Petroleum industry's current progress and challenges in dealing with the year 2000 problem

The steps that some major oil companies in Canada have taken to prepare their computers and automated equipment for the year 2000 (Y2K) are described. It is acknowledged that with 1700 retail service stations, over 300 wholesale operations, and 26 terminals, the extent of the problem is great. In addition some 38 upstream and 65 downstream applications have been identified as mission critical, not counting the 30 mission critical control systems in the upstream field operations and approximately the same number of operations in the downstream refinery. The good news is that remediation and testing is well underway nationally and the Calgary test laboratory will be commercially available in 1999. Getting management on-side, selling the positive aspects of Y2K, making good use of reputable consulting companies, keeping employees properly informed of problems and progress, are some of the key criteria in solving Y2K problems successfully