Why this course?

Description

Oil & Gas Project Planning, Scheduling and Cost Management – Professional Certification (Saudi Arabia)

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Course Description

Oil and gas projects are some of the most complex, capital-intensive, and multi-disciplinary engineering ventures in the world. They require precise coordination among engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) activities, each driven by stringent technical standards, tight schedules, and high safety expectations. In Saudi Arabia, with mega-projects under ARAMCO, SABIC, and other national players, the need for skilled project planners and schedulers has never been greater.

This Professional Certification in Oil & Gas Project Planning, Scheduling and Management has been carefully designed to empower planning engineers, project managers, and schedulers with practical knowledge and field-ready expertise to deliver projects within time and budget — while maintaining compliance with Saudi standards and client expectations.

Through 15 in-depth modules, this course takes participants from fundamental planning concepts to advanced schedule management and control systems used across upstream, midstream, and downstream oil & gas facilities. Each module combines theoretical understanding with real-world applications, ensuring professionals can confidently handle the dynamic challenges of oil & gas EPC environments.

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Module 1: Introduction to Oil & Gas Project Planning Framework

This opening module introduces the entire EPC lifecycle — from Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) through EPC execution, commissioning, and start-up. Participants will gain an overview of project structure, workflows, and the distinct roles of major stakeholders such as Owners (ARAMCO/SABIC), Project Management Consultants (PMC), EPC Contractors, and Subcontractors.

The module emphasizes how effective planning and scheduling act as the backbone of project success, ensuring the right coordination between engineering deliverables, procurement progress, and site execution milestones. Participants learn the importance of early planning and how small delays during FEED or procurement can cascade into large schedule deviations later.

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Module 2: Project Scope Definition and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS)

This module focuses on how to define, structure, and organize project scope to ensure clarity and control. Participants will learn how Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) are developed for upstream, midstream, and downstream projects — including pipelines, process units, storage facilities, and refineries.

The course explains how Cost Breakdown Structures (CBS) and Organizational Breakdown Structures (OBS) integrate with the WBS for unified project tracking. Learners also understand how the WBS forms the foundation for estimation, scheduling, and cost control, and how to link scope deliverables to measurable progress metrics.

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Module 3: Planning Methodologies and Scheduling Techniques

Participants explore the key planning methods used in oil & gas projects such as Bar Charts, Critical Path Method (CPM), and PERT Analysis. The module details activity sequencing, logic relationship establishment, and float management, focusing on how multidisciplinary interfaces — civil, piping, mechanical, and electrical — influence the overall schedule.

Through examples from Saudi EPC projects, participants will see how accurate activity relationships determine project flow and how critical path and total float analysis guide management decisions.

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Module 4: Project Baseline Development and Approval Process

This module explains how to establish a realistic and achievable project baseline. Participants will learn data collection techniques for engineering, procurement, and construction phases and how to integrate these into a comprehensive master schedule.

Topics include resource loading, progress weighting, and establishing milestones. The process of baseline review, validation, and formal approval by clients such as ARAMCO or PMC consultants will be discussed in detail, emphasizing compliance with project control procedures in Saudi Arabia.

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Module 5: Engineering Deliverables Planning

Engineering deliverables often drive the entire EPC timeline. This module walks participants through the planning of engineering documents, including datasheets, design drawings, and material requisitions.

Each discipline — Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Piping, Electrical, and Instrumentation — is explored separately. Participants learn how to plan and monitor engineering progress using document registers, how to forecast deliverables, and how delays in one discipline can affect procurement and site construction.

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Module 6: Procurement and Material Planning

Procurement is a major source of delay in oil & gas projects if not properly managed. This module explains how to prepare material requisitions (MRs), evaluate bids, finalize vendors, and track manufacturing and delivery schedules.

Participants will learn how to identify and manage long-lead items, how to coordinate expediting and inspection, and how to integrate procurement activities into the master schedule. By understanding procurement dependencies, planners can align fabrication and construction without material shortages.

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Module 7: Construction Planning and Field Execution Management

This module focuses on turning engineering and procurement progress into site execution. Participants learn how to create Construction Work Packages (CWPs) and Installation Work Packages (IWPs) — the backbone of field-level planning.

Topics include mobilization planning, manpower histograms, equipment utilization, and sequence-based activity planning. The module also covers progress tracking methods, productivity evaluation, and corrective actions during site delays — essential for project managers handling Saudi field sites under harsh environmental conditions.

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Module 8: Project Controls and Progress Measurement Systems

Here, participants are introduced to Earned Value Management (EVM) and how it integrates cost and schedule performance. The module demonstrates how to calculate Schedule Performance Index (SPI), Cost Performance Index (CPI), Cost Variance (CV), and Schedule Variance (SV) to evaluate project health.

