Robert G. James, PE, CFLC
Managing Director
Summary
Mr. James consults in areas of capital project management. His more than thirty-five years of technical, managerial and executive experience in engineering, procurement and construction of global capital ventures has provided him with exceptional prerequisites to address any facet of industrial and commercial project development and execution. For the past fifteen years he has been providing management consulting and advisory services to owners and contractors and litigation support services to counsel in areas of engineering and construction management. Engagements have involved M&A due diligence, capital project management and control, and practical applications of the engineering, procurement and construction (“EPC”) process.
After joining the construction division of Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation, Mr. James was assigned increasingly more responsible positions building power, refining and petrochemical facilities and municipal projects on domestic and international jobsites. His career path advanced through project and construction management assignments and headquarters operations positions to senior vice president, president and corporate director appointments at Stone & Webster companies. Finally, he assisted The Shaw Group with its purchase and merger of the operations of Stone & Webster.
Mr. James holds professional engineering registration in three states and certification as a general contractor and forensic litigation consultant. He is a member of several professional associations and societies and a past adjunct professor of construction management.
Experience
• E&C Company Operations
• Capital Project Management
• Construction Site Management
• Project Management Advisory Services
Industry Sectors
• Refining
• Petrochemicals
• Power Generation
• Infrastructure
• Commercial Building
• Water Treatment
Previous Positions
• LECG, LLC, Director
• Shaw/Stone & Webster, Inc., Vice President; Manager of Projects
• Shaw Construction, Inc., Vice President of Projects
• Stone & Webster, Inc., Senior Vice President; Vice President; Construction Operations Manager; Director of Procurement; Senior Project Manager
• SAW Constructors, Inc., (a Stone & Webster Subsidiary), Deputy Manager
• Stone & Webster Engineering Corporation, Vice President and Manager of Projects; General Superintendent of Construction; Assistant Superintendent of Construction; Field Engineer; Senior Field Engineer; Resident Engineer
• DSS Engineers, Inc., (a Stone & Webster Subsidiary) Corporate Director; President and General Manager
• Stone & Webster Environmental Services, Inc., Senior Vice President
• The Litwin Corporation, Site Manager
• Stone & Webster Construction, Ltd., UK, Senior Resident Engineer; Assistant Superintendent of Construction
Education, Certifications and Memberships
• B. Eng., McGill University
• Registered Professional Engineer (PE), TX, IN, FL
• Certified Forensic Litigation Consultant (CFLC)
• Certified General Contractor (CGC), FL
• Certified Threshold Inspector, FL
• TRCC Residential Construction Inspector, TX
• Member: American Society of Civil Engineers
• Member: Project Management Institute
• Member: Dispute Resolution Board Foundation
Representative Project Experience – Consulting and Advisory Services
• Expert report, witness statements, presentation, testimony and consulting services in support of an international arbitration involving the engineering, design and construction discipline sequencing for components of a refinery and petrochemical plant in Vietnam (2021).
• Inspection, replacement cost estimate and expert report related valuation of a damaged pre-engineered metal building in Aransas Pass, Texas (2018-2019).
• Capital project management advisory services regarding a global engineering and construction contractor’s delay and cost overruns experienced during construction of four nuclear power generation units in Georgia and South Carolina, (2018).
• Independent pre-submittal claim validity analysis addressing engineering errors and omissions attributed to a national engineering contractor during the construction of an 800 MW combined cycle power plant near Ashkelon, Israel, (2017).
• Capital project management advisory services addressing management of the engineering and construction process for a gas processing plant at Big Piney, Wyoming, (2016-2018).
• Capital project management advisory services regarding engineering and construction management defects during construction of a thirty-three-story condominium in South Padre Island, TX, (2015-2017).
• Investigation and analysis of design and construction defects in a pre-engineered steel building in Alice, TX, (2016).
• Consulting services addressing engineering and process safety management requirements for process equipment installations at a gas processing and fertilizer terminal facility in Corpus Christi, TX, (2015).
• Consulting services regarding unit-price contracting practices by a major EPC contractor fabricating modules for petrochemical facilities in northern Alberta, (2015).
