Ed’s years of analysis and research have culminated in the publication of his latest work, Industrial Megaprojects—Concepts, Strategies, and Practices for Success (John Wiley & Sons, April 2011).
Ed has spent several decades studying megaprojects first at the RAND Corporation and later at IPA, analyzing the drivers of success and failure in capital projects, including very large, complex projects. His studies include, “Upstream Megaprojects Revisited: What’s The Problem?” (2010); “Estimating Problems in Large and Complex Projects” (2009); “Success in Frontier Regions” (2004); “Contracts, Teams, and Success in Megaprojects” (2003); “Analysis of Upstream Megaprojects” (2002); “An Analysis of Cost Improvement in Chemical Process Technologies” (1989); Understanding the Outcomes of Megaprojects: A Quantitative Analysis of Very Large Civilian Projects (1988); ”The Relative Cost Factor: A Method of Comparing Petroleum Refinery Investment” (1987); “Cost Growth in New Process Facilities” (1983); Understanding Cost Growth and Performance Shortfalls in New Technology Process Plants: The Pioneer Plants Study (1981); and “Constraints on the Commercialization of Oil Shale” (1978).
Ed received the 2007 Construction Industry Institute’s highest honor, the Carroll H. Dunn Award of Excellence, and the 2001 AIChE Engineering and Construction Contracting (ECC) Division Award for Outstanding Contributions to the Industry.
Ed is often requested as a keynote speaker at major companies worldwide. In 2009, he presented “Capital Construction in a Volatile Environment” at the National Petrochemical and Refiners Association (NPRA) International Petrochemical Conference. In 2007, Ed delivered keynote addresses at the meeting of the Project Management Institute—Arabian Gulf Chapter on megaproject opportunities in oil and gas, petrochemical, power generation, and infrastructure in Gulf countries. He also delivered “The Global Industry in Crisis” for the Construction Users Roundtable National Conference (CURT). In 2006, he delivered the keynote, “Megaprojects—A Global Perspective,” at the Construction Owners Association of Alberta (COAA) Annual General Meeting. Also in 2006, Ed presented “The Cost of Project Risks: Contracting for Large International Projects in the New Era” to the Society of Petroleum Engineers, and delivered “Katrina to the Majors’ Megaprojects: Serious Changes in the Marketplace” at the 38th Annual Engineering and Construction Contracting Association Conference.
Ed has served as a panelist, panel chairman, and contributor to Chemical Engineering Progress. He has testified before the United States Congress regarding cost overruns in major capital projects. He was a panel member for analysis of project risks at the National Academy of Sciences/National Academy of Engineering. He has also been a Distinguished Lecturer for the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) and was chosen to instruct a course entitled “Special Considerations in Multi-Billion Dollar Projects” for the Construction Industry Institute’s Executive Leadership Course at the McCombs School of Business, Austin, Texas. Ed has published articles on megaprojects, capital project effectiveness, contracting strategies, and understanding project risk in several different journals, including Petroleum Economist, Offshore, Upstream, Chemical Innovation, Chemical Engineering, and Science.