Shuts, turns and roundabouts

Abstract

The outcomes of operational shutdowns and maintenance events, ‘Shuts and Turns’, can significantly affect a company’s performance and reputation. These are typically highly complex operations that demand significant resources and must deliver results. Shuts and Turns are expensive activities, not only in terms of the direct cost of labour plant and materials but also the production deferral. Leading operators recognise that they also pose significant risk to future production which is why significant time and effort goes into robust management framework. Safety performance is paramount, with schedule adherence also key. Operators spend considerable time planning to ensure successful Shuts and Turns have: an established management framework; effective scope management; thorough front-end loading; robust controls and change management; an assessment of the risks of emerging work; efficient resource planning; and rigorous safety and QA/QC processes. This paper provides: an overview of the different types of Shuts and Turns used by Australian operators; the benefits of a robust shutdown governance approach; an overview of key success areas; importance of lessons learned; and a detailed case study based on our work with a major downstream facility. The paper will appeal to oil and gas operators, major contractors and service providers.