Sample Progress Measurement System for Petrochemical Plant Project Construction

Progress Measurement System plays an important part of project control. It includes the detail progress tracking sheet of its WBS elements, work categories and work steps for each deliverable. It is developed either when the additional requirements are occurred for a particular project or when progress measurement system is not in placed.

Suppose the work scope includes fabricate and installation of pipeline including tie-in work, insulation work, painting work, fabricate and installation of new pipe racks, fabricate and installation of equipment access platforms, installation of process equipments. Progress measurement system would be different depending on organizational and/or project preference. Typical progress measurement systems include, but are not limited to the following;

• Overall progress summary sheet
• The detail progress tracking sheet for each discipline or back-up system to support overall progress summary sheet
• Progress S curve/Histogram chart

Tips to develop progress measurement system

Step-1 Create WBS ,

The WBS can be decomposed according to above scope.

WBS code –WBS description

PC Project Name (level-0)

 PC.1 Area Name (Level-1)

  PC.1.1 Fabrication Work (level-2)

   PC.1.1.1Piping Fabrication (level-3)

   PC.1.1.2 Steel Fabrication (level-3)

    PC.1.1.2.1 Pipe Rack Fabrication (level-4)

    PC.1.1.2.1 Equipment Access Platform Fabrication (level-4)

  PC.1.2 Onsite Work (Level-2)

   PC.1.2.1Tie-in Installation (level-3)

   PC.1.2.2 Pipeline Erection (level-3)

   PC.1.2.3 Equipment Installation (level-3)

   PC.1.2.4 Steel Work Erection (level-3)

    PC.1.2.4.1 Pipe Rack Erection (level-4)

    PC.1.2.4.2 Equipment Access Platform Erection (level-4)

   PC.1.2.5 Piping Hydro Testing (level-3)

   PC.1.2.6 Piping Touch up Painting Work (level-3)

   PC.1.2.7 Insulation (level-3)

Based on the above WBS level, the status of project deliverables can be tracked and monitored. Overall project progress status is calculated by the sum of weight progress of each WBS element.

Step-2 Organize work area, estimated quantity and man hour as below;

For example, the project area is divided into Area-A and B. Area-A’s work scope and quantities are grouped as

a)      Piping fabrication -1,000 diameter –inch and 6,000 hour

b)      Pipe rack fabrication- 80 ton and 3000 hour

c)      Equipment Access platform fabrication- 20 ton and 1800 hour

d)     Tie-in installation work – 10 tie-ins and 1,500 hour

e)      Pipeline erection work – 300 diameter-inch and 4,000 hour

f)       Equipment Installation work- 8 EA and 1600 hour

g)      Piping Hydro testing - 5000 meter and 2800 hour

h)      Piping Touch up Painting Work- 300 field diameter-inches and 2000 hour

i)        Insulation – 2000 meter and 4500 hour

Area-B’s work scope and quantities are grouped as

a)      Piping fabrication -1,500 diameter –inch and 8,000 hour

b)      Pipe rack fabrication- 60 ton and 2200 hour

c)      Equipment Access platform fabrication- 10 ton and 900 hour

d)     Tie-in installation work – 12 tie-ins and 1,800 hour

e)      Pipeline erection work – 450 diameter-inch and 6,000 hour

f)       Equipment Installation work- 10 EA and 2000 hour

g)      Piping Hydro testing - 7000 meter and 3500 hour

h)      Piping Touch up Painting Work- 450 field diameter-inches and 3000 hour

i)        Insulation – 3000 meter and 6000 hour

Note: The estimated man hours are illustration purpose only in order to calculate the weightage of each WBS element. The estimated man hour is calculated based on productivity rate and estimated work quantity from their hierarchical levels. The productivity rate would be different depending on project nature and geographical location.

Step-3 Develop The Detail Progress Tracking Systems/Sheets

The detail Progress Tracking System/Sheets are developed based on WBS described in Step-1.  These are

(a) The Detail Tracking Sheet for Piping Fabrication
(b) The Detail Tracking Sheet for Steel Fabrication

(c) The Detail Tracking Sheet for Steel Erection

(d) The Detail Tracking Sheet for Tie-in Installation

(e) The Detail Tracking Sheet for Pipeline Erection

(f)  The Detail Tracking Sheet for Piping Hydrotesting
(g) The Detail Tracking Sheet for Equipment Erection Work

(h) The Detail Tracking Sheet for Piping Touch up Painting

(i) The Detail Tracking Sheet for Piping Insulation

Step-4 Integrate all Tracking Sheets to Overall Progress Summary

1. Copy “Progress summary by Project Area table” of each discipline and paste it into a worksheet.
2. In put data from tracking sheet to summary sheet by paste link; Go to Copy data from each tracking sheet as Yellow shading area >> Paste special >> Paste link at overall progress summary sheet. ( OR) You may integrate all tracking sheets and Overall progess summary sheet into one file if you can play with excel. Paste link method is used to get data update automatically for this post. 
3. Insert the column name” Weighting (overall)” and “Overall Progress” as described Green hatching area.
4. Overall weighting of each discipline and area is calculated from man hour of that area and construction discipline by total project man hour.
5. Overall progress of each discipline and area is derived from individual progress x overall weighting of that particular area and discipline.
6. Sum up overall progress described on item 5), finally, you will get overall progress for all disciplines and areas. See figure below.

Download excel template