Creating a High-Performance culture
on the Miller decommissioning project
JMJ supported BP and its partners in their goal to make the decommissioning project the exemplar for the industry
Creating a High-Performance culture
379000
Worker hours LTI*
Challenge
In 2016, around a decade after production ceased, BP instigated a project to decommission and remove the Miller facility in the North Sea. BP appointed Petrofac as the duty holder for the asset during the decommissioning phase and Saipem SPA as the decommissioning and removal contractor for the topside and the jacket. Phase A was completed successfully in 2017, however several safety incidents resulted in misalignment and some loss of trust between the two contractors. Regulators were looking to BP to address this in the next phase of the project. BP thought it would be beneficial to engage an experienced external consultant to lead an assessment and design an alignment-focused event. They selected JMJ based on our previous participation on international projects involving themselves and other oil majors.
Solution
JMJ’s High-Performance Project™ approach began with a set of interviews to gain a clear understanding of the issues facing the project. These focused on leadership, perceptions, decision making and commonly-perceived barriers to success. Data from these interviews was used to design a bespoke ‘Working Together’ workshop in partnership with all three companies. The purpose was to:
- Understand the expectations of each of the three companies: BP, SAIPEM and Petrofac
- Deliver a successful outcome for all stakeholders
- Create alignment and a set of ‘house rules’
- Instill a sense of pride and share best practices
- Align to manage risk and ensure no one is hurt
- Clarify each stakeholder’s value and contribution to the project
- Become ‘one team’, respecting and helping each other to succeed with Miller and beyond
- Underline the importance of the Miller project to BP and the industry
Client Goals
- Develop a more collaborative, respectful approach to work
- Engage and enroll the workforce of all three companies in developing closer alignment and fostering a common vision for the removal work
- Jointly identify ‘quick wins’ and explore how they can work together to achieve the removal work safely, on budget and on time
- Make Miller the exemplar for the decommissioning industry
It is an exemplar and a good benchmark for other projects to learn from and move forward in the future. It’s been landmark.
Personal and cultural integration between Saipem and Petrofac improved dramatically.
Results
While alignment doesn’t necessarily mean agreement, taking time to participate in the workshop helped people focus on their shared commitment. The three organizations agreed to a set of behaviors, systems and processes which resulted in the successful decommissioning of the Miller platform. The relationship between BP, Petrofac and Saipem was something all viewed with pride. By completing efficiently, collaboratively and safely, the project changed industry expectations of what a decommissioning project can achieve.
379,000
Worker hours LTI*
Over 400,000
Offshore worker hours over 18 months without a ‘days away from work’ case
Award Finalists
Finalist in 2018 Oil and Gas Awards: Excellence in decommissioning category