Planners and EPC scope

In my suggestion,  planners who delegated to manage and control the project or the manufacturing site  must understand engineering drawings, specification, detail scope and quantities. A planner who is sitting in front of the computer and just playing with Primavera or MS Project program and doesn't read and understand engineering drawings, documents,specifications and dependencies among the disciplines/tasks is a just program operator.

Generally, planner who fully involved with EPC project must read and understand all aspect of engineering, procurement and construction methodologies. The following exercise is a for-instance for an EPC project plan(schedule, cost and resources).

(A) For engineering and construction schedule, you must study the deliverables and dependencies among the disciplines

1. Process engineering ; P&ID (Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams) , PFD (Process Flow Digrams),
2. Piping engineering ; line list, plot plan, piping GA (general arrangement), tie-in list, piping BOM (bill of materials)
3. Mechanical engineering; equipment list, data sheets, equipment GA drawings, requisitions, technical    bid analysis and specifications
4. Civil engineering; civil foundation plan, piling location plan, structure GA drawings, underground drawings
5. Electrical & Instrumentation; electrical and instrument cable/tray routing plan, instrument index and lists

(B) For procurement schedule, get the requisitions for all disciplines and understand the work steps wsuch as

(a) Inquiry issued to bidders
(b) Bid evaluation and owner approval
(c) Purchased Order to Vendor
(d) Vendor drawings receive
(e) Fabrication
(f) Final Inspection and
(g) Delivery at site

(C) In summary, gather the following basic information after the contract awarded. 
(1) Meeting of Minute during tendering

(2) Project contract

(3) Base line scope and bill of quantities

(4) Project Execution Plan

(5) Budgeted cost and man hours

(6) Estimated cost

(7) Tender schedule
(8) Risk assessment

Review the engineering drawings and specification as mention in "A" & "B" as and when required. Create your project schedule based on the information "A", "B" and "C". Assign the man-hours based on the approved schedule and productivity rates. Then, the required resource plan can be developed.