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ben pope
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Hello

Ben (me) is a project services professional with over 15 years in the international resources industry (engineering and construction) with a focus on projects from USD 100 million to over 25 billion.

My forte is helping teams and organisations improve their project management by coaching, building teams, developing processes and procedures, and using world class tools and techniques.

I have a bedrock of experience building cost estimates, financial models of projects (net present value), quantitative risk analyses, managing risk, and options analysis.

Learning and technology is a passion and a hobby. I am a self-motivated learner who likes to keep up with the latest.

Project Management Professional and willing to travel.

Experience in Detail

to 

2021-12 

from 

2020-06 

Project Services Consultant - IM Manager

Power Plant Project

seconded to Oman LNG - Sur, Oman

Project Description: Construction of gas engine driven power plant to replace existing gas turbines

Value: < USD $500 million

Responsibilities:

Ensure EPC contractor met owner's requirements for data and documentation handover through:

  • audits
  • coaching
  • development of project procedures and workflows
  • contract discussions and letters

Prepare owner to incorporate project data and documents into existing document control, spares management, and maintenance management systems by:

  • collaborating with owner's systems managers and technicians
  • discovering, formalizing, and documenting owner's requirements
  • communicating using presentations and regular discussion with organisation stakeholders, especially those required for approvals:
    • process and delegation of authority
    • timelines

Manage project IM team

  • mentoring and coaching locals
  • manage team of subcontractors
    • track progress
    • facilitate/expedite integration with owner organisation
    • coaching and empowerment
    • monitor and manage IM handover risks

Outcomes:

  • Increase in organisational capability demonstrated through procedures, relationships, and staff development
  • Clear way forward for successful data and documentation handover on this and other projects
  • Effective coaching and mentoring proven by feedback from teams and individuals under my management as well as meeting agreed goals
  • Engineering, Procurement, and Construction contractor implemented procedures that raised their game (closer) to owner's standards

to 

2020-06 

from 

2019-06 

Project Services Consultant - Project Tools and Systems Lead

Major Projects Division

seconded to Oman LNG - Sur, Oman

Project Description: Supporting the ongoing portfolio projects within the plant

Value: Portfolio measured with USD 9 figures.

Responsibilities:

Develop the suite of tools and systems to control and manage projects:

  • Estimating
  • Project Scheduling
  • Cost Control
  • Risk Management
  • Data and Documentation Handover
  • Document Numbering and Management

Manage development of, or outsource modern tools for:

  • project dashboard
  • estimating toolbox (database, estimate compilation)

Outcomes:

  • Shepherded full suite of project services procedures through approvals and implementation
  • Managed in-house production of project dashboard which was not implemented before my contract ended
  • Laid the foundation for the estimating manager to have a basis to decide on the best estimating solution for the organisation

to 

2019-06 

from 

2018-04 

Project Services Consultant - Lead Estimator

Major Projects Division

seconded to Oman LNG - Sur, Oman

Project Description: Prepare and manage cost estimates for LNG plant rejuvenation portfolio

Value: Portfolio of projects ranging from USD 10k to USD ~10 million.

Responsibilities:

Prepare and review capital cost estimates for projects at various stages of approval, from concept to construction.

Increase Oman LNG's estimating capability:

  • Develop cost database
  • Streamline and document cost estimating workflow
  • Develop and gain approval for organisation cost estimating procedure
  • Teach locals the state of the art in cost estimating aligned with international standards

Outcomes:

  • Project management had bottom-up estimate of entire portfolio to use as a basis for cost control
  • Procurement team had reliable estimates to use for bid analysis
  • Estimates had solid, documented basis enabling decision makers to better allocate capital and prevent underspend

to 

2018-03 

from 

2016-08 

Commercial Estimator

Proposals

Worley - London

Value: bids < USD $50 million

Responsibilities:

  • responsible for the commercial portion of proposals
  • build and and manage commercial models involving hundreds of price points incorporating dozens of positions from jurisdictions across the world with varying overhead structures and local regulations
  • work with internal project sponsors to create manhours estimates
  • facilitate proposal risk workshops
  • liaise with corporate treasury to ensure that exchange rates and other commercial model parameters aligned with regional and global bid strategy as well as obtaining letters of credit and other instruments that met bid requirements

Outcomes:

  • reliable commercial models that set up Worley for winning bids and profitable projects
  • proposal risk registers that captured all proposal risks

to 

2016-06 

from 

2016-06 

Senior Estimator

Remote Production Facility Options Appraisal

Worley - Woking

Project Description: After production was shut down due to problems at the central processing facility in Gabon the quickest way to restart production in the immediate, medium, and long term was required.

