KOC

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KOC JOURNEY ONWARDS STANDARDIZATION A BRIEF
HISTORY
BY Kuwait Oil Company (KOC Standards Team)
SPEAKER MR. A. REDHA AL-HADDAD / S. KUMAR
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BACKGROUND

• Vast Oil reserves were discovered in Kuwait in
  1938, and production began from Gathering Center
  (GC) 1 since 1946. Oil was shipped first in 1946
  by Kuwait Oil Company (KOC) through newly laid
  sub-sea pipelines to oil tankers, but soon a new
  oil pier was built in 1949 and then another in
  1959 to facilitate exports worldwide.
• But until 1975, KOC did not realize the needs of
  developing its own Standards for ongoing
  engineering activities and operational demands of
  various GCs / BSs and was trying to resolve the
  multiple technical problems by relying only on
  the outside agencies (Engineering Contractors /
  Consultants).
• Some resulting problems were only listed below
• No clear technical foundation in projects
• Different specifications of similar equipment and
  spare parts
• No proper interchangeability of equipment
• Blocking of huge capitals due to accumulated
  materials equipment
• Project delays and cost overruns including huge
  claims by the Contractors

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WHY KOC NEEDS TO HAVE ITS OWN STANDARDS??

• To improve technical knowledge and background.
• To provide easy references of Codes and
  Standards
• (Intl / National / KOC / Industry) for
  specific use.
• To provide a proper technical base for design,
  construction, operation and maintenance.
• To control the options and ambiguities in
  National,
• International and Industrial Standards.
• To harmonize past experiences.
• To integrate cost optimization (by saving time,
  minimizing delays, over-design, duplication of
  efforts, inconsistencies).
• To enhance HSE performance and fulfill corporate
  goals.
• To achieve KOC Strategy 2020 with respect to
  production targets.

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KOC PROJECTS

• Many projects were executed since 1975 and huge
  procurements were made by adopting different
  specifications for equipment and materials
• The Kuwait Gas Utilization Projects (1977/78)
  with Bechtel Specifications
• The Bitumen Plant Project (1980) at Mina
  Al-Ahmadi with BP Standards
• The BS 170 (Wafra Gas Project - 1980) with
  Southern Gas Project Specifications
• The expansion of GC 25 and repair of GC 15
  (1984/85) with CF Braun
  Specifications
• The rehabilitation of oil fields GCs (1992/93)
  after liberation with Bechtels Specifications
• The new GC 27/GC 28 (1995) with TPG
  Specifications including KOC Standards
• The new GC 25 (1996) with Bechtel Specifications
  including KOC Standards

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THE RESULTS OF NOT HAVING OWN STANDARDS

• Due to lack of KOCs own Standards on many
  subjects in several disciplines, these
  specifications from the diverse sources and other
  Companys Standards modified to suit certain
  applications had resulted in
• Inconsistent and conflicting design
  specifications
• Shortcomings in design and procurement
• Duplication of efforts
• Costly delays
• Lack of quality, reliability and uniformity
• No fit-for-purpose use

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OBJECTIVES OF STANDARDIZATION
The objectives and results of standardization in
any Company (KOC Others) can be summarized as
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WHY NOT TO ADOPT THE STANDARDS OF OTHERS?

• Adoption of others Standards is neither possible
• nor practicable without extensive
  amendments.
• Others Standards are not tailored to suit KOC
• operations and requirements.
• No similarity in Process, Project and
  Environment.
• Variety of Standards leads to confusion.
• Others Standards may also include certain
  established brand names which are used
  successfully at their operations, but those may
  not be suitable or available in KOC.
• For utmost benefits all major oil companies are
  forced to have
• their own Standards.

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THE WAY FORWARD

• Based on the past history and experiences, KOC
  Management decided to set
  up a Standards Team in 1975 with the following
  guidelines
• To establish KOC Standards on the current
  National/Intl Standards.
• To incorporate the latest technical changes in
  preparing the new or updating the existing
  KOC Standards.
• To adopt selectively other companys standards,
  where similarity exists.
• To utilize specific requirements or certain
  portions of other companys
  standards in KOC Standards, especially where
  experts or particular expertise are not
  available.
• To review and modify for adoption in KOC
  Standards, certain procedures established in
  other companys standards and operation, where
  they signify improvements or new advancements.

