Project Description

Development of Southern Monagas & Anzoategui

Civil Infrastructure Development Program – Venezuela

Lagoven, S.A, one of Venezuela’s largest oil companies, planned to develop a major refinery complex to exploit the heavy tar sands located in the so-called “Faja” or heavy oil belt area of the country north of Ciudad Guayana and the Orinoco River. As part of this effort, a strategy was needed to attract and retain a skilled workforce to build and operate the complex. As part of this program, Bechtel was engaged by Lagoven to outline the necessary urban and regional planning studies to determine the appropriate strategies and approaches to meet these civil infrastructure requirements. Bechtel developed a scope, schedule and budget for the study program and then managed the various studies which were performed both by Bechtel study teams as well as in-country specialists including sociologists, economists, urban and regional planners, transportation planners, architects and landscape architects. Breaking with the traditional approach of closed oil camps, the planning recommended the expansion of existing communities and towns as well as the creation of a new town, to be located near the planned refinery, whose design would permit its gradual evolution into a conventional city incorporating housing and community facilities of various types and responding to the needs of various socioeconomic groups.

Services included:

Scoping Study

  • Development of a comprehensive study program for all civil infrastructure components including socioeconomic studies, physical characteristics, community design, cost estimates, etc.

Seconded Staff

  • Incorporation of specialized planning and urban development staff into the Lagoven organization to assist in carrying out the Civil Infrastructure program.

Contracting & Management of Local Firms

  • Required studies were contracted with local firms and their performance managed by Bechtel staff.

Cost Estimate & Schedule

  • Designs for civil infrastructure were reviewed as a basis for developing detailed cost estimates and schedules.

Role:

Assistant Chief Infrastructure Planner