading to unsafe decisions (e.g. rushing well control operations, deferring maintenance on BOP or frac tanks)
  • • Inadequate pre‑qualification and selection of contractors for critical well control and pressure control services
  • • Poor integration of specialist services (wireline perforating, slickline, coil tubing, logging) into the operator’s WHS management system
2. Safety Management System and Procedures for Well Operations
  • • Incomplete or outdated safety management system (SMS) for drilling and well operations
  • • Procedures not aligned with current legislation, codes of practice, and industry standards (e.g. API, ISO, NOPSEMA guidance where applicable)
  • • Lack of integrated procedures covering complex well activities (wireline perforating, coil tubing, slickline, logging, production flowback, water injection, casing removal)
  • • Inconsistent use of management of change (MOC) for deviations from drilling program or well control procedures
  • • Failure to embed lessons learned from previous incidents and near misses into procedures
  • • Overly generic procedures that do not address site‑specific and well‑specific risks (high pressure / high temperature, sour gas, unusual geology)
3. Well Design, Planning and Engineering Verification
  • • Inadequate well design not suited to pressure, temperature, formation and production characteristics
  • • Insufficient engineering assessment for high‑pressure, sour gas or complex wells (including water injection and multi‑zone production)
  • • Poor integration of coil tubing, wireline perforating, slickline and logging requirements into well design and completion programmes
  • • Insufficient verification of casing design, cementing program and barrier philosophy before installation of surface casing and further drilling
  • • Lack of independent technical review of well plans and well control strategies
  • • Well design changes made under time pressure without structured engineering risk assessment
4. Well Control Philosophy, Barriers and Emergency Response
  • • Inadequate well control strategy for planned drilling, completion, intervention and workover activities
  • • Unclear definition and monitoring of well barriers during operations (drilling, surface casing installation, perforating, coil tubing, slickline, logging, flowback)
  • • Delayed detection of influx or losses due to poor monitoring systems or unclear responsibilities
  • • Poorly defined well control escalation and communication protocols, especially during night shifts or remote operations
  • • Insufficient planning for well control emergencies, including relief well, capping and kill options
  • • Inadequate integration of well control plans with site emergency response plan and off‑site support
5. Blowout Preventer (BOP) Systems and Pressure Control Equipment
  • • Inadequate specification, certification or maintenance of BOP stacks and associated control systems
  • • Improperly planned or executed BOP testing regimes (frequency, pressures, sequences, documentation)
  • • Failures in annulars, rams, control pods, choke and kill lines due to poor maintenance systems
  • • Lack of clear ownership for critical pressure control equipment used by service companies (wireline, slickline, coil tubing, pressure control heads, lubricators, pack‑offs)
  • • Use of incompatible or out‑of‑date pressure control equipment during wireline perforating or logging operations
  • • Inadequate segregation of high‑pressure zones from personnel areas during testing and operations
6. Rig Structural Integrity, Derrick Operations and Hoisting Systems
  • • Structural failure of derrick or mast due to overloading, corrosion or inadequate inspection
  • • Failure of hoisting and handling systems (drawworks, crown, travelling block, top drive, catwalks) affecting well drilling and casing operations
  • • Uncontrolled loads during derrick operations, wireline logging, slickline and coil tubing interventions
  • • Inadequate control of simultaneous lifting operations with cranes, gin poles and rig hoisting equipment
  • • Poor design and layout of derrick platforms affecting access and emergency egress
  • • Insufficient inspection and maintenance regime for derrick and hoisting systems
7. Plant, Equipment Maintenance and Integrity Management
  • • Systemic failures in preventive maintenance for drilling plant, frac tanks, pumps, generators and water injection equipment
  • • Unmanaged degradation of critical safety systems (emergency shutdown systems, fire and gas detection, pressure relief devices)
  • • Inaccurate or incomplete equipment registers for key well control and pressure‑containing components
  • • Maintenance deferrals driven by schedule or budget constraints without formal risk assessment
  • • Inadequate management of temporary equipment used during production flowback, water injection, wireline and coil tubing operations
  • • Poor control of isolations and return‑to‑service after maintenance
8. Management of Coil Tubing, Slickline, Wireline and Logging Operations
  • • Inadequate integration of coil tubing, slickline, wireline perforating and logging operations into rig and well control systems
  • • Misalignment between service company procedures and operator well control and barrier requirements
  • • Uncontrolled changes to downhole tools, perforating programmes or logging sequences without risk assessment
  • • Incompatible or incorrectly rated surface pressure control equipment for intervention operations
  • • Poor communication and SIMOPS management when conducting interventions during production flowback or water injection
  • • Insufficient control of explosive tools and radioactive sources during wireline perforating and logging
9. Production Flowback, Frac Tanks and Water Injection Management
  • • Overpressure, leaks or structural failure of frac tanks, flowback lines and associated equipment
  • • Inadequate layout and containment for flowback and water injection equipment leading to spills and exposures
  • • Poorly controlled changes in flowback rates, pressures or chemical composition affecting well integrity
  • • Inadequate separation and treatment of produced fluids, leading to environmental releases or fire/explosion risks
  • • Lack of clear process control and monitoring for water injection operations, including injection pressures and volumes
  • • Unclear ownership and maintenance responsibility for frac tanks and temporary flowback equipment supplied by contractors
10. Training, Competency and Well Control Certification
  • • Insufficient competency of drillers, toolpushers, company representatives and service supervisors in well control and critical operations
  • • Lack of formal competency assessment for personnel involved in coil tubing, slickline, wireline perforating, logging and flowback control
  • • Out‑of‑date well control certification or inadequate training content for emerging technologies and hazards
  • • Over‑reliance on experience without verification of current skills and knowledge
  • • Inadequate induction and familiarisation for new starters or contractor personnel on site‑specific hazards and systems
  • • Insufficient leadership training for supervisors on managing safety and production pressures
11. Fatigue, Rostering and Remote Operations Management
  • • Excessive working hours and poor rostering practices leading to fatigue‑related errors in well control and critical decision‑making
  • • Inadequate monitoring of fatigue for personnel working extended rosters in remote locations
  • • Insufficient controls for night‑time operations, including staffing, supervision and technical support availability
  • • Pressure to continue operations despite adverse weather, access limitations or reduced crew competency due to illness
  • • Psychological stress and reduced wellbeing for remote workers, impacting safety culture and performance
12. Permit to Work, Isolation and Simultaneous Operations (SIMOPS)
  • • Uncontrolled simultaneous operations (drilling, interventions, flowback, water injection, maintenance) causing loss of barriers or conflicts
  • • Poorly managed permit to work (PTW) system leading to conflicting high‑risk activities
  • • Inadequate isolation and verification of energy sources before intrusive work on pressure systems
  • • Failure to recognise interactions between contractor activities and well control systems
  • • Paper‑based or fragmented PTW records that do not provide real‑time view of site activities
13. Emergency Preparedness, Incident Management and Recovery
  • • Inadequate preparedness for major incidents such as blowouts, fires, explosions, toxic releases or structural collapse
  • • Poorly defined roles and responsibilities in emergency response teams for onshore and offshore drilling operations
  • • Insufficient coordination with external emergency services and regulators
  • • Lack of realistic emergency exercises addressing well control loss during drilling, interventions or flowback
  • • Weak systems for post‑incident investigation, learning and organisational change
14. Hazardous Substances, Pressure, Fire and Explosion Risk Management
  • • Uncontrolled release of hydrocarbons, chemicals or produced fluids during drilling, flowback or interventions
  • • Inadequate management of flammable atmospheres around rig floor, flowback and frac tank areas
  • • Poor chemical management for drilling fluids, stimulation fluids and water injection chemicals
  • • Inadequate hazardous area classification and control of ignition sources, including non‑rated equipment
  • • Insufficient process safety focus on high‑pressure systems beyond personal safety considerations
15. Environmental Protection and Waste Management for Well Operations
  • • Unplanned release of drilling fluids, produced water, hydrocarbons or chemicals to land or water
  • • Inadequate management of drilling cuttings, flowback fluids and water injection by‑products
  • • Insufficient containment and drainage systems around rig, flowback and injection areas
  • • Non‑compliance with environmental approvals and licence conditions for drilling and production operations
  • • Failure to consider environmental risks in planning of casing removal, well abandonment and site rehabilitation

