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PTAG and PipeCom: Taking the uncertainty out of Pipeline Project Transitions 

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Seamless Transition from Commissioning to Operation in Pipeline Construction 

In the dynamic world of pipeline construction, the critical transition phase from commissioning to operational deployment is often fraught with challenges. PTAG is pleased to announce a strategic collaboration with PipeCom, aiming to revolutionize this pivotal stage and guarantee an unbroken continuum from construction to full-scale operation. This partnership is a game-changer for the industry, embodying a synergy that enhances the transition process to new heights of efficiency and safety. 

Key Benefits of Our Collaboration 

Streamlined Commissioning 

Our combined expertise stands as a cornerstone of the collaboration, ensuring a smoother commissioning phase. PTAG and PipeCom are dedicated to overcoming the common obstacles that can impede project momentum. This strategic alliance sets the stage for successful project completion, aligning our robust project management advisory and construction management strategies with PipeCom’s technical prowess. 

Proactive Problem Solving 

Through the leveraging of extensive field experience, our teams are adept at early issue identification, which is pivotal for a seamless handover. This collaborative effort enhances operational safety and ensures that projects are not only executed according to plan but also uphold the highest standards of safety and efficiency. 

Optimized Project Outcomes 

Our support system is designed to position your projects for success, emphasizing not just timely completion, but also embedding the principles of efficiency and safety from the outset. PTAG and PipeCom are reshaping the way projects cross the finish line, ushering in a new era of operational readiness. 

Why This Matters

The transition from construction to operational deployment is a pivotal process in pipeline projects that extends beyond the physical infrastructure. It encompasses the integration of critical technology systems that often operate from remote or offsite locations. The successful commissioning of these systems—such as measurement systems, SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), leak detection, and other pipeline applications—is vital for the operational integrity and efficiency of the entire pipeline system.

Traditionally, these technological aspects could be overlooked, or they may fall outside the scope of conventional construction and commissioning projects. This oversight can lead to operational delays, increased costs, and potential safety risks. PTAG and PipeCom’s collaboration is acutely focused on this aspect of project delivery, ensuring that there is a clear line of sight over all systems involved. Our joint endeavor assures that all technological components are meticulously commissioned, configured, and handed over, thereby fortifying the project’s foundation for immediate and reliable operation.

The ability to provide a holistic and integrated approach to commissioning not only streamlines the entire process but also enhances the reliability and safety of pipeline operations. This integration is pivotal to manage and mitigate the risks associated with the transition phase effectively, and it ensures that operational readiness is achieved with precision.

The partnership between PTAG and PipeCom underscores our commitment to not just meeting but exceeding the industry standards by embracing a comprehensive view of project completion. This approach minimizes potential risks to project timelines, budgets, and most importantly, safety protocols. Our joint initiative transforms this critical stage into a strategic advantage, setting new benchmarks for operational readiness and long-term success in the pipeline sector.

By bringing together PTAG’s comprehensive project management and project control capabilities with PipeCom’s engineering management capabilities, we are setting a new standard in the industry. This partnership underlines our commitment to delivering client-centric solutions that meet the unique needs and challenges faced by our clients. 

As we embark on this journey together, PTAG and PipeCom look forward to fostering progress and setting new benchmarks for excellence in the pipeline construction domain. Stay tuned for updates on this exciting partnership and how it continues to yield successful project outcomes. 

For more information about how our collaborative efforts can benefit your pipeline construction and operational deployment, please contact us. Together, let’s pave the way for seamless project transitions and optimized outcomes. 

Embrace the future of pipeline project management with PTAG and PipeCom—where excellence in transition ensures success in operation. 

Free Webinar on Next Gen AWP: How Does Contracting Impact Project Performance?

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CII’s NextGen (formerly AWP+Lean) series of webinars has addressed many best practices leveraged across the different industries that contribute to improvements in Project Delivery. Consistently, the degree to which they drive success is partially shaped by the contracting strategy, type of contracts selected, and the underlying relationships.

Join PTAG’s Mark Guy, along with CII colleagues Gary Fischer and Will Lichtig, as they share insights on addressing the growing interest in adopting contracts aimed at enhancing collaboration, driving deeper integration, reducing shared risk across the collective project enterprise, and improving overall performance. This session will feature three highly regarded professionals with diverse and distinctive perspectives to discuss important, but often overlooked, impacts of contracting. 
 

