Before 2015, many of us rode one of the largest waves of success in the history of the oil and gas industry. Everything was booming—companies, salaries, bonuses, cities, services, etc. Then 2015 came and crashed the party, leaving us all a bit uncertain.

Now, entering 2016, you may have some your best people sitting somewhat idle at times, so here’s a suggested New Year’s resolution: Become registered to an applicable management system standard. From my perspective, with more than 20 years of experience in the field, I can assure you that becoming registered is one of the most rewarding endeavors a company may take.

A pair of options

When it comes to standards, for those in the oil and gas industry in particular, two choices stand out. The first, ISO 9001, is a widely known quality management system standard for manufacturing and service companies. It has been around since 1987 and now accounts for more than 1.1 million certifications worldwide. The last revision of the standard, ISO 9001:2015, was just released this past September.

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