Page 342 - Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production Second Edition

Project and Contract Management 329

Project Manager

Audit Team

Resident Engineer
Project Design (Construction Commissioning Project Services
Engineer Engineer Manager
Manager)
Figure 13.3 Example of a project team organisation.

13.1.2. Project organisation

Although a single project manager may direct activities throughout a project life, he
or she will normally be supported by a project team whose composition should
reflect the type of project and the experience levels of both company and contractor
personnel. The make-up and size of the team may change over the life of a project
to match the prevailing activity levels in each particular section of the project
(Figure 13.3).
An organisation such as the example above includes sub groups for each of
the main activities and a support (or services) group to manage information and
procurement. Auditing commitments may be fulfilled by an ‘independent’ in-house
team or by external auditors.

13.2. Planning and Control

In order to manage a project effectively it is important to have planning
and control processes in place that are recognised and understood through all
supervisory and management levels. Large projects in particular can suffer if
engineering teams become isolated or lose touch with the common interests of the
project group or company business objectives.
Project planning techniques are employed to prepare realistic schedules within
manpower, materials and funding constraints. Realistic schedules are those that
include a time allocation for delays where past experience has shown they may be
likely, and where no action has been taken to prevent reoccurrence. Once agreed,
schedules can be used to monitor progress against targets and highlight departure
from plans.

13.2.1. Network analysis
A technique widely used by the industry is Critical Path Analysis (CPA or ‘network
analysis’) which is a method for systematically analysing the schedule of large
projects, so that activities within a project can be phased logically, and dependencies