Summary
Improved capabilities for real-time data transfer have given rise to remote
monitoring and support for drilling operations, providing faster access to
information onshore and reducing personnel on board (POB) and cost. The
challenge lies not so much with the technical feasibility but with the impact
on work processes, which is still poorly understood. This paper presents a case
study of the human-factors implications of onshore operation centers (OOCs) in
the North Sea. The authors first investigated work conducted in the Norwegian
sector and then followed the implementation of a pilot OOC for the Andrew
low-cost-drilling project in Aberdeen. All delivered wells successfully but
addressed different strategic aims.
For the case study of the Andrew project, the sample comprised 13
semistructured interviews conducted over 3 months and a longitudinal-attitude
study with 33 participants from the onshore drilling team, OOC staff, and
drilling representatives from offshore. Results were content analyzed by a team
of industrial psychologists. The findings show that remote operations in
drilling produce effects similar to those of virtual teams and
computer-mediated process control in other industries; the monitoring work in
the OOC was deprived of some of the physical activity, sensory information, and
informal interaction. Potentially, some of these tasks could be automated
further, while more cross-trained staff would be required offshore. Different
user groups responded differently to the OOC implementation. Onshore teams
generally approved of the concept because the OOC helped to create more
situation awareness and presented an ideal environment for collaborative
decision making and learning. The offshore response was mixed, with strong
support for its innovative potential, but also critical voices about system
reliability, contractual concerns, and the impact on work/life balance.
OOCs can add value to drilling operations by enabling better-informed
decisions, but the findings show that success depends on how well the
introduction of organizational change is managed. The study provides evidence
on how prospective users can be involved in the change process in this
dispersed and fluctuating industry and which social and cognitive skills are
important for effective collaboration in e-operations.
© 2009. Society of Petroleum Engineers
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History
- Original manuscript received:
19 January 2006
- Meeting paper published:
11 April 2006
- Revised manuscript received:
16 October 2008
- Manuscript approved:
17 October 2008
- Published online:
16 March 2009
- Version of record:
1 March 2009
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