How BSP is preparing the next generation of Operators and Technicians through a programme designed by Bruneians, for Bruneians.  

After 97 years of powering Brunei’s growth, Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP) continues to demonstrate that its greatest investment has always been its people. While the company has built a proud legacy of operational excellence over nearly a century, it is equally focused on preparing its workforce for the future.  

That commitment is reflected in the launch of the Operator and Technician Development Program (OTPD), a homegrown capability development programme created through close collaboration between Human Resources (HR) and the Asset Directorate (AD) Capability team. More than a new learning programme, OTPD represents BSP’s commitment to developing Bruneian talent through an approach that reflects the company’s operational needs, business ambition and the value of Budaya Orang Kitani that lauds Accountability, Focus and Collaboration.  

For many years, BSP adopted the Shell Technician and Operator Professional Programme (TOPP), which established a strong foundation for developing Operators and Technicians. OTDP builds on that legacy by introducing a programme designed specifically for BSP – one that combines international best practices with local knowledge and experience to better prepare employees for the challenges of tomorrow.  

“OTDP reflects our belief that developing local talent is one of the best investments we can make. By combining technical excellence with leadership, coaching and practical experience, we’re preparing our operators and technicians not just for today’s operations, but for the future of BSP,” shares Steven Craig, acting Asset Director in BSP.  

The two-year programme goes beyond technical training. Participants are immersed in a structured development journey that broadens both their technical expertise and professional capabilities. Through leadership and business acumen courses, they gain a deeper understanding of how their roles contribute to the wider organisation. Rotational assignments will expose them to different operational environments, encouraging them to develop new perspectives and discover strengths they may not have realised they possessed. Along the way, they will also lead improvement initiatives that challenge them to think innovatively while receiving coaching and mentoring from experienced colleagues who share decades of operational knowledge.  

Together, these experiences are designed to build confident, adaptable professional who are equipped not only to perform their roles safely and effectively, but also to become future technical leaders within BSP.

The journey began on June 1, 2026, when the inaugural cohort officially embarked on the programme. Over the next two years, participants will deepen their technical expertise, broaden their operational experience and develop the leadership skills needed to support BSP’s future. Every rotation, project and mentoring opportunity will help prepare them for the next stage of their careers. 

Hafizam at site

"I am proud to be part of the first cohort of OTDP. This is a learning opportunity and a chance to grow. It challenges us to step outside our comfort zones, broaden our perspectives and continue growing both professionally and personally,” says Mohamad Hafizam Haji Ramli, PACO Technician responsible for Ampa field.

OTDP reflects BSP’s continued commitment to developing Bruneian talent and building the capabilities needed for the future. By combining technical excellence with leadership development and hands-on experience, the programme aspires to ensure operators and technicians are equipped to adapt, grow and contribute in an evolving energy industry.

Yazid, Electrical Techniciaan, in action at his day-to-day role.

“The OTDP journey is not just about developing technical skills – it is about building character, learning with humility, leading with integrity, growing with purpose, and creating lasting value for the future,” says Mohammad Yazid Bin Suratno, Electrical Technician in Fairley.

For Amar Hakeem Salim, Champion 7 Production Operator, being part of the inaugural cohort is also an opportunity to learn and collaborate with his peers. “Honoured, grateful and excited to be part of the first OTDP cohort. Looking forward to learn and collaborate with everyone in this pioneer team,” says Amar.

Amar Hakeem at Champion 7 Platform 

Champion-7 Turnaround completed safely and ahead of schedule, setting a new benchmark for offshore delivery. 

When more than 1,500 people set out to execute one of Brunei Shell Petroleum’s most complex offshore turnaround campaigns, they knew the journey would not be straightforward.

Spanning 26 offshore locations across BSP’s East Asset, the 2026 Champion-7 Turnaround (CPCB26) campaign was a major undertaking designed to maintain the integrity, reliability and performance of critical offshore facilities. The operation involved extensive maintenance, inspections, repairs and projects that could only be carried out during a planned shutdown.

On 8 June 2026, after months of preparation and 39 days of execution, the turnaround achieved its goal – it was completed safely and one day ahead of its ambitious target.

The accomplishment was particularly significant given the scale and complexity of the work. More than 180,000 manhours were executed across the pre-turnaround, turnaround and post-turnaround phases, with nearly 98,000 manhours delivered during the shutdown period alone. Throughout it all, the team maintained its commitment to Goal Zero: No Harm, No Leaks.

But the success story began long before the first valve was closed offshore.

Nearly Two Years in the Making 

The foundations for success were laid long before the shutdown began.