Value: < ~USD 50 million (Order of Magnitude)

Responsibilities:

  • Create order of magnitude estimates for pipelines and new facilities among other options
  • Evaluate in-house benchmarks and apply as appropriate to the project

Outcome:

  • An on-time estimate that fed into the decision support package with good feedback from project management

to 

2016-06 

from 

2016-02 

Senior Estimator / Risk Manager

Floating LNG Concept, Ophir

Worley (INTECSEA) - Woking

Project Description: First of kind FLNG (Floating Liquified Natural Gas) field development in offshore Equatorial Guinea.

Value: > USD 1 billion

Responsibilities:

  • Estimate abandonment / decommissioning costs
  • Evaluate tenderers’ commercial bids for inspection, maintenance, and repair contracts
  • Update and manage project risk register and report monthly
  • Identify and collate cost risks through one on one sessions with colleagues and workshop facilitation
  • Develop risk based model (@Risk) of CAPEX for Monte Carlo Simulation to determine contingency

Outcomes:

  • Confirmation of contingency required on the project and identification of key risks to project budget
  • Delivered Abandonment/Decommissioning Estimate (order of magnitude) including two scenarios. This was used in the customer’s financial decision model.
  • Concise and clear report evaluating tenderers’ bids, both normalised final score and nuanced comparison of various components of the bids
  • Monthly reports enabling project management to stay on top of risks as they develop, eventuate, or become irrelevant

to 

2015-05 

from 

2015-01 

Senior Estimator

Yamama Full Field Development FEED

Worley - Abu Dhabi

Project Description: Full field development of Iraqi oil field incorporating gathering and export pipelines, wellpads, tank farm, central processing facility, sulphur handling, and electricity generation

Value: < USD 5 billion

Responsibilities:

  • Electrical estimates
  • Instruments estimates
  • Piping estimates
  • Evaluation and incorporation of third party telecommunications estimate
  • Design and evaluation of CAPEX risk model for Monte Carlo simulation
  • Design of customised summary sheet
  • Used Quest estimating software (proprietary)

Outcome:

  • Release of estimate by estimating team on time in an extremely schedule driven environment
  • Informative and easy to understand summaries of estimates and risk simulation output
  • On-time release of risk reports enabling decisions about risk and contingency
  • Quickly turning around estimates after engineering data was released enabled the customer to keep the decision process moving and report back to their decision-makers

to 

2015 

from 

2015 

Senior Estimator

TANAP pipeline detailed design

Worley - London

Project Description: Pipeline across Turkey from Greece to Georgia.

Value: USD 10 billion +

Responsibilities:

  • Piping estimate for compressor stations
  • Civils estimate for compressor stations

Outcome:

  • Update of previous estimate enabling more accurate cost control as engineering progressed

to 

2015 

from 

2015 

Lead Estimator

Tank Farm Budget Estimate

Worley - London

Project Description: Front end estimate for a buffer tank farm to lessen consequences of potential export system outages.

Value: ~USD 400 million (+/- 40%)

Responsibilities:

  • Create estimate based on scope as provided by engineering.
  • Pricing equipment
  • Determine bulk costs by factoring from equipment costs
  • Price pipelines based on previous project quotes

Outcome:

  • A +/- 40% estimate used to support the budgeting approval process for the Rumaila field

to 

2014 

from 

2012 

Lead Estimator

Rumaila Full Field Development

Worley - London

Project Description: Full field development of Rumaila field in Iraq including wellpads, central processing facility, water injection pumping stations, electricity transmission and distribution, water treatment, roads, gathering pipelines, injection pipelines, export pipelines.

