Dynamic Drilling Displays

Abstract

Gas and oilwell drilling is a hazardous business which relies on human vigilance to detect a sudden influx of gas from the formation into the well bore, and human control activity to manage the migration of this gas bubble to the surface. The result of human error in either case can result in a blowout which can cause considerable damage to people, equipment and the environment. Human performance in such situations is limited by the harsh physical environment, variable levels of training and variable standards of instrumentation. Recently, computer displays have been introduced to present information in a more appropriate form for aiding human performance. The design of these displays appears to have had very little human factors input. This paper describes some of the ways in which computers displays can be used to reduce the probability of human error and enhance human performance in gas and oilwell drilling.