Operational Turnaround in Australia’s Energy Sector

Background

An Australian-based energy services company, specialising in asset integrity management for offshore platforms, pipelines, and storage facilities, was experiencing operational challenges. Despite securing multi-million-dollar contracts, the company struggled with project delays, compliance gaps, and workforce strain.

The Challenge

The company’s leadership identified the following critical issues:

• Project Delays & Cost Overruns – Offshore maintenance projects slipped by several weeks, with cost overruns averaging 12%.
• Regulatory Compliance Risks – Multiple WHS non-conformities exposed the company to fines and reputational risks.
• Workforce Fatigue – Extended offshore rotations (28 days vs. the industry’s 21-day benchmark) increased safety incidents.
• Underutilised Technology – Drones and corrosion monitoring tools were operating at less than 40% capacity.
• Client Pressure – Asset downtime was creating friction with clients and potential contract penalties.

Student Task

As part of her SyncSkills interview-prep training, Anne Chyanne N was asked to step into the role of an Interim Operations Manager and develop a turnaround plan for the company. Her task was to:

• Diagnose the most urgent issues.
• Recommend short-term and long-term solutions.
• Identify resources and budgets needed.
• Anticipate risks and propose mitigations.
• Suggest KPIs for tracking progress.

Anne’s Solution

Urgent Issues Prioritised:

• Project delays & cost overruns.
• WHS compliance gaps.
• Workforce fatigue.

Proposed Interventions:

Short-Term (0–6 Months)

• Apply Agile project management techniques to accelerate delivery.
• Launch WHS compliance refresher training and audits.
• Adjust rotation schedules to industry standards to reduce fatigue.

Long-Term (6–18 Months)

• Implement a digital project tracking system to monitor timelines and costs.
• Embed a continuous improvement culture for safety compliance.
• Invest in workforce wellbeing initiatives to boost retention.
• Scale up utilisation of drones and monitoring tools for predictive maintenance.

Resources Required:

• Skilled project managers with Agile expertise.
• WHS trainers and safety officers.
• Budget allocation for digital tools and staff wellbeing programs.

Risks & Mitigation:

• Risk: Resistance to change → Mitigation: Change management workshops.
• Risk: Technology adoption delays → Mitigation: Peer-led training and phased rollouts.

KPIs Identified:

• On-time project delivery (%)
• WHS audit compliance scores
• Workforce wellbeing (incident rates, fatigue reports)

Expected Outcomes

Anne’s plan projected the following improvements within 12 months:

• On-time delivery improved to over 90%.
• Cost overruns reduced from 12% to under 5%.
• WHS non-conformities cut by 75%.
• Fatigue-related incidents reduced by 30%.
• Digital tool utilisation increased from 40% to 70%+.
• Client satisfaction scores improved, strengthening contract renewals.

Why This Maters

By working on this case study, Anne Chyanne N demonstrated the ability to analyse complex business problems, apply structured solutions, and recommend practical strategies—skills highly valued in project management and business analysis interviews.

At SyncSkills, our students practice solving real-world case studies like this to build the confidence and job-ready skills employers demand.