Work management; a superpower

Put simply, it is about delivering on intentions. From people to processes and systems, there are multiple cogs and wheels that must work together to operate effectively, make the most of budgets, time, skills and operational assets. Underperformance in any one area compromises the whole. By identifying areas not operating as effectively as they should, actions can be taken to tackle them.

Globally, and across multiple industries, ageing infrastructures, economic uncertainty, political change and many other factors are exacerbating existing challenges and creating new ones. Inefficiencies, excessive costs, maintenance backlogs, unreliable operations and budget cuts are mounting challenges for any organisation with responsibility for large scale asset management. For oil and gas, these are set against the wider demands of energy transition.

2024 for Team SRCN

During 2024 SRCN widened its cross-industry engagement, confirming its belief that the value it delivers for its clients in oil and gas, can be replicated across a diverse range of businesses. Of course, SRCN continued to deliver for its clients across the life cycle of oil and gas production, on multiple projects. These ranged from the assessment of maintenance KPIs for a European midstream operator; a work execution improvement programme for a global supermajor; a multi-asset work management assessment for another, and a comprehensive review of all live, corrective work for a duty holder. Not forgetting a backlog reduction project for a North Sea operator.

In many instances SRCN also delivered training and coaching relative to the implementation of new work management strategies and even supported communicating the rationale behind this work within the organisations they are supporting.

“Our clients tend to be forward thinkers. They are looking beyond the short term and have had the courage to identify problems and acknowledge the need to implement change. Working with them, we’ve proven time and again that the benefits of effective work management are game changing” (Colin Wilson).

Effective work management enables:

• Improved operational efficiency - reduced costs and improved reliability, better return on investment (ROI) and improved cost management.
• Delivery of corporate strategy and increased organisational alignment.
• Reduced risk – increased safety performance and assured regulatory compliance.
• Enhanced competitiveness - better positioning for success in a changing market and increased predictability.
• Accurate and effective performance management
• Future proofing – generating quality data for use with emerging technologies and data-driven decision making.

SRCN’s expertise in this space was recognised by OEUK who approached them to create the OEUK Maintenance Backlog Measurement, Interpretation & Management Guidelines for the benefit of its membership. It will be followed up with the OEUK Maintenance Backlog Reduction Guidelines, which SRCN are in the process of completing and will be officially released in 2025.

It was also a year of learning for the SRCN team. With an eye to the future and enhancing their understanding what else they can do to support its existing clients, SRCN undertook comprehensive feedback exercise. The results of which they are using to transfer experience and knowledge fostered in oil and gas for the benefit of sectors facing similar challenges. Indeed, SRCN has already secured its first contract to support an entirely new industry. With work scheduled to begin in early 2025 – they’ll be sharing more on this in the coming weeks.

Analysing the information from this study, SRCN quickly identified themes. Quality of service, trust and flexibility topped the list, but the universal validation of SRCN’s way of working was particularly important to them. You see, SRCN do things differently. They never recommend change for its own sake and always provide a fixed price, fixed scope and fixed duration for its services. They are also not an indefinite fixture; they free up your resources so your teams can focus on essential work.

2025 and beyond

2025 is set to be another exciting year for SRCN. Its team continues to grow to meet the demands of its established client base in oil and gas but also to enable growth into new industrial sectors. In response to client feedback, they’ll be introducing new service offerings - in particular building on its training portfolio.

“As recognised subject matter experts, SRCN is ideally placed to support any organisation with responsibility for large scale asset management, anywhere globally. Much of our work can be conducted fully remotely meaning that we are not limited by geographic location and our expertise is accessible and cost effective. Our methodologies and transparent way of working are industry agnostic and entirely transferable” (Colin Wilson).

With sectors as diverse as healthcare and power transmission, national parks and water treatment hitting the headlines in recent months for their inefficiencies, maintenance backlogs and more, the opportunities for SRCN are plentiful and exciting.

Work management is SRCN’s superpower, and they are passionate about the important role they are playing. Watch this space in 2025, there is so much more to come.

Image: Colin Wilson, SRCN Solutions.

Read the article online at: https://www.oilfieldtechnology.com/special-reports/14012025/work-management-a-superpower/