^{BY MATTHIEU ITART-LONGUEVILLE - STRATEGIC DEVELOPMENT MANAGER at agap2 Energy & Environment}

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Changes in the sector are affecting the way projects are managed

The market is being transformed by more stringent European regulations, the urgency of climate change and the low-carbon transition. Investment is increasing in renewable energies, electricity infrastructure, decarbonised gases and environmental activities, but the same pressures remain. The stakeholders in the sector have to reconcile connection, network stability, storage, quality, costs and deadlines.

To meet this challenge, industrialists can no longer be satisfied with general service providers. They need a partner who understands both the depth of the market issues and the operational requirements in the field. The challenge is not just to add expertise, but to ensure continuity throughout the entire life cycle.

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“At agap2, we support stakeholders in the sector across the entire energy mix, including renewable and conventional energy, electricity infrastructure and the environment. By mobilising qualified, skilled talent and operational expertise, we help our customers to meet the sector’s key challenges. - Matthieu ITART-LONGUEVILLE

agap2 Energy & Environment has structured its response around four areas of expertise: project design and sizing from the study phase, safeguarding procurement and the supply chain,monitoring the execution of works and maintenance, and end-to-end management of complex projects.

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Designing and sizing projects from the study phase onwards

The acceleration of modern energy projects (capture and storage of CO₂, production of green gas, development of new electricity infrastructures, etc.) presents the upstream engineering phase with a very real challenge: how can new processes be integrated into demanding industrial environments without shifting the risk to the execution or commissioning phases and without impacting the cost - quality - deadline triangle?

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”Upstream engineering is not a cost, it’s an insurance policy. Every hour invested in the design phase saves ten hours of correction time in the execution phase.”
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agap2’s response consists of intervening at an early stage, when the most decisive choices are being made, in the technical disciplines appropriate to the project: definition of the specifications for the installations and their equipment, development of technical solutions (diagrams, layouts, functional criteria and multi-technical architectures), carrying out dimensioning studies, development of digital models, continuous improvement of technical solutions by incorporating technological innovations and regulatory changes

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For example, as part of a CO₂ capture and storage project in the UK with Technip Energies, agap2 was involved in the analysis and full validation of the CO₂ packages (compression and associated systems). The teams reviewed the equipment datasheets, calculated the Heat & Material Balances, checked compliance with API/ASME standards, dealt with technical discrepancies with suppliers and ensured integration into the P&IDs and the 3D model up to the FAT/SAT. This upstream work made it possible to ensure the performance of critical equipment, control process and HSE risks in the design phase, and seamlessly integrate the CO₂ packages throughout the project engineering.

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Safeguarding the supply chain for high-stakes projects

In projects in the energy and environment sector, the purchasing and supply chain is as crucial to meeting deadlines as technical quality. Equipment delivered out-of-specification, a supplier with manufacturing delays and poorly structured calls for tenders that generate disputes during the execution phase are all risks that have a direct impact on budgets, schedules and the final quality of installations.

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”Controlling the supply chain means protecting the overall performance of the project.”
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agap2 Energy & Environment mobilises purchasing and supply chain experts capable of intervening at every stage, from defining the procurement strategy, drafting calls for tender and technical specifications to sourcing and qualifying suppliers, monitoring manufacturing and expediting critical equipment. The link between engineering, purchasing and site execution is maintained on a continuous basis, limiting gaps in information and risks concerning interactions between teams.

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In this context, agap2 was commissioned by Natran to structure its purchasing strategy for a multi-year programme of work on the gas transmission networks. agap2 managed the entire process from defining the sourcing strategy and conducting calls for tender to evaluating and selecting service providers, monitoring contract performance and providing feedback. The results are more than positive: 16 contracts worth a total of €33 million, including four strategic framework contracts, and a structured supplier KPI system for long-term performance management. Natran now has a robust contractual basis for managing its works programmes with reliability and budget predictability.

