Samuel Bentil

Samuel has advised on and supported clients with ongoing construction projects, including reviewing contractor-submitted monthly schedule analyses to ensure compliance with contract requirements, investigating and reviewing submitted contractor variation requests, and advising contract managers on the merits and demerits of submitted contractor claims.

Samuel aims to assist his clients in avoiding or quickly resolving any claims on medium, large, and mega and advocates for early resolution of claims to prevent escalation to disputes. Samuel is the author of the upcoming book “Avoid Construction Disputes – 10 Principles to Collaborate Effectively to achieve on-Time and on-Budget Project Objectives”, which addresses the underlying causes of the increasing number of construction disputes globally, focusing on cost and schedule overruns. It proposes ten principles that, if followed, would help stakeholders in the construction industry collaborate effectively to achieve on-time and on-budget project objectives and prevent disputes.

Samuel’s experience covers a wide range of industries and iconic projects with values of up to $15 billion, including natural gas, oil and gas, power, infrastructure, rail, mining, healthcare, and building sectors in Canada and various other jurisdictions. He has worked for both owners and contractors.

A selection of Samuel’s experience includes:

Advisory, Claims, and Project Management

• Iconic $15 billion LNG Canada Project, Kitimat, British Columbia, Canada: Advised the client regarding monthly submitted contractor schedules, reviewed contractor variation submissions, including COVID-19 impact claims, performed delay analysis on monthly schedules, and advised contract managers of demerits and merits of submitted contractor claims on an ongoing live project.
• The $1.6 billion City of Ottawa, Stage 2 Trillium Line Extension Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Advised client on delays and performed detailed productivity analysis and schedule delay analysis to determine the contractor’s productivity performance trends and schedule performance before and after COVID-19.
• The $2.57 billion City of Ottawa, Stage Two Confederation Line Extension LRT Project, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Advised client on contractor performance and conducted a detailed productivity analysis and schedule delay analysis to establish the contractor’s productivity performance trends and schedule performance before and after COVID-19.
• The $16 billion Peace River Hydro Partners, Site C Clean Energy Project, Fort St. John, Northeastern British Columbia, Canada: Advised the client and investigated delays in the main civil works contract conducted by the contractor in phase one of a hydroelectric dam project. Reviewed the impact of delays caused by permitting issues and change orders.
• The $30 billion Trans Mountain Expansion Pipeline Project, Alberta, Canada: Assisted to prepare a multimillion dollar claim for client brought against contractor for unproductive, inefficient, and negligent work. The original budget of the project was $6 billion but ballooned to $36 billion and owner was looking for opportunities to claim back some costs paid to Contractor.
• Metro Vancouver Regional District, Sapperton Pump Station Replacement Project, New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada: Advised a client on contractor submitted claims and performed investigations and critical path method (CPM) delay analysis to determine the merits of a $700,000 delay claim brought against the client by the main contractor for delays incurred during project execution.
• Capital Region District of Victoria, McLoughlin Point Wastewater Treatment Plant, Esquimalt, Victoria, Canada: Advised the client on delay claims and performed investigations and schedule analysis for a claim brought against the client by the main contractor.
• SITE Resources Group, Husky Spruce Lake Central Thermal Project, Spruce Lake, Alberta, Canada: Performed investigations, data analysis, change order analysis, and cause-and-effect analysis to support the contractors’ $15 million delay impact claim against the owner for delays and disruption encountered during the construction of a 17-kilometer pipeline. The claim involved unforeseen subsurface conditions that impacted the contractor’s planned construction sequence.
• Inbex, West Block Demolition and Abatement, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Performed claim investigations, change order analysis, review of meeting minutes, and schedule delay analysis in support of a $5 million claim brought against the main contractor. The project involved asbestos abatement, interior renovations to house offices for Members of Parliament, and the exterior restoration of building components. The issues included the delayed impact of unforeseen asbestos removal.
• MasTec Canada, Maritime Link, Newfoundland and Labrador, and Nova Scotia, Canada: Performed change order analysis, productivity analysis, and other investigations in support of a $20 million extension of time and impact claim brought by the client against the electrical contractor on the Maritime Link project.
• Barrick Gold, Nickel Plate Mine TSF Wall Buttress Project, Hedley, British Columbia Canada: Performed claim investigations and causation analysis in support of main Contractor’s $13 million claim against owner for delay and disruption events which impacted contractor’s productivity and ability to timely complete civil earthworks during the construction of a buttress wall to stabilize the Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) Stabilization project at the Nickel Plate Mine (NPM) near Hedley, British Columbia.
• Banro Mining Corporation, Twangiza Gold Mining Project: Developed overall project plan and schedule for construction and commissioning of the process plant and mine infrastructure to support the operations of 10Mt per annum gold mine.