Planning commenced in July 2024, with personnel from different sides of the company and business partners coming together to scrutinise every aspect of the turnaround scopes. More than 2,000 maintenance work orders were reviewed to determine what work was essential, what could be optimised and how execution could be made safer and more efficient.

The result was a significantly streamlined work scopes, reducing the estimated workload from approximately 240,000 manhours to 180,000 manhours while ensuring critical maintenance and improvement work remained intact.

The objective was clear: deliver a safe and efficient turnaround while meeting regulatory requirements and strengthening the long-term reliability of BSP’s offshore facilities.

That preparation laid the foundation for an ambitious aspiration: completing a full gas-to-gas Turnaround in less than 40 days under real operating conditions.

Preparing for every scenario, the "What If" workshop in progress. The workshop had the objective to cover and prepare for any possible outcome.

Navigating Challenges Offshore

Executing a turnaround of this scale is never simply a matter of following a schedule. Success depended on the collective commitment of the workforce, with the Budaya Orang Kitani traits of accountability, focus, and collaboration coming alive across every stage of execution. These behaviours were instrumental in unlocking progress and driving the turnaround forward.

As the turnaround progressed, teams encountered a series of challenges that tested both planning and adaptability. Severe weather conditions led to eight days of downtime. Additional maintenance work scopes were discovered during execution. Equipment breakdowns, vessel disruptions and offshore accommodation constraints added further complexity to an already demanding operation.

Yet despite these setbacks, progress continued.

Teams worked across disciplines and locations to rapidly assess issues, make informed decision and adjust plans wherever necessary. Every challenge required collaboration, whether it involved logistics personnel coordinating resources, engineers evaluating technical solutions, or offshore crews adapting work sequences to changing conditions.

“The real story of this turnaround isn't found in the schedule or the numbers. It's found in the people - those who stayed late to solve problems, stepped up to support one another, and never lost sight of our shared goal. That determination is what made this turnaround a success,” shared Khadijah Azmansham, CPCB26 East Turnaround Event Manager.

The ability to respond effectively while maintaining safe operations proved critical to keeping the programme on track.

Construction roadshow with staff and business partners at Khalifa Vessel

Safety and Performance Hand in Hand

While completing the turnaround ahead of schedule was a significant achievement, the team’s greatest success was how it was delivered.

Safety remained at the heart of every activity, guided by the application of Assist and Assure Step 7 Safe Work Processes. Teams were empowered to stop work whenever conditions changes, reassess risks and only proceed when it was safe to do so.

The culture of speaking up and looking out for one another played a critical role throughout the campaign, fostering an environment of continuous learning, coaching, and genuine care that strengthened teamwork and execution.

Work crews regularly identified potential hazards before work began, from access constraints and conflicting activities to changing weather conditions. High levels of site observations, interventions and safety conversations helped teams identify and address issues before they could escalate.

“It’s important that everyone can have an honest discussion on safety without the fear of being punished for speaking up. Even the smallest of concerns can be the difference between going home safely to our families or not at the end of the day,” shared Nazirul Sharqawi, BSP HSE Advisor.

Work goes on either day or night. Team out offshore at Champion field.

One Team, One Goal, BSP Bersatu

The success of the Turnaround was made possible through close collaboration between BSP and its business partners.

Teams across operations, maintenance, engineering, inspection, logistics and projects worked together as one integrated organisation. Engineering readiness reached 100% before execution, material availability stood at 95 per cent, and all fabrication and material load-out activities were completed ahead of shutdown.

Innovative tools and technologies also helped improve execution, including enhanced planning platforms, digital tracking systems and advanced inspection techniques that enabled faster decision-making and strengthened asset integrity management.

The result was the successful completion of more than 1,400 work scopes and 16 projects during the turnaround window.

Site verification in progress. 

Setting a New Benchmark

Completing the CPCB26 turnaround in 39 days despite weather disruptions and operational challenges has established a new benchmark for offshore turnaround delivery within BSP.

The achievement places BSP among a select group of Shell-operated assets globally that have successfully delivered a major offshore turnaround ahead of schedule while maintaining strong safety performance.

BSP Team on Khalifa vessel ready for Turnaround engagement with the Champion-7 team. 

Beyond the milestone itself, the turnaround reinforces an important lesson: success on this scale is never the result of one team or one individual. It is built through months of preparation, thousands of decisions, and a shared commitment to a common goal – to make BSP win.

As facilities continue to ramp up following the turnaround, BSP is capturing lessons learned to further strengthen future operations and enhance end-to-end delivery, from planning and execution through to start-up and stabilisation.

