The Integral Role of Waste Management into Successful Capital Project Design and Implementation

摘要

A successful upstream oil and gas capital project requires appropriate and timely planning and execution of Health, Safety, Environmental and Social (HSES) considerations. Inadequate and/or poorly timed inclusion of HSES considerations can result in project delays, overhaul, cost escalation and possible cancellation. One aspect of HSES is waste management. The following paper outlines a process whereby waste management can be integrated into a capital project in such a way as to reduce risk, manage costs and maintain schedule. The process is a project life cycle approach, taking the project from scoping and early design through startup, operations and decommissioning. The process utilizes concepts and techniques which can be easily transferred to other industrial capital projects such as mining or construction. For decades, waste management plans have been developed and guidelines produced on how to manage the sampling, storage, transport, treatment and final disposal of waste. Waste minimization programs and guidelines have also been in vogue for a while and plans/programs/guidelines have played a major role in controlling and reducing waste risk. However, there have been limited attempts to integrate waste management into the overall flow of a capital project from beginning to end. Instead, each stage of a capital project often is approached as a separate unit, with little regard for what came before or will come after the stage under question. This paper discusses techniques on how to integrate waste management plans and programs during project definition, front-end engineering design (FEED), site preparation, construction, startup, operation and decommissioning of an upstream oil and gas development. Each phase will be discussed with regard to steps that need to be taken to accomplish the present phase goals and objectives, while developing a path forward to plan for upcoming project phase waste management considerations.