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Gloria Usiagu’s Million-Dollar Impact Through Innovative Cost Optimization
By Salami Adeyinka
In an industry where operational costs can make or break project viability, Gloria Siwe Usiagu has demonstrated that strategic cost optimization isn’t about cutting corners—it’s about reimagining how operations can deliver superior results with smarter resource allocation. Her track record of generating over $1 million in documented cost savings through innovative approaches has redefined what’s possible when technical expertise meets financial acumen.
“Cost optimization becomes transformational when you stop thinking about reducing expenses and start thinking about maximizing value,” Usiagu explains from her role managing Renaissance Energy’s Soku Production Unit. “The most significant savings come from identifying inefficiencies that everyone accepts as normal operating costs, then developing creative solutions that eliminate waste while improving performance.”
Her approach to cost optimization was established early in her career through what she calls ‘intelligent do-it-yourself initiatives.’ Rather than automatically outsourcing technical work, she systematically evaluated which activities could be performed more efficiently in-house. Her DIY projects at Soku generated approximately $100,000 in cost savings through strategic insourcing of technical activities including electrical rewiring, cable laying, and automation system installations.
“The key insight was recognizing that our internal teams often had capabilities that external contractors were charging premium rates to deliver,” she notes. “By developing internal capacity for routine technical work, we not only reduced costs but also improved our response times and built stronger institutional knowledge.”
This philosophy extended to her management of the Nun River/Diebu Creek Production Unit, where she implemented systematic budget control processes that revealed significant cost misallocations. Her weekly commitment control reviews and financial analysis sessions identified $117,000 in incorrectly charged costs that were reallocated to responsible teams, generating approximately N80 million in cost savings through improved financial accountability.
“Cost control isn’t just about monitoring expenses — it’s about ensuring that every dollar spent is delivering value in the right place,” she explains. “When you implement rigorous cost tracking, you often discover that significant resources are being consumed by activities that don’t directly contribute to operational objectives.”
Usiagu’s strategic approach to vendor management demonstrates how relationship-based cost optimization can deliver sustained savings. Her decision to move pressure and temperature gauge calibration from third-party contractors to internal workshops generated $12,000 in annual cost savings while improving service reliability and reducing equipment downtime.
Her implementation of procurement innovations, including the introduction of corporate credit cards for off-the-shelf purchases at Nun River/ Diebu Creek Production Unit, reduced both material costs and Mean Time to Repair by 50%. “Traditional procurement processes create hidden costs through bogus contracting, administrative delays and inflexible purchasing procedures,” she observes. “Smart procurement strategies eliminate unnecessary process costs while improving operational responsiveness.”
The scope of her cost optimization impact is perhaps best illustrated by her inventory management initiatives. Her 5S project at Shell’s Agbada Flow Station material stores achieved $386,315 in cost recovery through systematic inventory organization, elimination of redundant materials, and materials recovery. “Effective inventory management isn’t just about organizing storage — it’s about understanding how poor inventory practices create cascading costs throughout operations.”
Her collaborative approaches to resource sharing demonstrate how strategic partnerships can generate mutual cost benefits. During the 2021 Nun River/Diebu Creek turnaround maintenance, her collaboration with other operational units for shared resources including, water barges, vessels, and specialized equipment achieved over $65,000 in cost reductions while maintaining operational quality standards.
“Resource sharing requires moving beyond departmental thinking to understand how collaborative approaches can reduce total system costs,” she explains. “When multiple units coordinate resource utilization, everyone benefits from improved cost efficiency without compromising operational requirements.”
Usiagu’s cost optimization philosophy extends beyond immediate savings to focus on long-term value creation. Her project management approach that delivered a critical prover loop installation within compressed timelines avoided potential $200,000 per meter in regulatory fines while reducing ongoing operational costs through improved calibration efficiency.
“The most significant cost optimizations are preventive — avoiding expensive problems rather than just solving them efficiently,” she argues. “Strategic cost management requires understanding how current decisions create future cost implications and making investments that reduce long-term operational expenses.”
Her comprehensive approach to cost optimization has established new benchmarks for financial performance in oil and gas operations, demonstrating that technical excellence and financial discipline are complementary rather than competing objectives. “Sustainable cost optimization creates competitive advantages that benefit operations, shareholders, and communities,” she concludes. “When done strategically, cost management becomes a catalyst for operational innovation rather than just an administrative necessity.”
