CIVIL ENGINEERS PROJECT MANAGERS CONSTRUCTION MANAGERS
Plan the work.
Work the plan.
PDI is a privately-held Canadian company that specializes in planning, engineering and construction for Heavy Civil projects in remote locations and harsh environments.
Our experienced team of Engineers, Project Managers and Construction Management Specialists will ensure that your project is delivered on time and on budget.
Energy
We focus on your project so
you can focus on production.
Customers in Oil & Gas, Oil Sands Mining and Power Generation & Transmission rely on our Heavy Civil expertise to efficiently plan and optimize project delivery.
Natural Resources
Getting earthworks right is the basis for overall project success,
Large-scale earthworks is a major component of Customer's Conventional Mining projects and also part of their Environmental Remediation and Reclamation obligations
Infrastructure
Cost and schedule performance is key to infrastructure delivery.
Our Heavy Civil planning and execution expertise is an essential part of project work in remote areas, including Construction Camps, Airports, Roads and Highways.
Services
Preconstruction Planning
PDI plans, executes and progresses projects based on Advanced Work Packaging (AWP) principles. AWP is a Construction Owners Association of Alberta (COAA) best practice.
Our personnel integrate into your team to optimize the construction sequence (Path of Construction) for your project, a technique proven to maximize commitment to – and accountability for – safety, cost, schedule and quality.
Our personnel are also experienced in capital cost estimating and resource-loaded schedule development (in both Primavera and Microsoft Project), including full Monte Carlo risk analysis to establish confidence intervals and P10 and P90 estimates.
Project Management & Engineering
Using your Project Charter as the guide, PDI's experienced Project Management, Engineering and Construction Specialists work with your team to develop your Project Execution Plan (PEP).
The PEP includes construction methodology, procurement and contracting strategies, work packaging plans, project controls plans, environmental mitigation plans, health, safety & security plans, quality plans and risk management strategies.
We also offer specialized design and engineering services in Heavy Civil and Earthworks that directly support the PEP.
Construction
Management
Hands-on input by our Construction Specialists in the development of the Project Execution Plan (PEP) positions your project for a seamless transition to the field.
Our Construction Specialists then work with your selected construction contractor(s) to ensure that safety, cost, schedule and quality objectives are fully understood and that risks are managed appropriately.
Our network of specialists have experience in a wide range of Heavy Civil mega-projects, including mining, power generation and transmission, oil and gas, airports, roads and highways, industrial plants and related infrastructure.
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Site Support
Services
Along with experienced Construction Managers, we also offer on-site support personnel in every stage of your project. These specialists can augment your onsite team or be deployed as integrated site support.
Site Support Services, include "on the ground" personnel in health, safety, security, surveying, site and route reconnaissance, water and sanitation, workforce logistics and camp coordination, quality control and assurance, environmental monitoring and compliance and materials management.
Survey
The advent of drone technology and advanced data processing software like Trimble Business Center (TBC) has provided remarkable flexibility in Heavy Civil surveying.
Several of our Construction Specialists are certified Advanced Operations drone pilots and can support all stages of your project, from feasibility studies through to verification of earthworks quantities during construction for Measurement for Payment purposes.
Our approach is fast, responsive and a fraction of the cost of the conventional time-consuming survey data collection, data processing and CAD revision process.
Advisory Services
Many customers have limited in-house staff to provide the necessary project governance and oversight on Heavy Civil mega-projects.
We provide these customers with independent technical advisory services to help monitor contractor performance, including adherence to T's & C's, technical specifications and cost and schedule progressing.
We support the competitive bid cycle to help customers evaluate technical and financial aspects of bids, as well as evaluating the contractor’s proposed construction methodology, equipment, productivity, schedule and risk-mitigation strategies.
Project Highlights
Corporate & Key Personnel Experience
Mining & Oil Sands Mining
2018-19
To facilitate investment sanctioning, PDI personnel are providing pre-construction planning services for major oil sands development expansion, including access road reroute study, overburden removal optimization, material take-offs, cost estimating, scheduling and Heavy Civil planning support to customer's environmental, regulatory and operations personnel.
2013-15
PDI developed the front-end execution planning (FEEP) for earthworks components of a a major oil sands development debottlenecking project, including identifying value-added alternative solutions. Scope included earthworks, foundations and underground piping systems for ore extraction, hydro-transport and Ore Preparation Plant (OPP) sites.
