WIRELINE Issue 34 Winter 2015-2016

PROJECT DELIVERY

EFFICIENCY

A ‘mission commanding’ performance Amilitary principle with its roots in the 19th century has brought a trailblazing approach to project management at Apache North Sea. The man behind its introduction to the company, projects group manager Mark Richardson, says it is all about giving talented people the freedom to make decisions – and, in turn, deliver greater efficiencies and operational gains. M ark Richardson believes the use of centralised project management stage-gate accountability for actual delivery and that, in turn, means reduced efficiency and effectiveness”. creates leaders at all levels with lean teams that can react to a probabilistic, unpredictable and dynamic

environment by taking on personal responsibility and accountability for delivery through devolved decision making. He says: “There’s an incredibly competent and highly trained

systems, where decisions are taken by a central controlling function at key project points (gates), is compromising project delivery across the UK offshore oil and gas industry. The project groups manager at Apache North Sea believes “it results in a lack of

He has shaped a different approach to project management at Apache. The Mission Command concept is an alternative to the highly process-driven systems commonly applied. In essence, Mark believes it is a methodology that

W I R E L I N E - I S S U E 3 4 W I N T E R 2 0 1 5 - 2 0 1 6

1 9