Oil & Gas Transformation Case Study: From Harmonisation to a Target Operating Model (TOM)

What you'll learn from this case study

Most "transformation" programmes in oil and gas get trapped in process harmonisation—standardising activities without first aligning vision, governance, operating model, and capability. In this case study, you'll see how HOBA reframed the work into a true business-led transformation: designing and implementing a Target Operating Model (TOM) to support a shift from International Oil Company (IOC) to Integrated Energy Company (IEC).

Download the PDF to see the approach, what changed, and the outcomes delivered.

The situation

The organisation had an ambitious trajectory: expand beyond traditional onshore/offshore operations into a broader integrated energy model—spanning partnerships, joint ventures, and wider energy products and services. But the programme started with a solution-first assumption: "adopt a common process and we'll get alignment."

The challenge

Harmonisation was being treated as transformation

A standard process approach was positioned as the answer before the problem was fully understood—creating misalignment across strategy, operations, and delivery.

Capability gaps were hidden (and workload pressure made it worse)

Headcount changes increased strain while inefficiencies remained. The business understood "people", but had limited clarity on process, technology, and data capability maturity—making improvement decisions harder and slower.

Stakeholder linkages were broken

Conflicts of interest and structural flaws meant strategic intent didn't translate cleanly into operational reality—while day-to-day reality wasn't informing strategic decisions.

The HOBA approach (high level)

We made business architecture the missing foundation

The work was reset around a TOM-led transformation, using HOBA's 6-Step Design Process to create clarity and momentum—without turning it into a "documentation exercise."

A practical design-to-implementation pathway

The case study walks through how the programme moved from "what are we trying to achieve?" to governance, analysis, capability/process mapping, design validation, and a structured implementation plan.

The results (what changed)

A Target Operating Model that connected strategy to operations

A clear TOM gave the organisation a high-level blueprint for how to execute the strategy more efficiently—supported by analysis that reduced waste and optimised overlaps.

Standardised processes and clearer capability investment decisions

A consolidated process module and capability insights helped prioritise effort and spend—so transformation decisions were made with evidence, not assumptions.

Who this is for

Leaders and transformation teams in energy navigating "IOC to IEC" shifts

If your programme is stuck in harmonisation, tooling, or competing stakeholder agendas—this case study will help you see what to fix first and how to structure the work so it actually lands.

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