An overview of the projects we been involved with on my commissioning journey. Listed from most recent:
Upgrader 1 Coker Drum Integrity Project – Suncor Energy & Ledcor Construction
Joined the project the mid Stage 2 / FEED late 2020. Initial requirements are to develop all key plans, schedule and cost related to commissioning this project in order progress the project through Gate 3 Sanctioning. Presently supporting this project and will be sharing this journey through the commissionable blog
Terra Nova FPSO Life Extension Turnaround – Suncor Energy
Joined the project mid Stage 3 / Detailed Engineering in the spring of 2019. Lead a small team developing the commissioning execution plans with the intent of executing in dry-dock in Europe. Well, COVID 19 showed up 2 months prior to mobilizing in Spain and 4-5 months there evaporated with it. It was a remarkably interesting project, as we were attempting to integrate project work into a turnaround utilizing a completions management database. We really stretched how we planned the work to make this square peg fit into a round hole. Would have like to see it play out and to confirm if our planning was solid.
Firebag SAGD Emulsion Handling Project – Suncor Energy
Joined the project early Stage 3 / Detailed Engineering in the spring of 2018. Completed the initial execution planning with a great colleague of mine before expanding the team at the client’s site to get ready for execution. As we completed most of the planning and just started to begin some early execution activities, I was asked if I could transition to Newfoundland to support the Terra Nova project above. I accepted and moved on. The team carried on and executed the project successfully, even through COVID. It is all about the planning.
Fort Hills Hot Bitumen Mine Project – Suncor Energy
An interesting and challenging project. Supported a few different areas in this one from 2014 to 2018. Started with assisting the Projects group develop an integrated commissioning road map for 10 different external commodity projects that supported the start up of the new Fort Hills site. These various projects and companies interfaced with each other at various points, so we had to ensure they were aligned when moving these products across company lines.
Once we got the integrated process working smoothly, I transition to the main project to help drive the commissioning execution of the main Paraffinic Froth Treatment area where the Hot Bitumen for export was produced. Our exceptionally large team executed an incredible amount of work in extreme winter conditions to help keep the project schedule on track. It was a rewarding experience.
Kearl Diluted Bitumen Mine Initial Development & Expansion Projects – Imperial Oil & Exxon Mobile
Utilized a slowdown in projects with Suncor to step away from SAGD work and refamiliarize myself with the mine extraction process from 2012 to 2014, as I knew the Fort Hills project was in planning for Suncor. So, I jumped in late on this Initial Development project, essentially just before execution began and led the team through the Primary Extraction unit. The team gelled and performed very well, essentially keeping our scheduled completion ahead of schedule.
From here we transition to the expansion project and completed all planning for the identical unit, plus the new tank farm and flare, as the leadership could see our ability to liquidate work quickly and safely in the initial project. While joining this project set me up for success on the subsequent Fort Hills project, this was my first heavy internationally staffed one and it showed that home grown Canadian commissioning skills could complete at the highest levels internationally.
Firebag SAGD Stage 2 Debottleneck, Sulfur Recovery Unit, Stage 3&4 Greenfield Projects – Suncor Energy
A time of multi-projects back-to-back lead to my transition from doer to leader during 2008 to 2012, both literally and figuratively. The foundation for this began prior to joining these projects, as I took some time away from projects for clients to complete my own, the building of our home. This time away stretched me into a new person, that upon returning to industry provided the launching pad to where I am today.
Starting as a field technician, I progressed to various coordinator role across the different projects, leading the team to multiple successes. It certainly was not a smooth transition, as I stumbled many times, but in the end, it worked and developed me for success in future management roles.
Upgrader Expansion 1 Project – Syncrude Canada
This is where a began my journey in the consulting and contracting side of commissioning working with the Utilities and Offsites team from 2003 to 2006 as a field technician, but also a time by the end of the project where I questioned if I still wanted to be part of the industry. The main reason for this was with the incredible boom in projects, came an incredible dilution in the quality of work being performed. So, I questioned whether I wanted to be a part of it going forward. I did take 18 months to step away after this project to build our personal house, develop my leadership skills and change my mindset on how I could help make projects work better. The beginning of a long and continuing journey.
Albian Sands Muskeg River Mine Project – Shell Canada (Now CNRL) & Atco Power
The beginning of my life in commissioning and the final transition from the operations side of the business. This transition was not a strait line though. The Utilities team was hire to commission, start-up and then operate the new cogeneration facility on site from 2001 to 2003. As this was my first time “commissioning” the extended days of work and hours were new to me and a bit of an adjustment. Regardless, we had a top-notch team, executed the work flawlessly and were looking forward to getting through this “busy” period and getting into operations mode. Which basically meant “lots of quiet time”.
What was surprising was that after about a month of being operational, the quietness and routine started to get boring. I was missing the action. I had been bitten by the commissioning bug. At this point I started to request to be moved to other parts of the facility to help with commissioning, but the requests were denied. At this point I new I would have to move on if I wanted to continue with this work.