|
Nowhere was the need for communication and teamwork in engineering more crucial than in the recently completed Ultra-Low Sulfur Diesel project for Shell, in which Bechtel revamped five U.S. refineries to meet new emissions standards. Redesigning an existing facility is a lot harder than designing a new one from scratch—and trying to do it from thousands of miles away just increases the challenge— especially when multiple sites are involved.
Project officials solved the logistical difficulties by developing a work-sharing plan that used laser scanners to capture the designs of the existing facilities so they could be viewed at Bechtel’s design office in Houston or in New Delhi.
The project wasn’t the largest Bechtel India has worked on, but General Manager Laxman Odedra says it was the most challenging so far. “The teams in Houston and here did a fantastic job of developing a coherent approach,” he says.
Glenn Heilenman, Bechtel’s civil-structural engineering group supervisor on the project, agreed. “There is a big challenge in trying to do the revamp work remotely, but I knew the team in New Delhi was going to do everything they could to make it work. They’re hardworking and want very much to succeed, and when you have that drive, it always helps you get through.”
|
