ASPENTECH KBASE 2006.5 REVIEW
REVIEW SUMMARY |
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More than a decade ago, Fluor Corp., one of the leading engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services companies in the competitive and demanding oil and gas industry, selected AspenTech Kbase as its estimating software. The relationship between the two companies has continued and grown due to the software's sophistication, flexibility and return on investment, coupled with the vendor's strong technical support and a willingness to work one-on-one with its clients.
Bruce Bradley, manager of estimating at Fluor, compared the AspenTech Kbase to other estimating software options:
"We conducted an extensive and exhaustive search of all the leading estimating software systems on the market. None were comparable from two key perspectives. First, almost every one of the other estimating programs required the user company -- us -- to develop and maintain its own unit cost library, which is an extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive activity. Second, none of the other estimating programs have the equipment-modeling capability, which includes volumetric quantity development."
Bradley explained that, recognizing the estimating software's power, Fluor's team of 65 estimators underwent extensive and ongoing training to maximize the investment of about $5 million a year for an array of AspenTech solutions. The training dollars, however, have paid off. Compared with work conditions before AspenTech Kbase's installation, employees can do the same amount of work in half the time. "Conversely, by having the ability to do the same amount of work in half the time, we have actually been doing twice the amount of work in the same time," Bradley added.
Underscoring his satisfaction with the solution, Bradley rated AspenTech Kbase a more-than-perfect 10-plus out of 10.
USER PROFILE |
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| User: | Bruce Bradley |
| Company: | Fluor Corp. |
| Location: | Sugar Land, TX |
| Website: | www.fluor.com |
| Type of business: | Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Maintenance Services |
| Business size: | More than $15 billion |
| Experience: | More than 28 years |
| Software tools used: | AspenTech Kbase 2006.5; Microsoft Office Suite; Palisades @RISK 4.5; Siemens Oil & Gas Manager 1.6.1; HIS Que$tor Offshore 9.4.0.235 |
| Tool & Version | AspenTech Kbase 2006.5 |
REVIEW DETAILS |
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What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?
How long have you been using this tool?
Where did you obtain it?
How much did you pay?
How are you using this product?
Why did you pick this product?
Did you look at other tools on the market before picking this one? What was it you didn't like about them (or made this product better)?
Comparing the way you work now with the way you worked before you bought this tool, what has changed?
Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?
Can you estimate how much time or money you saved or other measurable benefits your firm realized using this tool?
What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
What would you change about the product if you could?
Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
Who would you recommend use this tool?
How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
How would you rate the user documentation? Is it helpful?
When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?
What kinds of construction projects do you mostly work on?
Fluor is one of the world's largest publicly owned engineering, procurement, construction, maintenance and project management companies. In our Energy and Chemicals Strategic Business Unit, we perform projects in three distinct arenas: upstream markets -- such as onshore and subsea pipelines; fixed and floating offshore platforms; floating production storage offloading (FPSOs) vessels; and central processing facilities, downstream markets -- such as refining, upgraders and gas processing facilities; and chemicals markets, including petrochemicals and specialty chemicals facilities.
We have been using AspenTech Kbase, formerly Icarus 2000, for more than 10 years.
Where did you obtain it?From Icarus Corp., this was acquired by AspenTech in 2000.
How much did you pay?
We have a global license arrangement bundled with other AspenTech process-simulation software. The total contract value is in excess of $5 million annually.
How are you using this product?
We use it for all Downstream and Chemicals estimates, as well as any Upstream estimates for projects that have onshore facilities or offshore topsides only.
It was the only volumetric estimating program on the market that is related to process plant projects, as well as a program that has a robust database of cost and work hours, which is updated annually by the owner company. The database has the ability to calibrate all components: quantities, work hours and costs. With Microsoft Access, AspenTech allows its users to share data via an application programming interface (API). Fluor has developed multiple internal programs in MS Access and Microsoft Excel that they link to Kbase, another major differentiator from their competitors.
Did you look at other tools on the market before picking this one? What was it you didn't like about them (or made this product better)?Yes. We conducted an extensive and exhaustive search of all the leading cost estimating software systems on the market. None were comparable from two key perspectives. First, almost every one of the other estimating programs required the user company -- us -- to develop and maintain its own unit cost library, which is an extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive activity. Second, none of the other estimating programs have the equipment-modeling capability, which includes volumetric quantity development.
Another deciding factor was the equipment model offered by AspenTech Kbase. Based on the equipment data sheet design specifications and the general design conditions of the project, an equipment model is generated to include the equipment item, plus the applicable bulk materials associated with that specific equipment type, i.e., foundations, piping, controls and power.
AspenTech Kbase delivered more consistency, improved reliability of the finished product, the ability to establish quantities earlier in the work process and the capability to develop more cost certainty for our clients earlier in the development stage of a project. The end result is a more satisfied customer and cost savings, due to the enhanced consistency and reliability.
Can you give us an example of a job where this tool really made a difference?More and more clients are seeking funding much earlier in the Front End Loading (FEL) engineering phase. Our experience with this tool allows us to provide a more dependable estimate, in order to support our clients' efforts to secure funding earlier.
Can you estimate how much time or money you saved or other measurable benefits your firm realized using this tool?
In comparing our current work process to our previous process, it has probably cut our time to completion almost in half. It's hard to put a dollar value to this. Conversely, by having the ability to do the same amount of work in half the time, we have actually been doing twice the amount of work in the same time.
What are the best features (for your business) in this tool?
For us, it's the ability to quickly and reliably develop an estimate early in a project's life cycle with minimal data-entry, focusing on the total expected cost, not necessarily the specific details of the project.
Do you think it's a fair value for the price you paid?
Absolutely!
I would add the ability to make more changes that are company-specific to us. The opportunity to make our estimates more company-specific differentiates us from our competitors. We have already taken advantage of the great deal of customization that is allowed, so adding to it would only increase our competitive edge.
Are there features that you don't use? Why not?
We do not use the internal features for developing home office engineering costs or construction indirect costs, as those are developed outside the system by our project controls and construction groups, respectively.
Who would you recommend use this tool?
I would recommend this estimating software to any engineering/construction company that is executing projects for any of the first or second tier oil companies. Many of these clients also use the AspenTech Kbase system and require its use by their contractors.
How much computer experience do you think someone needs to use this tool effectively?
It should be fairly extensive as this is not a program learned overnight. It also is not a program that anyone without strong estimating experience should use. Even today, we internally challenge the results among ourselves and only after extensive estimate reviews, benchmarking analysis and comparisons, do we become convinced that we have a finished product.
Did it take much training (or studying) to learn to use this tool?
Definitely. Even today -- with users of 10 to 15 years of experience -- there are always previously unrecognized nuances that come about and need further study. In all cases, learning is an ongoing process!
Have you ever called the company's support lines and asked for help? What was your experience like?
Absolutely. Whenever we discover an anomaly we contact AspenTech's technical support group and work with them until the issue is resolved, either through a work-around, a new software patch or the next annual overall release.
It is sadly correct that most people will say they don't use it. My group discusses issues among it first, then approaches the technical support group.
When the next version of this software comes out, will you upgrade to it?
Absolutely.