Deliverable‑Pure WBS
for Oil & Gas Projects
Principles at a Glance
WBS is always deliverable‑pure
Every leaf must be a product you can accept with objective evidence. Do not branch by phase, method, contractor, or discipline.
Most leaves are systems and subsystems
In oil & gas, the typical leaves are physical/functional systems—but infrastructure and service‑type outcomes also belong as leaves when they are handover‑testable.
No “systems inside services”
Systems belong to the product architecture. Services are accepted outcomes (e.g., license granted, training delivered). Keep them separate, co‑equal leaves.
WBS Leaves — A Clean Mental Model
Typical case
Examples: “220‑001 — Fuel Gas Conditioning (System)”, “PR‑05 — Pipe Rack”, “B01 — Substation 01”, “Jetty Topsides”, “Fire Water Ring”.
Acceptance: MC/Commissioning certificates, ITRs, punch closure, energization, hydrotest dossiers.
Facilities and civils
Examples: Access roads, laydown yards, buildings, drainage, camp, TCF, bridges and jetty civil works, fencing.
Acceptance: Soils/compaction tests, as‑built drawings, QA records, functional tests (lighting, drainage), occupancy/use permits.
Still “systems” in the broad sense—assets you hand over.
Valid leaves when handover‑testable
Treat the service outcome as the product. Define explicit Rules of Credit (ROC).
- Permitting & compliance: “Environmental License Granted”, “Marine Access Authorization in force”. Acceptance: approved license/docs, publication proof, validity dates.
- Surveys & studies: “Geotechnical Investigation Package”, “As‑built Topographic Survey”. Acceptance: signed report, lab certificates, raw data package.
- Training & OR: “Operator Training Program Delivered & Assessed”. Acceptance: attendance, assessments, materials, sign‑offs.
- Vendor site services: “Compressor SAT & Handover Completed”. Acceptance: SAT protocol, punch‑A cleared, warranty start notice.
Rule: If it can’t be accepted with named artifacts, it shouldn’t be a WBS leaf.
Visual — The Deliverable‑Pure Tree
The WBS tree ends only in accept‑able leaves: systems, infrastructure assets, or service outcomes. Control Accounts form where a leaf meets an OBS node (one responsible CAM).
Services: Control Accounts & Rules of Credit
Definition: A Control Account (CA) is the intersection of one WBS leaf and one OBS node (therefore one accountable CAM). For service leaves, define the Rule of Credit explicitly so that Earned Value traces objective evidence.
Environmental License (Jetty Works)
- OBS Node: Owner.Permitting
- CA Name: Jetty Environmental License × Owner.Permitting
- CAM: Permitting Manager
- Typical WPs (WM/0‑100): Scoping → EIA submission → Public consultation → License issued (evidence at each step)
Access Road R1
- OBS Node: EPC.Civil
- CA: R1 × EPC.Civil
- CAM: Civil Construction Manager
- WPs (units/WM): Earthworks (Units), Sub‑base/Base (WM), Paving (Units), QA/As‑built (0/100)
220‑001: Fuel Gas Conditioning (System)
- OBS Node: EPC.Construction
- CA: 220‑001 × EPC.Construction
- CAM: Area Construction Manager (Systems)
- WP Leads supervised: Piping Lead, Structure Lead
- Typical WPs: Pipe spool installation & supports (units/WM), Steel structures & platforms (units), Hydrotest & reinstatement (0/100)
Compressor SAT & Handover
- OBS Node: EPC.MAC (Machinery)
- CA: Compressor SAT × EPC.MAC
- CAM: Machinery Lead
- WPs (0/100 & WM): SAT execution (0/100), Training (WM), Warranty start (0/100)
CA = Leaf × OBS → One CAM
Answering the Key Question
“Do you have systems inside services?”
No. Systems belong to the product architecture. Services create accepted outcomes that support or enable those systems. Model services as service‑deliverable leaves (with evidence), not as containers that hold systems.
Practical Guardrails
Keep WBS deliverable‑pure
- Never branch by phase, discipline, contractor, cost, or method.
- Allow four families of leaves: process/utility systems, infrastructure/non‑process facilities, pipelines/marine assets, and service/information products (when acceptance is objective).
Same CA rule everywhere
- One WBS leaf × one OBS node → one CAM.
- Work Package slicing by discipline → phase → only boundaries that change acceptance / ownership / logic / EV / risk (Area, Subsystem/MC, Test Pack/Feeder, Contractor, etc.).
Call‑out — “Service Deliverables” (Oil & Gas)
Definition: A Service Deliverable is a non‑tangible outcome that becomes tangible via named acceptance artifacts. Treat it as a WBS leaf only when you can point to the evidence.
Examples
- Environmental License Granted → Gazette/publication, validity letter, terms & conditions.
- Geotechnical Investigation Package → Final signed report + lab certificates + raw data.
- Operator Training Delivered & Assessed → Attendance, exam results, materials, sign‑offs.
- Compressor SAT & Handover Completed → SAT protocol, punch‑A cleared, warranty start.
Non‑Examples
- “Follow‑up meetings held” (no acceptance artifact).
- “Procurement support provided” (effort vs outcome).
- “QA involvement ongoing” (not accept‑able as a product).
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