Digital Gas Operations

Case Study

Risk and Performance Assurance (RPA)

RPA is a mobile, cloud based inspection platform, configured to each client's operating environment to enable the effective field inspections of gas pipeline and other gas infrastructure assets.

Enovation Partners developed RPA with 8 US gas utilities and the Gas Technology Institute to address the gas industry construction and operations challenges.

Client: Gas Utility and Local Distribution Company

Challenge:

• What, how, and how much to inspect

• How to focus on key quality and performance leverage points

• How to best manage a growing and diverse contractor based work force

• How to provide better tools and support for inspectors, managers and executives

• How to rapidly deliver a custom solution with the existing IT infrastructure
  

Timeframe: 

The RPA solution and technology was in the hands of inspectors within 6 weeks of beginning the project, where it was tested and refined over the following 4 weeks.

The configured and enabled RPA solution was then implemented across all the company’s operations during the following 9 weeks, including all workflow support, performance reporting, training, and statistical models.

Inspection content and criteria was configured to precisely fit the company’s design standards, regulatory environment, work flows, physical environment, internal legacy systems and operating practices.

Results:

The impact of the new inspection program has been dramatic. Without any adjustments in manpower, inspectors have more than doubled the tasks inspected per inspection and the number of inspections per inspector has increased by over 50%.

Crew and individual success rate have increased and inspectors have moved from a primary focus on evaluating work into coaching and improving crew quality and performance.

Data on crew, individual and contractor performance is available real time with detailed tracking and follow-up of each inspection non-conformance.

Statistically valid monitoring of contractor, crew and individual performance has led to significant improvements in quality, crew productivity and “first time” correct construction.

The trend and performance analysis and timely access to prior inspection records enables inspectors to focus on key risk and performance challenges, and manager to focus on data driven contractor management.

Benefits gained:

• Improved construction quality and crew performance

• Reduced implementation time of upgrades and refinements to less than one week

• Performance increases by inspectors and managers

• Quality monitored internally and benchmarked against standards

“The overall goal was to enhance construction quality, crew performance and employee and public safety. Operations excellence was a bonus. We are already seeing results – unsuccessful observations have declined, crew performance has improved, and both crews and inspectors embrace the new tools and processes. The program has been a great success and people love it.”

- Managing Director

RPA - Driving performance by transforming inspection

For more on RPA and Digital Gas Operations contact: Jim Peters and Natallia Pinchuk

updated March 2018