Quality management in energy & utilities

Learn how standards support quality management in the energy and utilities industry

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Quality management standards in the oil and gas sector

More than ever, the oil and natural gas sector need to be efficient and to manage risk very effectively. But at this difficult time, how can oil and gas sector organizations improve productivity and reduce risk? Help with meeting those twin aims comes in the shape of our revised international quality standard for the petroleum, petrochemical, and natural gas industries. One tried and tested route is by implementing a quality management system. To that end, BSI has published BS EN ISO 29001 Petroleum, petrochemical and natural gas industries - Sector-specific quality management systems - Requirements for product and service supply organizations. This international standard defines a quality management system for product and service supply organizations in the oil and gas sector. What does standard BS EN ISO 29001 cover? This standard is based on – and reproduces in full – BS EN ISO 9001 – the latest version of ISO’s best-selling international quality management systems standard. This standard works – in a nutshell – by asking organizations to meet requirements derived from seven quality management principles developed by ISO over many years. The principles are; customer focus, leadership, engagement of people, process approach, improvement, evidence-based decision making, and relationship management. The requirements set out what organizations should do to realize the principles. When an oil or gas organization fulfils the requirements they will have implemented a quality management system that reflects the principles. To get there, organizations are asked to implement Plan, Do, Check and Act cycles that identify their stakeholders and what they want, examine and improve processes and procedures, ensure the right resources are available, and continually improve what they’re doing. Improving efficiencies in the Oil and Gas Sector BS EN ISO 9001 was introduced as a step change to the way quality management systems are implemented across all industries. Designed to be less bureaucratic, simpler to use, and more effective at delivering business improvement, the standard now requires organizations to respond to the context in which they operate. That means looking at the external and internal issues relevant to its purpose and strategic direction. There’s also a much bigger emphasis on leadership and on risk-based thinking. Organizations are now required to place far greater emphasis on the identification and management of risks and opportunities associated with their activities, processes, output products, and services. The revision also introduced other key changes around how documented information is managed. The revised BS EN ISO 29001 meanwhile includes supplementary sector-specific guidance and requirements for the oil and natural gas sector. It also provides a framework for aligning requirements with complementary standards and practices that are already widely used in the sector. The benefits of implementing a quality management system The BS EN ISO 9001 standard has a track record of improving overall organizational performance. It reduces operating risk and drives improvement throughout an organization. That takes the form of more consistently efficient processes, less waste (of time and materials), and higher productivity. As well, stakeholder satisfaction is increased; you benefit from better planning; regulatory compliance is easier, and employees are more engaged. Spin-off benefits include that the standard can help organizations accelerate innovation, facilitate trade and increase stakeholder trust. To read more about the benefits of standards for your utility organization, click here. In addition, the supplementary sector requirements and guidance found in BS EN ISO 29001 ensure that users incorporate sector best practices and risk management processes. This makes for smoother and more efficient collaborations and better managed supply chain risks. The standard provides clarity on sector-documented information requirements. It also reflects the requirements and guidance within other sector-complementary quality, technical, and conformity assessment standards and specifications, making it easier to work with them. At a time when the sector has arguably never been under so much pressure, companies need to find a way to streamline their operations, strip out risk, take advantage of available opportunities and achieve competitive advantage. BS EN ISO 29001 can help with it all. Experience the benefits of implementing a quality management system by adding standard BS EN ISO 29001 to your collection today. Discover BSI Knowledge Over 100,000 internationally recognized standards are available for simple and flexible access with a BSI Knowledge subscription. In your quality-critical industry, our tailored subscription service puts the control in your hands, with traceability to monitor and demonstrate your business's access to standards. Build your own custom collection of standards, or opt for access to our GBM04 Management, Law & Quality module and keep up-to-date with any relevant changes to your standards strategy. Request to learn more.

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