Technical limits
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The term Technical Limits was first brought to notoriety by D.F. Bond et al of Woodside Petroleum, in a 1996 IADC/SPE (International Association of Drilling Contractors/Society of Petroleum Engineers) paper entitled, “Step Change Improvement and High Rate Learning are Delivered by Targeting Technical Limits on Sub-Sea Wells.” Technical Limits, can be defined as “the process of achieving flawless execution in all phases of the operation using the best possible people, processes and technology.”
Technical Limits is a means of empowering the wider team to raise the performance bar well above what they thought was possible today. It’s about breaking down the existing walls and getting people to think “outside the box.” Most people rightly believe they are performing to the best of their ability so the concept of significantly raising the bar may seem foreign.
Technical Limits helps people realize there is significant room for improvement so we can get past what Michael Michalko of Thinkertoys believes, “if you always do what you’ve always done, you’ll always get what you’ve always got.” In principle, exploring the Technical Limits is done by asking three main questions:
- Where are we now?
- In a perfect world, what is possible?
- How do we get there?
Innovative thinking doesn’t just happen. It’s a cumulative process that starts with a culture that is open to ideas and encourages radical thinking. Through a variety of workshops and techniques, people are encouraged to openly challenge how we plan and execute to deliver outstanding safety and operational performance. The key components of the process are:
Planning & Enrollment • Ensure management is actively involved in the process • Encourage behaviors that support innovation • Customize the process to fit the organization using what is currently in place if possible
Technical Limits Workshops • Link great safety performance with great operational performance • Open the door with examples of what is possible in an ideal world • Involve the entire team in brainstorming opportunities to improve
Implementation • Amend the plan with opportunities from the workshop • Aim to execute flawlessly by involving the entire team • Constantly measure performance and provide feedback to the team • Learn before, during and after events
Sustainability • Build sustainability into the process from the beginning • Train/educate internal champions • Use a “model – coach – support” approach to ensure skills are embedded
The potential magnitude of the step change is significant as improvements of 50% or more are possible. This is not about incremental improvement often achieved by focusing on the elimination of waste or reducing process variability. This is about capturing the improvements that are possible when pioneering options are explored and people are willing to go beyond what they thought was possible.
References
1. IADC/SPE 35077. “Step Change Improvement and High Rate Learning are Delivered by Targeting Technical Limits on Sub-Sea Wells.” 1996 D.F. Bond et al
2. Journal of Petroleum Technology. “BP Alaska Uses Rapid Recycling to Push the Boundaries of Technical Limit.” April, 2003
3. Harts E&P. “Performance Rises with Technical Limits” June, 2004
