Case Study: Building a Robust ISMS Framework for a Leading Oil & Gas Company
Background
A major Oil & Gas company engaged our Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) consulting services to strengthen its information security governance. With a geographically distributed workforce and operations spanning sensitive environments, the client required a structured Information Security Management System (ISMS) to support compliance, operational resilience, and ongoing security awareness.
The Challenge
The client had limited formal information security processes and required:
- A full ISMS framework, including key security policies, procedures, and operational processes
- Clear governance over user access, vulnerability management, third-party security, and remote access controls
- Awareness and cultural embedding of security practices among internal employees, IT users, and external partners
- Full compliance with internal standards and the capability to support future regulatory certification efforts
The Solution
We deployed a senior GRC consultant who worked collaboratively with the client’s IT leadership, service managers, and third-party vendors. Our phased approach included:
Phase 1: ISMS Framework Development
- Designed and built a tailored ISMS framework, aligning with best practice standards such as ISO/IEC 27001
- Developed a suite of security policies and operational procedures, including:
- Information Security Policy
- Information Disclosure and User Access Management Procedure
- Vulnerability and Patch Management Process
- Third-Party Security Management Procedure
- Remote Access Procedure
- Removable Storage Media Access Procedure
Phase 2: Policy Publication and Governance
- Established a secure central repository for hosting all approved information security documents
- Implemented a formal policy approval workflow to ensure control over updates and changes
Phase 3: Awareness and Training
- Delivered targeted workshops and training sessions for internal IT teams, service managers, service owners, and key business users
- Created easy-to-digest communications to socialize the ISMS framework across the organization
Phase 4: Operational Excellence
- Developed and rolled out an Exception Management Process to ensure that security exceptions are tracked, reviewed, and reduced over time
- Embedded security practices within the service delivery frameworks used by third-party vendors and managed services partners
Phase 5: Vendor Collaboration
- Worked closely with external service providers to align their operations with the ISMS requirements and contractual obligations, ensuring end-to-end security assurance
Results and Impact
Through our partnership, the client achieved significant results, including:
- A comprehensive ISMS framework, policies, and supporting processes established within six months
- Increased awareness and engagement across internal and external stakeholders through workshops, training, and structured communications
- Security policies were centralized, version-controlled, and formally governed, setting the foundation for future certifications if desired
- Key managed services partners aligned with the client’s new ISMS expectations, strengthening supply chain security
- Ongoing visibility and management of security exceptions enhanced risk oversight and remediation focus
Conclusion
Our expertise and guidance enabled the Oil & Gas company to develop a robust ISMS framework, enhance security awareness, and establish sustainable governance. Our partnership has had a lasting impact on the client’s ability to manage information security risks and protect its sensitive assets.
