The application of knowledge and continuous learning to the implementation of collaborative work environments at shell

Society of Petroleum Engineers - Intelligent Energy Conference and Exhibition: Intelligent Energy 2008

Volumn 1, Issue , 2008, Pages 309-320

  Knoppe, R ^a   Holloway, S ^b  

^a Shell E and P ^*

^b SCIENCE APPLICATIONS INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

ENGINEERS; GASOLINE; INVESTMENTS; KNOWLEDGE BASED SYSTEMS; OIL FIELDS; SHELLS (STRUCTURES);

COLLABORATIVE ENVIRONMENTS; COLLABORATIVE MODEL; CONTINUOUS LEARNING; CONTRIBUTING FACTOR; EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTIONS; INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ARCHITECTURES; INSTITUTIONAL KNOWLEDGE; ORGANIZATIONAL TRANSFORMATION;

PETROLEUM PROSPECTING;

EID: 52049101827     PISSN: None     EISSN: None     Source Type: Conference Proceeding    
DOI: 10.2118/112060-ms     Document Type: Conference Paper

References (14)

1. Smart Fields is a registered trademark of Shell
2. Foundation technologies include data acquisition and control architecture; real-time production monitoring; integrated production system modelling; real-time operations applications and production data management; and a common IT architecture promoting rapid, low-cost, global smart capabilities integration.
3. The concept of Smart Fields centres on the "value loop," the data-model-decisions-execution cycle that drives value in the asset. The cycle is composed of four core business process steps: data acquisition, interpretation and modelling, options generation and decision making, and execution in the asset.
4. Implementation of foundation technologies and collaborative work environments requires a high degree of coordination and teamwork. The Smart Fields Programme uses a federated approach to governance. Field and staff organizations work through a leadership council represented by the E&P organization, individual regions and assets, and technical and production leadership teams. An extended stakeholder body of representatives from operational units throughout Shell E&P also participates as required to ensure broad support.
5. In the case of greenfields, smartness will be "built in" as an element of design; existing brownfields will adopt smartness based on economic viability over the remaining field life expectancy.
6. As an R&D organization, Smart Fields and the Global CWE Programme are responsible for performing the research and investigation for purposes of commercializing new technologies that advance Shell E&P's strategic and operational goals and objectives. Ultimately, responsibility for Smart Fields and CWEs will transfer to the regional assets when both are sufficiently matured and productized, so that implementations can be repeated and business units and assets can self-direct deployment of these technologies.
7. The Global CWE Programme implementation teams are resourced by Shell E&P's Smart Fields Programme staff and experienced industry consultants and vendors who specialize in the design of work processes, selection of collaboration technologies and design of collaboration facilities, and the process of managing organizational change that results from adopting new operating practices. All consultant and vendor services are provided through the Global CWE Programme subject to pre-negotiated agreements and rate schedules.
8. Other digital oilfield initiatives are being pursued by E&P operators and suppliers, including British Petroleum, Chevron, Saudi Aramco, Statoil, ConocoPhillips, Norsk Hydro, PEMEX, ENI, Petrobras, ONGC, and Maersk.
9. Knowledge management, as used here, is associated with three types of activities: facilitating human collaboration and the sharing of knowledge; documenting and appropriating individuals' tacit knowledge and distilling and disseminating it to others in a meaningful, reusable way; accelerating project initiatives; and improving the instance of individual knowledge through involvement and minds of others.
10. Continuous learning implies the methods and practices through which an organization actively creates, captures, transfers, and mobilizes knowledge as necessary to enable it to continuously learn and adapt to a changing environment. Thus, the key aspect of organizational learning is the interaction that takes place among individuals involved in acquiring, analyzing, decision making, and execution.
11. Action Reviews are modelled after methods developed by the U.S. Army called After Action Reviews.
12. A key success factor worth pointing out here is that the content development and management process is focused on the human element; technology is an enabler. This underscores a distinction with respect to the application of the principles of knowledge management and organizational learning that is embedded in the Global CWE Programme. Ideally, knowledge and experience, and the tools and resources to capture, share, and apply it effectively, are user-defined, user-driven, and user-engineered. A number of emergent technologies are maturing, and some may evolve into proven business solutions that strengthen Shell E&P's ability to manage knowledge and enrich institutional learning. However, our common approach continues to recognize the importance of focusing on the human element in the capture, sharing, and application of knowledge to continuously improve Shell E&P's strategic priorities of production optimization and resource recovery.
13. Note that the scope of revisions to the Blueprint will vary significantly depending on the scope of the learning events. Typically, a Peer Assist or Action Review has minor influence on the Blueprint, but has more significant influence on the CWE project plan or specific approach as tailored to each individual asset. In contrast, a Retrospect is more likely to influence the Blueprint, whether contributing to an expanding inventory of key learnings, suggesting modification to the existing methods to incorporate best practices, or making new and relevant content sources available through the knowledge asset.
14. In the federated governance model used here, the centrally coordinated Global CWE Programme shares responsibility and accountability with regional business units and assets for the successful outcome of designing and implementing CWEs. Federated governance models are based on common goals and objectives, shared outcomes, and shared ownership of the knowledge, tools, and resources that enable those outcomes to be achieved. By working together and presenting a single face to all organizations, the governance body provides common, shared leadership on behalf of the Smart Fields Programme.