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The ‘Secret Sauce’ Driving ConocoPhillips’ Operational Excellence
Technology Category
- Analytics & Modeling - Data-as-a-Service
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing
Applicable Industries
- Oil & Gas
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
- Maintenance
Use Cases
- Asset Health Management (AHM)
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- Data Science Services
The Challenge
ConocoPhillips, a major player in the oil and gas industry, was facing operational inefficiencies, long wait times for frontline work teams, unplanned downtime and potential process safety losses. The company was also grappling with the challenges of the Digital Age and how it could be leveraged to transform their operations. The oil price downturn five years ago forced the industry to make major adjustments and consider how emerging technologies like data analytics, robotics, automation, Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and cloud technology could be used to improve efficiency and reduce costs. The company also had to deal with the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic and a global supply glut.
About The Customer
ConocoPhillips is a major player in the oil and gas industry with a global presence. The company has been in operation for over 20 years, with Mark Hutcherson serving as the director of operations excellence for the past 15 years. Hutcherson has held various roles relating to engineering projects and operations and has worked across several assets globally. Over the past three years, the company has been undergoing a transformation in relation to the Digital Age and how it impacts their operations. ConocoPhillips is focused on continuously evolving and transforming to keep up with the rapid advancements in technology and the changing landscape of the oil and gas industry.
The Solution
ConocoPhillips adopted a cloud-first strategy and partnered with Sphera to implement their Operational Risk Management Control of Work project. The company saw the potential efficiencies of cloud technology and challenged any proposal for solutions to not be cloud-based. They aimed to use the technology to standardize their work processes and reduce inefficient workflows, custom maps and business rules. The company also involved frontline workers in the project, selecting trusted individuals with expert experience directly from the business who could share the investment with their established relationships in their organizations. These individuals, who had intimate knowledge of work processes and understood how those processes impacted the business, acted as translators to the project and implementation teams and supported their colleagues in the workforce.
Operational Impact
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