Evaluation of Factors Influencing Timely Delivery of Natural Gas Pipeline Projects in Niger Delta Zone of Nigeria.

This study evaluated factors that influence timely delivery of natural gas pipeline projects in Niger Delta zone of Nigeria. The objectives are to: determine if there is any variation in the time objectives of gas pipeline projects executed by Oilserv Nigeria limited; examine the individual effect of the identified factors on timely delivery of the natural gas pipeline projects in the Niger Delta Zone of Nigeria; ascertain whether the collective effect of identified factors on timely delivery of the natural gas pipeline projects in the Niger Delta zone of Nigeria is significant or not. The literature study reveals that the main factors influencing the timely delivery of natural gas pipeline projects include construction issues, administration and management issues, contract award, financial and economic issues, and design-related issues. The survey was conducted via administering questionnaires. Multiple regression analysis and descriptive statistics were used to analyze collected data. Results show that most of the projects suffered time overruns. The timely delivery of natural gas pipeline projects in the zone was influenced by the factors both individually and jointly. Hence, the study recommends that project teams should enhance their organizational knowledge, planning and scheduling skills, supervise subcontractors on site properly, provide sufficient funding, strictly adhere to existing laws and regulations, and accurately design construction projects while taking the unique characteristics of the project locations into account. Ultimately, it is imperative that project managers, team members, and other key stakeholders have sufficient training in managing conflicts that frequently develop throughout project operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]