Accelerated Delivery for Retrofit of Existing Navy Pier to a Crude Dock

With the discovery of oil and natural gas fields at the Eagle Ford Shale formation in 2008, oil and gas companies have been evaluating potential terminal sites along the Texas Gulf Coast to handle the anticipated increase in product. The proposed terminal sites include existing facilities no longer in use or that were built for other intended purposes. In June of 2012, a new crude dock was commissioned in Ingleside, Texas. The new dock was designed and constructed by retrofitting an existing Navy small craft pier. In order to begin moving Eagle Ford product as soon as possible, the owner pushed for an escalated project schedule. Evaluation and analysis of existing structures, site investigations, conceptual layouts, permitting revisions, full design of new dock structures and construction had to be accomplished in relatively compressed timeframe. A hybrid design/build approach - wherein the designers worked closely with the contractor, fabricators and owner - was adopted for this project. Close coordination between the members of the project team facilitated unique design options that provided an overall project that could be primarily pre-fabricated offsite and easily assembled onsite to accelerate the construction process. This paper provides an overview of the Eagle Ford Shale boom and how it is driving development along the Texas Gulf Coast, challenges associated with a hybrid design/build approach and lessons learned that can be incorporated for future projects.