Driving Management in Schlumberger

Deep commitment to Quality, Health, Safety and Environment and Taking driving management to next level

Schlumberger driving policy states that driving is the activity that presents the greatest potential risk for accidents in Schlumberger. To minimize this risk and ensure that worldwide standards for driving qualification and practices are followed, this driving policy applies to all Schlumberger organizations. This policy also provides the foundation for building a driver improvement program.

Aiming for a global driving program with superior results
Driving is ranked by the World Health Organization as the 10th highest cause of death worldwide. With increased motorization and assuming no changes in behavior, this figure is expected to rise, ranking driving among the top 3 causes of mortality.

Driving is the main cause of death within the Oil and Gas industry, and at Schlumberger we drive 43 million kilometers each month on every terrain and in every condition imaginable. In 2000, Schlumberger implemented a comprehensive driving management system designed to consolidate, leverage, and augment the best practices of our various segments to eliminate accidents through training, communication, in-depth accident reviews, and the use of driving simulators and in-vehicle monitors.
In 2005, the Oil and Gas Producers Association (OGP) adopted our driving standard as the foundation for their recommended land transportation practices for the industry.

Schlumberger Egypt Driving History
In Egypt driving is the biggest daily challenge facing every Schlumberger employee.  With more than 550 vehicles on the road, Schlumberger drive more than 60,000 miles per day.
Schlumberger Egypt has successfully managed to reduce the driving risk and number of Automotive Accidents.  This was achieved by applying a systematic approach to identify and manage hazards and minimize unnecessary exposure through the implementation of an active driving management system. This system includes prevention and mitigation measures.  On the prevention side, this comprises driving policies, standards, procedures, defensive driving training, maintenance systems, journey management procedures, driver performance monitoring and driver counseling.  On the mitigation part different measures have been applied such as making the use of seatbelts a condition for employment , monitoring the condition of the vehicle, installing rollover-protection devices, air bags, anti-lock (ABS) braking systems and proper emergency response plans.

These measures were very successful in controlling driving risks between 2001 and 2006 at which point the improvement reached a plateau as shown in figure (A). Experience showed that in real life, generic preventive and mitigation measures are extremely valuable, however, to move further in the quest for zero-loss due to vehicular events, Schlumberger Egypt management had to apply innovative tools and systems to reduce the automotive accidents to the next acceptable level.

Figure (A), Schlumberger Egypt Automotive accident facts
Figure (A), Schlumberger Egypt Automotive accident facts
AARm   🙁 Automotive Accident * miles driven / 1000 Miles)   – CMS: (Catastrophic, Major, and Serious)
CMSL   🙁 Catastrophic, Major, Serious, Light)

Schlumberger Egypt Driving Safety Challenges
In the second Half of 2008 Schlumberger Egypt had an increasing trend of automotive accidents as shown in Figure (B), despite the continuous commitment to the implementation of the industrial systematic driving management approaches. This increasing trend acted as an alarm for Schlumberger Egypt management and became the starting point to change the traditional approach for handling driving risk.

Figure (B) Schlumberger Egypt Involved Automotive Accident versus Mileage driven
Figure (B) Schlumberger Egypt Involved Automotive Accident versus Mileage driven

Driving the Way to Success
The first step was to perform an assessment of the initial risks while recognizing the risk-control measures that were in place. Management assigned this task to the HSE (Health, Safety, and Environmental) team
A deep analysis of the fleet movement trends, drivers, needs and preferences of the employees and automotive accidents root causes was performed to better understand the requirements. The analysis included:

  • Commitment from Management to provide required resources 
  • Commitment from the employees to support the initiatives and provide feedback for further risk reduction
  • Buy-in of the drivers to improve their behavior

The initial risk assessment was based on the history of crashes in Schlumberger Egypt (frequency and severity) and the risk control measures in place at the moment of the analysis. As a logical start point the HSE team conducted a Hazards Analysis and Risk Control (HARC) exercise.
Key Areas Assessed:

  • Journey Management Process

A review of the journey management process and plan at country level and locations level was conducted with a recommendation to centralize the process of monitoring Schlumberger Egypt Journey management and transportation activities through the implementation of the 24/7 Journey Management Center

  • Driver Improvement Monitor

The driving monitor system used in the locations had several problems of installation and several complaints were received from the drivers.  A plan was prepared to replace this system.

