Case Study — Marathon Petroleum
Acquisition Drives Reboot to Align People, Processes, Cultures and Capabilities, Coast-to-Coast
Transform refreshes an internal brand, expands technical knowledge base and updates training to onboard thousands of “new” employees
In late 2018, Marathon Petroleum Corporation (MPC) completed a $23.3 Billion acquisition of Andeavor, vaulting MPC overnight to the #1 spot of U.S. refining companies by size. The deal added 10 refineries and 30,000 employees west of the Mississippi. The need to standardize the execution of more than $2 Billion of capital projects annually would be a critical success factor in delivering the projected ROI. Adding to the challenge was the fact that Andeavor itself had grown through roll-ups of smaller refiners whose processes and project organizations varied significantly, resulting in little consistency from one location to another.
Our Response
The project management organizations of MPC Refining and MPC Logistics & Storage used the acquisition as a catalyst to “reboot” the company’s long-time project management platform, MPMP. Transform had developed the original branded set of application guidelines and tools and has continued to expand MPMP resources for more than a decade. We proposed that the reboot should not only be a design refresh, but also should emphasize a top-to-bottom recommitment to the disciplined application of MPMP companywide.
Execution
Along with developing a new cleaner “look” for all design elements, Transform also streamlined the amount of information for a “just-in-time” delivery model. Long-form guidelines were redesigned as modular “bytes” accessed via a graphically “reskinned” SharePoint portal and interactive project flow charts. Two high-level overviews focused on internal customers and stakeholders and spelled out their shared responsibilities for success. The comprehensive training library was revamped to reflect the evolution of the process and tools. When all the component parts were completed, Transform’s Rich Layton scripted and directed production of a four-minute motion graphics video to launch the coast-to-coast introduction of MPMP to the former Andeavor employees.
Just say “NO” to generic SharePoint portals!
Pocket-size reference cards
Results
Initially, Transform’s revamped training modules cut classroom time from five days to three, saving hundreds of thousands of dollars in out-of-office time and travel expenses. When plans for the nationwide road show had to be scrapped due to Covid-19, the project management group repurposed all the digital assets in a virtual training course that veteran employees and their Andeavor counterparts cited as the most effective training they had ever experienced.
Most notable, however, is the dramatic improvement in Marathon’s benchmarked project performance. Project teams’ disciplined application of MPMP paid off by reducing project costs overall by 10% and shortening schedules by 20%! This moved the company into the top tier of industry peers delivering competitive cost projects. The 10% savings alone effectively unlocked $200 Million/year from the $2 Billion capital budget, enabling the company to expand its capital project portfolio with no increase to the annual budget.