Energy Projects

Complex challenges confront project teams in the energy field

Energy projects, whether large in scale or small, bring with them the potential for a wide variety of problems and pitfalls. In addition to planning for some of these challenges that have long existed in the energy industry, including disruptions caused by severe weather events, the coordination of public input and oversight that sometimes accompanies consumer-related energy projects, and mitigating the potential impacts to other utilities and connected partners, a host of other issues have gained prominence in recent years.

Advances in technology have added new layers of complexity to many energy projects. Platform integration requirements must be evaluated and accounted for. System security concerns need to be addressed. These activities typically increase the number of groups involved in each project, bringing IT and others into the planning, budgeting, and execution phases.

Productivity expectations are also on the rise across the energy sector. Sustainability initiatives and other programs are jostling for priority as well, making it more difficult for organizations teams to define a project scope that provides the right benefits while fitting into the defined resource limits.

Energy projects present high-level risks

The risks of failure in any energy project are high. Unfortunately, the consequences of falling short of success are often severe. Impacts may range from cost overruns to crippling service disruptions to regulatory penalties. Though the complexity level is often high, stakeholders are rarely willing to settle for anything less than complete success. Achieving the expected results in one area won’t excuse the project team’s failure to overcome obstacles in another area. In addition, energy project failures aren’t quiet affairs. They are typically public spectacles that can resonate across the industry for months and even years.

What PMAlliance can do for you

Our skilled project management experts have deep experience in the energy sector and we know how to coordinate activities in high-visibility projects, where tasks may have varying levels of complexities and stakeholders don’t always agree on the priorities. Our PMP®-certified consultants are also experts in the use of strict project controls. This enables us to achieve the anticipated cost savings, low downtime estimates, and other long-term benefits that are critical to success in many energy projects.

By bringing high-level facilitation and cross-functional project management skills, PMAlliance is able to keep project activities moving and communications flowing across the diverse stakeholder groups common in projects within the energy, oil, and gas industries. Our experienced consultants can also help your team improve and sharpen its problem-solving strategies, leading to repeated project success even in difficult financial and regulatory environments.

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