Reflecting on the journey, Khadijah shared her pride on how the one-team mindset was really the key to pushing the turnaround through.

“Last-minute changes. Optimisation after optimisation. Fast decisions. Sometimes there was no perfect Plan B but just experience, teamwork, judgement, and a collective determination to get the job done. Even during stressful moments, people still found ways to laugh, help each other, and keep moving forward. That kind of culture is not easy to build, nor should it ever be taken for granted.” Khadijah shared.

For the hundreds of people who contributed to the effort, the CPCB26 turnaround is more than a completed milestone. It is proof of what can be achieved when expertise, innovation and teamwork come together – safely, efficiently and with a shared determination to succeed.

Management site visit on Champion-11 platform. 

Over the past three years (2022–2024), data from the People Survey has highlighted important insights about the experiences of women within the Asset Directorate (AD) in Brunei Shell Petroleum (BSP). While the Directorate strives for excellence in every technical metric, female colleagues have shared experiences that suggest there is still more that can be done to strengthen inclusion, belonging, and the day-to-day employee experience across the organisation. While progress has been made in many areas, these recurring themes encouraged the Directorate to pause, listen more deeply, and better understand the experiences shaping women’s everyday working lives.

The Daily Dilemma

Alongside delivering strong performance, many women in the directorate quietly carry an additional layer of emotional and mental pressure that rarely surfaces in formal conversations or performance discussions. Behind the confidence and capability seen day-to-day are moments of hesitation, self-questioning and the constant balancing of expectations.  

Some shared that they hold back from speaking up or pursuing opportunities due to concerns about how their credibility or readiness may be perceived. Others spoke about uncertainty around career progression, visibility, and whether expectations or judgements are applied differently.

For many, these pressures become even more pronounced during life stages such as motherhood, where balancing career growth alongside caregiving responsibilities can bring an added mental and emotional load. While often invisible, these experiences shape how many women navigate, confidence, growth and opportunity at work.

Turning Insight into Action: From Awareness to Allyship

Recognising the issue, the Asset Directorate had a mission – they had to ensure that inclusion is reflected not only in intention, but also in everyday experiences and behaviours. To address these systemic issues, a structured journey was launched focusing on themed discussion and active allyship.

This journey began by creating psychologically safe spaces for women to name their dilemmas—specifically the five themes of Mental Load, Imposter Syndrome, Motherhood, Comparison, and Fear/Guilt. However, a critical shift occurred when these insights were brought to male leaders.

Led by credible peers like Izwan Tarip, West Production Operations Manager and Syahmi Shadan, Head of IAPS, these facilitated sessions helped create open and honest conversations across leadership levels - “Awareness brings acknowledgment” highlighted by Izwan Tarip.

The result was a powerful "aha" moment where male leaders reflected on perspectives and experiences they may not have previously considered and, in a move of accountability, requested follow-up sessions to keep the dialogue alive. Syahmi Shadan shared “Continue to have genuine conversations with our women colleagues. Listen to their experiences, understand the challenges they face, and learn from their perspectives. When we lead with empathy and work together, we build a stronger organisation where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. Building the next generation of women leaders is not the responsibility of women alone, it is a shared responsibility for all of us.”

Solving the Gap: Success is a Lived Experience

Meaningful progress will come not only through policies, but through consistent everyday leadership behaviours. The Directorate is working to create a culture where visibility, opportunity, and support are experienced more equitably across teams.

Leaders are being encouraged to recognise and address the “invisible workload” that women often carry, ensuring coordination and emotional labour are acknowledged rather than quietly absorbed. There is also a growing focus on creating space for women to contribute confidently, where perspectives are actively heard, recognised and built upon.  

At the same time, flexibility is being normalised through more open and proactive conversations around life stages, caregiving responsibilities, and the realities employees may be balancing outside of work.

Continuing The Momentum

Rather than waiting for future survey results alone, AD aims to continue building momentum through ongoing conversations, reflection, and practical actions. Trust is built in the "small" moments: when a leader challenges a stereotype in a talent discussion or when a manager checks in on a team member’s mental load.

The door has been opened for more honest conversations, deeper understanding, and stronger allyship across the Directorate.

“As a Female, never underestimate the impact of your voice, your expertise, and your courage. We have come far, but there is still more ground to break. Keep challenging norms, pushing boundaries, and showing what is possible. Support one another, lift others as you climb, and create opportunities for those who follow. Every door we open makes the path wider for the next generation. I leave with full confidence that you will continue to challenge limits, inspire change, and prove that no role is beyond our reach. The journey continues— own your space and shape the future” shared by Elohor Juliana Aiboni, Asset Director of BSP.