FEED vs Detail Engineering, what can be wrong?

Front End Engineering Design (FEED) and Detail Engineering are two different stages in the project life cycle which had different purposes and deliverable. In term of project milestone FEED is performed before the final investment decision (FID) with objectives to defines technical and project specific requirements which required to develop cost and schedule for FID consideration. While Detail Engineering is occurred after the FID (normally part of the EPSC Contract) which deliver cascade detail of the FEED result for construction and commissioning.

At high level, the comparison between FEED vs detail Engineering can be summarized on the table below,

What can be wrong between the two? First is Scope definition. FEED defines the technical and project-specific requirements, while Detail engineering develops the construction drawings and specifications. It is important to have a clear and consistent scope definition throughout the project and avoid any major changes or deviations that can increase the cost and duration of the project. In one side sometimes we are going too detail during the FEED where it can prolong the duration of the FEED. In other hand during detail engineering, we are tempted to perform scope changes which normally should be freeze during the FEED stage that led to rework, errors, and conflicts in the design and execution phases. Mistakes on scope and definition can significantly impacted the project cost and schedule. ?A clear and consistent scope statement, a work breakdown structure, and solid change management process are mandatory to define the project scope and avoid any unnecessary or unauthorized changes.

Second Interface constraint. FEED and Detail engineering involve multiple disciplines, stakeholders, and contractors, who need to work together and share information effectively. Coordination and communication challenges can arise due to different expectations, standards, languages, cultures, and locations of the project participants. These challenges can result in delays, misunderstandings, and inconsistencies in the project deliverables. You can use a project management plan, a communication plan, and a stakeholder analysis to establish the roles, responsibilities, and expectations of the project participants. You can also use a collaborative platform, a document management system, and a quality assurance system to share information and ensure consistency and accuracy

The last and the most common one is Quality of deliverable. FEED and Detail engineering need to ensure the quality and safety of the project design and execution, by following the specifications, standards, and regulations applicable to the project. Quality and safety challenges can arise due to lack of expertise, experience, or resources, as well as human errors, technical failures, or external factors. These challenges can compromise the project performance, reliability, and integrity, and pose risks to the environment and human lives. Quality management plan, a safety management plan, and a risk management plan to identify, assess, and control the potential quality and safety issues in the project. You can also use a quality control system, a safety audit system, and a risk mitigation system to monitor and improve the project performance, reliability, and integrity

At the end each project may have its own specific challenges, depending on the project scope, complexity, and context. Therefore, it is essential to identify, analyze, and mitigate the potential challenges in each project stage, and adopt best practices and lessons learned from previous projects. Having a success FEED and detail engineering will provide you a strong foundation to achieve the project objectives