January 2024

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

January 30, 2024/in Power & Utilities, Project Management, Webinars/by Elnaz Khaleghi

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).

“Energy Project Management Fundamentals” Course

January 16, 2024/in News/by Elnaz Khaleghi

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)

Planning For Startup

January 4, 2024/in Best Practice/by Elnaz Khaleghi

Startup is the transitional phase between plant construction completion and commercial operations, including all the activities that bridge these two phases. Critical steps within Startup include system turnover, checkout of systems, commissioning of systems, introduction of feedstock, and performance testing.

The importance of Startup planning is exemplified by the pressures to increase profits by reducing costs, reductions in owner staff and increases in outsourcing of services, demands for shorter project life-cycle times, and a lack of planning capabilities and supportive tools. These business and project challenges demand increases in organizational efficiency and management effectiveness.

Successful project delivery and commercial operation requires a successful Startup. Research indicates a reasonably strong correlation between Startup success and comprehensive Startup planning.

PTAG provides a Startup Planning Model for Startup activities through all eight project phases: