Determining the “correct” amount of effort and detail required for a particular project’s Preliminary Engineering Report (PER) can be a challenge. It’s easy to think “preliminary” means a general, broad overview of project considerations, however, a better way to think of it is “what must be known to get started”. Each project must be considered separately so that experience or pressure to keep cost down does not obscure the level of detail or breadth of considerations appropriate to prepare a useful PER that sets the project up for success. Failure to correctly identify and characterize relevant project considerations at early stages can impact cost opinions, schedules, feasibility, or the useful service life of a project. Key areas that are often overlooked include: • Design Criteria for all operational situations both current and future • Process impacts upstream and downstream • Hydraulics • Layout and spacing of infrastructure and equipment for operations, maintainability, constructability, and replacement • Site Considerations including geotechnical, population in the vicinity, public perception At the end of this presentation, participants will gain a deeper understanding of how a PER is a foundational document that contains the foundational thinking, analysis, conclusions, and recommendations that starts a project in the right direction, all the way to completion.