Evaluating and optimising integrated planning in complex production assets: learnings from offshore petroleum industry

Abstract

With the changes in production conditions in the oil and gas industry, what was very evident of the last few years was the need for more integrated solutions to achieve the objectives. As a result, integrated planning (IP) is gradually appearing as a novel approach to resolving some of the challenges associated with traditional work planning practices. The IP aims at achieving desired planning goals through more effective and efficient coordination of multi-disciplinary planning tasks under various limitations and constraints involving a systematic and a well-defined process. This paper presents a benchmarking portal together with a pilot framework of IP, based on the field data collected through a case study performed in Norway and China. This aimed at the definition of comprehensive details of the IP process for systematic follow up, the development of a mechanism to periodically evaluate the current status and find gaps in the existing IP process, and the development of means to prioritise the important tasks in continuity with the IP development and implementation process.