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Name:
Delivery Risk Review 1
Project:
Field Development
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
In developing a deepwater field
off the coast of Nigeria, our
client had chartered a deepwater
drilling rig, which required
extensive upgrading in Las
Palmas before moving onto the
drilling location. Èpeus were
engaged to perform an
independent assessment of when
the rig would arrive on location
following the upgrades.
To determine the most probable
arrival date, Èpeus conducted a
full review and quantitative
risk analysis of the drilling
contractor’s approach and
management of the project. The
review was conducted at the
drilling contractor’s Houston
offices. The Èpeus team forecast
that the arrival date of the rig
on location would in all
probability be 5 weeks later
than scheduled unless risk
mitigation and contingency plans
were implemented.
Risk mitigation and contingency
plans were not implemented and
our client adjusted its planning
for mobilisation of
client-supplied well
construction equipment. The rig
arrived on location 5 weeks
later than the drilling
contractors planning had
identified but in line with the
Èpeus forecast.
In monetary terms, our client
saved specialist equipment
rental and third party costs on
the order of an estimated
US$5.25 Million by conducting
the delivery risk review.
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Name:
Delivery Risk Review 2
Project:
Platform Upgrade
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
Our client planned to upgrade
its drilling facilities on one
of its platforms in the North
Sea. Èpeus was engaged to assess
the project so as to minimise
downtime of the facilities.
By conducting a
qualitative risk review of the
proposed project, Èpeus
identified substantial
opportunities to accelerate the
work without compromising safety
and bed space constraints. Our
client exploited these
opportunities, leading to
completion of the project one
week ahead of schedule and
consequent resumption of normal
platform activities ahead of
expectations.
In value terms, our client
realised 7 additional days
production from the platform
against their initial forecast.
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Name:
Delivery Risk Review 3
Project:
Platform Upgrade
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
Our client planned to conduct
upgrades to one of its platforms
on the UK Continental Shelf,
North Sea, to enable the use
Through Tubing Rotary Drilling
(TTRD) methods. Èpeus was
engaged to verity whether the
project could be successfully
completed within the proposed
timescale of 101 days.
Èpeus conducted a qualitative
and quantitative project risk
review, which identified
significant risks to an on-time
completion, as well as technical
issues impacting the schedule
that had not been addressed by
the FEED study. Èpeus developed
risk mitigation and management
plans that were implemented and
resulted in an on-schedule
delivery.
In value terms, the project
would have overrun by a probable
25 days, thus disrupting
production from the platform and
impacting the revenue stream
from the facility, if the review
had not been conducted.
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Name:
Delivery Risk Review 4
Project:
Field Development
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
In developing a deepwater field
offshore Angola, our client had
chartered a deepwater drilling
rig and had called for extensive
upgrades to the drilling unit to
be performed in Brazil prior to
moving onto the drilling
location. Èpeus was engaged to
conduct an independent
assessment of when the rig would
arrive on location following the
upgrades.
To determine the most probable
arrival date, Èpeus conducted a
full review and quantitative
risk analysis of the drilling
contractor’s approach and
management of the project. The
review was conducted at the
drilling contractor’s Houston
offices. The Èpeus team forecast
that the arrival date of the rig
on location would in all
probability be 3 weeks later
than scheduled unless risk
mitigation and contingency plans
were implemented.
Risk mitigation and contingency
plans were not implemented and
our client adjusted its planning
for mobilisation of client
supplied well construction
equipment. The rig arrived on
location 3 weeks later than the
drilling contractors planning
had identified but in line with
the Èpeus forecast.
In monetary terms, our client
saved specialist equipment
rental and third party costs on
the order of an estimated US$2
Million by conducting the
Delivery Risk Review.
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Name:
Delivery Risk Review 5
Project:
Platform Construction
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
In connection with development
of a field west of the Shetlands
on the UK Continental Shelf, the
proposed production platform
facilities included a
5th-generation drilling rig. The
project schedule had extended,
and our client sought an
independent assessment of when
“first oil” could be produced
from the platform.
Because the critical path for
the project was the
commissioning of drilling
facilities, Èpeus was engaged to
conduct an evaluation of the
project with particular
attention to the strategy and
approach to the drilling
facilities commissioning. The
Èpeus team forecast that “first
oil” would be produced 3 months
later than planned unless
mitigation and management of the
risks was implemented.
Our client decided not to
implement the recommended
mitigation and management plans.
The actual “first oil”
announcement date was 3 months
later than planned and in line
with the Èpeus team’s forecast.
The platform was to produce
approximately 50,000 barrels per
day. The delay cost our client
and its partner substantial lost
revenue plus extended project
costs.
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Name:
Feasibility Investigation 1
Project:
Platform Upgrade
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
Our client planned an upgrade
project after a recent purchase
the of a production platform.
Part of the planned upgrades
included modernising the
drilling facilities to allow
extended reach directional
drilling operations.
After our client’s platform
drilling contractor had
performed their conceptual
design studies, Èpeus was
engaged to conduct an
independent investigation into
feasibility, costing, and
potential consequences of the
project. The Èpeus team found
that the project as proposed was
significantly larger and more
complex than would be required
to achieve the client’s
objectives.
In percentage terms, our
client had the opportunity to
reduce the overall cost of the
project by an estimated 20%
against an initial proposed
project cost on order of
magnitude of US$100 Million.
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Name:
Feasibility Investigation 2
Project:
Platform Upgrade
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
Prior to starting a new drilling
program, our client planned to
upgrade and modernise the
drilling facilities on the one
of its platforms in an effort to
eliminate historical equipment
downtime.
