Book excerpt: This excellent book systematically identifies the issues surrounding the effective linking of project management techniques and engineering applications. It is not a technical manual, nor is it procedure-led. Instead, it encourages creative learning of project engineering methodology that can be applied and modified in different situations. In short, it offers a distillation of practical ‘on-the job’ experience to help project engineers perform more effectively. While this book specifically addresses process plants, the principles are applicable to other types of engineering project where multidisciplinary engineering skills are required, such as power plant and general factory construction. It focuses on the technical aspects, which typically influence the configuration of the plant as a whole, on the interface between the various disciplines involved, and the way in which work is done – the issues central to the co-ordination of the overall engineering effort. It develops an awareness of relationships with other parties – clients, suppliers, package contractors, and construction managers – and of how the structure and management of these relationships impact directly on the performance of the project engineer. Readers will welcome the author’s straightforward approach in tackling sensitive issues head on. COMPLETE CONTENTS Introduction A process plant A project and its management A brief overview The engineering work and its management The project’s industrial environment The commercial environment The contracting environment The economic environment Studies and proposals Plant layout and modelling Value engineering and plant optimization Hazards, loss, and safety Specification, selection and purchase Fluid transport Bulk solids transport Slurries and two-phase transport Hydraulic design and plant drainage Observations on multidiscipline engineering Detail design and drafting The organization of work Construction Construction contracts Commissioning Communication Change and chaos Fast-track projects Advanced information management Project strategy development Key issues summary