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Abstract The process of establishing a company and operating facilities within Brazil to support a large-scale operation, along with mobilizing 10 offshore packages of CO2 and H2S protection equipment and developing safety professionals, within a tight time frame of 90 days, is a significant challenge. Brazil regulations are unique and distinct, thus requiring much work in establishing a local company with an approved operating facility. The processing periods for attaining document approvals added to time restraint challenges. The assembly, shipping and importation of the safety equipment had to be managed simultaneously. To ensure that equipment were in compliance with in-country local requirements, a thorough understanding of the rules and regulations was necessary to minimize delays during shipping and importation. Requirements for personnel dictated that a local content had to be in place. Thus, local human resource policies in recruiting, remuneration, development, and termination needed to be understood. In order to tackle these challenges, a Brazil Task Force composed of multi-cultural senior executives was formed leveraging the support services and field personnel from all corners of the world. Initially, the Brazil Task Force conducted a country needs assessment to identify all the requirements, and to get ‘on the ground’ feel for the business environment. Subsequent to their return, they formulated a strategic implementation plan. A considerable financial commitment was poured to establish a solid, reliable infrastructure within Brazil, and to procure the required specialized equipment and personnel. A local entity was promptly established in Rio de Janeiro to handle all the legal and financial requirements. The company engaged consultants from several specialized fields to leverage local knowledge and experience. They provided crucial advice on startup of operations specifically on the process of obtaining licenses and permits as well setting up contracts with required local suppliers. The required safety equipment was assembled leveraging its outstanding manufacturer relations for the prompt delivery of the large volume of equipment for this project. The equipment were documented and packaged efficiently to allow for ease of transport and understanding at customs clearance. This paper takes a detailed look at the various challenges faced, lessons learned and the key factors that contributed to this project's resounding success.
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
- Government > Regional Government > North America Government > United States Government (0.48)
- South America > Brazil > Campos Basin (0.94)
- South America > Brazil > Brazil > South Atlantic Ocean > Santos Basin (0.94)
- North America > United States (0.89)
- North America > Canada (0.89)
Abstract Greater Plutonio is BP's biggest subsea project worldwide and consists of 5 separate fields in 1500m of water, over an areal extent of 4,880km2, 150khm offshore Angola in Block 18. One of the many challenges of the development concept was to deliver the complex Subsea production system, Umbilicals, Risers and Flowlines (SURF) which will connect the 43 subsea wells to the spread moored 2 million barrel storage, new build FPSO with production capacity totaling 240,000 barrels per day, in an integrated manner over a fast track schedule to allow a safe, efficient and phased start up, with rapid production ramp up. The challenge was heightened by a commitment to deliver the highest level of local Angolan content ever achieved to date. This paper will address the challenges in project managing SURF projects of this size and highlight some of the unique aspects and challenges of this development, particularly given its Angolan content and market conditions by applying risk management principles and applying learning from previous deepwater projects in WAF, GoM and West of Shetland It is supplemented by companion papers covering specific areas of the development from sand face to facilities (OTC - 19673, 19674, 19675, 19676 and 19669). The key points and challenges to note about the SURF system are:43 wells with flexibility and expandability in the subsea architecture for up to 88 wells Single compliant riser tower with condition monitoring system, fabricated and assembled in Angola Highly dynamic seabed flowlines subject to high lateral buckling forces and end expansions 107km dynamic and static production control, chemical injection and data acquisition umbilicals 150km production insulated flowlines, water injection plastic lined, gas injection and service flowlines Simultaneous subsea construction, commissioning, start up, production and offtake operations Provision for a future subsea gas export offtake The project was led by a core BP Project Leadership Team supported with directly hired contract staff co-located to major contractors' offices to work in integrated teams, through FEED, system engineering, detailed design, procurement, manufacture, fabrication, installation, commissioning, start up and production. Throughout the project functional departments provided expert technical support and integrity assurance with formal reviews and specialist advice. BP partnered with their key contractors to identify key project drivers, issues and challenges, and then mapped out a plan to systematically improve safety performance, especially in Angolan fabrication yards and for offshore simultaneous marine construction and commissioning operations. This partnering approach increased ownership and ensured that improvements were embedded in the contractor's systems and procedures, as well as enabling the contractors to take advantage of the significant safety resources/experience available within BP.
- Africa > Angola (0.71)
- North America > United States > Texas (0.28)
- Europe > United Kingdom > Atlantic Margin (0.24)
- Production and Well Operations > Artificial Lift Systems > Gas lift (1.00)
- Management > Strategic Planning and Management > Project management (1.00)
- Facilities Design, Construction and Operation > Pipelines, Flowlines and Risers > Risers (1.00)
- Facilities Design, Construction and Operation > Offshore Facilities and Subsea Systems > Controls and umbilicals (1.00)
The EMS covers both onshore and offshore requirements and works within the Strategic Objective-Commitment highly regulated environment of the UK sector of the North Our company vision is to be recognised as an environmentally Sea. The paper presents a historical case study from initiation responsible supplier of chemicals and services to the oil and and preliminary review, through implementation to successful gas industry.
