Course Overview

Over the last three decades, analysis of major Oil & Gas projects has shown that many projects fail to achieve at least one of the four critical success criteria:

• Safe execution
• Delivery within budget
• Completion on schedule
• Performance as expected at start-up

More than 65% of projects fall short in one or more of these areas, with many continuing to face operational challenges years after handover. The purpose of the Operations Readiness & Assurance (OR&A) process is to minimise these failures by ensuring that both assets and organisations are fully “Ready to Operate” before start-up and handover.

The OR&A process focuses on three critical dimensions:

• Project Deliverables – including design, construction, commissioning activities, and documentation
• Operations Requirements – including operability, maintainability, reliability, HAZOP/HAZID participation, and commissioning support
• Operations Needs Beyond the Project Scope – including operational readiness of the organisation, management systems, spare parts, procedures, and workforce competence

This intensive five-day course introduces participants to the OR&A process, systems, methodologies, and practical tools required to achieve operational readiness and continuous assurance throughout project execution. Participants will also receive hands-on training using the OR&A Solution software, the only purpose-built system specifically designed for Operations Readiness & Assurance.

LPC Training is exclusively accredited by OR&A to deliver this programme, ensuring participants learn directly from experienced practitioners with extensive real-world project expertise.

Important Note

The OR&A Team works closely with the Project Team while representing the interests of the asset owner and operations organisation. Their role is to safeguard long-term operational viability and readiness, while overall project control remains with the Project Management Team.

Instructors

David Powell

A highly experienced engineer with decades of global project experience across onshore and offshore environments, ranging from desert operations to arctic conditions. Since 2000, he has specialised in Operations Readiness & Assurance, developing systems and methodologies implemented across major international projects. He is also the creator of the OR&A Solution software, now expanded to support projects in renewables, biomass, hydrogen, gas-to-power, and mining sectors.

John Arbuckle

With more than 45 years of experience in the Oil, Gas, and Petrochemical industries, including over 25 years in supervisory and management positions, he brings extensive expertise in OR&A, maintenance, inspection, commissioning, and asset integrity. His international onshore and offshore experience, combined with his ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and resolve complex project challenges, makes him a recognised authority in operational readiness and project assurance.

Agenda

Day — 1 Introduction to the Concept of Operations Readiness and Assurance (OR&A)

• Understanding the concept of Operations Readiness & Assurance (OR&A) and its importance to both project teams and operating organisations
• Defining Operations Readiness and understanding its role in achieving safe, efficient, and sustainable operations
• Differentiating between achieving “Ready to Operate” status and being simply “Ready for Start-Up”
• Understanding the concept of Assurance and recognising why demonstrating operational assurance can be challenging within complex projects
• Exploring the historical evolution and development of OR&A as a specialised project and operational discipline
• Examining the business case and organisational benefits of deploying an effective OR&A process
• Recognising the operational, organisational, and project challenges involved in deploying and managing OR&A activities
• Understanding how the OR&A Solution software addresses the challenges associated with OR&A implementation and management
• Exploring OR&A scope development and alignment with project timelines and delivery milestones
• Understanding how OR&A activities align with the Integrated Project Plan (IPP)
• Exploring the OR&A Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) and its role in readiness planning and execution
• Understanding the process of creating and implementing an OR&A Plan within major projects
• Applying practical approaches for deploying the OR&A process and recording operational readiness progress
• Understanding the management of multiple users, multiple project locations, and collaborative OR&A activities within the OR&A Solution platform
• Exploring version control processes and methods for disseminating OR&A status information effectively
• Understanding the purpose and application of OR&A Solution templates, including:
  • What templates are used for
  • Benefits of using templates
  • Methods for modifying templates to suit project requirements
• Exploring the OR&A e-Learning system, including:
  • The purpose and structure of the e-Learning programme
  • How the e-Learning system operates
  • Accessing and navigating the e-Learning platform
  • Competency development and certification within the OR&A Solution environment
• Comparing OR&A Standards with BS EN ISO 20815 Operations (Production) Assurance requirements
• Exploring OR&A concepts, methodologies, and practical applications through real project examples and discussions

