GRA 8508 Governance of Complex Energy Projects

GRA 8508 Governance of Complex Energy Projects

Course code: 
GRA 8508
Department: 
Accounting and Operations Management
Credits: 
5
Course coordinator: 
Tristano Sainati
Erna Engebrethsen
Course name in Norwegian: 
Governance of Complex Energy Projects
Product category: 
Executive
Portfolio: 
MME - MM specialisation in Energy
Semester: 
2026 Autumn
Active status: 
Active
Level of study: 
Master
Teaching language: 
English
Course type: 
One semester
Introduction

This course is part of the Master of Management in Energy in cooperation with BI Norwegian Business School and IFP School.

Development and realization of initiatives within the energy industry is frequently to be done through use of the project approach.
The characteristics of projects requiring high investments, as for example building a new facility or field development, within energy are:

  • Complex
  • Large
  • Extensive use of digital tools and methodologies
  • Long lead time from feasibility to operation
  • International
  • Several stakeholders such as partners, sponsors and contractors

A key element in project success is achieving satisfactory project management and governance. The course focuses primarily on the perspective of the project owner, also referred to as the project client or employer. In energy projects, the typical owner is a utility investing in a portfolio of strategic investments to carry out its operations, including power plants, pipelines, and research and development.

The course provides the principles and tools for selecting the most suitable project proposals, implementing the project governance, and controlling the development of such projects.

Learning outcomes - Knowledge

Students will be able to:

  • Identify and apply the acquired theories and frameworks to processes related to project selection, evaluation, governance, and control.
  • Identify and manage relevant stakeholders and various contractual aspects of energy projects.
  • Apply specific tools and methods for governing energy projects.
Learning outcomes - Skills

Upon completion, the student will be able to:

  • Critically assess and select appropriate project execution models for energy projects.
  • Design project selection criteria aligned with governance and strategic objectives.
  • Analyze governance structures and diagnose governance problems, such as lock-in and misalignment of incentives.
  • Compare alternative contracting structures and evaluate their potential strengths and weaknesses.
General Competence
  • The candidates shall being able to critically review the methodologies and practice on how project governance and strategic project portfolio management are run in different organisations.
  • The candidates are able to critically reflect on the impact of digitalisation, IOT, machine learning, new technologies and legislation changes on the project performance and governance of complex projects.
  • The participants will be able to independently review the necessity of catering for social and environmental sustainability in the project portfolios.
Course content

Key topics include:

  • The characteristics of major capital-intensive complex projects in energy sector
  • Strategic Value and project portfolio management in energy projects
  • Project Planning and Control
  • Procurement of energy projects
  • Contracting in energy projects
  • Governance of energy projects
  • Claim management and dispute resolution in projects
Teaching and learning activities

1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours.

Attendance to all sessions in the course is compulsory. If you have to miss part(s) of the course you must ask in advance for leave of absence. More than 25% absence in a course will require retaking the entire course. It's the student's own responsibility to obtain any information provided in class that is not included on the course homepage/ It's learning or other course materials. Sessions include lectures, seminars and group work. 

Specific information regarding student evaluation beyond the information given in the course description will be provided in class.

The course is a part of a full Master of Management in Energy (MME) and examination in all courses must be passed in order to obtain a certificate.

In all BI Executive courses and programmes, there is a mutual requirement for the student and the course responsible regarding the involvement of the student's experience in the planning and implementation of courses, modules and programmes. This means that the student has the right and duty to get involved with their own knowledge and practice relevance, through the active sharing of their relevant experience and knowledge.

Software tools
No specified computer-based tools are required.
Qualifications

Granted admission to the Master of Management in Energy programme. Please consult our student regulations.

Assessments
Assessments
Exam category: 
Submission
Form of assessment: 
Submission PDF
Exam/hand-in semester: 
First Semester
Weight: 
100
Grouping: 
Group (2 - 6)
Duration: 
4 Week(s)
Comment: 
The students submit a group case presentation, counting 100% of the final grade.
Exam code: 
GRA 85084
Grading scale: 
ECTS
Resit: 
Examination when next scheduled course
Type of Assessment: 
Ordinary examination
Total weight: 
100
Student workload
ActivityDurationComment
Teaching
40 Hour(s)
Student's own work with learning resources
95 Hour(s)
Sum workload: 
135

A course of 1 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of 26-30 hours. Therefore a course of 5 ECTS credit corresponds to a workload of at least 135 hours.

Reading list