in Gas Processing Facilities
FEATURED PAPER
By Hamad Aldossary and Badea M. Al-Saggaf
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
1. Introduction
The world of construction in oil & gas industry is continually evolving, with modular & stick-built constructions standing as two key methodologies. Construction of gas processing facilities is complex and capital-intensive, often susceptible to delays, cost overruns, and safety risks. Companies continually seek strategies to enhance efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Modularization, fabricating modules offsite (normally in shop) and assembling them onsite, has emerged as a viable alternative to traditional stick-built methods. The intention of this paper is to compare between the two construction methods by using real world data collected from actual construction projects and theoretical insights. The method of analysis that has been used in this paper is based on a comparative case study between two different projects but in the same location in which the evaluation factors are the total cost, schedule duration, and project outcomes. The research question was discussed by developing three different hypotheses. The first hypothesis was to evaluate and determine whether the modularized projects have a better cost effectiveness than the traditional construction projects (stick-built). The second was to compare the safety performances between the two projects and finally to compare the duration of the project for the two projects. A mixed-method research design was employed to test the hypothesis, and both descriptive and inferential statistics were conducted.
2. Literature Review
Previous studies have emphasized the advantages of modularization in industrial construction. According to Smith (2017), modularization reduces on-site labor requirements by up to 50%, leading to improved safety and faster project delivery (Smith, 2017). Gibb and Goodier (2019) highlighted modularized projects’ logistical and planning complexities but confirmed significant cost savings in remote locations (Goodier, 2019). In a report by CII (Construction Industry Institute, 2011), modular construction showed a 6-20% reduction in total installed costs for petrochemical and gas projects (Lawson, 2014). However, challenges such as transportation logistics, design limitations, and initial capital requirements persist. The literature suggests that when properly managed, modularization offers superior outcomes in terms of cost and time efficiency.
3. Conceptualization and Theoretical Basis
As technology improves, so does every sector involve manpower and analytical processing ideas. The oil and gas companies are said to be in the business of trying to improve the efficiency, the quality of the projects performed, and the safety of anyone handling the process. According to (H&M, 2024), modularization has emerged as a compelling alternative in the construction sector in the global markets. Despite the industry inclining more toward stick-built procedures, it has been found that many projects are inclining towards a more advanced approach, and in this case, modularization comes into the picture. The authors argue that these changes are catalyzed by labor costs, skilled labor availability, and the necessity to take projects from rural areas where the impracticality of traditional methods is considered (H&M, 2024).
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How to cite this paper: Aldossary, H. and Al-Saggaf, B. M. (2025). Comparison between Modularization and Traditional Construction (Stick Built) in Gas Processing Facilities; PM World Journal, Vol. XIV, Issue IX, September. Available online at https://pmworldlibrary.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/pmwj156-Sep2025-Aldossary-Al-Saggaf-comparison-between-modular-and-traditional-construction.pdf
About the Authors
Hamad E. Aldossary
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Hamad E. Aldossary holds a degree in mechanical engineering and a master’s degree in business administration. With over 8 years of experience in project management, he has successfully overseen projects of varying sizes and complexities. He currently serves as a Project Engineer at Saudi Aramco, contributing to delivering Jafurah Gas Project-one of the largest and most ambitious gas developments in Saudi Arabia. He can be contacted at hamad.e.aldossary@gmail.com
Badea M. Al-Saggaf
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Badea M. Al-Saggaf holds a degree in Chemical Engineering from King Fahad University of Petroleum & Minerals (KFUPM). With over 17 years of experience in project management, he has successfully overseen projects of varying sizes and complexities. He currently serves as a Supervisor Project Engineer at Saudi Aramco, contributing to delivering Jafurah Gas Project-one of the largest and most ambitious unconventional gas developments in Saudi Arabia. He can be contacted at badea.saggaf@yahoo.com
