Course Description
In high-stakes industries like Oil & Gas, poor decision-making can lead to catastrophic outcomes—operational failures, financial losses, environmental disasters, or loss of life.
This advanced course focuses on decision-making under uncertainty, human factors, cognitive biases, and organizational dynamics that contribute to disastrous decisions.
Participants will learn how to recognize and mitigate decision traps, enhance critical thinking, apply structured decision-making frameworks, and build a resilient risk-aware culture.
Key Learning Objectives
Participants will:
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Understand how cognitive biases and groupthink lead to flawed decisions
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Apply decision analysis tools for risk-informed decision-making
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Recognize warning signals of escalating risk
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Manage complex operational decisions under pressure
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Implement checks and balances to prevent catastrophic errors
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Enhance communication for team-based decision processes
Who Should Attend?
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Senior Executives & Managers
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Operational Leaders & Engineers
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HSE Managers & Safety Leaders
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Project Managers & Risk Analysts
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Geoscientists & Reservoir Engineers
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Drilling & Production Supervisors
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Crisis Management Teams
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Anyone involved in critical decision-making in oil & gas operations
Training Format
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Interactive lectures
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Case studies of real oil & gas disasters (Deepwater Horizon, Texas City, Piper Alpha)
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Group decision-making simulations
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Role-plays & scenario-based workshops
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Pre/post-course assessments
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Action planning exercises
5-Day Detailed Agenda with Time Breaks
Day 1: Introduction to Decision-Making Failures
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 09:00 | Registration & Welcome |
| 09:00 – 10:30 | Why Good People Make Bad Decisions |
| 10:30 – 10:45 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:45 – 12:15 | Case Study: Deepwater Horizon Blowout |
| 12:15 – 13:15 | 🍽️ Lunch |
| 13:15 – 14:45 | Human Factors & Cognitive Biases in Decisions |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 15:00 – 16:30 | Organizational Traps & Safety Culture |
Day 2: Risk Awareness & Situational Analysis
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 10:00 | Recognizing Risk Signals in Operations |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:15 – 12:15 | Situational Awareness & Decision Context |
| 12:15 – 13:15 | 🍽️ Lunch |
| 13:15 – 14:45 | Managing Uncertainty in Complex Systems |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 15:00 – 16:30 | Interactive Exercise: Identify Hidden Risks |
Day 3: Decision-Making Tools & Techniques
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 10:00 | Structured Decision-Making Models |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:15 – 12:15 | Probabilistic Thinking & Risk Matrices |
| 12:15 – 13:15 | 🍽️ Lunch |
| 13:15 – 14:45 | Bowtie Analysis & Barrier Management |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 15:00 – 16:30 | Workshop: Real-World Decision Scenarios |
Day 4: Group Dynamics & Crisis Decision-Making
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 10:00 | Groupthink & Social Pressures in Teams |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:15 – 12:15 | Communication & Escalation of Concerns |
| 12:15 – 13:15 | 🍽️ Lunch |
| 13:15 – 14:45 | Decision-Making Under Time Pressure |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 15:00 – 16:30 | Crisis Simulations & Leadership Roles |
Day 5: Building Resilient Organizations
| Time | Topic |
|---|---|
| 08:30 – 10:00 | Developing a Resilient Safety Culture |
| 10:00 – 10:15 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 10:15 – 12:15 | Learning from Incidents & Near-Misses |
| 12:15 – 13:15 | 🍽️ Lunch |
| 13:15 – 14:45 | Building Decision Checklists & Safeguards |
| 14:45 – 15:00 | ☕ Coffee Break |
| 15:00 – 16:30 | Final Exercise & Personal Action Plan |
Certification
Participants will receive a Certificate in Advanced Risk Awareness & Decision-Making in Oil & Gas Operations.
