The International Well Control Forum (IWCF), the independent organisation that sets international well control standards, has appointed Sarah Lauenstein as its first regional manager (RM) for Australasia.

Based at the newly established Australia office in Brisbane, Lauenstein will be responsible for supporting the 20 accredited centres in Australia and New Zealand with driving a step change in well competency in the region.

Lauenstein has gained experience of the drilling industry in Brisbane, most recently as HR and Training manager with TDC Drilling and prior to that in various training management roles. She holds a Masters degree in HR from Griffith University and also studied at the Queensland University of Technology, both in Brisbane.

Commenting on her appointment, Lauenstein said: “With an active branch in Australia and New Zealand, I am looking forward to visiting the centres.

“The industry in Australia recognises the value of IWCF training courses but I believe we can help it engage more with the branch here. The introduction of CRM (Crew Resource

Management) and simulator based training has made significant steps to make the training less theoretical but direct input from the industry is crucial to ensure the training continues to evolve.”

Antony Quin, general manager of IWCF said: “Our new office in Brisbane is our first in Australia and we believe that it will help us provide around the clock support to our accredited centres in the region. Sarah’s experience of the drilling industry in Australia will provide valuable insight to the role as she builds up her relationships with the centres. Her understanding of well control training and vision for engaging with the industry supports our commitment to deliver a continual style of learning where we can change behaviours and make individuals feel empowered to act.”

IWCF has recently invested in new facilities at its headquarters in Montrose, UK to improve training for well control assessors and instructors.