Need to add specific hazards for your workplace?

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Legislation & References

This document was researched and developed to align with:

  • Work Health and Safety Act 2011
  • Work Health and Safety Regulations 2017
  • AS/NZS ISO 31000:2018: Risk management — Guidelines
  • AS/NZS 4801 / ISO 45001: Occupational health and safety management systems — Requirements with guidance for use.
  • AS/NZS ISO 9001: Quality management systems — Requirements, supporting controlled procedures for well operations.
  • AS/NZS 60079 Series: Explosive atmospheres — Requirements for equipment and systems used in hazardous areas on drilling rigs.
  • AS 2865: Confined spaces — Guidance for managing confined space hazards on drilling and production facilities.
  • AS 1940: The storage and handling of flammable and combustible liquids — Applicable to fuel, chemical and fluid storage on rigs and well sites.
  • AS 3788: Pressure equipment — In-service inspection — Supporting inspection regimes for BOPs, pressure vessels and associated plant.
  • AS 1657: Fixed platforms, walkways, stairways and ladders — Design and construction for rig access and egress.
  • Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) legislation and relevant State/Territory petroleum safety regulations: For well integrity, well control and major accident event prevention requirements.
Standard Risk Assessment Features (Click to Expand)
  • Comprehensive hazard identification for all activities
  • Risk rating matrix with likelihood and consequence analysis
  • Existing control measures evaluation
  • Residual risk assessment after controls
  • Hierarchy of controls recommendations
  • Action priority rankings
  • Review and monitoring requirements
  • Consultation and communication records
  • Legal compliance references
  • Sign-off and approval sections

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