An effective way of managing scope for turnarounds in process industries.

Successful turnaround relies on timely identifying the right scope.?Poor scope management can lead to sudden and uncontrollable variations during execution. Statistics show that two-thirds of turnarounds experience more than a 10% cost and schedule overrun, due to late scope additions close to the turnaround date, scope growth during execution, or a combination of both.

The turnaround scope (worklist) is a collection of work to be performed on various assets in a processing facility. Scoping is a critical process that involves strategic planning, meticulous management, and a comprehensive understanding of the plant's needs. In this article, we will explore scope management and its processes in detail.?

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Work List Management Process:

Establishing a robust work list management process and system to collect, compile, analyze, filter, approve and manage the work lists is mandatory to maintain accountability, process integrity, visibility, and transparency of whole process. Develop and maintain a detailed inventory of all repeatable work lists for maintenance, inspection, and upcoming upgrades (MOC) in the system. Collaborate with various departments and stakeholders to compile a comprehensive list that covers all critical aspects of the plant's operation.

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Work List Selection Criteria & Optimization:

Develop clear and concise criteria for selecting items for the work list. Consider factors such as equipment criticality, historical performance data, and regulatory compliance requirements. Prioritize work list based on their impact on safety, environmental compliance, and overall plant reliability. Conduct risk and cost-based assessments by a cross-functional team to challenge ??work list to ensure strict adherence to selection criteria to optimize and prioritize the scope in alignment with the following:

• Consistent with the Goals, Philosophy and Budget established.
• Requires a complete outage for the work to be carried out.
• Cannot be deferred without unacceptable risk.
• Inspection requirements to maintain acceptable level of plant reliability.
• Follows sound engineering practices, standards, and principles of risk management.

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Proactive Scope Identification:

Initiate the scope collection process well in advance (18 to 24 months, determined by turnaround size & complexity and asset age) to ensure the correct scope is identified at the right time. This allows the Planning Team sufficient time for detailed planning and preparation of major and critical work lists, facilitating the arrangement of long lead spare parts, services, and other special resources in a timely manner. It is crucial to prevent overlooking any assets, clear understanding of equipment conditions, and accurately planning the detailed work steps and required spare parts.

Conduct early scope-finding efforts through comprehensive pre-turnaround planning inspections and walkdowns by a cross-functional team to validate the identified scope and uncover any missing elements. Engage experts and key personnel in these activities to gather valuable insights and ensure that no critical issues are overlooked. Additionally, leverage technologies to establish data-driven, risk-based predictive mechanisms where applicable.

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Worklist freezing/ Cut-off date:

Establish a disciplined worklist freeze date align with contracting & services and material procurement strategy. This is allowing to include maximum scope with required level of information with adequate time to process the procurement in timely manner. Communicate the frozen work list to all relevant parties to provide clarity.

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Adding/modifying scope after worklist Freeze:

Despite careful planning, unexpected issues may arise after work list freeze date or during the turnaround. Implement a robust control and authorization process (especially involving Plant leadership) to ensure that the changes are carefully evaluated and approved minimise the schedule, cost, and planning impact. Clearly define the criteria for approving additional work, ensuring that it aligns with the overarching goals of the turnaround.

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Front-End Planning:

Invest time and resources in thorough front-end planning to define the scope with precision. Engage key stakeholders in this phase to gather insights, align goals, and address potential challenges. Develop a detailed project plan (Plan to plan) that includes detailed scope deliverables and timelines.

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Organizational Knowledge Management:

Implementing knowledge management through digital technologies to capture Historical data, lessons learned, best practices, and insights from the field for continuous improvement. This knowledge along with ongoing operational input will help to derive more accurate scope.

Deriving the right scope for a turnaround not only ensures its success but also contributes to the long-term reliability and efficiency of process plants. A well-defined scope sets the foundation for a streamlined and effective turnaround, minimizing downtime and maximizing the overall impact on plant performance.

Article has been authored by Anil Sasi , PMP ( Head Turnaround Excellence @ Maximl )