Reengineering Project Management Processes for EPC Contractors: A Saudi Arabia Case Study

Engineering Procurement Construction (EPC) contracts provide an effective framework for projects where integrated interdisciplinary engineering expertise is required for large-scale industrial projects such as power generation, processing plants, oil and gas sector, and mining development projects. However, project management processes in EPCs contracts are complex due to overlapping project phases, interface management among the project stakeholders, and specific requirements of various industrial sectors. Hence a complex and well-integrated project management process is required to deal with the structural, technical, directional, and temporal complexities of EPC projects. This paper presents research findings of a study that investigated the project management performance of an EPC contractor on a large power transmission revamps project in Saudi Arabia. The research findings are based on a single case study research methodology that investigated EPC contractor's project management processes using a detailed project audit including site visits, document review, team interviews and focus group sessions with various project stakeholders. This paper presents the overall case study, identified gaps in capacity and competencies of the EPC contractor in various project management areas, i.e., initial planning and proposal development, engineering management, procurement management, etc., and presented recommendations to enhance the project performance of the EPC organization.