Process Commissioning

Process commissioning services are provided by Global Solutions Engineering

(GENG). Process commissioning occurs between the time construction is
complete and plant startup commences. During this period process
commissioning managers are occupied with the task o ensuring the acilities
have been constructed and assembled according to the engineering design and
the e!uipment manuacturer"s directions.
#eore any process commissioning activities can be undertaken$ procedures
that describe in detail how the various tests will be conducted and evaluated
must be written. %he process commissioning procedures must also describe
saety precautions that must be taken beore$ during$ and ater the
commissioning process. GENG provides !ualiied and e&perienced
commissioning engineers and specialists in process commissioning to speciy
the tests to be conducted and to then ollow the progress o this work in the
ield.
Process commissioning begins with a detailed plan to synchroni'e
construction turnover o process units with the commissioning eort as
described or plant start(up. )hen construction on each process unit is
declared as complete$ process commission activities can then begin. Pro*ect
planning sotware$ such as Primavera$ can be used to organi'e and control the
commissioning process$ so that resources can be scheduled and deployed in
the most eective way to ensure that all elements are eventually commissioned
and declared operable.
+ust as with the actual construction o the process acility$ process
commissioning is a comple& activity covering all aspects o the newly
constructed acilities. %he ob*ective is to ensure that the e!uipment has been
properly installed and is ready to receive process materials and operate as
originally conceived.
Each element o the process unit is e&amined and tested. Process control
valves must be stroked$ sensors and analy'ers must be calibrated$ relie valve
settings must be checked$ and controller tuning coeicients must be checked.
Piping and e!uipment must be either hydrostatically tested or tested with inert
gas to ind and eliminate any leaks that might occur. %ramp metal collectors
must be installed at critical locations in the piping system to prevent damage to
pumps and control valves. ,nsulation must be inspected and steam tracing
tested.
Electrical connections must be checked and electrical e!uipment tested where
and when it can be done saely. -otating e!uipment must be checked or
alignment and manually rotated to ensure there are no intererences. Electrical
motors need to be run to ensure the connections are correctly installed and that
the motor rotates in the right direction.
.ny deects ound during the commissioning process must be corrected by the
contractor beore the process unit commissioning can be declared as complete.
%roubleshooting guides should be prepared or mechanical e!uipment to help
identiy and correct any mechanical malunctions that might occur.
. ma*or part o process commissioning is in preparing the operating instructions
or the startup o the process. %he procedures or a newly constructed plant
oten dier rom the procedures that would be placed in service ater a
successul production campaign. ,n the case o a newly constructed plant$ the
procedure may call or each upstream unit to be brought up to operating
temperatures and pressure and held or a period o time to validate the integrity
o the unit beore process material is allowed to low to the ne&t downstream
unit. GENG can provide e&perienced and skilled operators to undertake this
initial startup$ and can maintain the operation until the process stabili'es and
the regular operators are prepared to take over.
Should problems develop during the startup phase$ written plans and
procedures should be in place to empty each process unit in a sae and
environmentally compliant manner so that whatever problems occurred can be
i&ed.
Process %echnical Services has the management e&pertise and the skilled and
e&perienced engineers and specialists to handle all aspects o process
commissioning and plant startup. GENG operates as the pro*ect owner"s
representative in all respects.