  • Resources and Training

Defensive driving training instructors were certified as per the corporate training catalog; all of them were certified trainers and time availability became an issue with the increase in the activity, affecting the quality of the training they were providing.

  • Condition of the Fleets

All light vehicles were found in good condition and with full compliance with the corporate standard. In fact the safety devices required by the standard (i.e. air bags, seat belts, ABS system, head rest) reduced the severity of the accidents.

  • Contractor transportation management

Several local Heavy Vehicle transport contractors were used to transport equipment/tools of Schlumberger Egypt.  A complete management system was put in place to manage those contractorsand a thorough selection process was established to identify one single contractor to provide heavy transportation.
Improvement Plan Philosophy:
Once the analysis was finalized, results were presented to management and several measures and systems were implemented:
Schlumberger Egypt 24/7 Journey Management Center (JMC)
The JMC is a 24/7 center that houses the hardware, application software, telecommunication technology, and staff that allows monitoring and responding to Schlumberger Egypt  land transportation activities to achieve a zero crash target. The main responsibilities of JMC are:
Driver/Vehicle Data base management:  maintain a complete database for drivers/vehicles within JMC area of operation, including monitoring and tracking the certification of vehicles and drivers to ensure a fully compliant operation.
Real time journey tracking: monitor all journeys on 24/7 basis from start until safe arrival and ensure all pre-trip and en-route approvals and procedures are being implemented.

Figure (C) 24/7 Journey Management Center Architecture
Figure (C) 24/7 Journey Management Center Architecture

Driver Monitor System Data trends and analysis: establishment and maintenance of an email based reporting framework for location managers , with monthly , weekly contact with location management to work through identified driver and vehicle related trends-with appropriate corrective actions being recommended
Road Hazard Assessment: Identify Schlumberger Egypt transportation network and ensure all roads have been risk assessed and communicate the risk associated with every road to drivers before commencing any trip.

Electronic Web Based Journey management system (Ejourney)
Ejourney is a Schlumberger world wide web-based application, it enables the management and monitor of the journey progress from start until the safe arrival, Ejourney allows:
-logging, tracking and approval of all journeys electronically
-provides online review of pre-journey risk assessment/accountability
-automatic alert and ability to monitor journey by the JMC
-automatic notification to management to review/approve journeys online
-promote accuracy of journey plan
-electronic documentation of trip details

New Driver Improvement and In Vehicle Monitoring System
A replacement of the driver monitor system with a state of the art one based on GSM/GPRS network has been implemented in Schlumberger Egypt Vehicles.  The system allows:
-Automatic download of driver monitor system data through GSM/GPRS network at any time anywhere
-Ability to know the status of the vehicle (parked, idling, moving) and who is driving the vehicle at any time
-ability to notify fleet supervisors through SMS with different type of alarms in real time such as : over speeding, excessive idle, vehicle moving without journey management, unnecessary night driving, driving for a long time without a rest, extreme harsh breaking (possible accident) ,etc..

Figure (E) wireless in vehicle monitoring system Architecture
Figure (E) wireless in vehicle monitoring system Architecture

Establishment of Driving Safety Organization
Hiring a dedicated Driving Safety Manager for Schlumberger Egypt  was a step change in driving performance, with main responsibility to apply a complete management Driving system and focus on enhancing driver’s performance and skills.

Training and Driver Skill Assessment Improvement
-Dedicated processional driver trainers: Schlumberger managed to get full time professional driver trainers with main focus to maintain an outstanding level of driver training quality.
-Driving Simulator
Schlumberger improved driver training by using a driving simulator program that enables employees to improve their driving skills in realistic oilfield conditions such as narrow roads, mud roads, desert road; different  weather conditions such as fog ,rain , wind.  It also simulates other situations such as head on collision avoidance , merge squeezes , interaction and avoidance of pedestrians and animals.

Driver Simulator in action

Results (the Fast Return on Investment)
Schlumberger Egypt  successfully improved overall safety performance between 2008 and July 2009 , for example the automotive accident rate dramatically decreased by 41% and the percentage safe drivers improved by 21 % , this through the innovate risk based driving safety management plan which had been put in place.

Figure (F) Schlumberger Egypt Driving Safety Success Story 
Figure (F) Schlumberger Egypt Driving Safety Success Story

Conclusions
Driving is the main challenge facing Schlumberger on a daily basis, and we in Schlumberger will keep taking the leadership in the implementation of innovative solutions and systems for better safety trends and zero crash environment.

 

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