Gas platform KLU#3 of Deutsche Oel & Gas S.A. in Cook Inlet (photo credit: Deutsche Oel & Gas S.A.)
- Operational project management for Deutsche Oel & Gas in the “KLU#3” exploratory well in Alaska
- Securing on-site shipbuilding and offshore projects around the world
- Practical system standards for risk, contract and claim management
Deutsche Oel & Gas has now begun drilling for natural gas in its “Kitchen Lights Unit” (KLU#3) exploratory well in South Alaska. To ensure completion of the infrastructure within the planned installation timeframe, the Group commissioned German company Projektbox to handle the risk and contract management.
The company, founded in 2010 in Hamburg, specialises in project, risk and contract management for major projects in the shipbuilding and offshore sector. It covers all aspects of the complex delivery and production chain, thereby ensuring that the necessary action can be taken at all times on the construction site and that construction proceeds accordingly. Projektbox has its own twelve-strong team of experts headed by Managing Director Oliver Arnold as well as a large network of international industry specialists. References include the project management and risk management of the construction of special-purpose ships, e.g. the jack-up vessel “Aeolus” from the Sietas shipyard for the Dutch marine engineering company Van Oord, and claim management for cabin construction for cruise ships as well as risk and contract management for the KLU#3 project of Deutsche Oel & Gas.
“Today, the division of tasks in shipping and offshore projects is greater than ever. Due to the significant technical complexity of such construction projects, there are many suppliers involved. Cost pressure is enormous, time planning tight. This is why, for complex projects in particular, project management that goes beyond technical construction management is increasingly in demand among investors and shipping companies, ” explains Oliver Arnold. “At Projektbox, we offer a specially developed, standardised system of project, risk and contract management as well as on-site construction supervision.”
Case study:Â Risk and contract management for Deutsche Oel & Gas in the “KLU#3” exploratory well in Alaska
For the construction of their production infrastructure in their natural gas and crude oil exploratory well “Kitchen Lights Unit” in South Alaska, Deutsche Oel & Gas put their trust in Hamburg-based expertise. In addition to construction of the drilling platform, the project also covered the connecting subsea pipeline and the completion of the refinery. While the team from the HeavyLift@Sea engineering office handled the technical planning of the installation of the platform and pipeline after an initial analysis of the project progress, Deutsche Oel & Gas commissioned Projektbox with the contract and risk management in order to ensure keeping to the tight schedule for the installation and thus the success of the project.
“Projektbox was expected to be able to ensure optimum construction progress within a short time on-site while the project was already underway, ” reports Hendrik Gröne, CEO of HeavyLift@Sea, on the cooperation. “This meant that it was a ‘fast track’ project, for which we adapted all our tools to the Deutsche Oel & Gas project in a way that ensured that the measures taken within the project team had immediate effect, ” adds Oliver Arnold. “Deadline, budget, contract and procurement risks were constantly monitored, and necessary action was taken in good time.”
Projektbox first conducted a risk analysis of the existing contracts with suppliers regarding time planning, cost management (budget compliance) and logistics – also taking into account the challenging environmental conditions on-site with the dangers of drift ice, earthquakes and tsunamis. Quantity surveyors provided support with contract management and more in the interest of keeping within budget, and in ensuring that the construction of the pipe-laying barge and monopod progressed accordingly. The team involved in the project was managed on-site by Projektbox, varying between 40 persons during preparation and 400 on the construction site in Alaska.
Projektbox’s duties also covered the coordination and mobilisation of the equipment, including the heavy-lift vessel “MS Svenja” from SAL, which carried out the installation of the drilling platform. With this amount of high-performance technology, another key requirement was that of protecting the environment, which is why there was close cooperation with two experts in observing sea mammals in the construction site environment.
In December 2015, the platform entered service within the planned timeframe and gas extraction started. The Projektbox team remained on site until recently and was successful in fending off claims.
Projektbox
Founded in 2010 in Hamburg, Projektbox is a consulting enterprise that specialises in project, risk and contract management as well as construction supervision in the fields of shipbuilding and offshore development. The twelve-strong team of experts headed by Managing Director Oliver Arnold also has an extensive network of international specialists at its disposal. The company prepares plans and documentation using its in-house system software, which also includes a mobile app.
