Technology development in the petroleum industry: the organizational ambient and its enhancing and impairing aspects

Abstract

Two cases of technological development are presented, which are related to the increase of the Brazilian crude oil production and the search for self-sufficiency in the supply of this important energy source and its refined products. The business context is considered, a background report made and the main results presented of the Technological Programs developed by Petrobras, for Deep Water Crude Oil Production and Strategic Refining, with the focus on the RFCC process. Based on interviews with Program and Project Leaders, Managers, Consultants and Specialists that had considerable participation in these developments, an analysis is made of the internal organizational ambience and the enabling factors that foster the generation of these innovations, using as a format, the aspects traditionally cited in the literature. A comparison between the two cases is shown, with regards to their similarity in relation to these aspects. This analysis describes the organizational ambience, considering the following factors: human factor; resources and infrastructure; management processes; organizational citizenship; culture and values.