SafeKick: Making Well Control Smarter and Safer

Well control in oil and gas drilling has been progressing, though at a relatively sluggish pace. Operators rely on manual systems, reactive decisions and conventional methods. SafeKick is rewriting the status quo. Over the last 15 years, SafeKick, led by President Helio Santos, has been quietly transforming well control practices through smarter software and advanced equipment.

By developing a fully integrated system that combines an automated choke for well control manifolds with simulation and monitoring software that models well conditions in real time, the company equips drilling crews with the tools to handle well control more accurately, quickly and safely. This blend of advanced technology and operational insight marks a significant shift in how well control is executed on today’s rigs.

“SafeKick doesn’t just automate the process; we created a system where equipment and software work in tandem to empower crews to handle well control more precisely and efficiently,” says Santos.

SafeKick’s initial breakthrough was the development of an automated choke engineered to integrate with the well control manifold used during kick events. Until 2015, these chokes were mostly manually operated or with limited automated pressure control, without any smart component added to it, making them prone to human error and delays in critical situations.

Technology alone isn’t enough; SafeKick recognizes that effective well control requires advanced hardware and operational intelligence. The automated choke, much like cruise control in a vehicle, maintains stable the different pressures required at each step of a well control event far more reliably than manual operation, significantly enhancing safety. To complement the choke, SafeKick developed the SafeVision® software to provide real-time monitoring and simulation. Together, the two form an integrated system, offering drilling crews both precise physical control and the actionable insights needed to better manage well control events.

SafeVision® helps operators plan wells by simulating pressure scenarios and identifying safe mud weights to prevent kicks. During drilling, it monitors conditions every second, flags abnormalities very early and recommends the safest response.

When a kick occurs, it works alongside the automated choke to help manage the influx and stabilize the well. It even plays a key role during leak-off tests by modeling pressure limits and ensuring wellbore integrity is preserved. Accessible both on-site and remotely, it gives teams the tools they need to make informed, confident decisions.

In one offshore project, SafeVision® was used to simulate and plan the well path in advance, helping the crew identify narrow drilling margins and avoid potential influxes. During operations, the software quickly detected abnormal flow patterns, enabling the team to shut in the well, define the best kill method based on the calculated kick tolerance and guide the circulation process using SafeKick’s choke. This real-time decision support helped the crew control the situation without any escalation.

While the system has proven highly effective, the industry’s conservative mindset and cost sensitivity tend to hinder its broader adoption. Many operators assume a kick is unlikely to occur in their well and underestimate the need for advanced control systems. It’s important to understand that SafeKick’s technology is a crucial safeguard, providing essential support when unexpected events arise—much like having advanced driver assistance systems in cars. The company has already demonstrated its value on rigs around the world and is now focused on expanding adoption by helping more operators understand the significance of both safety and efficiency.

As part of its commitment to improving safety and preparedness, SafeKick is developing enhanced pressure testing solutions to better support its well control offerings. These solutions are designed to help contractors test equipment under conditions that more accurately reflect real operational stress. Current testing practices often fall short of replicating such scenarios, leaving crews underprepared. By introducing more realistic and reliable testing protocols, SafeKick aims to strengthen well control readiness across the industry.

With SafeKick, crews aren’t just reacting to well control events, they’re anticipating them, equipped with the insight and confidence to manage the unexpected before it escalates. In an industry where seconds matter, SafeKick is raising the bar for safety and operational clarity.