Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers Spotlight

An oil and gas facility isn’t going to run itself. That’s where Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers come in. They handle all the day-to-day activities needed to keep a facility running smoothly.

What a typical day looks like:

Safety comes first for Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers. They start their day with a safety meeting to remind coworkers about safety programs and protocols and to alert them to any planned maintenance occurring that day. By properly maintaining a plant or facility, these managers help to increase the “up-time” of a facility – the time the plant is available for production. They use databases, spreadsheets and time management tools to create maintenance, testing and inspection schedules. They plan safety inspections and they regularly walk around to inspect the facility, do safety inspections and perform scheduled work.

Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers make sure all the necessary equipment is available, reliable, clean and meets standards. They record all inspections and certificates of compliance. They meet on a regular basis with plant personnel, external suppliers and corporate management to gather information and provide updates. Their efforts can help increase operating revenue, extend the lifetime of an asset and reduce environmental impacts.

Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers usually work in the facility they manage. This could be in a remote area and shift work may be involved. This occupation is typically employed in the exploration and production (E&P), oil sands, oil and gas services and pipeline sectors of the oil and gas industry.

The kinds of problems Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers solve at work:

Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers’ work includes ensuring the proper equipment is available and reliable. When a problem arises or repairs are required, they step in to make sure the appropriate Operations and Maintenance (O&M) resources are available to support the facility, personnel are properly trained and roles and responsibilities have been clearly communicated. Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers are focused on keeping everything running smoothly.

Skills used most on the job:

Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers are organized and have a brain for details, which is how they stay on top of things. They are able to work with people and clearly communicate their needs. They also have a solid understanding of production and processing, equipment maintenance and management of material resources.

Facility Operations and Maintenance Managers look after the details in the facility so that everyone else can focus on their jobs. Their main goal is to look after all the systems and equipment, excluding pressurized systems handled by Power Engineers, to make sure everything is running safely and efficiently.