The operator of a new offshore oil rig hired Check-6 to help build leadership skills and teamwork quickly to safely and efficiently start drilling operations. Check-6 conducted a four month program including assessing the rig's culture and processes, and providing training and coaching to the entire crew. This helped improve crew resource management skills and safety practices like tool box talks and debriefs. As a result, the rig improved safety performance and reduced drilling times, saving the operator over $32 million on the first two wells ahead of schedule.

1. Challenge:
A well-established global oil operator was beginning a three year drilling campaign in the UK sector of
the North Sea with a rig straight from the shipyard. The Contractor’s crew had been together throughout
the rig’s construction, however, they had not operated together. The Operator was focused on achieving
Operational Excellence and the challenge with the new rig was how to build leadership and teamwork
skills quickly to deliver safe and efficient operations. The Operator had previously used Check-6 to deliver
a Performance Excellence™ pilot project on one of their high performing rigs, and Check-6 had exceeded
expectations.
Actions:
A four month campaign began with Check-6 engaging the onshore leadership of both the Operator and
Contractor to understand the challenges and their Safe Systems of Working. This initial engagement also
ensured the leadership commitment and the correct communications were delivered to the rig leadership.
Check-6 then conducted a 4-week Assessed Training Phase during which an assessment of the rig
leadership, culture, processes and communications was conducted. The Training element (see Fig 1.) took
in the entire crew from OIM to galley staff to Service Providers.
Case Study: Performance
Excellence and Leadership Author: David “Nutty” Hazell, Check-6 Client Manager, UK

2. There followed a 3-month Coaching Phase to embed the cultural changes. Check-6
coaches worked 24/7 with the complete crew conducting activities such as Pre-
Tour Meetings, Tool Box Talks and driving the Debrief. Coaching was focused on
developing the Crew Resource Management (see Fig 2.) skills of the crew, which
underpin safe and efficient operations. Check-6 also coached during the weekly
Safety Meetings and provided rig leadership with feedback after the weekly Safety
Drill. A written report was provided to on and off shore leadership every 2 weeks
to ensure the Objectives were being met and to adapt the coaching as required.
Check-6 also embedded a Strategic Coach in the Operator’s offices to ensure
alignment of leadership communications and expectations. Based on feedback
from the Strategic Coach, the Rig Superintendent changed the format of the daily
rig call. The Strategic Coach also conducted a review of the first 5 wells to identify
lessons for the remaining wells.
Results:
•Increased Quality of TBTs- increasing morale, improved safety through better
hazard identification
•Increase Quality and number of Debriefs - identified and captured best practice to
improve performance, engendered an open and honest culture to improve critiques
Increase in proposed changes to WI and JSA
•Improve Leadership environment - increased mentoring to improve performance
and sharing of best practice, improved communications
•Increased Early Deviation Recognition, which reduced safety incidents through
better hazard identification and mitigation in planning, and improved situational
awareness during execution
•Daily rig call has been replaced by a quality conversation with Service Providers
Benefits:
•Decreased LTI, TRIR rates.
•Rig went from bottom quartile on Rushmore Scale to top Quartile in 5 wells.
•Reduced drilling time which meant the Operator saved $32M on 2 wells.
•Drilling campaign will be completed 8 months ahead of schedule with associated
cost savings.
•Alignment of objectives from the Service Providers throughout the drilling
campaign.
© 2016 Check-6 International Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction for commercial use is strictly prohibited.
Figure 1.
Training is in 4 modules:
Planning, Briefing,
Execution and Debriefing
These modules underpin
the Coaching Phase
Figure 2.
Crew Resource
Management Skills
-Situational Awareness
-Decision Making
-Communication
-Teamwork
-Leadership
-Managing Stress and
Fatigue
“The importance of non-
technical skills to safety
and efficiency has long
been recognized in high
risk organizations such
as aviation, mining and
healthcare.”
“It is now believed
that operational safety
and efficiency can be
achieved in the O&G
industry through
effective development
and application of the
same non-technical
skills, a process known
as CRM.”
OGP Report: 501
Apr 2014