When owners bring Praetorian in
Owners usually bring Praetorian in:
- At the start of execution, to set commissioning requirements and track turnover package completion throughout construction.
- As construction nears completion, to verify mechanical completion system by system and manage punch lists, pre-commissioning, commissioning and turnover.
- After first production, to support ramp-up to nameplate capacity and further improvement and capital projects on the operating site.
How it works alongside the construction and commissioning teams
Praetorian works system by system against approved completion databases, so no system is handed to commissioning until it meets the agreed mechanical completion criteria. We coordinate vendor representatives, manage cold and hot commissioning, and prepare turnover packages with as-built drawings, equipment manuals, inspection records and training materials.
Independent construction verification, including inspection plan reviews, hold point witnessing and non-conformance management, gives the owner objective assurance that what was built matches the approved design.
Sustaining capital and improvement projects
Praetorian's support does not have to end at handover. At Wesdome's Kiena Mine, Praetorian continued after the paste plant was completed, supporting further improvements to the plant and additional capital projects on site. Owners can bring the same owner's team discipline in project controls, contracts and construction management to sustaining capital work on an operating mine.
Services included
Systematic handover from construction to operations, ensuring readiness for first production.
Construction Verification
Independent verification that construction proceeds in accordance with approved designs, specifications, and quality requirements. Praetorian provides the owner with objective assurance through inspection plan reviews, hold point witness, non-conformance management, and as-built verification.
Pre-Commissioning
Mechanical completion verification, punch list development and closure, loop checking, instrument calibration, and equipment alignment checks. Praetorian works system by system against approved completion databases, ensuring no system is handed to commissioning until it meets agreed mechanical completion criteria.
Commissioning
Systematic introduction of process fluids, energisation of electrical systems, and initial operation of process circuits under controlled conditions. Praetorian manages cold and hot commissioning phases, vendor representative coordination, performance testing, and issue resolution.
Turnover
Formal transfer of systems and the complete facility from the construction and commissioning team to the owner's operations team. Praetorian prepares turnover packages including as-built drawings, equipment manuals, inspection records, training materials, and confirmation that all spares are procured.
Ramp Up
Owner-side support from first production through to achieving nameplate capacity. Praetorian helps operations teams identify and resolve bottlenecks, manage contractor defect rectification, and optimise process performance against the design basis.
Where Praetorian has delivered this service
IAMGOLD Cote Gold Project
Punch list and turnover supervision and commissioning support across the processing plant and facilities.
View projectWesdome Kiena Paste Plant
Coordination of commissioning deliverables, then continued support for paste plant improvements and additional capital projects on site.
View projectLydian Amulsar Gold Project
Pre-commissioning and operations preparation support.
View projectQuestions owners ask
What is the difference between pre-commissioning and commissioning?
Pre-commissioning confirms that each system is mechanically complete: punch lists closed, loops checked, instruments calibrated and equipment aligned. Commissioning then introduces process fluids, energizes electrical systems and runs process circuits under controlled conditions, through cold and hot commissioning and performance testing.
What should a turnover package include?
As-built drawings, equipment manuals, inspection records, training materials and confirmation that all spares are procured, for each system and for the complete facility.
When should commissioning planning start?
At the start of execution. Praetorian sets commissioning requirements early and tracks turnover package completion throughout construction, rather than leaving it to the final weeks.
Does Praetorian support sustaining capital projects on operating mines?
Yes. At the Kiena Mine, for example, Praetorian continued after project completion, supporting further improvements to the paste plant and additional capital projects on site.