FRONT END LOADING (FEL)

IN OIL & GAS INDUSTRY

OVERVIEW
Front-end-loading methodology is a 3-step capital project planning process whose purpose is
to measure and increase the level of project definition, thereby increasing the probability of
project success in terms of cost, schedule and operability. FEL is the process by which a
company develops a detailed definition of the scope of a capital project meeting business
objectives. FEL indexes have been established to measure the level of definition and
completeness of the FEL phases, i.e. how good have the planning stages of a project been
addressed and completed.
In the decision making process for investing large capital sums the Oil & Gas majors adopt
an aged and proven methodology: FEL or Front End Loading to both mitigate project risk
and also to enhance Return on Investment (ROI). This somewhat dated approach to large
project investment methodology is seen by all as the standard norm and as such has being
used by all over the last decades. However within this said process of risk mitigation, the
FEL process remains open to challenge as to its actual viability in today’s forever
challenging performance environment.
TOPIC
1. Overview
2. When can we apply FEL?
a. Pre FEL
b. FEL 1 (Visualization)
c. FEL 2 (Concept)
d. FEL 3 (Definition)
e. Execution
f. Operation
3. How do we deliver FEL projects?
4. Exploration and Production value chain
a. From Exploration to Development
b. Exploration to Development Plan stage-gate decision process
c. Exploration Project deliverables
d. Decisions in PDD phase for Field Development Planning
e. Advantages of the FEL approach applied to Field Development Planning
5. The Reservoir at the heart of the field development planning process
6. FEL and uncertainty management
7. FEL Challenges and Impact to project success
8. Mitigating strategies and FEL best practices