Day — 2 Getting to Grips with the OR&A Solution

• Course recap, revision activities, and addressing participant questions on OR&A concepts and processes
• Exploring the observations and recommendations of Edward Merrow regarding successful OR&A implementation, including:
  • Creating a robust management system to deploy OR&A processes and procedures
  • Structuring OR&A processes into a disciplined and controlled management framework
  • Ensuring projects are properly framed, assessed, and shaped before execution
  • Securing strong support from both Project Management and Operations Management teams
• Identifying the key prerequisites for implementing an effective OR&A process, including:
  • Management commitment and OR&A awareness
  • Collaboration between the Project Team and OR&A / Operations Team
  • OR&A team training, competency development, and capability building
• Introduction to the OR&A Solution software through practical, instructor-led exercises
• Understanding user credentials, login procedures, and user account management within the OR&A Solution platform
• Exploring the OR&A Solution Home Screen, dashboard widgets, and the OR&A “Wave Chart” functionality
• Understanding OR&A knowledge and reference resources, including the “About OR&A” information section
• Working with OR&A Solution projects through hands-on demonstrations and guided exercises
• Exploring a demo project and navigating the system interface, including:
  • Project Summary Screen
  • Project Phases
  • Activity Screens
  • Detail Sheets
  • Additional Information Pages
  • Template-Specific Information
• Practical exercise: Locating and identifying a specific task within the OR&A Solution system
• Understanding and applying the OR&A Numbering System to locate activities and tasks efficiently
• Working with OR&A Activities and Tasks, including:
  • Recording Task Status
  • Adding Comments and Progress Updates
  • Understanding how user input affects overall OR&A system status and reporting
• Understanding database functionality and how the OR&A Solution tracks user entries, updates, and progress history
• Exploring reporting functions and outputs available within the OR&A Solution, including predefined reports and operational dashboards

Day — 3 Deeper into the OR&A Solution

• Course recap, revision exercises, and participant questions related to OR&A concepts and software application
• Understanding the “Too Early” concept within the OR&A Solution, including:
  • Setting and removing “Too Early” status
  • Understanding how “Too Early” status functions within readiness tracking and assurance processes
• Understanding “Deviations” within the OR&A process, including:
  • Setting a Deviation
  • Removing a Deviation
  • Understanding how Deviations influence OR&A activities, tracking, and reporting
• Understanding how “Assurance” is evaluated, monitored, and displayed within the OR&A Solution, including:
  • The Assurance Level Widget
  • How real-time continuous assurance is achieved through the OR&A system
• Working with OR&A Solution projects through practical, instructor-led exercises focused on:
  • “Too Early” status management
  • Deviations and exception handling
• Understanding system-generated messages and notifications within the OR&A Solution, including:
  • Lesson Applied / Removed notifications
  • Deviation Applied / Removed notifications
  • Approving or cancelling Deviations

Lessons Learned Management

• Introduction to the concept and value of Lessons Learned within OR&A and project operations
• Understanding what constitutes a valid Lesson Learned within operational and project environments
• Exploring the concept of “Peer Advice” and its role in organisational learning and operational improvement
• Understanding how Lessons Learned are identified within the OR&A Solution system
• Exploring how Lessons Learned are captured, documented, and managed within the OR&A platform
• Understanding the process and significance of “Harvesting” Lessons Learned for future project application and continuous improvement

Day — 4 Lessons Learned & Flaws

• Course recap, revision activities, and addressing participant questions related to OR&A systems and operational readiness practices

Lessons Learned Management System (LLMS)

• Introduction to the Lessons Learned Management System (LLMS) and its role in organisational learning and continuous improvement
• Exploring the key widgets and functions within the LLMS platform
• Identifying potential lessons learned from operational and project activities
• Understanding how lessons learned are harvested, documented, and retained within the LLMS
• Exploring the LLMS interface and navigation features
• Understanding how to select, review, filter, and export lessons learned for operational use
• Applying lessons learned by deploying them to relevant OR&A activities and tasks
• Managing, monitoring, and tracking lessons learned throughout the project lifecycle
• Practical hands-on exercises focused on:
  • Exploring the LLMS interface
  • Identifying potential lessons learned
  • Deploying and applying lessons within OR&A activities

Flawless Project Initiatives (FPI)