• Purchase due diligence consulting for a national field services provider to the energy industry, involving site inspection of plant and equipment, safety and quality operations, and project execution at three modular fabrication facilities in the Pacific NW, (2014).
• Consulting services in support of valuation of a Propylene Oxide/Styrene Monomer unit in a Houston chemical plant, (2014).
• Consulting services including analysis of construction errors and omissions and a cost estimate for structural repairs to a 234-unit condominium resort complex in Galveston, TX, (2012).
• Capital project management advisory services for a State Regulatory Commission and Utility Consumer Office addressing project and construction management of a first of a kind of its size integrated gasification combined cycle generating facility under construction by a major regulated utility in Edwardsport, IN, (2011-2012).
• Construction management consulting services addressing removal of improvements installed at a High Purity Isobutylene Unit in Pasadena, TX, (2011).
• Independent consulting services including review and analysis of alleged errors and omissions by the engineer of record for a roadway project in Brazoria County, TX, (2010-2011).
• Construction management advisory services including analysis of alleged errors and omissions by an architect firm designing a parking garage for a hotel/condominium complex in Corpus Christi, TX, (2010).
• Consulting services addressing customer satisfaction, product quality and delivery performance of a leading supplier of pumps, valves, and seals to refining, petrochemical, power, industrial, and utility contractors and users during a period of integration of acquired competitor operations, (2006-2010).
• Independent consulting services regarding industry practice for compliance with sales contract terms in supply of marine fuel alleged to have contaminated machinery aboard an ocean-going vessel, (2009).
• Project management advisory services including analysis of project and business interruption expenses related to demobilization and remobilization of field operations during construction of a hospital’s suburban outpatient clinic in Fort Bend County, TX, (2009).
• Consulting services to a multinational investment bank on the contractor selection process for world scale refining and petrochemical capital projects planned in the Middle East, (2008).
• Consulting services including condition inspection for valuation of a Propylene Oxide/Styrene Monomer unit in a Houston chemical plant, (2008).
• Consulting services for valuation of damages to offshore production equipment caused by Hurricane Ivan events in the Gulf of Mexico, (2007-2008).
• Capital project management advisory services addressing disputed engineering errors and omissions by the engineer of record claimed by the owner of a 630 MW cogeneration facility in South Carolina, (2007).
• Project management advisory services addressing alleged design changes and worksite access issues between a European marine contractor and a US general contractor installing a deepwater platform offshore West Africa, (2006).
• Capital project management advisory services addressing procurement management, change order management, management of confidential information, and subcontracting practices related to a dispute between a prime contractor and its equipment supplier for a tension leg platform project offshore Angola, (2003-2006).
• Consulting services for a major US refinery operator in an occupational illness case involving asbestos contamination leading to mesothelioma during construction of refinery units in Oklahoma, (2006).
• Consulting services in support of litigation on OSHA regulation compliance related to a falling object matter at a high-rise commercial construction project in Shreveport, Louisiana, (2005).
• Capital project management advisory services related to contract management and payment issues arising between a prime contractor and the owner and its engineer of record for a 730 MW gas turbine generator power plant project near Dallas, TX, (2003-2004).
• Expert reports and hearing testimony in an ICC International Court of Arbitration to resolve a general contractor/subcontractor management dispute during erection of reformer equipment for a methanol plant in Beaumont, TX (2021-2022).
• Expert report, presentation, and hearing testimony in a Singapore Arbitration International Centre (SIAC) arbitration to resolve control building design issues between a Vietnam refinery owner and its consortium of international EPC contractors, (2021).
• Expert report and testimony on gas pipeline construction methods in a condemnation dispute between a major gas pipeline operator and a property developer in Wexford, PA (Ongoing).
• Consulting expert litigation support services regarding building code and ADA standards compliance related to a slip and fall accident, Houston, TX (2020-2021).