2013-14
Senior PDI personnel led a Technical Advisory Team providing advice and planning assistance for Heavy Civil construction execution and site services for a Canadian arctic iron ore mine development.
2008-11
Senior PDI personnel served as Project Manager responsible for the management of a team of 2000+ engineers and construction management staff for $1.2 billion of earthworks. Scope of work included site preparation of 3200 hectare site, approximately 100 km of access and heavy-haul roads, 30 million m3 opening cut and 23 million m3 starter dyke. Also responsible for design and construction of extensive drainage and containment systems for care of water on site.
SAGD and Oil & Gas
2017-19
PDI provided civil engineering, project management, bid preparation and evaluation and construction planning support for a greenfield steam-assisted gravity drainage SAGD project in northern Alberta. PDI personnel also provided construction management and project coordination services in the field during the construction phase of the project, including quantity verification for measurement of payment purposes.
2015
PDI developed the front-end execution plan (FEEP) for all earthworks components of a customer's portfolio of SAGD prospects, using the above greenfield project as a template. Two key objectives of the FEEP were to Identify the most effective construction execution sequence for earthworks and to recommend Best Practices that would deliver best-in-class cost and
schedule benefits to the portfolio.
2011-12
Senior PDI personnel served as Earthworks Project Manager for a greenfield refinery project, including engineering, procurement and construction planning for $235 million worth of site grading, roads, module assembly yard, clean water pond (including care of water planning), raw water pond and related water treatment system, potentially contaminated pond and underground utilities and process lines.
Senior PDI personnel also served as Lead Civil Engineer for the Vanker Oil Field Development, Northern Siberia, responsible for Construction Facilities, Permanent Camps and related infrastructure.
Power and Transmission
2015-17
Senior PDI personnel led the development of the detailed Project Management Plan (PMP) as part of the overall Project Execution Plan for the Maritime Link Project Transmission Line scope of work. Personnel also supported scheduling and cost control on-site during the construction phase of the project.
Other Experience
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Project Manager Heavy Civil for Gull Island and Muskrat Falls Engineering Studies, including development and execution of Field Investigation Program (topographic surveys, bathymetric surveys, seismic studies, geotechnical drilling, setup and operation of laboratory, barge operation for in-river drilling and helicopter operations) and Construction Management, responsible for Access Road and Tote Road Construction including drill pads and additional site support services.
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Project Director, Final Feasibility for Major Components of the Lower Churchill Hydro Electric Development, including expansion study of existing powerhouse and transmission line studies.
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Project Manager, Island Pond Hydro Electric Project Feasibility Stud, responsible for field program, direction of design team, capital cost estimates, construction scheduling for $200 million project.
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Construction Engineer for Construction of Site Support Infrastructure for proposed Power Cable Tunnel beneath the Strait of Belle Isle. Scope of work included earthworks for site development, campsite, industrial buildings, sinking of shafts, collars for tunnel, etc.
Roads and Infrastructure
Senior PDI personnel have been involved in the planning, design and construction of industrial roads and related infrastructure as a key part of many of the projects highlighted above.
Additionally, key PDI personnel have experience in highway and airport infrastructure projects both domestically and internationally.
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Project Director, Highway Improvement Program for the Government of Trinidad and Tobago, including planning studies and design of US$30 million including 7 km highway, interchange, overpasses, etc.
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Project Sponsor – Kenya Roadway Rehabilitation overseeing the successful implementation of five-year technical assistance project for Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA), which included construction administration for rural road development in two northern provinces of Kenya.
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Project Manager, Upgrading and Expansion of the Deer Lake, NL Airport, responsible for inspection of airport infrastructure and vehicles, five-year capital replacement schedule, review of environmental baseline study and development of rehabilitation plan for airport infrastructure, including runway apron extension, new parallel taxiways, runway improvements, airport signage and line painting.
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Project Director, Norman Manley International Airport rehabilitation project, Jamaica, including rehabilitation of airside facilities, runways, taxiways, lighting system, aprons, refueling system, etc. and design of new island-wide air traffic control system.
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Project Director, Environmental Improvement Program, Bantas River Basin Authority, East Java, Indonesia, responsible for identification of potential sites suitable for installation of wastewater treatment systems.
