Experience Matters

Performed expert analysis reviews pertaining to a dispute in relation to the construction of a Steam Assisted Gravity Drainage (SAGD) oil sands extraction project in northern Alberta.

On behalf of the Ontario Provincial Government, evaluated delays to the restart of a power plant unit at a nuclear power electricity generation station located in northwest Ontario. The operator of the nuclear unit suffered a force majeure outage and, as a result, was entitled to balancing payments from the Ontario Government while the unit was being repaired and restarted. The provincial government was concerned that the delays that the unit operator experienced were excessively long. Evaluated whether the operator managed the unit’s outage schedule in the most efficient manner.

On behalf of an owner, performed analyses and prepared expert reports regarding schedule delays and increased costs associated with an EPC contractor’s $138 million claim on a gas plant expansion project. The work involved correction of the contractor’s baseline schedule and schedule updates, assessment of impacts allegedly due to change orders, welding defects, late delivery of drawings by the owner, and contractor performance problems. Prepared time impact and As-Built But-For Schedule Analyses to address time extension entitlement, compensable delay, and loss of productivity. Developed a chronological database and assisted the law firm with witness statements and document disclosure requests. Completed a comparative assessment between the project’s radiography records for the rejected pipe joint welds, and the results that were developed from the owner’s radiography expert’s interpretation of the films. Evaluated the opposing experts’ schedule delay and damages analyses and assessment of responsibilities for project management performance problems. Performed extensive schedule quality assurance review studies of the contractor’s contemporaneous EPC project schedules to ensure that these schedules could be used for delay analysis. Identified and documented numerous problems with open-end activities, overuse of constraints, missing original scope, incorrect as-built dates, missing as-built dates, and missing logic links. The dispute was resolved prior to arbitration.

Prepared detailed as-planned and as-built schedule analyses for a contractor on an earth-filled dam project in New Mexico. Participated in negotiations between the contractor and the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation that resulted in a $55 million settlement for the contractor.

Developed the detailed schedule and project control system for a 2x400 MW coal-fueled power plant. Created and maintained an accounting and reporting system to track the financial participation of four consortium partners.

Performed schedule delay expert witness services with respect to a $34 million dispute between an electrical power generator and a consortium of power distributors. Issues involved the analysis of concurrent delay. Services included a delay analysis with respect to a forced outage resulting from an alleged force majeure event. Identified and quantified schedule impacts that resulted from accelerating the start of planned outage work that the power plant operator moved to be in parallel with necessary work associated with the forced outage. Provided testimony that addressed impacts to the outage affected by moving the start of planned outage work to be performed concurrently with forced outage work.

Developed the Baseline CPM Schedule for the $136 million FDR Drive reconstruction project. The schedule was cost and resource loaded with 2,344 activities.

On behalf of a power company, analyzed labor productivity costs associated with repair of damaged electrical transmission lines following Hurricane Rita.

On behalf of a major U.S. oil company, analyzed the integrity of a Korean contractor’s EPC schedule regarding logic problems, constraints, and reasonableness of the critical path for a major petrochemical plant project.

On behalf of an owner, analyzed a $1.7 million claim for schedule delays and disruptions during the construction of two wastewater treatment plants and barometric condenser conversions at an oil processing unit. Prepared detailed CPM schedule analyses and expert reports. The dispute was successfully resolved prior to the arbitration.