Commodity Code in Line Designation Table (LDT) 1

[kiade]

Hi ALL,
As I know people used to separate or categorize the lines in the line list (LDT) based on their commodity (fluid which is flowing in the line) code. Is there any firm reason(s) for this separation or what’s going to happen if a person doesn’t follow this rule? I have seen a lot of fluids which are people have some different opinion about the flowing commodity and then they put them on in the different commodity groups.
Thanks,

 

[pennpiper]

Kiade,
You wrote the following:
"Is there any firm reason(s) for this separation or what’s going to happen if a person doesn’t follow this rule?"

This actual contains three important issues.
1). "this rule" - I listed this first because the listing of a commodity code as a part of the pipe line identification is NOT a rule. The pipe line identification may include many or just a few elements. What elements are (or are not) included is driven first by the wishes and needs of (a) the Client/Operating Company and to a lesser degree by the needs of (b) the Engineering and construction company. Again there is no industry wide "Rule".

2). "What's going to happen if a person doesn't follow this (format)" - Do you mean a person who does not include the commodity code after the Client has stated (in the project specifications) that it shall be included as a part of the pipe line identification? If this is the case then the person will be spoken to and possibly be made an offer they can't afford to refuse. Follow the project specifications!

3). "Is there any firm reason(s) for this separation" - There are a number of elements that can be included in a pipe line identification standard.
The elements of a line number may be arranged and look something like this:

10-0021-CA1A-12”- IH –ST
or
HC-1021-CA1A-12”- IH –ST -The Bold portion is the actual line number or line identification. It is much like a person’s first, middle and last name. All the other information is considered a minor qualifier some what like a person’s height, weight or profession.
Where:
10 = the plant Unit, Area or jurisdiction (mandatory) (1)
Or
HC- = the commodity code for what is in the line (1)
0021 (or 1021) = the numeric line number (mandatory)
CA1A = the line class (mandatory)
12” = the line size (mandatory)
IH = Hot Insulation (only when required) (2)
ST = Steam Tracing (only when required) (3)

(1) – Unit and Area includes the division between onsite and offsite. Jurisdiction includes the division of work between a licensor and the prime contractor. When the commodity code method is used then the leading number of the numeric portion of the line would be used for Area/Unit separation.
(2) - Other types of insulation include IC = Cold Insulation, IS = Safety Insulation, IA = Acoustic (or Sound) Insulation, etc.
(3) - Other types of tracing include: ET = Electric Tracing, CWT = Chill Water Tracing, TT = Thermon (Hot Oil) Tracing, etc.

When people ask me what I recommend this is what I tell them. But I also tell them there is NO firm Rule and the needs of the project must be followed.

 

[pennpiper]

Sorry I forgot to finish point 3).
Reason for the "separation"
The reason for the elements in the pipe line identification and the separation is to allow ALL columns to be sortable.
These fields are important to all the Piping groups on the project. They are also important to others.
Such as:
What lines are:
- commodity - Cooling Water? (Scope of work for Start-up package)
- material - CA1A? (Scope of work for field welds in field installation)
- pipe size - 3" and larger? (Scope of work for Shop Fabrication)
- traced? (Scope of work for Tracer contract)
- insulated? (scope of work for Insulation sub-contract)

The data in the Line List (or what ever you call it) is important and contributes real value to the project if it is prepared and maintained correctly.

 

[kiade]

Pennpiper thank you for your replies.
I am so familiar with LDT. My main point is, from piping engineer point of view, if process define different commodity code is it a concern/ for you? For example, considering “steam" commodity code for a line number instead of "steam condensate" or another example, considering "fuel gas" for "steam" service. Does it affect your work as a piping engineer and let say as a person who should have dealt with the mechanical specification of pipes. Thank you again

 

[pennpiper]

If you are going to use "Commodity Codes" (CC) as a part of your pipe line identification then I suggest you do the following.
- The primary service of the line governs.
- Steam = S
- Steam Low Pressure = SL
- Steam Medium Pressure = SM
- Steam High Pressure = SH
- Condensate (Steam) = CN
- Hydrocarbon = HC
- Instrument Air = IA
- Fuel Gas = FG
- Flare = FL

etc
Make a list of all the commodities from all the projects you have had in the past five years, weed out the duplicates and review it with Process and come to an agreement. Then for each new project where CC is required submit the "Company Standard to the Client for their review, comment and/or approval.

Having said all this I want to make my position clear. Unless the Client absolutely wants CC as a part of the pipe line identification on P&IDs and Piping Drawings I am not in favor of including it.