Representative Project Experience – Capital Project Management
• Manager of projects; front end process development and economic feasibility study for a crude refinery proposed by Refineria Sebastopol, Colombia; engineering and procurement of a 760 MW combined cycle gas turbine power plant for Entergy Power Group, Marshall, TX; program management services for a gas processing plant upgrade contract for ADGAS, Das Island, UAE; and engineering completion for the 730 MW Wolf Hollow Power Project for AES, Granbury, TX, (2001 to 2002).
• Vice president of projects and project manager; construction of the 1100 MW Midlothian combined cycle gas turbine power plant for American National Power, Midlothian, TX, and project director; engineering and procurement of the 1000 MW Freestone combined cycle gas turbine power plant for Entergy Power, Freestone, TX, (1999 to 2000).
• Vice president of projects, construction of the Orion Refinery expansion project for Orion Refining Corporation, New Orleans, LA, (1999).
• Construction operations manager; engineering, procurement and construction of three ethylene cracking furnaces for Phillips Chemical Corporation, Sweeney, TX, and an Aromatics Complex for Tirtamus, Tuban, Indonesia, (1997 to 1999).
• Project director; engineering, procurement and construction of the Ras Tanura Refinery utilities upgrade project for Saudi Aramco, Saudi Arabia, (1996 to 1999).
• Project sponsor; owner’s engineer and program management contract, Mina Abdullah and Mina Ahmadi Refinery upgrades for KNPC, Kuwait, (1996 to 1998).
• Headquarters procurement department manager and manager of construction; (1995 to 1996).
• Project director; engineering procurement and construction management of an oilfield enhancement and power project for ADCO, Abu Dhabi, UAE, (1993 to 1994).
• Construction manager; engineering, procurement and construction of three olefins unit upgrade projects, Mobil Chemical Corporation, Pasadena, TX, (1992 to 1993).
• Vice president and manager of projects; engineering, procurement and construction management of a 600,000 TPY olefins plant for Thai Olefins, Reyong, Thailand; two gas processing plants (GPP 3&4) for Petronas, Malaysia; and a five-year pipeline program management project for Saudi Aramco, (1990 to 1992).
• Project director; emergency generator inspection services at the Turkey Point Nuclear Station for Florida Power & Light, Homestead, FL, (1989).
• Principal in charge; environmental clean-up and remediation of turnpike fuel tanks for the Florida Department of Transportation, Fort Lauderdale, FL, (1988 to1989).
• Principal in charge; design of Dade County solid waste fleet maintenance facility for Dade County Solid Waste Department, Miami, FL, (1987 to 1988).
• Project Director; owner’s engineer services for engineering and construction management services for seven remote area desalination plant projects, Water & Electricity Department, Abu Dhabi, UAE, (1986 to 1988).
• Principal in charge; Flamingo Road widening and bridge construction for the Florida Department of Transportation, Cooper City, FL, (1986 to 1988).
• Project manager; engineering, procurement and construction management of the Marjan gas/oil separation plant for Aramco, Saudi Arabia, (1983 to 1985).
• Site manager; construction of refinery wide energy conservation modifications for Texaco, Port Arthur, TX, (1981 to 1983).
• Site manager; construction of an upgrade of three crude processing units for Union Oil Corporation, Nederland, TX, (1979 to 1981).
• Senior resident engineer; construction of a light olefins unit (LOU-1) for Texaco Petrochemicals, Port Arthur, TX, (1977 to 1979).
• Resident engineer and assistant superintendent; construction of the Bandar Shahpur fertilizer complex for Shahpur Chemicals Company, Bandar Mashar, Iran, (1975 to 1977).
• Resident engineer; construction of an ethylene unit expansion project for Mobil Chemicals, Beaumont, TX, (1973 to 1975).
• Senior field engineer; construction of a 420 MW coal fired power plant for Indianapolis Power & Light, Indianapolis, IN, (1970 to 1973).
• Field engineer; headquarters constructability for Millstone, Maine Yankee, and Shoreham nuclear power plants, Boston, MA, (1970).
• Field engineer; construction of a 240 MW coal fired power plant for Wisconsin Electric Power Company, Milwaukee, WI, (1968 to 1970).