Chemical Plant Construction Piping Progress BASIC Question 1

[advsign2]

Dear all experienced experts,

I am a process engineer, but I am on loan to assist the project construction management team for a new chemical plant being constructed.

I have been assigned to monitor contractor installation of piping systems and to project the completion. I am very very new to this side of a chemical plant. I am a process guy meaning give me a plant to operate. So....

Current progress measurement is DIA = Inch Diameter

As we all know a chemical plant has pipes with various dimensions of piping. ISSUE: The contractors chose to tackle the large bore piping systems first to give Inch Diameter Progress, so progress looks great... BUT.... progress will eventually slow due to this method because the smaller bore will consume more time to construct. So...... how does one suggest to measure progress that will allow for a method to project how long it will take for completion?


Thanks in Advance!

 

[bimr]

A true comparison would probably be the weld length or pipe circumference.

 

[EdStainless]

Have they broken out the BOM by size?
So you know roughly how much footage of each size there is.
Then you can look at estimates of how many welds there are for each size.
That way you can track by percentage of completion.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[pennpiper]

The method of progress measurement should be established before the Installation Contract is Awarded. It sounds like you did not do that and now you are at the murcy of the Installation Contractor and there is not much you can do about it.

In the future you should give this a lot of thought and make it fit the project parameters.
Example:
- Pipeline - Lineal % measurement of installed vs Total
- In Plant Process Unit - Total piping broken down by different categories (% of each of the total) Such as:
(a) Above Ground Large Bore Lineal measurement + Welds + Hydro - % of the total
(b) Above Ground small Bore (Screwed & SW) Lineal measurement + Hydro - % of the total
(c) Underground piping (All sizes) all sizes + Hydro or Service Test - % of the total

Hydrotest - Successful Hydro of systems vs total. Based on a factor split of (a)/(b)/ (c)

If the project is 60% 'Large bore (LB)' facility then Category (a) would be a larger % of the total but 100% of LB installed and tested would still only be 60% of the total.

Adjust the percentages to fit your project based on size, material, and construction factors. Don't assume "what you used on the last project is good enough so let's use use it on this project".

Document your measurement method (with specific examples) in your Installation Contract and stick to it. Make sure it is simple, but effective. Simple for the Contractor to use and report and effective for you (the Engineering Contractor) and the Client to understand, trust and verify.


Sometimes its possible to do all the right things and still get bad results

 

[racookpe1978]

In their defense, you really do fabricate and install the "big pipes" first because tehy are the most difficult to lift, to fit around and into the pipe racks and equipment, and are the most difficult to fabricate and move each spoolpiece. Otherwise, you are trying to move a 40 foot 32 inch dia pipe around a bunch of cut-to-fit-the-the-other-pipe small bore pipes and pipe hangers.

So, get the BOM list, and start independently counting "spools fabricated". Are they demanding to be paid by "inches" or weight of pipe?

 

[advsign2]

They are being paid by inches wielded.

 

[bimr]

Why do you post "the smaller bore will consume more time to construct"? Are you referring to a greater number of smaller pipes than larger pipes?

 

[DekDee]

bimr,
To fit and weld a 12" joint would generally be much quicker than fitting and welding 6 x 2" joints or 12 x 1" joints (obviously schedule of pipe comes in to the equation as well)
Cheers,
DD

 

[bimr]

The question was addressed to the OP to understand his reasoning. The plant that his is constructing may have mostly large pipe or mostly small pipe, or any combination in between.

 

[hahor]

advsign2,

what kind of contract do you have? Progess Measurement is easy when you have a times & material contract based on Labor Time Values (John Page or any other system).

But maybe that's beyond your control at this point in time.

Kind Regards,
hahor

 

[Bobby156]

Your project planner should determine the total figure of DIA. what needs to be erected. Devide that by construction time you have. Identify how many dia inch a welder can weld per day (~10-20). Count how many welders you have on job site. The construction is driven by the schedule and location. Your Subcon. wants to make much money in a short period.