Improving Brownfield Project Performance

Abstract

Abstract Brownfield project performance When a new facility starts up, a new brownfield site is created. Through technology improvements we are able to get more production out of our existing assets and getting access to new frontiers is increasingly complex. These factors raise the importance of doing brownfield projects well. But, the schedule and cost slippage that is often found in capital projects is significantly worse for brownfield projects. Typical issues in brownfield projects Project cost growth and schedule slippage often occurs in the early phases of the development. Project and asset teams may lock themselves into pre-determined solutions for brownfield projects without spending sufficient time on the front end loading, driven by an attitude of already knowing what needs to get done. Surprises appear during execution because of a lack of understanding of the facilities, such as its current condition, the process constraints and the restrictions to execute the projected work. Estimates and schedules can grow because they were based on analogues or factors, which turn out to be unreliable due to the unique nature of each brownfield project. Best practices Due to their many interfaces and complexity, brownfield projects require discipline: to spend time to truly understand the asset, to get sufficient detail early to develop a realistic estimate and schedule, to appoint experienced operators to support the project team at the early stage of the project, to allocate sufficient funds to perform high quality front end loading and to plan the work in detail once in the field. New technologies can improve brownfield projects outcomes, e.g. laser scanning, 4D execution planning, novel inspection techniques and advanced data management. This paper will explore what best practices reduce complexity and improve performance. Through proper framing, dependencies with other work on the asset can be minimized and this reduces the risk of delays. Transferring work from the live construction site to an offsite fabricator will lead to less safety exposure, better quality and a more predictable schedule. Performing trial fits prior to shipment further reduces the risk of execution inefficiencies. Recognition The recognition of the inherent complexity and challenges associated with brownfield projects at all levels of the company, will lead to better consistency in execution of this projects. Experience with executing brownfield projects and with the particular facility is a pre-requisite. Being successful at extending the life of our existing assets will then bring large rewards.