6 Important Reasons to Move from Manual to Electronic Logbooks

Technology continues to change our lives in subtle but remarkable ways. A few years ago, it would have been hard to imagine the Star Trek-like devices we carry in our pockets and wear on our wrists, or the data and collaboration tools we rely on to have information at our fingertips every day.

For those of us who work in mining, oil and gas, and resource operations, one technology breakthrough that has dramatically improved our industry’s essential process of shift logs and handover is the rapid adoption of electronic logbooks vs. their traditional, manual counterparts.

Shift Handovers: Safety First

Shift handover in our business means the transfer of knowledge between teams in different functional areas, or from an outgoing colleague to an incoming one. When done well, the shift log and handover process can make a direct impact on improving safety, communication, and production efficiencies. Conversely, getting shift logs and handover wrong can bring about dire consequences, even disaster. When operators spend too much time sorting through and piecing together information from disparate sources, mistakes will happen.

Logged data must be accurate because those inputs are foundational for operational decision making. One shift handover managed poorly can lead to tragic outcomes. With stakes this high, operators are doing away with error-prone manual logs and leaning in to new, electronic technology.

At P2 Energy Solutions, customers tell us they want a well-managed handover reporting process, one that makes it easy to capture, manage, and communicate mission-critical information from shift to shift.

Making the Shift from Manual to Electronic Logbooks 

Customers who progress from manual to electronic logbooks notice immediate improvements in shift logging and handover. With electronic logbooks, operators get a consistent structure around information, along with a real-time view of operating conditions. Operators find the best reasons to move to electronic logs include:

1. Better quality information in capture and turnover. Electronic logging streamlines and structures the capture of shift information.
2. Stricter adherence to process governance and reporting. Electronic logs provide critical safety elements to business operations and improve regulatory and corporate compliance.
3. Enhanced search capabilities. Electronic logbooks feature efficient search through log data entry, with a full audit trail of changes as well as end-of-shift publishing of the logbook.
4. Closer tracking of assignments and activities. Electronic logs give operators the ability to track and assign actionable items. Unplanned downtime is reduced, and hazardous incidents are prevented through the early identification of issues.
5. Improved integration with other data sources and systems. Simple and efficient forms are used for data entry. Existing systems including SCADA can be integrated to provide real-time and situational awareness performances against KPIs.
6. Stronger connection between the field and back office. Logbooks can be uniformly accessed from a variety of devices allowing for better collaboration and more informed decision making between the field and back office.

P2 Shift Log is an industry leading electronic log and shift handover solution that’s used to capture, manage, and communicate mission-critical information. For more information, email us or call us and a P2 team member will be in touch. EMAIL: P2ShiftLog@p2energysolutions.com CALL: +61 8 9241 0300. 

About The Author

Grant Eggleton is P2's Vice President of Global Production Solutions. In his role, Grant is responsible for overseeing the delivery of integrated solutions that streamline business processes and eliminate silos among teams. Grant has worked in the real-time production space ever since he graduated from Edith Cowan University, where he earned a degree in Computer Science. His work on well surveillance and data virtualization has been published by IChemE and in MMS Magazine. In his spare time, Grant enjoys playing golf, traveling, and deep-sea fishing. He’s also a certified open-water diver.