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IPC Blackrod SAGD: Vendor Accountability Enforced Pre-Startup

How Arbiter's digital check sheet system caught a critical flame detector discrepancy before first fire, and compiled the full audit trail instantly.

IPC
Energy · SAGD · Alberta Oil Sands
Pre-startup Commissioning

Project Overview

Client
IPC (Inter Pipeline Corporation)
Project Type
SAGD Facility, Alberta Oil Sands
Scope
Pre-startup commissioning and vendor accountability
Result
Critical safety discrepancy identified and resolved before first fire

The Challenge

In the final weeks before startup on the Blackrod SAGD facility, IPC's commissioning team faced a familiar but high-stakes problem: dozens of vendors, hundreds of check sheets, and no reliable way to verify that every item had been inspected, signed off, and traced back to the responsible party. Paper-based processes made it nearly impossible to identify gaps before they became startup liabilities.

How Arbiter Was Used

Arbiter's SoftChecks module was deployed across the full commissioning scope, replacing paper check sheets with mobile-capable digital forms that worked offline in the field. Every check sheet was tied to a vendor, a tag number, and a responsible inspector. Actions and Deficiencies were logged in real time, automatically assigned, and tracked to closure. The Dossier module compiled the full audit trail on demand.

The Outcome

During a final pre-startup walkdown, Arbiter's system flagged a flame detector discrepancy that had not been signed off by the responsible vendor. The issue was identified, escalated, and resolved before first fire. The full audit trail, including who inspected, when, and what action was taken, was compiled instantly for the client's records. What would have taken days of manual document retrieval took minutes.

Key Results

1
Critical deficiency caught before startup
100%
Audit trail compiled instantly
0
Delays to first fire schedule
"

Arbiter gave us the visibility we needed in the final stretch. Every vendor action was tracked, every discrepancy was flagged, and when we needed the audit trail it was ready in minutes, not days.

Commissioning Manager, IPC Blackrod SAGD Project

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