After the platform drilling
contractor finished its project
definition studies, Èpeus was
engaged for input on the project
and to perform an independent
investigation to evaluate
whether the proposed upgrades
would add the expected value to
drilling operations. Èpeus
performed a number of
investigations, technical
evaluations, and cost benefit
analyses to ascertain the
probability of meeting our
client’s objectives
successfully.
The value benefit to the client
was:
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Independent specialist input
that the client could not provide in house.
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Peace of mind that issues were
being rigorously investigated and challenged.
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No additional in house
management expense.
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Name:
Feasibility Investigation 3
Project:
Under Balanced Drilling
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
Our client was considering
whether to undertake an under
balanced drilling program using
crude oil as the drilling fluid.
After the platform drilling
contractor finished their
project definition studies,
Èpeus was engaged during the
project concept phase for input
and to perform an independent
investigation regarding whether
the proposed upgrades would meet
the technical, safety,
environmental, and operational
parameters of the client. Èpeus
performed a number of
investigations, technical
evaluations, and cost benefit
analyses to ascertain the
probability of successfully
meeting our client’s objectives.
The value benefit to the client
was:
-
Independent specialist input
that the client could not provide in house.
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Peace of mind that issues were
being rigorously investigated and challenged.
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No additional in house
management expense.
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Name:
Risk Profiling 1
Project:
Field Development
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
In developing one of its fields
in the central North Sea, our
client had engaged a drilling
contractor to drill
high-pressure, high-temperature
wells. Èpeus was engaged to
model the risks and costs of
using semisubmersibles,
jack-ups, and other specialist
vessels for various well
completion options and extended
well testing, as well as subsea
tiebacks for early production.
The value benefit to the client
was:
-
Independent specialist input
that the client could not provide in house.
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Peace of mind that issues
were being rigorously investigated.
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No additional in-house
management expense.
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A quantitative completions risk
model that could be updated and interrogated over
the life of the project.
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Clear and concise information
for decision making early on the project.
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Name:
Knowledge Capture
& Transfer 1
Project:
Platform Construction
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
Our client had determined that
development of the its field in
the Caspian Sea required
construction and installation of
4 production platforms, each of
which would be fitted with
5th-generation automated
drilling facilities. Our client
had experienced significant cost
increases in construction and
commissioning of the drilling
facilities.
Èpeus was engaged during
execution of the construction
projects to conduct independent
project audits on its project
teams and key contractors. We
were also engaged to provide a
baseline from which adjustments
could be made to the initial
approach to reduce the cost
overruns.
Èpeus performed an independent
“lessons learned” review of the
early and ongoing construction
strategy and approach. The
outcomes were a significant
reduction in costs moving
forward and delivery of the last
set drilling facilities on
budget and on time.
The value benefit to the client
was:
-
Independent capture and
evaluation of what went well and not so well.
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Minimal impact to ongoing work.
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Not having to temporarily
shift the focus of internal project resources.
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Access to an established support
organisation and knowledge base.
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Knowledge Transfer from other
similar projects.
In monetary terms it is estimated
that our client saved in the order of $70 million USD by
adjusting their approach to the projects relative to the
ongoing situation.
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Name:
Knowledge Capture
& Transfer 2
Project:
Field Development
Client:
Major Oil & Gas Company
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Description:
In developing a deepwater field
offshore Angola, our client had
chartered a deepwater drilling
unit and had called for
extensive upgrades to the
drilling unit to be performed in
Brazil prior to moving onto the
drilling location.
Èpeus was engaged early in the
process for a Delivery Risk
Review (outlined elsewhere), as
well as on-going monitoring and
performance audits. During the
latter stage of the project, we
were engaged to capture the
lessons learned relative to the
earlier Delivery Risk Review.
The “lessons learned” review
revealed that most of the risks
identified in the Delivery Risk
Review had negatively affected
the progress of the upgrade
project by collectively causing
an avoidable 3 week delay in the
Brazilian shipyard despite
acceleration efforts by the
drilling contractor. The
Knowledge Capture and Transfer
process enabled our client to
better understand the risk
profile of drilling rig upgrades
so that it could adjust their
overall field development
planning.
The value benefit to the client
was:
-
Independent capture and
evaluation of what went well and not so well.
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Minimal impact to ongoing
work.
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Not having to temporarily shift
the focus of internal project resources.
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Access to an established support
organisation and knowledge base.
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Name:
Project Manual Development
Project:
Various
Client:
Major EPC
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Description:
Our client had identified one of
their divisions that needed a
better management and control
system for its projects.
Èpeus was engaged, which
developed the Divisional Project
Manual to describe how to manage
and control projects.
The value benefits to the client
were:
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Not having to temporarily shift
the focus of internal divisional project resources.
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Access to an established
support organisation and knowledge base.
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Knowledge Transfer from other
similar approaches.
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Accelerated delivery of the
manual relative to an in house approach.
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Name:
Dispute Resolution 1
Project:
Drill Rig Construction
Client:
Major Drilling Contractor
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Description:
Our client commissioned the
construction of a series of
ultra-deepwater drill ships.
After integration of the
topsides with the hulls on both
vessels, the main contractor
made a project escalation
claim.
Èpeus provided project
knowledge, deposition testimony,
and expert witness services
during the pre-trial phase of
litigation. The dispute was
settled out of court for
substantially less than the
total claimed by the
construction contractor.
The value benefits to the client
were:
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Not having to temporarily shift
the focus of internal resources.
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Access to an established
support organisation and knowledge base.
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Knowledge Transfer from
other similar cases.
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Satisfactory outcome of the
case.
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