Operational excellence methodologies in the energy sector: A systematic literature review

The energy sector faces burning issues due to high challenges in executing operations, where improving the efficiency of the operation will help to overcome these issues. The Operational Excellence (OpEx) methodologies are widely used by industries and are one of the primary proposed solutions for the energy sector. However, in the energy sector, the literature lacks knowledge on the proper OpEx methodology approach. This study evaluates the status quo of the applications of OpEx methodologies in the energy sector and identifies the factors for a systematic approach. The systematic review identified 32 articles from six well recognised libraries. Consequently, the review helped the authors identify the current OpEx methodologies, publication themes, trends, gaps, and mitigation for future research. Furthermore, a bunch of benefits, motivating factors and limitations of OpEx methodologies’ application in the energy sector are presented. The complete work sets the foundation for practical and useful deployment of OpEx methodologies for the sector, which can enable the leadership to make robust decisions for business operations. This study is a comprehensive systematic literature review covering an important sector.