Suncor Firebag

CLIENT

Suncor Energy Services Inc., Firebag Site

DATE

2007-2011

CONTRACTOR(S)

EPC: Jacobs Canada

SCOPE

Procurement, connection design detailing, fabrication, painting, fireproofing and structural steel delivery.

TONNAGE (MT)

14,000

VALUE ($M)

62

PROJECT BACKGROUND

Using their expertise, Waiward’s senior staff members partnered with Suncor and Jacobs to get involved in the early stages of Firebag 3 to identify possible changes that would optimize the project design and lower the total installed cost.

STRATEGY

With open communication, engagement and upfront planning, Waiward, Suncor and Jacobs worked together, focusing on utilities and off-site piperacks. The teams studied the steel section depth and determined that by using deeper sections, they were able to minimize the number of supplementary reinforcements on the main beams and columns. If the design had been left as-is, the steel would have contained many stiffeners and doubler plates, leading to higher supply costs.

RESULTS & VALUE

Overall, the Firebag 3 project’s total cost was under budget by approximately 10%. A large part of this was due to Waiward’s partnership with Suncor and Jacobs on the main piperack, which helped reduce costs by roughly $1 million. In fact, Suncor estimated that the use of this same design throughout the plant would result in approximately $3 million in savings. By implementing upfront planning and ongoing collaboration, Waiward was able to reduce total installed cost, leading to both our success and the success of our client..