BP Upstream Learning (BP-UL) focuses on learning and development for the “upstream” side of BP’s global business—the exploration for and production of oil and gas. BP-UL supports 13,000 degreed petrotechnical specialists in 29 countries.
BP-UL develops Accelerated Development Programs (ADP) to build organizational capability. Petrophysics ADP was designed to develop and renew competencies critical to the description of oil and gas resources on all BP assets. From the performance analysis conducted, BP-UL knew it typically took five to seven years of unstructured work experience to be viewed as a “performer.” The program, therefore, was designed to allow petrophysicists to become true performers within two years. Data showed that BP needed to grow petrophysicist staff numbers by at least 75 over a five-year period to support functional performance, leveraging functional expertise into better delivery across the global business. In addition, the increasingly complex reservoirs and ongoing “crew change” underpinned the need to renew and grow numbers and skills.
The program utilizes integrated learning components to strengthen BP’s petrophysical capability for 10 to 12 global candidates annually. This program has been used as a model for other ADPs.
Program Details
An ADP coordinator tracks participant progress through an online journal and completion of the four program components through their Learning and Experience Plans (LEP):
- Immersion I: A four-week residential course that marks the beginning of the program.
- Asset and Vocational Experience: Participants work as asset petrophysicists under the direction of a line manager with the guidance of a technical coach.
- Immersion II: A two-week residential course that marks the mid-point in the Petrophysics ADP experience.
- The Petrophysics Project: Marks the completion of the program and represents a substantial piece of work that could turn into a patent or published journal article.
Results
Results show participants can:
- Plan and execute data acquisition programs for log, core, fluid, and pressure data
- Perform independently as proactive petrophysical contributors during integrated field studies
- Apply the BP Petrophysical Guidelines consistently during field studies
- Determine when and how to partner with peers during the analysis of an asset to yield a high-quality description that supports business requirements
- Gather and analyze field data to assure assets on volume and reserves and to describe related uncertainties
- Provide assets with data and interpretations to optimize production from well stock
- Petrophysics ADP has deepened organizational petrophysical capability and the overall talent pool of petrophysicists, as well as improved their productivity and value contribution (e.g., access/exploration choices, drilling efficiency).
The following success stories from Year 1 ADP participants highlight the success of the ADP in delivering tangible business value:
- Angola: “Improved interpretation of seismic results has significantly reduced the uncertainty of net pay. Net pay increased from 99m Measured Depth (MD) to 140m MD (a 40 percent increase). Additionally, solid knowledge of the third party’s technology and contract terms allowed a savings of approximiately $200,000.”
- North Sea: “Updated petrophysical interpretation yielded a new 4-D seismic and geological model supporting a revised drilling target to add 7.3mmboe (million barrels of oil equivalent).”
- Increased chance of success in exploration wells to reduce dry well cost of $55 million.
- Infill targets identified (25 percent recovery to date).