• Introduction to the concept of “Flaws” within project and operational readiness environments
• Understanding what constitutes a flaw and its impact on project success and operational performance
• Exploring how flaws are identified and captured within the LLMS framework
• Introduction to the Flaws, Issues and Risks Synthesis Tool (FIRST) and its application within OR&A
• Exploring the FIRST interface and system functionality
• Understanding how to record, evaluate, monitor, and manage flaws within projects
• Exploring the Flawless Project Initiatives (FPI) process and its role in improving operational readiness and reducing project risk
• Practical hands-on exercise: Deploying Flawless Project Initiatives (FPI) within a project environment

Day — 5 Reviews and Audits

• Course recap, revision exercises, and addressing participant questions related to OR&A reviews, audits, and assurance activities

OR&A Reviews

• Understanding what an OR&A Review comprises and its role within project and operational readiness assurance
• Exploring why OR&A Reviews are essential for achieving safe, reliable, and sustainable operational performance
• Understanding the process and methodology used to conduct an OR&A Review effectively
• Introduction to the Operations Readiness Review & Audit Tool (ORRAT) and its functionality within OR&A processes
• Exploring the structure and application of the Risk Assessment Matrix (RAM) used during OR&A reviews and audits
• Understanding the stages involved in the OR&A Review and Audit process

Practical Review & Audit Activities

• Practical hands-on exercise: Recording a “Finding” within the ORRAT system
• Understanding and applying:
  • PAER Ratings
  • Severity Assessment
  • Likelihood Assessment
  • Consequence Evaluation
• Understanding how to attach and manage supporting evidence for audit findings within ORRAT
• Exploring how review and audit outcomes are automatically calculated and evaluated by the ORRAT system
• Understanding the generation of final Review and Audit reports, including automated PowerPoint reporting created directly from user input within ORRAT

Learning Outcomes

Managing the exchange of information between the many teams involved in large-scale projects is highly complex and can easily fail without a structured and reliable process. Attempting to control thousands of operational readiness activities through spreadsheets often results in version control issues, incomplete tracking, lack of visibility, and poor-quality data management.

To address these challenges, the OR&A Solution was purpose-built as a secure, database-driven application featuring full version control, structured workflows, and an intuitive user interface. This training programme not only introduces participants to the Operations Readiness & Assurance (OR&A) process but also provides practical, hands-on instruction in implementing and managing OR&A activities effectively using the OR&A Solution software.

By the end of this course, participants will be able to:

• Understand the OR&A structure, hierarchy, and numbering system used throughout the OR&A process
• Understand the terminology used within OR&A and confidently navigate Activity Screens, Detail Sheets, and Information Screens within the OR&A Solution software
• Generate a complete OR&A Plan for a project efficiently using the OR&A Solution system
• Record project progress, add context-specific comments to readiness tasks, and monitor updates through the OR&A Dashboard
• Understand the concepts of “Too Early” and “Deviations” and recognise how they affect OR&A status and readiness assessments
• Generate operational and management reports, including weekly reports, monthly activity reports, and detailed spreadsheet outputs
• Understand the concept of “Assurance” within OR&A and how assurance levels are evaluated and monitored by the software
• Interpret the OR&A Wave Chart to identify operational readiness issues, risks, and project concerns
• Record, search, manage, and deploy lessons learned using the Lessons Learned Management System (LLMS)
• Understand the principles of Flawless Project Initiatives (FPI) and use the Flaws, Issues & Risks Synthesis Tool (FIRST) to identify, record, assess, and monitor flaws and operational risks
• Participate effectively in OR&A Reviews using the Operations Readiness Review / Audit Tool (ORRAT)
• Follow the integrated OR&A e-learning programme to develop competency and achieve OR&A accreditation

Who Should Attend

This course is designed for professionals involved in the management, planning, execution, commissioning, and operational delivery of large-scale projects. It is particularly valuable for individuals seeking to understand the critical contribution of Operations Readiness & Assurance (OR&A) personnel in ensuring successful project transition into safe, reliable, and sustainable operations.

The programme highlights how a robust OR&A process, aligned with the Integrated Project Plan (IPP), can significantly improve project outcomes, operational readiness, and long-term asset performance.

This course is especially suitable for:

• Project Managers, CSU Managers, Project Planning Teams, and Project Engineers
• Operations Readiness Managers, OR&A Leads, and OR&A Engineers
• Commissioning and Start-up Team Members
• Operations and Maintenance Managers and Team Leads
• Asset Integrity Managers and Asset Owner Representatives
• Quality Assurance Managers and Quality Engineers
• Engineering Consultants and EPC Contractors