Gorgon was touted as the showcase project for Chevron to demonstrate superior project management skills and rebuke analyst complaints that we didn't deliver what we promised. The head of PRC was redirected to run ABU, and the PM of the over-budget Agbami project parachuted into place. After 28 years of planning, a massive Phase 2 recycle, and the most comprehensive PRC assurance plan ever, Gorgon took flight. It has turned out to be the most colossal disaster in industry history, from a cost and schedule angle, and has brought the corporation near the brink of extinction from a cash-flow perspective as well as cementing our reputation as the worst project managers in the industry (with plenty of honorable mentions from Bigfoot, ALNG, etc).
Seven years later, Roy and Scott are still yukking it up in Perth, finger-pointing at regulators and unions, collecting fat expat bonuses, jetting over to the Melbourne Cup and Australian Open, and generally living fat and happy. Who is being held accountable for Gorgon?? Let me guess - the old PRC CSOC Gold Standard discourages PM changes mid-flight as it could impact project performance. Could performance actually be any worse?? Honorable leaders would have tendered their resignations in shame long ago.