preFEEDFEED

preFEEDFEED is a term used in project management and process engineering to describe an enhanced approach to the pre-front-end engineering design phase. It combines the ideas of pre-FEED with an intentional, repeated feedback loop to refine scope, technology choices, and cost estimates before formal FEED work begins. The term is not an official standard and its meaning can vary between organizations.

The intent is to reduce risk and changes later in the project by ensuring stakeholders, data, and options are aligned early. Typical activities include scoping workshops, feasibility and concept selection, initial process simulations, high-level equipment lists, risk analysis, and preliminary cost estimates. Feedback is captured from technical, safety, and commercial perspectives and used to converge on a preferred concept.

Practices and tools associated with preFEEDFEED often involve structured workshops, a common data environment, and digital collaboration platforms, enabling iterative updates of the reference design and cost baselines. In industry, the term may appear in internal methodologies, vendor proposals, or case studies, particularly in oil and gas, petrochemicals, and heavy industries. Because it lacks universal standardization, firms adopting it typically provide their own definitions and criteria for success. Critics note that without clear scope and governance, preFEEDFEED can blur lines between phases and create confusion with established pre-FEED and FEED processes.