silent running meaning in oil and gas

..from COMPASS magazine

The term originates from submarine warfare when two enemy submarines were engaged in a battle and were using sonar and soundings to try to find each other. ‘Silent Running’ was a term coined to explain that it was hard to find each other due to the flawless and quiet operation by the crew. In COMPASS magazine... Bringing clarity to the issue Deb Grubbe, VP on Safety Change Management in a major oil and gas company America, says the term refers to safer and more reliable operations. “Silent Running means that we plan our work, safely implement the plan, and run our operations without an incident. Silent Running means that internally, we report and investigate incidents as soon as they occur, and that we flag up potential problems as soon as possible. It means our management is actively engaged, is supportive of the operation, and well aware of both leading and lagging indicators.”