Phusion News

Are Horrible Handovers History?

On major capital projects the design contractors deploy market leading solutions for 3D, P&IDs and instrument/electrical databases. However, the Achilles heel is getting the equivalent information and original equipment manufacturers (OEM) information from the suppliers of instruments, pumps, valves and large skids such as power turbines, compressors and metering. From experience this information is the most critical to an operator.

Lessons from History

When an operator and design contractor experienced less than 50% of the requisite supplier handover, which dribbled in 12 months after first oil, they realised a new approach was required for the next project.

The downside of sending out spreadsheet data templates for suppliers to complete meant they had no idea how the 200+ suppliers were getting on until they handed over. Free text entries also meant everything was entered differently by each supplier so quality and consistency was hard to control.

So for the next project the same operator and design contractor tried a different approach to avoid the resulting industry norm as described above.

An online tool was introduced to give visibility to all stakeholders. Collaboration was enabled so data could be provided by both the designers and suppliers, thus sharing the work load.

Common data was shareable, look-up lists and multiple copy features were made available to reduce the time it takes to enter data. Data entered once was then used to create a number of data centric reports such as the instrument index, hazardous area equipment schedule and others.

Data and document requirements varied depending upon the equipment purchased to make sure everything was on point and minimised the number of “not applicable” requests. This approach made the task look much easier for the suppliers.

An online completion analyser measured the gaps so the suppliers could see, and focus on, what was missing.

Where suppliers were falling behind it was easy to spot and pro-active support ensured each supplier remained on track.

The net result was the project supplier deliverables bottomed out at 95% completeness and this data became available in the year before first oil.

Early availability facilitated spares optimisation and helped the operator set up their maintenance management system ahead of time. These huge benefits more than justified the move to online handover management.

This transformation happened twenty years ago!

The tools and processes have since been honed over time and used on the World’s largest projects. Understandably the tools have moved to the cloud and the reservoir of reusable data and documents has grown to reduce effort and increase quality and consistency. Data has been aligned to ISO data standards.

It is surprising to see some current major projects are still using traditional methods for data collection and handover. It is also surprising the operator that the handover is deficient and late!

There does not appear to be anyone benefiting from the traditional approach so we need to work harder to influence more projects and share good practices. The above process fully supports the current aspiration to building a “digital twin” for your new projects.

Seeing is believing so reach out if you want to condemn horrible handovers to history.