What is The OilPro Game®?
The OilPro Game® is an interactive simulation based on The Manufacturing Game® that has been used since 2004 by many oil and gas production companies, to significantly improve performance. The OilPro Game® was designed to show how all of the best practices fit together and to give a clear understanding of what is necessary to implement improvement. The OilPro Game® deals with the integration of real-life petroleum production functionality including high-priority factors such as Health, Safety and Environmental considerations and a shrinking workforce. Integral elements of systemic thinking and collaborative interdependent relationships within production environments have been highlighted in the OilPro Game®.
How It Works
The simulation and workshop were specifically designed to engage the front-line operations teams and to give them a vision for their role in improving operational performance. Instead of presenting material on best practices, participants get a chance to experience them. During the simulation, participants create a list of improvements for their asset that would eliminate sources of loss, accidents and environmental incidents. After the simulation, participants in small cross functional groups (3 to 9 people who have the same equipment in common) choose improvement ideas that they can implement in a short period of time for little or no cost.
Taking action is one of the most unique aspects of this workshop. The improvement activities that are launched in the workshop are focused on things that participants can do “on-the-job.” These improvement activities tackle the nagging defects that cause repetitive problems and failures. These defects are often so small and ingrained in designs, procedures and approaches that they are invisible to managers and engineers. There is typically a mountain of these defects that can be eliminated in less than 90 days and for little or no capital if the front-line is motivated to participate and pointed in the right direction.
What You Will Gain
The impact of eliminating these nagging defects is extremely important to achieving operational excellence. By eliminating repetitive failures, these improvement activities free up time and resources to implement proactive measures that would otherwise require extra budget and headcount or would simply go undone. Additionally, a few of the improvement activities will yield much more benefit. By unleashing the creativity of the front-line, at least 2-3 Action Teams at a given site will find savings worth hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars.
While the hard dollar savings of improvement activities are tremendously helpful in accelerating change, the impact of The OilPro Game® on the culture of the organization is important as well. It will help build a shared vision and language for improvement efforts. The OilPro Game® workshops help to build the culture required to have significant and lasting change.