Project Spotlight: Deep Foundations Team Delivers Complicated Piling Project for Valero
Project Spotlight: Deep Foundations Team Delivers Complicated Piling Project for Valero
In February 2022, BGCI’s Deep Foundations team completed a multidiscipline deep foundations project for the Valero Port Arthur refinery in Texas. The project involved nine piling disciplines with more than 850,000 linear feet of piling material installed to support the Diamond Ground Diesel 3 (DGD3) and Sulfur Reduction Unit (SRU) expansions.
Diligent planning, close collaboration with client and project partner teams, and an intense focus on safety and quality were key to the success of this logistically challenging project. It also earned the team an Excellence in Construction Award from the Pelican Chapter of the Associated Builders & Contractors, Inc.
Emphasis on Planning Allows for Seamless Execution
BGCI contracted directly with Valero to supply and install:
- Timber Piling
- Precast Concrete Piling
- Standard Access Auger Cast-in-Place (ACIP) Piling
- Limited Access ACIP Piling
- Standard Access Helical Piling
- Limited Access Helical Piling
- Standard Access Sheet Piling
- Limited Access Sheet Piling
- Drill Shafts
BGCI’s ability to provide the full spectrum of piling disciplines streamlined the planning and production process. Even so, coordinating multiple disciplines across the 4,000-acre refinery required our team to solve a logistical jigsaw puzzle. The correct pile types needed to be fabricated, delivered, and installed at their respective pile locations with no margin for error or delay. With so many variables to juggle, the project team prioritized planning on the front end to ensure a smooth execution throughout the 12-month project.
The project team established a critical path for the most efficient sequence of pile installation to benefit the project’s overall progress. By targeting piling operations in high-priority areas first, BGCI was able to open work fronts for the contractor’s scope that followed. Frequent progress checks and extensive communication with the project’s onsite staff and our suppliers allowed for a smooth transition between project phases.
Additional factors that contributed to the project’s success included:
- Staffing the project team with industry leaders specializing in onsite management of piling work
- Executing strategic agreements with reputable vendors to provide the necessary resources
- Leveraging longstanding relationships with established suppliers to guarantee material availability
- Maintaining continuous communication with piling suppliers to ensure resources were mobilized on site in the correct timeframe
Minimizing Risk to Client Operations
By maintaining a tight focus on getting the work done safer, faster, smarter, and better, the Deep Foundations project team completed their scope of work on time and within budget. The project showcases how our core values of People, Honor, and Grit add value by delivering a complicated scope with minimal risk to client operations.
The teamwork of the People involved was paramount. BGCI’s project leadership worked with the project’s management staff to strategize work throughout the project’s duration. BGCI field co-workers were committed to the project team’s plan, while focusing on each member’s safety and building a quality product for owner.
The project team displayed Honor and dedication to provide the client with a final product that exceeded expectations. The BGCI team exhibited integrity throughout the execution of the project and showcased our top-notch safety and quality culture.
BGCI co-workers demonstrated Grit by arriving each day with an unrivaled work ethic. An intense, positive attitude and unwavering commitment to project success contributed to their ability to work through challenges as a team.
Upon final completion of BGCI’s scope, the client commended our project team for their outstanding work and commitment to safety, quality, and customer service.
Contact us today to discuss how we can bring more value to your next project.
