Abstract: As an advanced management method, benchmarking management is widely used by famous enterprises at home and abroad, and it provides an enterprise with a goal of struggle and a thought to continuous improvement. Based on benchmarking analysis, shortcomings can be identified and reduced, and the overall competitiveness and management of an enterprise can be improved. For challenges from low oil prices, low grade and high cost, China National Petroleum Corporation strengthened the innovation of benchmarking management, and provides effective methods for improving the overall management and the basis for making effective decisions on exploration and deployment through benchmark analysis. In this paper, the necessity and significance of exploration benchmarking management is analyzed; the methods and implementation steps of benchmarking management are introduced; a systematic and complete index system is established by taking 16 oil and gas field enterprises as research cases, a benchmarking evaluation model is designed; and finally four primary index systems including plan, cost, effectiveness and reserves, and 16 secondary index systems are established. The highlights are an effectiveness index of 3D seismic survey and an index model of reserves evaluation. Demonstration and application in oilfields have proved all indicators good, and exploration and management have been improved continuously. These may ensure new results of oil and gas exploration, and facilitate high-quality exploration to a new level.

Key words: exploration benchmarking management, index system, index model, efficient exploration, decision-making