ASME B-31.4, Applicable Area 1

[spipeliner]

Hi all,
I am working in a consulting engineers company in the field of oil and gas. Now adays we are designing an oil and gasoil pumping station. I believe that inside and also outside liquid hydrocarbon pumping stations, ASME B31.4 is applicable for piping and pipeline (both), but the owner believe that insde pumping station should be in accordance with B31.3 and outside ASME B31.3. I also read scope of B31.4, But I want to be sure that I am true. So I need your help. Thank you indeed.

 

[BigInch]

B31.4 applies to all hydrocarbon lines and pumping equipment inside pump stations as well as to the pipelines outside the station. Read the SCOPE section and look at the accompanying diagram where pump stations and pipeine facilities are clearly delineated and shown to be within the scope of the specification.

Even in portions of facilites not specifically designated or named as "pump stations", ie, a "liquids handling plant" or other such facility, where pumps, relief valves, control valves and other equipment that control pipeline pressures are present, B31.4 can be and is often the regulatory required design code that must be used to design that specific pipeline related equipment, while B31.3 may be used for other non-pipeline related equipment. For that reason, it is often more convenient to designate a separate pipeline pump station unit that actually lays within the overall bounds of such plants to clearly delineate regulatory responsibilities in the future, should various questions be asked by the regulatory authorities at a later date.