Preventive Maintenance: Some Operations and Technology Related Practices at a Malaysian Oil and Gas Firm

Abstract

The effectiveness of a maintenance management system can be measured by the way a function has achieved its intended objectives and generally evaluated based on the quality of the product or service provided, from the perspective of the user. The issues of high casualties in terms of personnel, millions of dollars in losses due to the unexpected shutdown of operations, environmental threats and the impact on the country's income should be addressed. Malaysian Oil and Gas Firm’s maintenance system efficiency practices, technology availability, the selection of suppliers, the influence of preventive maintenance on company performance and the rationale for choosing PM for downstream activities were considered in the interest of the nation. The primary purpose of this study is to use a qualitative methodology to examine PM procedures at a Malaysian oil and gas firm. The oil and gas sector is commonly linked with high-risk, cutting-edge technology projects that can have devastating economic and ecological effects if anything goes wrong. The study utilized the semi-structured interview with 10 identified oil and gas maintenance management personnels such as Managers, Supervisors and Staffs who are attached to Maintenance Department as the ‘gatekeepers’ as they are the one who are directly involved directly in maintenance management activities as well as preparing the reports and data with regards oil and gas companies maintenance management system used for the study. The result from the study stated that the personnel involved in maintenance activities appreciate the practices utilized however with the new methods introduced, the study also proposed, appropriate maintenance implementation as well as the involvement of several parties in aspects of planning and formulating maintenance policy up to the implementation stage in the oil and gas operators’ operation. The study can provide significant implications for theoretical, methodology and management involvement in terms of preventive maintenance contribution to organizational performance. This study analysed the issue raised in the implementation of preventative maintenance, specifically in Turnaround Maintenance in oil and gas company.