The conversation will offer key insights about project risk, culture and reliable performance. Expect to hear some great stories to illustrate key points. Whether your new to AWP, Lean, or Operations Science or a seasoned practitioner, please mark your calendars and join us for an entertaining conversation.

Webinar Overview:

Date: Monday, February 12, 2024

Time: 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM EST

Location: Online Webinar

Key Speakers:

Mark Guy, Senior Advisor of Project Management at PTAG

Mark Guy is a PTAG Senior Advisor, Project Management who brings over 40 years of power generation experience covering project management, engineering, construction, operation, plant rehabilitation and collaborative facilitation. During his career at Ontario Power Generation, Mark managed many major capital projects to install new system equipment at the Pickering and Darlington stations, including the Darlington Nuclear Refurbishment (DNR) project and early planning for the SMR project. Mark has experience negotiating and managing EPC contracts, and attaining results through collaborative facilitation.

Gary Fischer, Executive Director of the Project Production Institute

Gary’s background includes responsibility for Chevron’s project management system as well as his current role as Executive Director of the Project Production Institute (PPI).  He will bring a unique perspective shaped by years of energy mega—projects around the world and his new passion for bringing Operations Science to our industry.

Will Lichtig, Executive Vice President Performance & Innovation at The Boldt Company

Will not only has extensive experience in leveraging collaborative forms of agreements and Integrated Project Delivery with Owner and Contractor organizations, but has been a driving force within the Lean Construction Institute (LCI) for many years, including as the developer of the Integrated Form of Agreement (IFOA). 

Register Now!

“Energy Project Management Fundamentals” Course

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In conjunction with Ontario Tech University’s TALENT, PTAG is pleased to deliver another edition of the “Energy Project Management Fundamentals” course.

The energy sector is rapidly evolving, and project delivery and efficient operations are vital to the future of energy development.

The course will run online for 6 weeks starting January 29, 2024. PTAG’s Mark Guy will be leading the course, supported by several of PTAG’s Subject Matter Experts.

OVERVIEW

This course is designed to provide a learning pathway for those seeking project manager roles in the Energy sector. An Energy Project Manager is there to set up strategies and goals for the projects that matter most to the operations of an energy producer or stakeholder. They strive to create the timeline for the work as part of large refurbishment or maintenance projects, make sure the projects are carried out within the allocated budget, and oversee the work of the members of the project team. Working in this position, it will be your responsibility to supervise the work of contractors, suppliers, and others important to your organization and Project Management Offices.

COURSE DESCRIPTION

In this 6-week course, you will address 12 distinct module (topic) areas, each delivered through a combination of online synchronous sessions, readings, and activities.

Module topics include:

  • Project integration and scope definition
  • Costing and Time estimation strategies
  • Quality and Human Resource management
  • Communication and Risk Management
  • Procurement and delivery methodologies

Throughout this 6-week course, your work will culminate with the development of an energy project plan and schedule which will be assessed by an expert Project Manager towards skills verification.

Upon successful completion of this micro credential, you will be awarded TALENT’s Digital Badge to enable you to effectively articulate this skill to employers.

For more information and to Register visit: Energy Project Management Fundamentals – TALENT (ontariotechtalent.ca)

Improving Capital Effectiveness and Efficiency to Deliver Excellent Business Results

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In case you missed it, watch Michael Dubreuil’s panel discussion along with his RT 394 colleagues about Improving Capital Effectiveness and Efficiency to Deliver Excellent Business Results from the 2023 Construction Industry Institute‘s Annual Conference in San Antonio, Texas.

Planning For Modularization

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Planning for modularization is the evaluation and determination of offsite construction in the front end planning phase to achieve specific strategic objectives and improve the project outcomes. The process includes developing a business case and execution strategy for large-scale transfer of stick-built construction effort from the job site to fabrication shops or yards.

In order to achieve higher, more successful levels of modularization, industry and project
leaders should be attentive to the five different elements of the solution, as illustrated in the following picture:

  1. Business case process
  2. Execution plan differences
  3. Critical success factors
  4. Standardization strategy
  5. Modularization maximization enablers

The modularization business case process should be applied at the earliest opportunity. Project teams should consider the modular approach the “default” approach in order to
allow the advancement of modularization in the industry

Industry-wide barriers continue to challenge the broad-based achievement of high levels of modularization. There are ten maximization enablers to act as counter-measures to these challenges and to accelerate modularization across the industry.