About Us
PDI Consultants is a privately-held Engineering, Project Execution Planning, Project Management and Construction Management company based in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
We focus on project delivery – from initial feasibility to close-out of construction – of earthworks mega-projects and other projects with significant earthworks components. Our specialty is projects in remote and harsh environments, including regions with logistical challenges and high percentages of muskeg and permafrost.
We don't pretend to be "everything for everyone". We focus on our strengths, our experience and strive to be "everything to someone".
Project Execution Planning is the structured development of the Path of Construction in order to measure performance against the plan and manage changes along the way. Is it easy? No, but it's what we do best. And we get results.
Construction Owners Association of Alberta (COAA) identified the following factors that affect poor project performance.
(1) Business Behaviours of Owners
(2) EPCM Team Experience and Continuity
(3) Adherence to Work Processes
PDI directly addresses items 2. and 3. by offering Customers senior expertise and experience in project planning and delivery, plus the rigor and discipline to manage projects against a realistic plan. We also work with Customers to help recognize and address business behaviours (item 1.) proven to negatively impact project outcomes.
Best-in-class Health & Safety performance is a direct result of well-planned projects that are properly executed. The degree of rigor, discipline and accountability required to achieve top safety performance are the same qualities that produce the best business results. This approach is evident in our corporate Health & Safety Management System, which has earned a Certificate of Recognition (COR) from the Alberta Construction Safety Association.
Core Values form the basis of our relationships with Customers and Team Members alike. We strive to build trusting relationships with our Customers and work hard to first understand their own Corporate culture and business objectives.
Our Core Values reflect our business goals and our project goals:
(1) Take ownership and accountability
(2) Earn trust and respect
(3) Focus on strengths
(4) Never stop learning
Work-life balance is also a key part of our culture and we utilize the latest technologies to help maximize teamwork. While there is no substitute for face-to-face meetings in a project environment, we recognize that modern projects cannot be managed solely from a bricks-and-mortar location.
Our personnel and associates work from multiple locations in Canada and abroad to leverage their experience and expertise for our customers. PDI utilizes the cloud-based Office365 and Microsoft Teams / Skype platform for document management. online meetings and collaboration with our customers and contractors.
Team
Brad Chaulk
President
Senior Civil Engineer
Brad has 40 years of experience in engineering, project management and construction management , including senior leadership and executive roles at SNC Lavalin after the acquisition of his firm in 2004.
Brad has managed mega-projects around the globe in mining, oil & gas, power generation and transmission, environmental remediation, highways and airports. He holds a Bachelors degree in Civil Engineering from the University of New Brunswick.
Stefan Butler
Survey Engineering
Senior Survey Engineer
Stefan has 20 years of experience in industry, specializing in survey control, quantity control measurement and quality monitoring for large earthworks projects and highway design and construction.
Stefan is a registered Canadian Land Surveyor and holds a Bachelors degree in Survey Engineering from the University of New Brunswick.
Chris Hunter
Surveying
Senior Surveyor
Chris has 30 years of experience as a professional surveyor, supervisor and manager and his experience includes oil sands projects, power generation and transmission and geophysics.
Chris is a licensed UAV (drone) pilot and is experienced in planning and executing UAV surveys, including quantity verification and measurement for payment.
Sierra Fraser
Project Controls Lead
Business Manager
Sierra is certified Project Manger Professional from PMI, Project Controls Lead and Business Manager with over 10 years of industry experience, including both office- and field-based project coordination and project controls roles. She is also PDI's designated Health & Safety representative.
Sierra's skills include project scheduling (P6 and MSProject), document management and logistics. She holds a Bachelors degree in Operations Management from the University of Calgary.
Chris Crocker
Construction Manager
Senior Construction Specialist
Chris has 30 years of experience in civil construction and has served in Construction Coordination roles for oil sands mining projects, conventional mining, power generation, roads, dams, tailings ponds and municipal construction projects.
Chris has extensive experience in construction logistics in northern and remote regions and contractor monitoring and oversight.
Bruce Chaulk
Construction Superintendent
Civil Construction
Bruce has 18 years of experience in construction and geotechnical field program management, including remote oil and gas and power generation projects. He also has expertise in the logistical management of contractors and support services.
Bruce has worked extensively in northern climates and has worked closely with aboriginal contractors.
Contact
MAILING ADDRESS
4 Quarry Landing SE
Calgary, AB T2C 5E4
STREET ADDRESS
180 Quarry Park Blvd. SE
Calgary, AB T2C 3G3
Tel: 587.228.3003
