SHELL

Shell Exploration & Production in the UKCS

ENHANCING Safety, IMPROVING Operational Effectiveness

Challenge NOTES
“ISSO W is a m assive st ep
Driven by its commitment to Once Shell had decided that fo rward
continuous business the way forward was with an an d a good ex a m ple of ho
integrated system, they faced a
w th e
improvement, Shell Exploration Of fs ho re Bus in ess Im provem
& Production in Europe looked number of challenges in ent
at ways of improving its risk making what they knew would Proj ect (O BIP) is lea di ng
assessment procedures and in be fundamental changes to the
to
particular how it managed its way the company operated.
im proved safety an d to in
du st ry
paper-based permit to work These were: ha rm on isatio n.
system with an emphasis on
the risk assessment process
Th e great thin g about this
• Rate of deployment
proje ct
and the duplication of is th at it’ s good bu sin ess in
paperwork. every
• Brittleness of plan di m en sio n: it im proves th e
The findings of a review of its
wa y
• Offshore capacity
we wo rk, it red uces co st s an
paper-based permit to work d
system told Shell that there m ost im po rta nt ly - it also
was too much duplication of • Scope of change m ak es
paperwork and differing views
thin gs safe r.. It’s si m ply th
• Embedding the change
e
amongst employees on who sm art thin g to do.”
had responsibility for the variety
Mark Carne,
of permit to work-related Director of Shell Expro
systems and roles. Which is why Shell
decided to work alongside
Shell acknowledged its needs Petrotechnics, a company with
were broader than finding a a strong market presence and
replacement for its existing risk a proven track record in the oil
assessment tool, and the and gas industry for developing
objective became to identify an operational and safe systems
integrated system that could be of work solutions that deliver
introduced holistically and measurable, sustainable
would lead to an improvement performance improvements to
in Opex without compromising clients.
the company's capacity and
determination to improve safety
and asset utilisation.
 Solution The final implementation was The completion of the
completed on the Auk platform, implementation also marks a
As the project was of a 155 miles east south east of significant step towards
significant scale Shell identified Aberdeen on 22 May 2004. harmonisation of permit to work
the key elements required at the in the North Sea, where
outset. These included: Petrotechnics has deployed
Results Sentinel PRO™ across 87% of
• the development of software the region.
Working closely with Shell,
Petrotechnics was able to The oil and gas industry's Step
• providing the appropriate successfully implement Sentinel
consultancy skills Change in Safety's ISSOW
PRO™ across 26 assets harmonisation model
safely, on time and within budget. is based on Sentinel PRO™.
• addressing attitudes and
behaviours of all personnel The implementation has already
involved A harmonised system, familiar
added significant value to
to itinerant workers moving
Shell's UKCS operations:
• sorting out organisational between different work locations
structures • Shell has realised immediate can be expected to have a
year on year savings of £5.1 major impact on safety
• providing the appropriate million through a reduction in performance in the North Sea.
technical deployment skills direct manpower costs and
indirect costs related to Permit
• supplying the appropriate to Work.
coaching skills
• Less than 6 month ROI
The Petrotechnics team helped payback.
Shell identify its key
opportunities and issues before • Shell expects the
designing, building and implementation of ISSOW to
implementing its Integrated Safe have a measured impact on
System of Work (ISSOW), Total Recordable Case
Sentinel PRO™. Frequency (TRCF).

Petrotechnics worked with frontline • Shell has a consistent

Shell employees to provide approach aligned across all
coaching to ensure that the new shifts and UKCS operated
working processes were assets for the management
implemented and embedded as of routine and hazardous
routine. Petrotechnics trainedover work, which has obvious
3,500 users in the system, benefits in terms of
equipping them with the skills and improved planning and
competence needed to work safety.
effectively with Sentinel PRO™
and maximise its benefits.

The first onshore implementation

of Sentinel PRO™ took place on 2
December 2003 at Shell's St
Fergus gas terminal, north east
Scotland and the first offshore
implementation on the Dunlin
platform, 121 miles north east of
Lerwick, Shetland.

About Petrotechnics
Petrotechnics is the recognised world leader and the only provider of fully Integrated Safe System of Work solutions which
delivers greater efficiency and effectiveness of frontline operations in the process industries. Petrotechnics Ltd P + 44 (0) 1224 337258
Petrotechnics USA Inc P + 1 713 856 3300
E [email protected]
Petrotechnics has a proven track record of helping clients exceed performance targets in the key areas of safe operations,
W www.petrotechnics.com
production and planning. Our award winning Integrated Safe System of Work (ISSOW) solution, Sentinel PRO™,
is transforming control of work across 17 countries, spanning 5 continents.

For more information please contact Aimee Tennant +44 1224 337258 [email protected]