First Feet on Ground

After a few years in business development and working on multiple diverse projects, it was high time I experienced witnessing a water facility come to life.

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Curiosity is antifragile, like an addiction, and attempts to satisfy it only make it grow. – Nassim Taleb.

Fun fact, I was part of the team working to close the contract during the tender process, integrating costs, schedules, and estimating direct costs for civil and marine works, among other things. It was like seeing how everything transitions from paper to a fully operational plant.

Due to my lack of experience, I was given a role where there was little chance for me to make a mess, kind of like giving your kid plastic instead of glass.

So, I began as the coordinator and document controller in the engineering team for the project, with the possibility of visiting the site a few times.

The Project

The Shuaibah-3 Expansion II – IWP Project (Shuaibah Two Water Development Project Company – STPC) is a 250,000 m3/day SWRO desalination plant.

The $314 million plant was developed by ACWA Power, with Saudi Water Partnership Company (SWPC) as an off-taker. And the Construction was carried out by a joint venture of Abengoa and Fisia Italimpianto, and the plant is operated by ACWA subsidiary company NOMAC (Water Desalination Expansion Company – WDEC).

The project was completed just 21 months after signing agreements with the off-taker, a truly stunning achievement for a plant of this scale, complexity, and importance, and a timeline that sets a standard for ambitious contractors across this industry.

Plant Awards:

1)?Global Water Awards (GWA) - Desalination Plant of the Year 2020

2)?MEED Projects Awards – Project of the Year 2020

3)?SWPC Awards - The Excellence of Operation of the Year 2022

Greetings

I could greet the entire team, but I especially want to extend my heartfelt thanks to Marta García Carrera for her unwavering support and patience. Long days in the office, from 9 AM to 9 PM, with the sole purpose of helping me catch up to the rest of my colleagues who already had several projects under their belts.

I have nothing but good words for Raúl García Fernández , who was also fully available to teach and guide me throughout this period. Despite his heavy workload, he always made the time to sit down and clarify any doubts I had.

10 Lessons Learnts

I limit myself to 10 lessons learned here, though I could easily share 100. What I learned from this project:

1. I came to understand what a "fast-track" project truly is. Since then, that word has stayed in my mind with every project I’ve worked on :)
2. These types of projects require "doers." There’s no time to hesitate. Engineering, Procurement, and Construction advance in parallel, leading to numerous mismatches that demand strong supervision and coordination.
3. I felt like AI, receiving all the transmittals for the project in my inbox. Each message contained a wealth of information, and I learned how they all connected—Engineering, Procurement, Quality, Contract, Management, etc. Every single day, I had around 100 new transmittals.
4. Managing a Master Document List with more than 2,000 Excel lines is no easy task. This list is essentially the Big Data of Project Management—KPI’s, reports, progress, etc., all stem from this list. Keeping it updated with strict cut-off dates was incredibly challenging.
5. Sleeping in a container in the middle of the desert isn’t too bad when you’re surrounded by good people. An HVAC split is definitely a must.
6. People on-site, whether in Construction or Commissioning, are made of a different material. Full admiration and respect to all those profiles making water projects a reality.
7. The security system in Saudi Arabia is no joke. When industrial facilities like Desalination plants are protected with a 7-10 million dollar security system, it’s clear that water is not just essential, it’s vital for the country’s growth. Water feeds not only the cities but also irrigates agriculture and supports the O&G industry, which sustains the nation.
8. It’s extremely difficult to tie down all the details during the Tender Stage. During the project stage, many "grey" areas come to light that could impact Capex or Opex, and conflicts of interest may arise. Everyone involved must have a broad view and be willing to be flexible and adaptable to find the best solutions in certain cases.
9. Working among different cultures—both corporate and personal—is a real challenge, but it can also be the most rewarding experience you’ll encounter.
10. The Red Sea is truly beautiful.

Enjoy these YouTube videos about the construction of this plant:

May 2018

More Construction

Final Stage

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