Oil Giant Cuts Global Deal for Construction Software System

After lengthy trials, shell will standardize on Bentley System's construction schedule simulation and work-packaging tools

Bentley Systems Inc. on June 30 announced that it signed a global enterprise agreement with Shell under which Bentley will supply automated 4D and 5D construction-management solutions as a managed service to support Shell’s capital project execution.
According to Tim O’Leary, Bentley’s global engagement director and lead on the deal, the services will be based on Bentley’s ProjectWise ConstructSim and provide the core service to support construction operations under Shell’s ProjectVantage program.

Shell describes ProjectVantage as a data-centric ecosystem that supports the “pillars” of design, logistics, material management, construction, commissioning and handover to operations. Its goal is to deliver safer, faster and better capital projects by enabling data consistency across suppliers and engineering disciplines and simplifying work packaging for engineering, construction and installation. It adheres to the Construction
Industry Institute’s (CII) Advanced Work Packaging methodology.

“Shell deserves credit for leading the energy industry to find innovative ways to continue to improve the affordability of capital projects through the efficiency and predictability [that is] achievable through CII’s Advanced Work Packaging playbook,” said Greg Bentley, Bentley Systems CEO and executive sponsor of the company’s Shell relationship, in a release with the announcement.

In that release, Martin Swaine, Shell’s 4D and 5D program manager, stated, “Shell has been pleased with the trend of benefits seen during our projects’ increasing use of ProjectWise ConstructSim. Together with Bentley, we look to build on these improvements with our supply chain to collectively deliver safer and better projects.”
O’Leary says Shell has conducted proof-of-concept and benchmarking tool trials since 2014, testing the 4D schedule planning and later testing the 5D work packaging.

Under the managed-services part of the deal, Bentley will provide training on a project-by-project basis, says O’Leary. Bentley’s resources include software training centers in Houston and London and the ability to deploy mobile academies to any location, he notes.

Consulting Editor Tom Sawyer began his journalism career at the Atlantic City Press, in N.J. The former ENR editor expanded technology coverage and devised ENR's popular annual photo contest. Tom has also written memorable special reports from disaster and war zones, often taking the lead when earthquakes and hurricanes strike. His technology, disaster and war-related reporting has involved trips to Iraq, Haiti, Japan and other countries.

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