Value: USD 25 billion +

Responsibilities:

  • FEED Estimates for work packages:
  • Wellpads
  • Electrical Distribution to Wellpads
  • Medium Term Wellpad Power Supplies
  • 132kV Full Field Power Network
  • Produced Water Re-injection Pumping Station
  • Produced Water Treatment Plant
  • Oil Gathering and Water Injection Pipelines Network
  • Technical Study Estimates (order of magnitude):
  • Provision of power to wellpads (solar versus cable)
  • Materials Selection for Produced Water Transfer Pipelines
  • Anti-corrosion options (anti-corrosion injectors v. sacrificial wall thickness)
  • Power Transmission Voltage (132kV vs 400kV)
  • Quantitative Risk Assessment:
  • Creation and maintenance of quantitative CAPEX risk model
  • Translation of project risks from workshop to quantitative format appropriate for analysis in risk model using Excel and @Risk (Monte Carlo analysis)

Outcomes:

  • Numerous estimates enabling the customer to develop budget priorities and identify items where the approvals process would take longer due to value-based approval requirements
  • Ongoing value improvement through technical comparison studies
  • Creation of a body of cost knowledge related to the local market in the area and related to the project

to 

2013 

from 

2013 

Consultant Economist

Iron Ore Mining Options Appraisal

Worley - London

Project Description: Iron Ore Development in Mauritania

Value: ~USD 1.5 billion

Responsibilities:

  • Create and maintain the NPV (net present value) financial model
  • Collaborate with engineers, tax experts, and project management to ensure model veracity

Outcome:

  • Delivered a financial model incorporating CAPEX, OPEX, Depreciation, and Taxes on time and to the satisfaction of the customer

to 

2012 

from 

2012 

Mechanical Equipment / Civils Estimator

Rumaila Central Processing Complex and Pumping Stations FEED

Worley - London

Project Description: FEED estimates for the central processing complex and water injection pumping stations for the Rumaila project

Value: Pumping station – USD 300 million; Processing Complex – USD 1.8 billion

Responsibilities:

  • Analyse and compare vendor budget quotes for mechanical equipment, electrical and instrument bulks
  • Maintain estimates for mechanical equipment, electrical and instrument bulks, and steelwork
  • Create the CAPEX financial risk model, analyse the estimate using Monte Carlo simulation, report the results

Outcome:

  • My work on this project contributed to the total package being delivered on time, of high quality, and risk analysed

to 

2011 

from 

2011 

Estimator

Rumaila Full Field Development Concept/Options Appraisal

Worley - London

Project Description: Full field development of Rumaila field in Iraq including wellpads, central processing facility, water injection pumping stations, electricity transmission and distribution, water treatment, roads, gathering pipelines, injection pipelines, export pipelines.

Value: USD 25 billion + (order of magnitude)

Responsibilities:

  • Price mechanical equipment
  • Create building blocks based on mechanical equipment pricing and factored bulk pricing
  • Pricing civils and steelwork building blocks
  • Learn and use proprietary building-block evaluation software (built in Microsoft Access).
  • Prepare Estimate Summaries

Outcome:

  • The team delivered a USD 25 billion + concept estimate that was well received by the customer and helped us win further work continuing the field development
  • The analysis contained over 180 cost building blocks and 50 + development scenarios were evaluated

to 

2011 

from 

2011 

Consultant Economist

Iron Ore Transport Options Analysis

Worley - London

Project Description: Iron ore mine in West Africa including pit and processing with transport of ore to coast required.

Value: USD 1 billion +

Responsibilities:

  • Create a financial net present value model of the various investment scenarios
  • Liase with engineering to ensure that the scope of the model was correct and contained the latest capital cost estimates.
  • Quick turnaround of model output as scenarios changed/were adjusted.

Outcomes:

  • The financial model was a solid basis for the customer to make choices regarding development scenarios
  • The customer was able to gain a greater understanding of the cost implications of different types of ore transit (e.g. train, slurry through a pipeline)
  • Over 20 business cases simultaneously maintained as costs and options were refined

to 

2010 

from 

2010 

Environmental/Social Estimator

Iron Ore Transport Options Analysis

Worley - London

Project Description: Iron Ore Mine, Port and Associated Infrastructure, Sierra Leone

Responsibilities:

  • Worked closely with the lead estimator, environment/social leads, and engineers to develop pro-formas, and costs for the environmental and social aspects
  • Develop pro-formas to support collection and presentation of estimate information

Outcome:

