Turnarounds are complex projects that involve hundreds of thousands of manhours within a compressed timeline. Managing hundreds of contractors' employees working concurrently is a challenge in terms of logistics and project efficiency. This involves extremely rigorous management of resources and task prioritization with constant challenges surrounding discovery work and unforeseen delays or conflicts.
80 percent of turnarounds experience budget overruns in the range of 20 percent and delays of at least a week. This has a strong negative financial impact on the direct cost of such turnarounds, but more importantly, this can generate millions of dollars in lost revenue for each day the project is delayed or extended.
Foxcomm Solutions developed FoxTrax⢠with BaxEnergy, a leader in big data management in the renewable energy market. FoxTrax is a turnkey solution that includes software, continuous on-site support services and technology infrastructure.
FoxTrax is a nondisruptive solution. It does not affect the scoping and planning done by the end user or project controls companies. FoxTrax interfaces with the planning tool (typically Primavera) and offers the following capabilities:
- Communication. FoxTrax offers realtime progress reporting; performance, cost, progress and hold-point indicators; alerts for hold-points and critical activity status changes; interactive support requests that are traceable; daily synchronization with planning tools; and critical email and text notifications.
- Digitization. The system can upload and download drawings, instructions, forms and templates, and allows users to upload populated forms and photo evidence. It can also provide data packages of actual post-turnaround data for analysis and future lessons learned.
- Connectivity. Based on user credentials, each type of user will have a different user interface, ranging from full capabilities and key performance indicators for management to enhanced management capabilities for coordinators and simplified capabilities and basic commands for contractor supervisors or field technicians. The system can be accessed via desktop, laptop, tablet, smartphone and two-way radio.
- Tracking. FoxTrax offers a tracking module capable of on-site and offsite equipment tracking, radio tracking and workforce localization.
Prior to the turnaround, Foxcomm experts will work with the planning team and map/ configure FoxTrax to align with the customer model used in the planning tool. Foxcomm will also install the communication infrastructure at the site and train both end users and contractors.
During the turnaround, after synchronization with the planning tool, activities are dispatched to the different field teams. The teams can notify each other about the start, completion and progress of activities, as well as notify hold-points and request support. The teams can also download instructions or specs, upload evidence, enter shift notes and capture lessons learned. The system is updated in real time, allowing management to monitor progress and visualize key indicators on their dashboards. Management can verify data "at will" and synchronize to the planning tool to update progress and labor cost. Management will receive alerts and email/text notifications for certain critical information such as delays or activity status changes for critical activities.
During the entire turnaround, Foxcomm super-users and data analysts will be present to support the management and field teams.
After the turnaround, Foxcomm will decommission the infrastructure, participate in data analysis and lessons learned, and provide reports and hard/electronic data for future turnarounds.
It's time to take the IoT to task in delivering reliable and sustainable improvements in turnarounds. It's time to follow the FoxTrax.
For more information, visit www.foxcomm.io or call (800) 264-0417.
