Meet our training experts

Chuma is a certified IWCF and IADC WellSharp well control instructor who works with Well Academy to deliver training to oil and gas professionals. With 35 years of experience in drilling operations, he has worked on land rigs, jack-ups and semi-submersibles in a wide range of roles – from roustabout to rig manager, well control instructor, drilling engineer and drilling supervisor. Chuma holds a BS degree from the University of Benin in Nigeria and a Master of Engineering from the University of Calgary in Canada. He is also a certified project management professional (PMP) and member of the project management institute (PMI), bringing a unique blend of technical, operational and project leadership expertise to his training delivery.

Gordon is a certified IADC instructor who works with Well Academy in the US. He holds a BS in Petroleum Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and brings over 40 years of global operational experience. Gordon has worked as a drilling engineer, senior drilling engineer supervisor and specialist, as well as a drilling manager. His expertise includes HPHT drilling, MPD operations, desert and offshore drilling, workovers, exploratory drilling and research and development. He has worked on land rigs, jack-ups, semi-submersibles and drill ships. Gordon is a registered Petroleum Engineer and is a certified IADC Supervisor (Level 4) combined surface/subsea well control instructor.

John is a drilling and well control instructor who works with Well Academy to deliver IADC WellSharp and IWCF accredited programmes. He holds a Petroleum Engineering degree from the University of Kansas and brings over 40 years of global operational experience. John has worked as a field drilling engineer for deepwater and jack-ups, drill site manager, production supervisor and well control instructor for a major oil company. His experience spans land rigs, jack-ups and drill ships. 

Willie is a drilling and well control instructor who has been working with Well Academy since 2009 to deliver IADC WellSharp IWCF accredited programmes. He holds a Petroleum Engineering degree from Texas A&M and brings over 45 years of global experience in drilling operations. Throughout his career, Willie has worked as a production engineer, drilling engineer, manager of engineering, manager of operations and drilling consultant. His experience spans land rigs, jack-ups, semi- submersibles and drill ships.  Willie is a registered Professional Engineer and a long-standing member of AIME/SPE and the IPAA.

Rob is an experienced instructor who works with Well Academy to deliver IADC and IWCF accredited well control programmes in both drilling well control and well intervention. He holds a Petroleum Engineering degree from the University of Missouri – Rolla and brings over 25 years of global operational experience with service companies and operators. Rob has worked in a variety of roles including MWD/LWD engineer, intervention engineer, completions and workover engineer and drilling engineer. He is a recognised subject matter expert in coiled tubing, snubbing and nitrogen. 

Rickey is a staff instructor at Well Academy where he develops and delivers advanced drilling engineering and well control training. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy in Petroleum Engineering from Missouri University of Science & Technology, along with Master of Science degrees in Petroleum Engineering and Geological Engineering. Rickey has worked in both domestic and international locations as a deepwater completion engineer, offshore drill site manager and offshore drilling engineer. He has designed and presented numerous drilling engineering courses and continues to develop new training content. Rickey is a certified IADC WellSharp well control instructor, known for combining academic depth with extensive field experience. 

Cristian brings over 28 years of hands-on experience in the oil and gas drilling industry, backed by an MSc in Project Management. His career journey spans from rig mechanic to senior supervisory and project management roles, both onshore and offshore. Today, Cristian specialises in rig mechanical and project management training, sharing practical, real-world knowledge to help professionals build confidence and develop the skills needed to excel in this demanding field. For Well Academy, Cristian delivers ModuSpec training including Rig Inspection Workshop (Offshore and Land Rigs) and RISE Offshore and Land Rigs programmes. 

Peter has been part of the ModuSpec team since 2006 and brings extensive expertise in electrical systems and rig integrity. Over the course of his career, he has conducted more than 150 rig inspections across all types of drilling rigs and has played a key role in several new build projects as a project manager and commissioning engineer. Since 2015, Peter has been delivering Rig Inspection Workshops and customised training sessions, sharing his deep technical knowledge and practical experience. He currently delivers courses including RIW Offshore, RIW Land Rigs, RISE Land, and Rig Selection Workshops.

Geoff is a drilling and well control instructor who works with Well Academy to deliver IWCF accredited training programmes. With over 40 years of experience in the oilfield industry, Geoff has worked extensively across both offshore and onshore operations around the world. For the past decade, he has been teaching accredited well control courses at various locations, sharing his deep operational knowledge with delegates. In addition to his technical expertise, Geoff is a certified E-Colour practitioner, offering valuable insights into team collaboration.

Gopal is a drilling and well control trainer who works with Well Academy to deliver IWCF accredited programmes to oil and gas professionals. With over 25 years of experience in drilling and exploration, he has held roles as a driller, engineer, rig manager and company representative across both onshore and offshore operations. Gopal holds a Bachelor of Chemical Engineering and a Post Graduate diploma in Petroleum Engineering. In addition to his industry work, Gopal teaches petroleum engineering at the University of New South Wales, Australia and is a certified trainer and assessor for both IWCF and IADC.

Chris has been working for Well Academy as an Intervention Instructor since 2018, delivering IWCF accredited drilling programmes. With a career in the oilfield that began in 1978, Chris has worked extensively across Asia in both land and offshore operations. In addition to his hands-on experience, he holds a Graduate Diploma in Oil and Gas Engineering from the University of Western Australia, bringing a strong blend of field expertise and academic insight to his training.

Charmaine is the Operations Manager at Well Academy in Australia and serves as the primary contact for training bookings and course information. Originally from South Africa, she brings over 26 years of experience in administration and management, having relocated to Perth with her family in 2010. Charmaine began her journey in the training sector as an invigilator for IWCF and VICTVS, gaining valuable insight into certification processes before joining Well Academy in 2020. Her extensive background and hands-on experience make her a trusted and knowledgeable point of contact for clients and learners alike.

Nico has worked in a variety of operational roles in the drilling industry, with drilling contractors and operating companies, in land, offshore and deep water operations. Nico has a passion for coaching with a strong drive for increasing competence, confidence and performance. Before joining Well Academy as training delivery director, Nico worked as a senior inspector for the Dutch State Supervision of Mines.

Ben is an independent instructor who works with Well Academy to deliver IWCF accredited Well Intervention Pressure Control (WIPC) courses across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. With 40 years of experience in the oil and gas industry, Ben’s career with Shell spanned a wide range of responsibilities – from intercontinental transport of oil products to planning and supervising well intervention activities, production operations and serving as a Learning Advisor at the Wells Learning Center. He has been based in multiple locations, including Europe, China, and the Middle East, and brings a wealth of operational and instructional expertise to every course he delivers.

Iain brings over 30 years of experience in the drilling industry, specialising in drilling operations, rig selection, rig intake and rig inspection. His extensive background includes serving as a MODU Rig Manager, where he gained deep operational and technical expertise. For Well Academy, Iain delivers Rig Inspection Workshops across Europe and the Middle East, helping professionals strengthen their knowledge and confidence in rig integrity and operational excellence.

Denis is an independent consultant who works with Well Academy to deliver ModuSpec Rig Inspection Workshops across Europe and the Middle East. With over 40 years of experience in the drilling industry, Denis brings deep expertise in mechanical maintenance, repair and inspection – including surface well control equipment and electrical compliance. His career spans offshore and land operations worldwide, supporting asset integrity and life extension projects. Denis’ sessions are grounded in real-world experience, drawing on his background as a Rig Mechanic, Chief Mechanic, Maintenance Supervisor, Maintenance Manager, Rig Surveyor and trainer.