Schedule

28–29 January 2025 • Embassy Suites by Hilton Ft. Worth-Downtown • Ft. Worth, TX, USA

Tuesday, 28 January 2025

7 a.m.Registration and Breakfast
8 a.m.Introduction to Project Management
Neil Tannyan, Hatch Associates Consultants Inc.
This module will provide an overview of project terminology, project definition and setup, project charter, stakeholder engagement, overview of stage gate approaches, communication, team development and management. Safety management plan development and project execution plan (PEP) structure will also be discussed.
9 a.m.Scope Development and Management
Thomas Ruffner, United States Steel Corporation
This module will cover design basis, facility structure, work breakdown structure (WBS), customer requirements, etc. Financial analysis and business case development, early scope review, and options analysis will be covered.
10 a.m.Break
10:30 a.m.Project Controls Setup and Earned Value
Jeff Kuronen, Hatch Associates Consultants Inc.
Developing control budget, work packages, reporting, performance measurement, forecasting and change management. The discussion will introduce engineering work packages and construction work packages. These tools and techniques used to help project managers to plan, monitor, and control projects to keep them on track.
NoonLunch
1 p.m.

Schedule development and Management
Jim Weinheimer, Middough Inc., and Ted Vrehas, Cleveland-Cliffs Indiana Harbor
This session will cover various aspects for schedule development, such as types of schedules; level of detail used in schedule; software programs utilized; the level of effort required to develop schedules; and how to organize, breakdown, filter, maintain and update a schedule. The session will cover the importance of breaking down and integrating the owners, engineers, equipment and fabrication suppliers, and constructors; and commissioning, start-up and close-out activities. This session will briefly discuss other aspects of information that can be incorporated into schedules and the information that can be extracted and reported during various phases of a project.

1:45 p.m.

Outage-Based Projects
Neil Tannyan, Hatch
Implementing outage-based projects where a significant portion of the construction occurs during a production unit shutdown is the most challenging type of project. This module will discuss outage planning and management techniques to ensure the outage duration is realistic and is achieved.

2:45Break
3 p.m.Practical Session
5–6 p.m.Reception

Wednesday, 29 January 2025

7 a.m.Breakfast
8 a.m.Risk Management
Thomas Ruffner, United States Steel Corporation
New projects and construction are exciting, but also bring risk to the operation that must be identified prior to and during the project. This presentation will discuss an approach to identifying, managing and lowering operational risk.
9:15 a.m.Engineering Planning and Project Management
Matthew Benovic, R. E. Warner & Associates Inc. 
The module covers: Setup of engineering work packages and correlation with construction work packages, document control, design for safety and hazard and operability, testing, surveying and laser scanning, and value engineering.
10:15 a.m.Break
10:30 a.m. Procurement and Contracting
Neil Tannyan, Hatch Associates Consultants Inc.
This module covers: project procurement strategy; construction contracting strategies (contract types and risk), expediting, bonus and vendor management. 
11:30 a.m.Site Logistics and Material Movement
12:15 p.m.Lunch
1 p.m.3-D Modeling and Prefabrication
Steve Roloff, The Systems Group
I will present the benefits of 3-D model construction to develop fabrication drawings to save time and money on construction projects by taking the work out of the field. 
1:30 p.m.Construction Techniques
Ted Vrehas, Cleveland-Cliffs Indiana Harbor
Introduction to construction techniques and terminology: Modularization, types of piling, types of rigging, electrical, welding, shoring, embeds, anchor bolts, etc. The presentation will review various disciplines’ construction techniques at a high level.  Discussion will also involve pre-installation fabrication and modularization.
2:15 p.m.Break
2:30 p.m.

Change Management
Jim Weinheimer, Middough Inc.
The module covers objectives for design life, vendor quality requirements and surveillance including quality inspections/audit and factory acceptance testing. The material will also review construction quality management.

3:15 p.m.

Commissioning and Start-Up Planning
Ray Young, Primetals Technologies
This module will cover testing, cold and hot commissioning, and production ramp-up. It includes testing/flushing, first fills, I/O checkout and cold commissioning/hot commissioning; consideration for automation upgrades using off-line testing; and gradual ramp-up versus outage in developing the plan.

4:15 p.m.Wrap-Up — Key Factors of Successful Projects: Planning, Teamwork and Communication
Neil Tannyan, Hatch Associates Consultants Inc