  • Customer stopped project for reasons unrelated to my employer's delivery

to 

2010 

from 

2010 

Consultant Economist

BP Sullum Voe H2S Removal Plant Options Appraisal

Worley - London

Project Description: Evaluate plant technology strategies to remove and dispose of H2S from gas imported from North Sea fields

Value: ~GBP 150 million

Responsibilities:

  • Price the non-financial assets to be used in the cost analysis
  • Create the framework financial model used to compare technologies
  • Analyse results of financial modelling and present conclusions

Outcomes:

  • The customer was able to choose which option would be optimal over the long term by taking into account both capital and operating expenses.
  • Options had NPV values differing by as much as GBP 200 million – the decision had large consequences.

to 

2010 

from 

2010 

Environmental Economist

Energy Sector Climate Vulnerability Assessment Tool

Worley - London

Project Description: Climate vulnerability assessment of the energy sectors of Albania and Uzbekistan

Responsibilities:

  • Help prepare workshop and framework for assessment
  • Assess the costs of various generation technologies
  • Assess the cost of generation give the impacts of climate change

Outcome:

  • Our work was developed into a tool that could be used across countries to evaluate the impact of climate change on energy sectors.

to 

2009 

from 

2009 

Estimator

BP Oman Makarem/Khazzan Full Field Development Feed

Worley - London

Project Description: Gas processing plant to be constructed as part of a full field development including sulphur removal

Value: ~USD 2 billion

Responsibilities:

  • Develop pro-formas, cost curves, man-hour curves, electricity requirements
  • Assimilate over 30 block estimates and engineering information into a custom estimating manual

Outcomes:

  • We delivered a large estimating manual to the customer. It included numerous building blocks and can be used to evaluate a multitude of different scenarios for the plant.
  • Follow-on work was awarded to my employer

to 

2009 

from 

2009 

Consultant Economist

New Concentrator vs Ship Ore Options Appraisal

Worley - London

Project Description: The customer needed to decide between a new concentrator or to rail ship ore

Value: ~USD 100 million

Responsibilities:

  • Developed an economic model representing the trade-offs between modernising an existing concentrator and building a new concentrator on-site.
  • Incorporate input from WorleyParsons mining engineers, business analysts from the customer, and WorleyParsons estimators.

Outcomes:

  • Outputs included a range of financial indicators as well as sensitivity analysis.
  • As we went through the process other options became apparent such as mining backfill. It was suggested to look further into this option.

to 

2008 

from 

2008 

Consultant Economist

Commercial Appraisal of Licensor Proposals for Aromatics Unit

Worley - London

Project Description: Evaluation of licensor bids for an aromatics unit for a massive chemical plant in the Middle East

Value: ~USD 350 million

Responsibilities:

  • Maintain confidentiality and objectivity at a personal level
  • Develop the economic model of the aromatics unit in order to compare tenderers’ bids
  • Collaborate with engineers and the customer to ensure the model represented reality

Outcome:

  • The customer used the model as part of the bid evaluation

to 

2008 

from 

2008 

Consultant Economist

NPV model of mining prospect

Worley - London

Project Description: Open-pit and underground mine with associated waste dumps, process plant, tailing facility, water supply and camp

Value: USD 125 million (CAPEX +/- 20%)

Responsibilities:

  • Develop and maintain financial net present value model
  • Collaborate with engineers, subcontractors, and the customer to ensure the veracity of the model
  • Design and apply robust sensitivity analysis to the economic model

Outcomes:

  • Key findings reported to customer’s board of directors
  • Sensitivity analysis helped identify risks and scenarios where mine profitability could be significantly impacted

to 

2008 

from 

2007 

Environmental Economist

Carbon accounting for construction / land regeneration project

Worley - Bristol

Project Description: Ongoing remediation of former gasworks

Responsibilities:

  • Create a methodology to account for the carbon emissions on the ongoing remediation
  • Integrate with existing construction control systems
  • Report findings

Outcomes:

  • The customer was able to determine the largest sources of carbon emissions at their work site.
  • A procedure was established which could be used on other remediation sites to gauge greenhouse gas emissions ensuring the customer could benchmark against their sustainability goals

to 

2007 

from 

2007 

Environmental Economist

Implement pilot carbon accounting for office and project environment

Worley - Bristol

Project Description: Designing a system for Worley to monitor its greenhouse gas emissions

Responsibilities:

  • Collect data from facilities management
  • Design survey to collect data from individuals
  • Identify issues and solutions for carbon-accounting for large organisations

Outcomes:

  • The pilot study was used by the company to evaluate the ease of calculating office greenhouse gas emissions
  • The results of the study were presented to top company leaders as input to their determination of the company’s sustainability strategy
  • The company now tracks greenhouse gas emissions from offices and has made significant efforts to reduce waste

to 

2007 

from 

2007 

Environmental Economist

Development of socioeconomic portion of proposal

Worley - Leeds

Project Description: Development of copper mine in Central Asia (bid) with extensive socioeconomic stipulations.