In Latin America, a Company required the provision of H2S and CO2 safety services for ten offshore drilling rigs with an extremely tight timeline. The operator decided to choose a safety solutions provider based in North America to provide the services. As a new player in the region, a major challenge was to comply with operator and government requirements to have 60% local content at project launch. A methodology of accelerated nationalization of the workforce was put in place. This methodology covers all the elements of sourcing, recruiting, onboarding, integrating and operating phases for any new worker joining the new operation. With a mobilization of local language-speaking process excellence supervisors from its African operations, this was a key initiative to the accelerated success of this methodology. During the transition period, the African supervisors conducted an intensive New Hire Program for all local nationals. The training was in addition to those required by the government and the operator. The technical team also customized and localized the corporate Quality Management System (QMS) that was delivered in time for the training period. Within the first month of operation, 75% local content was achieved. Through on-the-job training and mentoring by the African supervisors, the Nationals quickly transitioned into Onsite H2S / CO2 Technicians. In turn, the African Supervisors transitioned into Quality Control Supervisors. The mobilization of the African supervisors from a similar offshore safety project was aimed at overcoming initial language and cultural barriers. Learning from previous country start-up experience, miscommunication and misunderstanding due to language and cultural barriers has the potential to cause unnecessary cost and project delays. Twelve months after project launch, 100% local content was achieved with the capacity to support further expansion. The company developed a nationalization program designed to promote career development and core competency progression to retain the local, national workforce, increase loyalty and continuously improve safety standards wherever they operate. This case study discusses the value of a adopting a sound local content program with a view to sustaining a long- term presence in the region.
- North America > United States (0.95)
- South America > Brazil (0.76)
- Government (1.00)
- Energy > Oil & Gas > Upstream (1.00)
Summary Quality improvement processes (QIP's) and quality management systems (QMS's)are becoming part of manufacturing and service company language. In some cases, there are perceived differences between the concepts of continuous improvement and documented systems to ensure quality. I have seen examples of QIP's and QMS's working in a complementary fashion to improve existing manufacturing and administrative processes. These examples show that quality improvement activities are compatible with and can enhance the effectiveness of QMS's if the two are integrated property. Introduction Many organizations talk about quality. Some use the word in the traditional framework of quality assurance and quality control. Others consider the word to be a part of the QIP or total quality management (TQM). Still others see the situation as an "either/ or" choice. This paper discusses QMS's and the QIP and reviews their complementary and contradictory traits. What Is OMS? In this paper, QMS means the system of formal, documented practices used by an organization to measure, report. and control the quality of its goods and services. QMS's are common features of manufacturing companies, especially those involved in the manufacture of highly regulated products. Less common areQMS's that manage the quality of services. Today the ISO 9000 series of international quality standards, arguably the best-known QMS, and related standards [such as British Standard (BS) 5750] are being used far beyond the traditional realm of manufacturing companies. These standards are sets of requirements for critical elements in documented business systems that touch on topics from management review and design control to statistical techniques. The following are operational definitions of QMS. 1. QMS provides a method that allows a company to "… organize itself in such a way that the technical, administrative and human factors affecting the quality of its products and services will be under control …" 2. QMS is "… aimed primarily at preventing nonconformity …" 3. QMS acts to "… assure compliance with the requirements of the contract." QMS is ". . a network of planned and systematic actions necessary to provide confidence that a product is produced or a service is performed in accordance with specified requirements." QMS thus establishes a way to meet the stated requirements. It provides the minimum (the floor or foundation, if you will) of customer expectations. This does not imply that customer satisfaction follows when a QMS is in place. These standards are beginning to have an impact on commercial matters as well. Nowhere is this more obvious than in Europe. The European Community (EC)has adopted the ISO 9000 series as part of its efforts to establish a system for product certification and testing and quality system registration. Publicity surrounding the coming of a more well-defined EC has focused attention on this aspect of barrier-free trade within the EC. What Is QIP? QIP is a management philosophy aimed at continuously improving products and services through a formal system that recognizes suppliers and customers(internal and external), identifies processes, and provides methods of meeting customer needs. Many acronyms and phrases are used to express this same philosophy, including TQM and process improvement. Although each practitioner brings something unique to the format, this paper deals with such change programs as a whole (QIP) with no comment on the effectiveness of a particular technique or element. QIP is often described as a series of repeating cycles that give it a continuous, ongoing characteristic. QIP is a philosophy that is applicable to all areas of business, from floor-sweeping to sales to executive decisions. It focuses on envisioning the company as a linkage of processes, rather than simply giving desired outcomes or rules of administration. Are OMS and QIP Contradictory? Basically, the two concepts are not contradictory. Crawford and Puri have made point-by-point comparisons of BS 5750 and the ISO 9000 series with the Deming philosophy to answer this question. This is something of an "apples to oranges" comparison because the two concepts were not designed to answer the same sets of needs. Although the recommended methods for achieving quality improvement may contradict certain provisions of QMS in a given setting, these conflicts can be resolved. It has been my experience. however, that QMS provides a framework and a discipline that make implementation of QIP easier, not harder. For example, internal quality audits mandated by QMS initially were seen as confrontations by most department managers. Gradually, as QIP developed, managers became less adversarial in their approach to such audits and began to use them as one benchmark of their department's quality improvement. A key to this transition is the use of professionally trained auditors and an insistenceon clear, concise, objectively written reports that are reviewed personally with the manager involved. Are QMS and QIP Complementary? Yes, the two concepts are complementary! QMS and QIP can work in harmony to provide a commercial basis for product and service quality and a method for continuous improvement. QMS can be likened to traffic laws. When I drove my car to work this morning, I stayed below the speed limit, I obeyed the traffic signs, and yielded to other traffic as required. I operated within the laws(QMS). On the other hand, I also stopped to aid a driver whose car had stalled on the road. I went beyond the QMS requirements to improve the traffic flow by assisting another driver (QIP). The benefits of QIP for existing management systems become apparent when specific projects are tackled. JPT P. 863^