Marathon Oil required a suite of integrated operating documentation and e-Learning to support personnel working on offshore production facilities in Gabon. The materials needed to support both day-to-day operations and structured training, while ensuring that all personnel could demonstrate competence in safety-critical procedures.

Due to the offshore environment, the e-Learning solution had to operate without any internet connectivity, making reliability, usability and accurate training records essential.

Requirements

The scope of work included the development of:

• A Training and Operating Manual for offshore production facilities.
• A series of Lecture Packs to support instructor-led training.
• A Permit to Work e-Learning system, tailored to the Marathon Oil’s own procedures.
• A secure method of tracking trainee progress, assessment results and competency.
• Content suitable for use by both employees and contractors.

The Solution

Orchid was selected to deliver all elements of the project, drawing on our combined expertise in technical authoring, illustration and e-Learning development. Producing all deliverables in-house ensured consistency across documentation and training materials.

Training and Operating Manual

A comprehensive, multi-purpose manual was produced to support:

• Day-to-day operation of the facilities by experienced operators.
• Training and reference for new personnel.

The manual included both simplified and detailed technical diagrams illustrating production and utility systems, ensuring clarity for users with varying levels of experience.

Lecture Packs

Lecture packs were developed in parallel with the operating manual to support classroom-based training offshore. Each pack included:

• A structured lecture plan
• Detailed lecturer notes
• Supporting visual materials for system walkthroughs

This ensured consistency between written procedures and instructor-led training.

Permit to Work e-Learning

A bespoke offline e-Learning system was developed to train all offshore personnel in the client’s Permit to Work process. The system was:

• Based entirely on Marathon Oil’s own Permit to Work procedures.
• Designed to operate without internet access in a secure offshore environment.
• Used to train both employees and contractors.

To support safety and compliance, the e-Learning included:

• A student tracking database, managed by a client-nominated supervisor.
• Progress tracking and assessment scoring.
• A graded test module to confirm user understanding.
• Recorded evidence of competency before personnel were authorised to operate within the Permit to Work system.

Outcome

All deliverables were completed on time and within budget. The project provided Marathon Oil with a robust, consistent and auditable training and documentation solution suitable for a remote, safety-critical environment. Orchid has since continued to support updates as the facilities and procedures evolved.

Why Orchid?

• Proven experience delivering safety-critical documentation and training.
• Ability to produce offline e-Learning for secure, no-internet environments.
• In-house expertise spanning technical writing, illustration and e-Learning.
• Strong understanding of operational risk, compliance and competence tracking.
• Trusted partner for long-term document and training lifecycle support.

For further information on Orchids services, please visit our Technical Writing, Illustrations and e-Learning sections.