At PTAG, our industry-specific teams are ready to implement modularization on your project to enhance various aspects of project management, including time, cost, safety, quality, and productivity.

Partnering (part 2)

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What makes partnering successful?

Within the construction industry, partnering – an optimal relationship between a customer and supplier – offers many opportunities to improve construction projects’ total quality and cost-effectiveness while developing an atmosphere conducive to innovation, teamwork, trust, and commitment. Partnering can be used to attain total quality management (TQM).

Key Elements of Partnering:

a. Long-Term Relationship

b. Commitment

c. Continuous Improvement

d. Trust

e. Investment

f.  Alignment

g. Synergism

h. Shared Risks

i.  Mutual Rewards

j.  Equity

k. Systemic Relationship

l. Competitive Edge

Benefits of Partnering:

a. Continuous improvement of the quality of services and products
b. More effective utilization of resources
c. Improved profits (value) for all parties
d. Encourages innovation on projects
e. Develops long-term teamwork, trust, and commitment
f.  Allows for continuous planned development of new skills and processes

Major Concerns of Partnering:

a. Protecting proprietary information
b. Evaluation/assurance of value received
c. Fair sharing of risks by all parties
d. Obtaining/maintaining total commitment
e. Creates strong dependency on partner
f.  Limits competitive market strategy
g. Integration of differing company cultures

Results, Process, and Relationship Measures

To assess the true benefits of partnering, track and measure performance in a partnering relationship, then compare those results with the same data from before the adoption of partnering. Research suggests using the following measures:

  1. Results: hard measures based on objective analysis of performance relative to
    quantifiable standards
  2. Process: used to assess the existence and performance of work processes
  3. Relationship: qualitative measures used to assess the health of a partnership or project
    team, or the perception of its performance by key customers

The partnership triangle shows the criticality of the integration or links of the measures with each other and the business drivers.

PTAG helps you to benefit from partnering by:

a. Continuous improvement of the quality of services and products
b. More effective utilization of resources
c. Improved profits (value) for all parties
d. Encourages innovation on projects
e. Develops long-term teamwork, trust, and commitment
f.  Allows for continuous planned development of new skills and processes

PTAG’s Hydro Experience

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Did you know PTAG has worked on hydroelectric and industrial projects ranging in value from $1M to over $12B and covers:

 Hydroelectric development, Rehabilitation, Transmission & Distribution Projects? 

PTAG’s Hydroelectric and Industrial Project subject matter experts have direct experience with dam rehabilitations and new generation developments. 

PTAG offers an in-depth understanding of project and asset lifecycle, including project feasibility, development, contracting (traditional and collaborative models), engineering, construction, and operations.

Our experienced team’s focus is to help customers deliver project certainty through our experience, best practices, tools, and the team of subject matter experts.

Projects include Coffer Dam installations, Main Dam Concrete, Penstock and underground duct banks projects, Sluiceway and Headgate installations, Bridge construction, Turbine and Generator overhauls and new installations, Transformer, Switchgear, Breaker, Excitation, Protection and Controls installs, 230 & 500 Kv Line, Telecommunication, Control Room and SCADA installations. Service, Domestic Water, Powerhouse and Gantry Crane projects.

“I have been working with PTAG for several years now on collaborative contracting methods.  I see them as a leader in project management services and in the new Integrated Industrial Project Delivery model.  They provide key services for all types of projects and contract models but it’s their professionalism, creativity, innovative mind set and ability to stay current in this field that sets them apart”.

Alison Bradley, Director, Strategy & Supplier Relationship Management | OPG Supply Chain

Lessons Learned Program (LLP)

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Lessons Learned (LL) is knowledge gained from experience, successful or otherwise, to improve future performance. Each company should develop a Lessons Learned Program (LLP) to promote success and achievement. The Lessons Learned Program involves the people, processes, and tools that support an organization’s collection, analysis, and implementation of validated lessons learned. People possess organizational knowledge. The procedures must be structured to allow people to collect, analyze, and share knowledge easily.

