Risk Management Approaches in Oil and Gas Industry Projects: A Qualitative Study
[Thesis]
Almadhlouh, Ali Abdullah
Finkelmeier, Dr Robert
Colorado Technical University
2019
335 p.
D.M.
Colorado Technical University
2019
This exploratory study examined the strategies project managers use to identify schedule risks in the oil and gas industry and deliver projects on schedule. Project managers are continually challenged with addressing project risks in oil and gas megaprojects and, as a result, often fail to deliver projects on schedule. Delivering oil and gas projects late leads to an escalation of the product price (due to increased project costs) and, therefore, makes many projects uncompetitive in the highly competitive global market. Late delivery of oil and gas projects drove the need for a study to determine which strategies could be more successful when managing such projects. Project managers from across the globe who have successfully managed oil and gas projects were the targeted population. The researcher used online and face-to-face semi-structured interviews utilizing open-ended questions to collect data from ten project managers from the U.S and Saudi Arabia, who met the criteria of the study. The data analysis design involved compiling, organizing, classifying, and coding the interview data and identifying a comprehensive set of themes and prominent topics. The coding method used was axial coding and both inductive and deductive processes. The data analysis revealed six major themes as follows: (1) project schedules and objectives, (2) risk management, (3) contracts and contractors' relations, (4) procurement management, (5) effective communication, and (6) training. Within these themes, three prominent topics also emerged as follows: (1) creating specific teams, (2) interface management, (3) planning.