Business Challenge

A major heavy oil extraction project required a structured, expert-led approach to manage safety risks during the critical transition from construction through commissioning and start-up (C&SU) and into steady-state operations. Each operational area—utilities, primary extraction, secondary extraction, and mining—was managed by different teams, EPC contractors, and company personnel, creating complexity, varying processes, and differing risk profiles. The client needed experienced process safety and HSE specialists to coordinate and facilitate risk assessments that would ensure a safe transition across all areas.

Objectives & Success Criteria

The client sought to:

• Facilitate risk assessments across all project areas to evaluate hazards associated with construction, C&SU, and operational handover.
• Identify “safetyin transition” risks that could lead to incidents during handover and ramp-up.
• Develop Process Hazard Analysis (PHA) reports that captured identified risks and mitigation actions.
• Evaluate commissioning procedures for completeness, risk controls, and operational readiness.

Success was measured by improved understanding of transition risks, quality of PHA documentation, strengthened commissioning safety, and enhanced cross-team alignment across EPCs and operational groups.

PMO Solution (What We Did)

PMO deployed senior Process Safety Engineering and HSE Risk Management specialists who facilitated comprehensive risk assessments across all operational areas. These assessments focused on hazards unique to transitional phases, including process energization, incomplete systems, evolving work scopes, and simultaneous operations (SIMOPS). PMO developed detailed PHA reports that documented risks, scenarios, safeguards, and recommended mitigations. The team also facilitated reviews and risk assessments of commissioning procedures to ensure readiness, clarity, and alignment with safe start-up requirements. PMO’s oversight provided a consistent risk management approach across diverse EPC teams and operational groups, improving situational awareness and reducing the likelihood of transition-related incidents.

Key Components / Activities

• Safety-in-transition risk assessments across all major operational areas
• Facilitation of Process Hazard Analyses (PHAs) and development of PHA reports
• Evaluation and risk assessment of commissioning procedures
• Coordination among EPC contractors and company operational teams
• Identification of hazards related to C&SU sequencing, SIMOPS, and system handover
• Recommendations for risk control and mitigation

Outcomes & Impact

The transitional phase on a project of this scale represents one of the highest-risk operational periods. PMO’s involvement provided structure, consistency, and expert oversight, allowing the client to identify critical hazards early and implement effective mitigations. The PHA documentation and commissioning risk assessments helped reduce uncertainty and improved operational readiness across teams. This strengthened safety performance during construction handover and start-up, where industry data shows risk exposure is typically highest.

Lessons Learned / Challenges Overcome

The decentralized nature of operations—multiple EPCs, varied processes, and independent area management—created challenges in aligning risk perspectives and ensuring consistent practices. PMO overcame this through structured facilitation, standardized methodologies, and strong cross-team engagement. A key lesson learned is the necessity of early and coordinated “safety in transition” assessments to prevent incidents during energization, commissioning, and early operations.

Value Proposition Summary

PMO provided specialized risk management and process safety expertise during the most critical phase of a major heavy oil project. By facilitating safety-in-transition assessments, developing PHA reports, and evaluating commissioning procedures, PMO strengthened operational readiness and reducedthe client’s exposure to transition-related incidents. This project demonstrates PMO’s ability to provide high-value process safety leadership during complex C&SU environments.