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Managing implementation, commissioning and maintenance to guarantee performance over the long term

The industrial transformation of energy sites (refinery conversions, gas installation retrofits, deployment of new renewable capacities, etc.) generates high-risk execution phases. Coordinating dozens of people working on the same site, managing changes during the course of a project and restarting units when they are only partially operational are all parameters that generate operational complexity, requiring experienced staff who are capable of meeting HSE commitments while protecting the cost - quality - deadline triangle.

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”Between a well-designed project and a site that performs, there’s execution. That’s where it all comes together, and that's where you need the right profiles."
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The agap2 Energy & Environment teams include works supervisors, commissioning engineers and maintenance specialists capable of handling the most critical phases. Whether it’s managing multi-skilled conversion work, coordinating the commissioning of new equipment or structuring the preventive and corrective maintenance of a fleet of assets, they rely on their expertise in operational control and documentation management to guarantee continuity of operation and regulatory compliance.

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For SUEZ, agap2 has structured the maintenance of more than 1,000 items of equipment (pumping stations, valves, pumps, compressors, etc.) spread over 15 stations and 19 structures: deployment of a new preventive maintenance plan, migration from CMMS to IPOP Maximo, implementation of condition-based maintenance, preparation for ISO 55001 certification. The benefits are tangible: more reliable asset management, enhanced documentary traceability and guaranteed business continuity for operators in the field.

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‍Structuring and managing complex projects from start to finish

Major energy programmes mobilise dozens of participants over long periods of time, in multi-contractual contexts with high budgetary and scheduling stakes. Without robust project governance, interfaces become blurred, responsibilities overlap and drift accumulates. The value of an experienced project manager or PMO is measured by their ability to anticipate conflicts, successfully meet contractual milestones and maintain a consolidated view of the entire programme.

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”The complexity of a project is not an obstacle in itself. It only becomes a risk when it is not governed.”
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Thanks to its expert project managers, PMOs and contract managers, agap2 Energy & Environment takes charge of the end-to-end governance of a programme from initial scoping to contract closure, including interface management, budgetary control and reports for decision-making. Our mastery of tools (MS Project, Primavera, SAP) is combined with sector-specific experience that enables us to anticipate the risks specific to energy and infrastructure projects.

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For Elogen, a French manufacturer of PEM electrolysers, agap2 took charge of the complete management of the development project for a 2.5 MW unit: drafting of general specifications, selection and negotiation of the subcontractor, supervision of its multidisciplinary activities (electricity, civil engineering, structures, piping, etc.) while ensuring the consistency of deliverables with the end customer. The results are measurable: €150k in contractual savings and a 25% reduction in document processing times.

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agap2, a partner throughout the life cycle of an energy transition project

Given the increasing complexity of technical, regulatory and contractual environments, performance in energy projects no longer relies on isolated expertise. It is based on the ability to coordinate several skills in a coherent, logical manner and to keep them connected throughout the duration of the project.

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At agap2 Energy & Environment, our approach is based on an integrated vision of the project life cycle. We are involved from the design and engineering phases through to commissioning, maintenance and overall project management. This continuity ensures technical, documentary and contractual consistency, while limiting breaks between the different stages.

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”Our added value lies not only in our technical expertise. It lies in our ability to link up the issues, anticipate critical interfaces and ensure the smooth-running of the entire project trajectory.”

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In a sector where the margins for error are shrinking and demands are constantly rising, structuring is becoming a strategic lever. This is the structure that agap2 Energy & Environment brings to its partners to transform complexity into sustainable performance.

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Are you involved in a transformation, infrastructure or operational project? Contact us.

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ABOUT MATTHIEU
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A graduate of NEOMA Business School (Grande École programme, 2019), Matthieu began his career at agap2 in 2020 as a Business Engineer in the energy sector, in charge of business development, customer account management and consultant management.

He gradually took on broader responsibilities as head of department, where he structured and managed a team dedicated to energy and environment activities. Since January 2024, he has been Key Activity Manager E&E France, based in Lyon, with responsibility for developing the agap2 Energy & Environment offer nationwide, by strengthening key account partnerships, structuring responses to complex projects and coordinating the division’s business expertise.

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