Responsibilities:

  • Ensure that the proposed work package aligned with the request for proposal
  • Research of existing socio-economic context (including legislative, social, and economic aspects)
  • Development of a clear plan for undertaking social improvements in the area

Outcome:

  • The team's contribution was incorporated into the bid

to 

2007 

from 

2006 

Environmental Economist

Economic evaluation of environmental costs and benefits of land regeneration options

Worley - London

Project Description: Sustainable disposal of land

Responsibilities:

  • Develop economic model representing the site including economic and non-financial aspects plus costs and benefits
  • Evaluate the economic value of non-financial aspects
  • Compare the different options and apply sensitivity analysis to the model

Outcomes:

  • The most sustainable option was presented to the customer
  • On the basis of the results of the sensitivity analysis another option was considered viable as well leaving the customer with a range of good options.

to 

2007 

from 

2006 

Environmental Economist

Economic evaluation of environmental costs and benefits of land regeneration options

Worley - Leeds

Project Description: After a petrol leak, the best solution for groundwater remediation was sought.

Value: < GBP 0.5 million

Responsibilities:

  • Develop and maintain economic model of sustainability factors involved in the remediation
  • Monetise social and environmental non-financial aspects including:
  • Groundwater
  • Greenhouse gas emissions
  • Disamenity to local society
  • Effect of heavy good vehicles usage

Outcome:

  • The customer used the results of the study in negotiations with the Environment Agency to support a reasonable way forward on the remediation that balanced the environment and the needs of society.

to 

2007 

from 

2006 

Environmental Economist

Economic evaluation of environmental impacts in sensitive marine environment

Worley - Leeds

Project Description: Large gas processing facility in environmentally sensitive location

Responsibilities:

  • Determine the economic value of various ecosystems, and impacts thereupon
  • Evaluate various design options that would heighten environmental impact in economic terms

Outcomes:

  • The customer was able to evaluate the costs of environmental measures that would be required in comparison to the benefit
  • The customer ultimately decided the site was unsuitable

Education

2020

Project Management Professional

2020

Mathematics for Machine Learning Specialization Certificate

Imperial College London

Online (coursera)

2020

Data Science MicroMasters

University of California San Diego

Online (edX)

2005

MSc, Petroleum Economics and Management

IFP School

Paris, France

2005

MSc, Mineral and Energy Economics

Colorado School of Mines

Golden, Colorado, USA

2003

BA Economics

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina, USA

Tech Stack

Learning and keeping up with the latest technology is my passion. This page is one of the fruits of my labours.

My stack includes:

Data Analysis

  • Python
    • Pandas
    • NumPy
    • XLWings
    • Spark
    • Scikit-learn
  • SQL (SQLite)
  • Monte Carlo Simluation (@Risk)
  • MS Excel

Web Development

  • HTML
  • CSS (Tailwind CSS)
  • JavaScript
  • Markdown
  • Static Site Generation (11ty)
  • Headless CMS (Strapi)
  • Templating (Mustache)
  • Node.js
  • backend:
    • nginx
    • Cloudflare DNS
    • Cloudflare Workers

Operating Systems

  • Linux (Ubuntu Server)
  • MacOS
  • Windows 10/11

Cloud

  • DigitalOcean
  • Multipass
  • Docker

Version Control

  • Fossil SCM (my go-to)
  • Git

IDE / Environment Management

  • Visual Studio Code
  • Jupyter Notebooks
  • Conda
  • Node.js

Hacker Mindset

  • curiosity
  • creativity
  • persistence
  • taking things apart
  • understanding what I am doing, that is, not just copying code
  • trying new things
  • solving problems using innovative methods




Photo by Dominik Schröder on Unsplash