SKYLINE News Briefing -16 February 2006

BOARD ROOM ENGINEERING

A lesson for those who choose to see good engineering as an optional extra

Petrobras built the P36 Production Rig (Biggest in the world) as cheaply as they could by neglecting traditional engineering methods & standards.

The attached photographs, taken a few weeks ago, show the result !
The wisdom of buzzword engineering takes a tragic turn for the worse
-literally.

A press release from Petrobras last year.Quote ...

"Petrobras has established new global benchmarks for the generation of exceptional shareholder wealth through an aggressive and innovative programme of cost cutting on its P36 production facility.
Conventional constraints have been successfully challenged and replaced with new paradigms appropriate to the globalised corporate market place.
Through an integrated network of facilitated workshops, the project has successfully rejected the established constricting and negative influences of prescriptive engineering, onerous quality requirements, and outdated concepts of inspection and client control.
Elimination of these unnecessary straitjackets has empowered the project's suppliers and contractors to propose highly economical solutions, with the win-win bonus of enhanced profitability margins for themselves.
The P36 platform shows the shape of things to come in the unregulated Global market economy of the 21st Century." End quote

Housing contractor could lose projects
MAY CHAN , SCMP 15 February 2006
The Housing Department plans to terminate building contracts with a company that is still operating on the projects, in what would be an unprecedented move by the body, according to a source.

Government to study PAC's report on the development of a site in Sai Wan Ho
Hong Kong Government, 15 February 2006
The Legislative Council (Legco) Public Accounts Committee (PAC) submitted a report with its recommendations on the development of a site at Sai Wan Ho to the Legco today (February 15).

No secret report on office plans
Staff Reporter, The Standard 7 February 2006
The government has described a media report suggesting it is withholding a "secret report" recommending the redevelopment of the existing Central Government Offices and Murray Building as misleading.

The KCRC has been asked to proceed with in-depth planning for an express rail link between Hong Kong and Guangzhou using its West Rail line rather than a dedicated new line.

Officials 'dishonest over Tamar site'
CHLOE LAI , SCMP 7 February 2006
The government has been accused of being dishonest and "talking nonsense" after it denied withholding a report backing the redevelopment of government offices on their present site.

No "secret report" on Tamar Development Project
Hong Kong Government, 6 February 2006
A Government spokesman today (February 6) dismissed as misleading a newspaper report that the Government has been withholding "a secret report" recommending in-situ redevelopment of the existing Central Government Offices (CGO) and Murray Building.

Northern Link and HK section of ERL to proceed with further planning
Hong Kong Government, 6 February 2006
The Executive Council has given green light to further planning of the Northern Link (NOL) and the Hong Kong section of the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong Express Rail Link (ERL).

Commercial development appears to have been ruled out in an expanse of woodland and wetland near Sai Kung Country Park where a property giant wants to build a golf course.