Getting Systematic - A 15 Year Journey in Seismic Operations

This paper describes a journey by BP towards delivery of systematic geophysical operations. BP and Amoco merged in 1998, and the new entity went on to acquire ARCO in 2000. Diverse approaches to management of geophysical operations adopted by the three companies prior to their combination had to be harmonised, and then developed to provide a consistent, systematic approach. The first seven years after the millennium saw focussed improvement in the areas of HSE, technology, contracting and supplier performance management. Nevertheless practitioners from each of the heritage companies continued to apply their individual overprint to projects. Seismic contractors claimed that dealing with BP was like dealing with a myriad of different companies. In 2007 a project to develop a systematic and distinctive BP way to deliver geophysical operations was initiated, based on the four elements of 1)Project Management, 2)HSE, 3)Procurement and Supply Chain Management and 4)Technology. In 2009 a draft practice for management of geophysical operations was trialled, becoming fully formalised and mandatory in 2011. Fifteen years after the merger, all seismic projects now follow the same consistent approach, making BP’s expectations more dependable and leading to safe, compliant, reliable and competitive geophysical operations worldwide.