The Upstream Center of Excellence (CoE) has been successfully implemented to enhance collaboration and share technical expertise between KOC, KGOC and KUFPEC. The six CoE operational disciplines of Tight Reservoir Stimulation, Heavy Oil, Water Management, Corrosion & Integrity, Artificial Lift and Improved Recovery Techniques have demonstrated that real value can be leveraged from within the upstream entities. From its initial phase to its full implementation in the incubate phase, CoE has successfully managed to stand as a platform for teamwork for addressing challenges, collaborating on ideas and seeking suitable solutions, with tangible results and varied value opportunities. Effectively led and spearheaded by KOC’s Dr. Abdullatif Al-Kandari and Nadia Al-Zeabot, Senior Planner - Planning & Support Team, the Center of Excellence is one of the most talked about subjects within the K-Companies.
Due to growth in CoE’s size, increased interaction between upstream K-Company experts and limitation imposed by email communications, the CoE Team recognized the requirement to establish an “e-Platform” to raise awareness and importance and for easy, fast and effective communication across the three upstream entities. The Upstream CoE Team, consisting of Dr. Abdullatif Al-Kandari, Nadia Al-Zeabot and Joel Solomon, all from KOC, identified IT Focal points from KOC, KGOC and KUFPEC and with the help of available IT resources, the team succeeded in designing a dedicated website and IT Tool for better collaboration and correspondence within the Upstream K-Companies. The focal points are responsible for updating current activities and upcoming events related to CoE.
CoE Website:
This is a public website that introduces CoE, its history, objectives, mission and vision. It also shows the governance structure and briefly explains its six operating disciplines with their objectives, mission and vision. It also features an “Announcement” column that displays upcoming events/workshops/experts connect series, etc. The website also features a Media and Publication tab where the visitors can view pictures and media coverage for major CoE activities. As part of Upstream CoE’s main objective to share knowledge, the team developed another important tab on their website, the “Shared Folder.” Here experts can share non-confidential, technical data with visitors to the site and the can also learn from the information uploaded.
CoE IT Tool:
The IT Tool is a first of its kind application across Upstream K-Companies developed to interact in real time. Unlike the website, this is a limited forum for active experts within the CoE pool to share information, presentations, minutes of meetings, Action Plans, future roadmaps, technical papers, etc. The tool has six segregations (one per discipline) for its experts’ queries and knowledge sharing. The tool also features a separate tab for cross-disciplinary interface and sharing relevant data. The CoE Team holds the admin rights to all the IT-related activities and is responsible for updating and uploading information in the respective domains. All data uploaded is monitored and filtered by the respective Discipline Lead of each discipline. The CoE Team is also responsible for updating and uploading information in the respective domains. The CoE Team controls all the admin rights for the website and the IT Tool.
The success of this innovation requires determination, brainstorming sessions, planning, frequent software testing and eventual advertising. After collating ideas and user interface requirements and exploring the possibilities, the CoE Team structured a frame for the website and IT Tool and presented this to the software developers. With several meetings and correspondences, CoE launched it’s “e-Platform”, the CoE website and IT Tool. It was advertised on KOC and KUFPEC portals, billboards around the KOC offices in Ahmadi and electronic prismas at the entrance to Ahmadi. This helped in marketing CoE as a whole and invited inquiries to know more about CoE. The website and IT Tool have helped the CoE Team and the experts save time and reduce the paperwork to almost zero. CoE held a special meeting for its experts to introduce and train on usage of this IT Tool and explained the access rights and criteria for data to be uploaded.
As the Upstream CoE’s demand and experts are growing rapidly, the CoE Team intends on expanding its IT Tool by adding more salient features in the future and extending rights to leadership for their participation and supervision. The team also intends on having an in-house IT expert to run and maintain its website and IT Tool and to train new experts, under the direction of KOC’s Information Team.
Success Story Abstract:
Because of the commitment, dedication and hard work of the CoE Team and the Discipline experts, CoE disciplines are able to achieve great values which include cost saving and production increase techniques. Here, we would like to highlight a great value captured by the CoE in the recent past, which resulted in cost saving of up to KD 12 million. KGOC required external assessment of a 12” crude underground pipeline between the MAB & MAA refinery project, since intelligent pigging was not possible, as the line is not piggable and KOC had already been utilizing an internationally accepted technique (External Corrosion Direct Assessment as per NACE SP0502). The KOC experts suggested that KGOC utilize the same technique. Implementation of this suggestion helped KGOC to decide whether to partially replace, or completely replace the entire pipeline. The Upstream CoE has many such cases from all its six operating disciplines, which have earned remarkable results and appreciation.
The CoE in the past has shared its expertise with other K-Companies to establish a successful operating Center of Excellence unit in their respective domains. With knowledge gained through hands on experience, the CoE Team is glad to share its Modus-Operandi, train experts and help implement effective, operating CoE, through its advisory functions.
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