The Anatomy of ‘Integrated Thinking’

If you look at the great engineering achievements in history, their success is invariably based on a group of people with different skills coming together and delivering something that is greater than anything any individual could achieve on their own. It’s a fundamental notion that has underpinned the development of society from the very beginning, but one which needs to be developed further if we are to meet the modern day challenge of finding optimized solutions in a world of major natural and human resource constraints.

It could be seen as just a powerful strap-line, but the phrase, ‘Integrated Thinking’ has been developed as a tool for oil and gas consultancies to develop and deliver a joined-up approach to field development projects.

The advantages of integration are intuitively obvious to anyone seeking to develop a solution to a complex challenge such as bringing an oilfield to market or bringing a marine energy device on stream. The notion of bringing together complementary disciplines within one company to provide an integrated approach brings numerous benefits. With the required range of skills on hand as the development concepts evolve, technically justified decisions can be made quickly and with confidence. At the end of a conceptual phase it is also highly likely that the foundation of an optimized solution has been developed.

True ‘Integrated Thinking’ however is about more than just delivering an integrated service; it’s about ensuring that the fundamental culture and operating processes within the delivery organization are aligned with the integrated model. The people delivering the integrated service need to feel they play an equal part in achieving a common goal, supported by a set of processes which are common throughout the business.

Nevertheless, working in a joined-up way does not come easy. Getting people from different technical backgrounds to work in an integrated manner is extremely challenging. Add to that a mix of industry sector expertise such as subsea versus process engineers, or structural versus environmental consultants, and the differences become clear. Not only do individuals have different academic backgrounds, they can also have different relationships with their clients, different ways of producing their deliverables, and quite often different contractual environments in which they are used to working.

To streamline this process, it is imperative to make people think in a different way. There is a process of change which must take place, but in the first instance the environment must be created which allows ‘Integrated Thinking’ to flourish.

An integrated model has to be the fundamental basis of a business strategy, supported by a culture of equality across company disciplines and a bespoke business operating system which makes ‘Integrated Thinking’ the natural option. This allows companies to provide a fully integrated service to operators for projects which can combine, for instance, subsea design, dynamic process control modeling, and flow assurance.

Combining people, technology, and operational procedures makes it possible to take field development solutions beyond merely the initial study stage. For example, the development of high temperature/high pressure fields typically requires the flow assurance and the mechanical design of the system to be developed in parallel, often with several iterations before a development scenario is optimized. With people thinking and working within a culture of ‘Integrated Thinking,’ this process happens naturally, yielding a high-value outcome.

Similarly, the construction of a transient model of a subsea system is enhanced by the fact that personnel have experience in tuning the correct parameters to match production across a range of operating conditions, and the expertise for investigating potential options that will enhance either stability, production, or both. Add to that close cooperation with subsea systems personnel, and the potential for optimizing the solution is significant.

By combining custom-designed software with experienced personnel from diverse sectors, all working collaboratively to deliver a tailored solution to clients, companies can achieve significant production gains.

Just as this environment cannot be created overnight, it cannot stand still. As our business environment changes, internally or externally, companies have to do the same to meet changing demands and provide a service that is not only cost effective but delivers an optimized solution.

Richard HeardDirectorThe Xodus Group

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