Managing Complexity in PetroMaritime Operations

Organisations engaged in complex onshore and offshore activities require advanced technical equipment and highly skilled personnel. Staff from different companies and cultures are continually grouped and regrouped for tasks requiring high reliability. The reputation of such organisations is extremely sensitive to failed operations. The research project consists of three interconnected studies: 1. We will study organizational units during a deep sea complex operation (case 1) and an onshore operation at the Kårstø gas processing plant (case 2). In the latter case, we will focus on one of the prime barrier systems: the firewater system. A major issue here is upgrading while the plant runs.The two cases will mutually support each other in generating new knowledge. 2. We will study operation of ship bridges in very demanding situations due to complex operations, surrounding traffic, instrument errors. Instrument settings as chosen by participants in bridge simulator courses are recorded and analyzed, and compared to after-session interviews. 3. We will investigate the corporate image issues in the Norwegian offshore industry in general and address the impact of ability to manage complex operations on corporate image in particular. Moreover, we will compa re perceived corporate images by firms, major stakeholders and firms, self-perceived images. Financing industry as well as research partners are DeepOcean, Østensjø rederi, Solstad Offshore, Eidesvik, Knutsen OAS, Gassco and StatoilHydro. Other research partners are SINTEF, NHH, IFE (Institute for Energy Technology), POLYTEC. The Norwegian Maritime Directorate is also involved as supporter to the project. We have agreed to work closely with each of the companies during the different phases of the project . HSH is planning a Master degree in Technical Safety, to be started fall 2009. The present KMB project will supply a rich set of cases for this educational programme.