Hydrocarbon Processing - May 2022 - 81

Plant Turnarounds and Project Management
Global
FIG. 1. Simplified project interactions map.
One possibility is the use of simplified
schedule representations. By grouping
common tasks, one can draw a map or
a network showing the essential groups
and their main interactions. A simplified
project interactions map is shown
in FIG. 1. This mapping should be sufficiently
detailed to shed light on execution
strategy decisions-including obstacles
to overcome to advance equipment inquiries,
prioritization of equipment procurement,
identification of areas where
value engineering exercises should be
performed, modularization, and conditions
for mobilization of construction
subcontractors, among others.
The first time the map is prepared, this
task can be very laborious, requiring the
involvement of all project disciplines, especially
construction. However, once the
first one has been drawn up, it is very easy
to adapt it to each new project.
During the launching of a new job, the
map is used by the management team to
decide the primary execution strategies.
Once these strategies have been determined
and reflected in the map, it can be
used as a guide for schedulers in the development
of the initial detailed schedule. In
addition to improving the reliability of the
schedule, this map drastically reduces the
time required to complete it.
After the detailed schedule has been issued,
daily work is controlled by it. However,
it is advisable to keep the map alive and
updated throughout the life of the project,
both for its usefulness for decision-making
and also to incorporate lessons learned
that may be useful in future occasions.
The authors have called these documents
" interaction " maps to stress the importance
of interactions or dependencies
between tasks. A mere change in a dependency
can transform a project. For example,
if starting the civil design of a process
area after receiving 90% of the vendor's
drawings (projects are typically started
with 60% of the vendor's drawings), the
project will be completely different. Civil
works may start earlier, but there will be
more drawing revisions, more site reworks
and more change orders.
While tasks and durations are clearly
shown in multiple project documents,
dependencies are practically ignored.
Project schedulers use them to build the
PERT-CPM network, but they do not
bother to give them much publicity because
they realize that few people will
take the time to review them. Moreover,
the arrows used to represent them tend to
get very intricate, and there is no easy way
to reflect them in project reports. Since
dependencies receive little attention,
there is very little knowledge about their
impact on project results. This is a major
problem because the art of planning is the
art of wisely selecting dependencies.
LITERATURE CITED
Complete literature cited available online at
www.HydrocarbonProcessing.com.
JOSE CORRALES is an EPC Project Consultant who
has worked with the Técnicas Reunidas Group, Foster
Wheeler and Brown & Root. He has also been a
Project Director for more than a dozen megaprojects
in the oil and gas sector. Mr. Corrales has a degree in
engineering from the University of Sheffield in the
UK, and a degree in economics from the Universidad
Nacional de Educación a Distancia (UNED) in Spain.
JOAQUIN PEREZ VEIGA is the Head of the Project
Planning Department for Técnicas Reunidas. He has
30 yr of experience in EPC project planning and
scheduling. Mr. Veiga earned a degree in industrial
engineering from the Universidad Politécnica de Madrid
(UPM), along with a degree in economics from UNED.
Hydrocarbon Processing | MAY 2022 81
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