Apr 1, 2021

Apache: Resolve Data Quality Issues – Apache Case Study

Sphera Editorial Team

Resolve Data Quality Issues with a single source of truth for materials data globally.

Overview

In Apache’s operating model, a centralized catalog team performed the material master creation and maintenance for all of its regional business units. To reduce the excessive back-and-forth communication between the centralized team and the business units required to clarify local material requirements, Apache made a significant investment and deployed a single SAP ERP instance with a focus on global master data. Unfortunately, without the implementation of data standards and governance, Apache had to contend with poor data quality data in its new system.

This created critical issues in inventory management and reporting, cost management and spend analytics, and sourcing. Users became increasingly dissatisfied. The company contracted a leading management consultant, PwC, to assess the situation. The consultant recommended Apache implement a Master Data Management solution to globally streamline, cleanse, and structure material data and establish an effective governance program.

Founded in: 1954

Oil & Gas exploration and production company

United States, Egypt, United Kingdom

Apache’s Challenges

Controlling costs and managing inventory
Complex, decentralized management of MRO spare parts materials
Lack of data standards and governance
Significant investments in global enterprise resource management system with substandard results

Solution

SpheraCloud Master Data Management

Apache turned to Sphera to help cleanse legacy materials data across six sites and four regions. The goal was to deploy common standards and governance processes, policies, and tools to achieve a sustained approach to reliable data.

Sphera’s MDM solution helps organizations globally structure, visualize and manage data to:

Improve overall asset management and
business performance
Optimize inventory
Reduce and manage procurement costs
Implement reliable maintenance programs
Improve supply chain relationships
Maximize enterprise system investments

Results

With Sphera’s Master Data Management solutions, Apache was able to cleanse 67,000 lines of spare parts data, optimize line item detail, and consolidate duplicate entries. In addition, they were able to maintain the integrity of their data with preprogrammed item descriptions as well as the ability to route new material requests to the right people for data completion and approvals. Over time, Apache has introduced more sites and more data and has continued to leverage Sphera’s solution to optimize and govern more than 40,000 lines of additional data.