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PRESENT STATUS

• Management decided to implement KOC Strategy 2020
  more strictly which gave rise to
• Impetus to Standardization in KOC
• Management active support
• - to remove bottlenecks and lacunas in existing
  systems and procedures,
• - to provide hand-in-documents for ready
  reference and proper guidance,
• - to follow / apply safety rules and regulations
  more stringently and
• - to make sufficient availability of PPEs to
  employees at plant and work site.
• Where potential process risks exist,
  application of risk assessment studies and other
  mode of hazards analysis, through available
  standards and accepted methods.
• Improving plant layouts, constructing blast
  resistant buildings (control rooms) and removing
  any other inadequacies for safeguards to man,
  machines and materials.
• Improving training facilities to enhance
  employees HSE awareness.

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STANDARDS TECHNICAL COMMITTEE (STC)

• To provide proper direction and meet the demands
  of standardization work, a new KOC strategy was
  taken up with the following approach
• A KOC Standards Technical Committee was created
  with Members from the concerned KOC Groups and
  chaired by the Team Leader Standards.
• Terms of Reference (TOR) was approved by the
  DMD (Technical Services) - KOC Higher
  Management, which gave full support and
  recognition within KOC.
• Formation of various Task Forces from time to
  time to utilize in-house expertise and
  experiences to satisfy KOC technical requirements
  for preparing and / or updating KOC Standards.
• A Standard procedure was developed and
  approved by STC to maintain a distinct
  presentation style and formatting as well as to
  revise / update all KOC Standards / RPs.

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STANDARDS TECHNICAL COMMITTEE (STC)
CHAIRMAN STC/ TEAM LEADER STANDARDS
DY. CHAIRMAN SPECIALIST INSP. (INSP. CORR.
TEAM)
MEMBER SPECIALIST (ROT. EQUIP.) (OPNS. TECH.
SVCS. TEAM)
SECRETARY/MEMBER SNR. ENGR. CIVIL (STDS. TEAM)
MEMBER SNR. ENGR. HSE (HSE TEAM)
MEMBER SNR. ENGR. INST. (DESIGN TEAM)
MEMBER SNR. ENGR. ELECT. (STDS. TEAM)
MEMBER SNR. ENGR. MECH. (MAJOR PROJ. TEAM)
MEMBER SNR. ENGR. CORROSION (INSP. CORR. - TEAM)
MEMBER SNR. ENGR. PROJ. MGMT. (NORTH KUWAIT)
MEMBER SNR. ENGR. PROJECTS (GEN. PROJ. TEAM)
MEMBER SYSTEM SPECIALIST (IT GROUP)
MEMBER SNR. ENGR. MECH. (UTILITIES TEAM)
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STANDARDS DEVELOPMENT PROCEDURE
Approve
Publish
STANDARDS TEAM
TASK FORCE
Review Draft
STC
Assign / Issue
Prepare Draft
Review
Resolve
Comments
Comments
USER TEAM
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TYPICAL SCHEDULE OF STANDARDS PREPARATION
Issue for comments to all Depts. (3-4 weeks)
Review drafts by STC (2 weeks)
Data collection Writing draft Standards (8-10
weeks)
Analysis of comments (1-2 weeks)
Include comments Finalize drafts for Issue
to STC (2 weeks)
Publication Final Standards Total (20-24 weeks)
Meetings to resolve comments (2 weeks)
Approval By STC (2 weeks)
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PRESENT IN-HOUSE EFFORTS

• The tasks of standards preparation are presently
  continuing by the Standards Team with the
  available manpower in Mechanical / Electrical /
  Civil disciplines only
• To prepare, update and maintain a set of
  fit-for-purpose KOC Standards (approx. 278 Nos.)
  as per Master List of KOC Standards.
• Issued 112 Nos. KOC Standards and 42 Nos. KOC
  Hazardous Area Classification (HAC) drawings so
  far.
• To complete 166 Nos. balance Standards at the
  earliest.
• To update / revise 23 Nos. old but current KOC
  Standards and 53 Nos. current Specifications.

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OBSTACLES AND REMEDIES

• Standardization work needs to have
• total dedication of personnel,
• high degree of professionalism,
• diverse experiences in different technical
  fields,
• To speed up the Standards making process, some
  remedies are planned as below
• More commitment / dedication of the Task Force
  Members.
• More extra efforts beyond normal working hours.
• More active participation in the standards making
  process.
• Revision of current motivation schemes to focus
  on standards efforts.
• More specialized manpower.

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THANKING YOU
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