This Glossary of engineering terms provides definitions of common industry terms used by engineering companies. It is presented by Fluor as an easy reference source for media professionals and other members of the public. 

BPSD or B/SD

Barrels per standard day.

Catalytic Cracking

The process of breaking up heavier hydrocarbon molecules into lighter hydrocarbon fractions by using heat and catalysts.

Cogeneration

The use of a single facility to simultaneously produce power and heat or steam.

CC

Cubic centimeters.

CFM

Cubic feet per minute.

D&D

Decontamination and decommissioning.

Decommissioning

The retirement of a facility, including decontamination and/or dismantlement.

Decontamination

The removal of unwanted hazardous contamination by a chemical or mechanical process.

Design-Build

A system of contracting under which one entity performs both architecture/engineering and construction under one single contract.

Downstream

The refining or process of crude oil into finished fuel products.

E&C

Engineering and construction.

E,P & C

Engineering, procurement and construction.

E,P,C & M

Engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance.

Fast Track

A scheduling process in which design and construction activities overlap. Design documents and equipment and trade subcontracts are released in phases.

FEED

Front-end engineering and design.

Feedstock

Stock from which material is taken to be fed into a processing unit.

FEMA

Federal Emergency Management Agency.

Fixed Cost

An expenditure or expense that does not vary with volume level of activity.

Greenfield

A project located on semirural property that is undeveloped except for agricultural use, especially one considered as a site for expanding urban development.

HOV

High occupancy vehicle.

LOI

Letter of intent.

LNG

Liquefied natural gas.

Lump-Sum Turnkey Project

Fixed price project for which all components are within a single supplier's responsibility.

MOU

Memorandum of understanding.

O&M

Operations and maintenance.

PPB

Parts per billion.

SCFD

Standard cubic feet per day.

SNG

Synthetic natural gas.

Spent Fuel

Irradiated fuel that is permanently discharged from a nuclear reactor. Except for possible reprocessing, this fuel must eventually be removed from its temporary storage location at the reactor site and placed in a permanent repository.

Turnkey Project

A project in which all components are within a single supplier's responsibility.

TIC

Total installed cost.

Upstream

The exploration, production, and transportation of oil and gas.