The headache for the owners of oil and gas recovery renovation projects often lies not in technology, but in the construction period: every day of business suspension for renovation means a loss of daily revenue, and a one-month delay in the construction period can result in the entire saved equipment cost being lost. Whether the construction period can be compressed depends on whether the nodes are broken down into detailed stages, whether the construction windows are selected accurately, and whether the cooperation among all parties is smooth. From signing the contract to putting into operation, there are four stages: design, manufacturing, construction, and commissioning, and each stage has compressible and non-compressible parts. This article clarifies the construction period nodes according to the project process, and stations preparing for renovation can refer to it to arrange their own plans.
How to divide the construction period
Each of the four stages of the construction period has its own flexibility: the design stage lasts one to two weeks, during which on-site inspection and scheme confirmation proceed in parallel. The speed at which the owner confirms the scheme directly affects the subsequent stages - a round of drawing revision will result in a corresponding extension of manufacturing and construction; equipment manufacturing takes four to six weeks, during which non-standard skids are completed. During this period, the owner can simultaneously handle construction registration and material mobilization preparations; on-site construction lasts one to two weeks, mainly focusing on pipeline connection and electrical wiring; commissioning and commissioning takes three to five days. The total normal construction period is six to ten weeks, which can be compressed to around five weeks with proper management, but it is not uncommon for it to be extended to three months due to lax management.
How to choose the construction window
The construction window at the service station determines the loss due to business suspension: pipeline openings and hot work are arranged during the low sales period, and oil unloading and refueling peaks are avoided during construction; renovation is carried out in sections and stages, with the three recovery branches connected first and then merged into the main pipeline, and some gun positions are kept available during the main operation period. The operation rhythms of the oil depot and gas station are different - the gas station follows the traffic flow curve, while the oil depot follows the receiving and dispatching plan, and the window is arranged according to their respective curves. Before construction, the window plan is disclosed to the station staff, and the entrance and exit guidance and safety fencing are in place simultaneously. Customer experience during the construction period is also important for word-of-mouth.
How to manage nodes
A master schedule is used for node management: design confirmation, equipment delivery, arrival inspection, construction commencement and completion, commissioning and operation. Each node is assigned a date, a responsible person, and acceptance criteria. Links prone to delays are monitored in advance - a one-week delay in scheme confirmation will cause all subsequent activities to be postponed; remote tracking of equipment manufacturing is conducted weekly; the connection between arrival and construction is confirmed one day in advance. If equipment arrives at the site but the lifting conditions are not met, every day of work delay is a wasted day. Change management is equally important: changes during construction should be evaluated for their impact on duration and cost before implementation, as verbal changes are often the starting point of delays.
Beyond the construction period, there's another account to be reminded: if the days saved by rushing the work are at the expense of sacrificing the quality of commissioning, the parameter drift and rectification downtime after commissioning will double the time saved. The construction period that can be compressed is in the early stage - early confirmation of the plan and early start of manufacturing; what should not be compressed is during commissioning, where the parameter setting for live commissioning cannot be omitted.
Reference for construction period nodes
| phase | Normal construction period | Compressed space |
|---|---|---|
| Design Confirmation | One to two weeks | Concurrent confirmation of schemes |
| Equipment manufacturing | Four to six weeks | Remote weekly meter reading |
| On-site construction | one to two weeks | Advance in sections |
| Debugging and commissioning | Three to five days | Parameter tuning is not economical |
| Node Management | One table determines responsibility | Pay attention to the easily delayed links in advance |
| change control | Evaluate first, implement later | Prevent verbal changes |
Closure and delivery
- The as-built drawings and change records shall be handed over and archived along with the acceptance inspection;
- The commissioning report and parameter setting table are to be handed over to the operation team;
- Operational training covers all shifts, and only those who pass the assessment can take up their posts;
- The warranty terms, response time limits, and spare parts list shall be included in the annex to the contract;
- The first-month follow-up visit is scheduled as agreed upon during delivery, and any drifts will be promptly corrected;
- Clear away construction waste and temporary facilities, and restore the original appearance of the site.
Frequently Asked Questions
Must the business be closed during the renovation?
Under the arrangement of segmented construction and staggered peak windows, most stations do not need to suspend operations for the entire station; key operations involving tank openings are arranged during low sales periods and can be controlled for a short period of time.
Who is responsible for the delay of the project?
Check the node table: each node has confirmation records and registration of delay reasons, with clear responsibilities; it is more useful to include the duration clauses and delay responsibilities in the contract when signing, rather than arguing afterwards.
Can construction be carried out in winter?
Yes, low temperatures have limited impact on piping and electrical construction, but freeze protection is necessary for curing operations and pressure testing; stations in the north should try to avoid cold wave windows and reserve weather allowance in the construction schedule.
This article is compiled by Luoyang Wohong Petrochemical Equipment Co., Ltd. The company provides design and manufacturing, skid-mounted customization, installation and commissioning, as well as after-sales operation and maintenance services for three-time oil and gas recovery equipment to gas stations and oil depots. If you need on-site inspection or scheme configuration, please feel free to contact us for discussion.