Gene Kliewer
Technology Editor, Subsea & Seismic
PERTH, Australia --Using materials and corrosion engineering as an example, Eric Wright, ExxonMobil Development Co., today told the Deep Offshore Technology Conference & Exhibition how the company captures and integrates knowledge gained from one project into its worldwide operations.
The system has two parallel parts. In one channel, a project coordinator is responsible for real-time transfer of lessons learned back into the project to keep that project moving forward with the best known technology.
The second channel transfers the lessons learned into a Global Practice document for application throughout the corporation. That process can take three to four months because of the checks and balances built into the system to insure the best practices are adopted. A number of reviews are incorporated into the Global Practice system before the practice is finalized, endorsed, and published to the company.
One reason for this system is "to make sure we fix the right problem," said Wright. "And, we are developing a lessons learned database in order to rapidly disseminate (the knowledge) into all projects."
The Global Practices system itself is subject to change. "Efforts continue to maintain the effectiveness of the described organizational process in response to the changing project environment," Wright said.
Examples of this need for process change include the increasing number of projects with increased complexity that need new technology and are in remote locations. Also there is a continuing effort to see that corporate specifications are consistent with the most recent international standards/specifications.
12/03/2008
