Norwell seeks training EDGE with upstream e-learning

Its Norwell EDGE platform has taken five years to develop at a cost of £0.4 million and recently went public following a BETA-testing pilot that involved more than 1,000 testers in 45 countries over a six-week period.

Co-founder Mike Adams (pictured), said: “We have seen first-hand the challenges operators around the globe are facing through a lack of competent and well trained workforces.

“In the current situation there are a lot of specialists, all of whom have completed their own specialist courses and health and safety training but very few understand what the other is doing – that can have dangerous consequences as we saw with Deepwater Horizon.”

We have seen first-hand the challenges operators around the globe are facing through a lack of competent and well trained workforces

Mike Adams, co-founder, Norwell EDGE

He said that, although the industry had spent a lot of time “discussing what needs to be done and introducing new guidelines, we have seen very little change on the ground”.

“Upstream training is still too expensive and only open to a lucky few. We felt it was time to step up and deliver something that will make a real difference.”

Norwell said its pricing was intended to be affordable to individuals as well as companies – monthly individual charges are $19 with contract-free subscription.

Rossini Silveira, SPE Uganda treasurer and lecturer in Petroleum Studies at Makerere University and petroleum engineer in Kampala, said: “As a petroleum engineer with near 30 years’ experience across the globe, I am exasperated by the disparity in the level of training available to oil and gas professionals, especially in under-developed countries where both local training and travel opportunities are limited.

“[Now we have] training that is not limited to employer directives and training that is always up to date.”