Participants also learn how to report physical and financial progress, build performance dashboards, and forecast final project completion dates based on current trends.

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Module 9: Risk Analysis and Mitigation Planning

Every oil & gas project faces schedule and cost risks — from late vendor deliveries to unforeseen design changes. This module guides participants through the identification of potential risks in EPC projects and how to assess their impact using qualitative and quantitative techniques.

Participants will learn to develop mitigation plans and schedule contingencies, ensuring the project remains within time and cost tolerances even when unexpected issues arise.

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Module 10: Interface Management and Multi-Contract Coordination

With multiple EPC contractors working on different project packages, interface management becomes crucial. This module explains how to handle interfaces between engineering, procurement, and construction disciplines, as well as between separate EPC packages like process units, utilities, and offsites.

Participants will learn to prepare and maintain interface tracking logs, coordinate inter-package dependencies, and report progress integration in complex projects — a key skill for Saudi mega-projects where multiple contractors operate under one master plan.

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Module 11: Change Management and Schedule Revisions

In large oil & gas projects, scope changes and unforeseen circumstances are inevitable. This module teaches how to identify changes, assess their schedule impact, and manage them through a structured change control process.

Participants will learn how to revise the project schedule, prepare recovery or acceleration plans, and document claims and Extension of Time (EoT) requests in compliance with client procedures.

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Module 12: Reporting, Dashboards, and Performance Reviews

This module develops participants’ ability to communicate project progress through clear, insightful reports. Topics include KPI-based dashboards, management summaries, and client review presentations.

Participants will learn to perform variance analysis, update forecasts, and prepare data-driven progress reports for weekly and monthly reviews — essential for coordination with ARAMCO, SABIC, and other Saudi clients.

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Module 13: Project Close-out, Lessons Learned, and Archiving

As projects near completion, proper close-out is vital for final documentation and handover. This module explains the mechanical completion process, as-built schedule preparation, and final performance reviews.

Participants will learn how to collect lessons learned, document project success and challenges, and properly archive project data for future reference — ensuring knowledge continuity across projects.

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Module 14: Planning Integration with Cost Control and Resource Management

Project planning cannot be isolated from cost and resource control. This module shows how to align the project schedule with cost control systems and budget tracking. Participants learn manpower and equipment resource planning, cost-to-time correlation, and productivity benchmarks.

The focus is on achieving cost-time optimization, improving overall project efficiency, and ensuring alignment between planning and finance teams.

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Module 15: Saudi Arabia-Specific Oil & Gas Standards and Practices

This final module contextualizes the entire course within Saudi Arabia’s unique oil & gas project environment. Participants will gain insights into ARAMCO and SABIC project control procedures, approval workflows, and documentation requirements.

The module also covers IKTVA (In-Kingdom Total Value Add) local content requirements, Saudi governance standards, and compliance expectations under local ministry and EPC regulations. Participants learn best practices to align their project controls and reporting with national client expectations.

Module 16: Fundamentals of Cost Management in Oil & Gas EPC Projects

Cost Breakdown Structure (CBS) Development

Direct and Indirect Cost Components in EPC Contracts

Project Cost Flow and Control Hierarchy

Module 17: Budgeting and Project Cost Planning

Budget Estimation and Approval Process

Budget Distribution and Cost Coding System

Change in Budget due to Variations and Claims

Module 18: Cost Control Techniques and Monitoring Systems

Cost Tracking and Reporting Structure

Cost Performance Index (CPI) and Earned Value Analysis (EVA)

Cost Overrun Control and Mitigation

Module 19: Forecasting, Cash Flow, and Financial Planning

Cash Flow Preparation and Forecasting

Commitment, Accrual, and Expenditure Control

Forecast at Completion (FAC) and Cost-to-Complete (CTC)

Module 20: Project Cost Reporting, Auditing, and Closeout

Monthly Cost Reporting and KPI Dashboards

Cost Auditing and Financial Reconciliation

Final Cost Closeout and Lessons Learned

 

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Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

• Develop, control, and manage comprehensive EPC schedules following Saudi project control standards.

• Understand and apply modern planning and scheduling methods like CPM, EVM, and PERT in oil & gas environments.

• Coordinate effectively between engineering, procurement, and construction teams.

• Conduct risk assessments, manage changes, and develop mitigation strategies.

• Prepare and report project progress through structured dashboards and performance KPIs.

• Integrate cost, schedule, and resource data for effective project decision-making.

• Align all planning and control activities with ARAMCO, SABIC, and Saudi Ministry regulations.

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Who Should Enroll?

This certification is ideal for:

• Planning Engineers and Project Control Professionals

• Project Managers and Construction Managers

• Schedulers and Cost Engineers

• Site Engineers transitioning into Planning Roles

• EPC Project Coordinators and Consultants working on Saudi oil & gas projects