Success in oil, gas and petrochemical industry turnarounds is defined as a safe and release-free event that meets schedule and cost. Following the turnaround, the expectation is for the unit to produce on-spec product at low cost and high quality during the duration between events and meet or exceed customer expectations.
Oil, gas and petrochemical industries are continuously looking for ways to better perform their turnarounds. Manuals have been written to describe the processes required to successfully execute these events. Milestones are laid out, phases are designed, and volumes of instruction exist. Best practices have been documented and benchmarks set to compare amongst competitors.
Peer reviews are one tool these industries are using to increase success rates. Peer reviews properly performed and shared can have a profound effect on the success of a turnaround.
A peer review can be performed by internal company personnel from other sites or an external group. While both can be successful, the execution of the peer review and the delivery of the results are key to making the peer review beneficial. A peer review can add value to event preparation in three ways:
- Identification of things being done well
- Identification of an alternative approach to performing an activity
- Identification of activities that need improvement
Reviews should recognize and reward teams for things they do well to keep them motivated and driven toward high performance.
A peer review team is made up of individuals with a broad background. Many turnaround teams are made up of individuals who have worked on the same site their entire careers. These teams benefit greatly from alternative approaches. It is the team's decision if they use the alternative suggested, parts of it or none of it. However, the team should arrive at and follow through with the decision together.
Most importantly, a peer review identifies elements of preparation that can be improved. A variety of methods to review the event can be used. Completed deliverables will be examined. Interviews with key personnel across the organization will be conducted: planning, scheduling, logistics, procurement, operations, process, commercial and leadership. All of these personnel have a part in the event's success.
The peer review is applied to all phases of preparation, beginning with the strategy phase. This first review will occur early to ensure the event is getting the support it requires and that the recommendations will be implemented.
The remaining reviews will support a specific phase deliverable: scope development, work package creation, a readiness review shortly before execution and, finally, lessons learned for the event. Lessons learned are the first items reviewed when the team prepares for the next event.
For each review, the information collected will vary. Some items such as risk management will be reviewed in all phases; other topics will be specific to an individual phase.
After information is collected during a review, it will be analyzed. The results must be shared with all core team members and stakeholders via a results meeting and a final report. The final report must contain actionable items for the team to improve their preparation. Stakeholders are included in these reports so that the team is held accountable for closing the identified gaps in a timely manner and to provide any support required to close gaps. An update to these corrective actions must be a part of the monthly/weekly team meeting until all issues are resolved.
Peer reviews of the ongoing turnaround preparation can have a significant impact on the success of these events. Reviews are not one-time occurences; they are a sequence of reviews that investigate the current state of preparedness for an event at specific points in time. Each review will investigate specific pieces of the preparation process and identify gaps. These gaps are the basis for corrective actions driven by the team. Better preparedness is driven by the completion of these action items.
Well-structured peer reviews, which drive actionable next steps to close identified gaps, are key to ensuring safe, successful and consistently executed turnarounds.
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