its terminal. As a result, it implemented interventions
that significantly reduced BOG generation, which, in
turn, not only cut flaring back to levels previously seen
in 2012, but also significantly reduced lost energy and
therefore realised cost savings. The benchmarking has,
therefore, not only been an invaluable lever in determining
improvements, but also provided an excellent mechanism
to verify the impact of changes made.
More than just measurement
As the group has developed and the benchmarking has
become more sophisticated, their activities have extended
far beyond standard comparisons of performance using
KPIs with the implementation of a number of knowledge
sharing approaches.
Firstly, they established a platform for sharing leading
practices in the form of a facilitated workshop where the
leading performers made presentations to the group
detailing the processes and systems they have in place that
enable them to achieve their leading position. Other
presentations may also describe innovations that terminals
have developed or address areas of growing concern to the
group. The concept is that all participating terminal
operators will leave the workshop with some learning
points to take back to their respective organisations.
Secondly, an alternative approach was developed to
examine differences in working practices relating to the
operation and maintenance of critical equipment in order to
understand the impact of these upon performance. Low
pressure pumps were the first equipment type to be
investigated. A detailed data collection tool was developed
to capture the key elements of each terminal’s practices,
which were subsequently analysed to understand reasons
for any differences and to identify leading practices.
Finally, all consortium members are free to instigate
detailed targeted surveys amongst the benchmarking
participants to investigate current challenges being faced
in more detail and in real time. Surveys conducted to date
have included maintenance management, emissions
reduction and provision of firefighting services. These
surveys allow for rapid dissemination of information
amongst the group and are particularly useful when a given
terminal needs to address a topic in a short timeframe.
Furthermore, for some operators, implementing such
surveys negated the need to engage consultancy support
to achieve the same outcome, thereby realising further
savings.
Conclusion
In a context of the major changes being experienced in
the LNG market, the inevitable downward pressure on
terminal operating margins and the associated challenges
this brings to terminal operators in Europe, it is clear
that the activities of this benchmarking consortium have
enabled the participating operators to rise to these
challenges by realising significant improvements in
performance through the delivery of innovations and
leading practices.