Overall, Lessons Learned Programs are essential to the construction industry. The key to achieving an effective and sustainable Lessons Learned Program is the degree of continuing commitment and leadership from the organization’s top management. Lessons Learned will become even more critical as employees age and retire and turnover increases. Additionally, globalization also increases the need for LLPs to ensure that an organization is able to address critical issues such as culture, language, distance, and diversity.

  • Every organization should move forward in developing or improving a lessons learned program.
  • Leadership, top-level and tactical, is the essential prerequisite for the success of these programs.
  • Organizations should become “teaching” organizations rather than organizations that only collect or learn from the past in an ad hoc or passive manner.
  • Organizations should adopt an active implementation strategy to ensure that lessons are used.
  • Although technology is vital in developing and using the Lessons Learned Program, the importance of organizational culture should not be underestimated.
  • The quality of lessons learned is more important than the quantity of lessons in the database.
  • Both owners and contractors can benefit from lessons learned programs. Necessarily, the captured lessons learned will be focused on different areas based on the organization’s business needs.

There are three main components to the Lessons Learned Program (LLP):

  1. The collection involves gathering data and information on the experiences of individuals and teams in the organization. Collection can occur at multiple stages of project execution.
  2. Analysis can be performed by a team or a subject matter expert (SME). This step is necessary to ensure the information gathered is relevant, correct, and easily understood.
  3. Implementation can involve changes in practices and procedures or changes in the project execution. Lessons learned should be implemented quickly to ensure they are helpful for the organization.

PTAG has industry-specific teams ready to manage and organize this knowledge to benefit your organization in the form of a reduction of total project cost and/or reduction of project schedule.

Implementation Planning Model

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Once a new opportunity is identified, and an implementation path is laid out, the implementation process will result in the need for change. The implementation of new or improved practices is the driver for change management. Organizations face many challenges in overcoming barriers that come up during the implementation of new practices. An Implementation Champion will drive the implementation process with support and resources from upper management. Organizations face many challenges in overcoming barriers when implementing new procedures.

PTAG helps you to have a clear perspective on the overall stages required for the entire implementation process. A well-designed implementation plan will guide an organization to a successful outcome.

Follow steps that begin with needs analysis and end with implementation and benchmarking.

  • Stage 1: Needs Analysis – The Needs Analysis lays out the case for implementing a new practice. This case will need to be presented to both management and critical staff, so a compelling argument is required as an output of this stage.
  • Stage 2: Management Buy-In – The management buy-in will be based on the Needs Analysis developed in Stage 1.
  • Stage 3: Establish Steps – The Implementation Planning Model establishes four critical steps that will be followed during the implementation process. The third stage in the overall process requires one to understand these steps and develop an approximate schedule for the implementation process.
  • Stage 4: Adapt Matrix – In this stage, the implementation team must take the specifics within the Implementation Matrix and adapt the generic elements with organization specifics that address the unique requirements of the current implementation task.
  • Stage 5: Develop Plan – In this stage, the team will translate the details from Stage 4 into a plan that meets the specific organization’s requirements.
  • Stage 6: Communicate Plan – This stage requires the team to communicate the proposed implementation plan to both management and the proposed test group.
  • Stage 7: Perform Change Audit – The implementation team will perform a Change Audit that evaluates the readiness of the organization to undertake the implementation process.
  • Stage 8: Implement Tasks/Plan – The implementation team will now follow the tasks laid out in the implementation plan for each step of the implementation process. Each step in the process has a set of three to five tasks that are critical for success in that step.
  • Stage 9: Perform Step Evaluations – In conjunction with Stage 8, the implementation team will perform evaluations during each step of the implementation process to determine if the process is achieving the required goals.
  • Stage 10: Benchmark – The final stage in the implementation process is to benchmark the new practice internally and externally.

Front End Planning Process

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Do you want to keep on top of your projects? Are you thinking about having greater influence over your projects?

At PTAG, we focus on creating a strong and early link between the business or mission, project strategy, scope, cost, and schedule, and maintaining that link unbroken throughout the project life. A well-performed front-end planning process can reduce costs, lead to less project variability in cost, schedule, and operating characteristics, and increase the chance of meeting a project’s environmental and social goals.

Successful projects execute front end planning (FEP) differently than less successful projects — specifically concerning information flow activities. These differences include more time spent and more resources utilized while planning projects.

The following figure illustrates the three sub-phases of FEP in the context of the typical life cycle of a project.