Interface Management for Oil and Gas Projects

Introduction:

This course on Project Interface Management in Oil and Gas touches upon the basic principles, tools, and processes, that are essentially necessary to facilitate the execution, monitoring, and controlling of project interfaces. It provides engineers and technical managers with the best-practice methods of avoiding the risks of delays and hasty rework as a result of poorly handled interfaces, which aims at the consolidation of the human-physical-software interaction.

Objectives:

At the end of this Project Interface Management in Oil and Gas course, students will be able to:

• Explain the relevance of interface management in project management, especially in oil and gas projects, and describe what happens when it is neglected.
• Capably determine, articulate, and manage system interfaces through the practical application of the interface management plan.
• Systematically handle the interface throughout the project life cycle, including planning and implementation of the necessary processes and tools that will help in managing interface engineering activities.
• Address the issues surrounding project interface management in oil and gas projects, including how integration and assessment tools such as the Integration Readiness Level are used.
• Investigate and control the effects of interface changes on system components and elements in order to ensure the integrity of the project.

Training Methodology:

• Lectures
• Case studies
• Group discussions
• Interactive exercises
• Real-world project examples
• Problem-solving sessions
• Role-playing scenarios
• Simulation-based learning

Course Outline:

Unit 1: Introduction to Project Interface Management

• Define and place limits on the function of project interface management, focusing on the oil and gas industry.
• Emphasize the risk reduction merits of a well-structured interface management plan.
• Discuss the role of project interface management in different scopes of projects and its significance in project success.

Unit 2: The Value of Interface Management in Oil and Gas Projects

• How does interface management enhance stakeholder engagement, including contractors and owners?
• Explore the mutual advantage of interface management to all parties.
• Proactive measures in risk management in oil and gas projects through Interface Management Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) such as:
  • Change of Scope
  • Disconnection with Contractor
  • Schedule Discrepancies

Unit 3: Planning & Execution of Interface Management

• Analyze the extent of interface management during the lifecycle stages of an oil and gas project:
  • Feasibility
  • Concept
  • Detailed Scope
  • Design
  • Construction
  • Commissioning and Start-up
  • Operations
• Procedures for effective executive actions at Pre-FEED/FEED stage.
• Detailed Design.
• During construction and commissioning activities: ability to execute Interface Management.
• Outline procedures for proper project completion and handover with a focus on interface management.

Unit 4: Developing and Executing Effective Interface Management System

• Development of the overall Master Interface Plan for oil and gas projects.
• Design and implement the interface register to help measure and monitor interfaces.
• Extract information necessary for the implementation of the project interface management plan.
• Enhance team communication and provide relevant training.

Unit 5: Utilizing Interface Management Software in Oil and Gas Projects

• Support the scope of delineation design using software tools.
• Control cost and schedule issues.
• Improve accountability.
• Principles and patterns for project teams’ policy enforcement and accountability.
• Discuss why managing interfaces with spreadsheets is a high-risk activity.
• Explain why managing interfaces informally through the RFI process is risky.
• Minimize errors and avoid wasting time through rework.
• Discuss why the document management system framework lacks effectiveness in managing interfaces.