| Abstract: |
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) oil and gas sector contributes nearly 30% of national GDP and is undergoing rapid expansion under ADNOC's USD 150 billion 2023–2027 capital programme, which targets a 5 million barrels-per-day production capacity. This expansion has intensified pressure on project governance to integrate Quality Management Systems (QMS, ISO 9001), Health-Safety-Environment (HSE) management (ISO 14001 and ISO 45001), and enterprise risk management (ISO 31000) under a unified governance architecture. This paper examines how governance-led integration of these systems influences project performance, regulatory compliance, and HSE outcomes in UAE oil and gas projects. The study adopts a quantitative cross-sectional design with a structured questionnaire administered to 184 project, quality, and HSE professionals working with ADNOC group companies and Tier-1 EPC contractors during 2024–2025. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and multiple regression were applied using SPSS v.27. The hypothesis that governance maturity positively predicts integrated management system (IMS) effectiveness was supported (β = 0.612, p < 0.001). Findings show that strong governance reduces audit nonconformities, lowers Lost-Time Injury Frequency Rate (LTIFR), and improves schedule adherence. The study concludes that governance is the binding mechanism transforming siloed QHSE compliance into a strategic value driver for UAE hydrocarbon projects. |
