Diversity in management system assessments
5th January 2009
John Symonds describes how ExxonMobil developed a diverse assessment structure for its management system that led to value-added benefits.
ExxonMobil has just celebrated 125 years in business and is one of the largest non-state owned oil companies in the world, with sales revenues approaching US$400bn. It is committed to safely and reliably producing oil, natural gas and hydrocarbon products in various locations around the world in a way that maximizes resource and asset value.
Major disasters in the energy industry in recent years have highlighted the need to establish successful management systems. The Piper Alpha 20th anniversary this year has been yet another reminder of major disaster because oil or gas escapes containment; Buncefield is a more recent example. With such events in mind, the operations integrity management system (OIMS) devised by ExxonMobil and introduced to all operating units in 1991 was designed to maintain integrity. This translates to total containment at all steps from first drilling a well, through producing the crude oil or gas, subsequent refining, through various transportation processes, to when you fill up at the service station.