TECHNICAL ALERT

CONSULTING SERVICES
DEPARTMENT
ALERT NO : 1

ISSUE DATE: 1/27/93

SUBJECT: GROVE Model 887 Surge Relief Valves

SUMMARY

Consulting Services Department has received certified mail from the Grove Valve and
Regulator Company, confirming that the actual flow capacities of Model 887 Surge Relief
Valves are substantially below their original published capacity values.

BACKGROUND

Over the past 3 years, Saudi Aramco has conducted several capacity and performance tests on
Grove Model 887 Surge Relief Valves both at Saudi Aramco facilities and at an independent
flow testing laboratory. These tests confirmed that the actual capacities could be as low as only
50% of the Grove published capacity data and also that the Surge Relief Valves can fail in the
closed position.

CONCERNS

There is a concern that some of Saudi Aramco's pipelines or loading lines may not be
adequately protected by application of Grove Model 887 Surge Relief Valves.

The Grove Valve and Regulator Company confirmed shipment of the following Model 887
Surge Relief Valves to Saudi Aramco facilities:

Purchase Date Qty Serial No. Figure No.

March 1981 2 159822 11414A
March 1981 3 159778 M110385-V
March 1981 4 159779 M110385-V
November 1981 1 160730 11379
January 1982 5 160887 11380B
January 1982 1 161327 11380B
January 1982 3 160886 11380B

Additional Grove Model 887 Surge Relief Valves have been supplied by contracting companies
to Saudi Aramco and it is critical that these are also identified.

RECOMMENDATIONS
We recommend the following action items:

1. Review all applications of Grove Model 887 Surge Relief Valves in each
pipeline or loading line facility and determine actual surge capacity
requirements for each application (i.e. these are normally specified on the
Instrument Specification Sheets (ISS's) of the Surge Relief Valves).

2. Estimate the actual installed surge relief capacity by crediting only 50% of
the capacity data published by Grove Valve and Regulator Company (i.e. this
is based on allowing 10% pressure rise above the surge relief setpoint).

For applications where the estimated surge capacities are marginally close to 50% of the capacity
data published by Grove Valve and Regulator Company, it is recommended to conduct field
capacity tests to ensure that the actual surge relief capacity is adequate.

For applications where the estimated capacity is insufficient, the surge relief system(s) may need
to be upgraded to conform to ANSI/ASME B31.4.-1989, paragraph 402.2.4. Temporary surge
protection means may be accomplished by lowering the surge relief setpoint and/or limiting the
maximum flow in the piping system, to ensure that subject Maximum Allowable Transient
Pressure (MATP) or Maximum Allowable Surge Pressure (MASP) conditions of the pipeline
system can not be exceeded.

In either case we recommend that your surge relief valve applications be reviewed by the
Instrumentation Unit of Consulting Services Department. Contact persons are S.M. Nawaz at
phone 874-4771 and R. Tuin at phone 874-4329.

R.N. Sealy, Manager

Consulting Services Department
DISTRIBUTION LIST
Chief Engineer, E-2580, Dhahran
General Manager, C.A. Project Management, E-6800, Dhahran
General Manager, N.A. Project Management E-6280, Dhahran
General Manager, Pipelines, T-664, Dhahran
General Manager, Ras Tanura Refinery, R-3048, Ras Tanura
General Manager, Refinery Projects, E-6950, Dhahran
General Manager, S.A. Project Management, E-6410, Dhahran
General Manager, Yanbu, Yanbu Pouch
General Manager, Storehouse Ops., B-3122, R-213, Dhahran
Manager, Abqaiq Plant Maint. Dept., Room. 3110, Abqaiq
Manager, Abqaiq Plant Operations Dept., Room. 3110, Abqaiq
Manager, Abqaiq Producing Maint. Dept., E-3280, Abqaiq
Manager, Abqaiq Producing Ops. Dept., E-3280, Abqaiq
Manager, Berri Gas Plant Dept., Box 122, Dhahran
Manager, C.A. Proj. Design & Construction Dept. E-5370, Dhahran
Manager, Central Arabia Projects Dept., E-6540, DH
Manager, Comm. & SCADA Proj. Dept., Bldg3118, Rm 33A, LIP, DH
Manager, Dhahran Utilities Dept., Bldg. 9020, R-1, DH
Manager, East/West Pipelines Dept. T-666, Dhahran
Manager, Facilities Planning Dept., E-4760, DH
Manager, Inspection Department, E-7770, Dhahran
Manager, Ju'aymah Gas Plant Dept., W-3360, Ras Tanura
Manager, Laboratories Dept., Box 62, Dhahran
Manager, Loss Prevention Department, E-1770, Dhahran
Manager, Materials Control Dept. Box 77X, Dhahran
' Manager, Mechanical Services Shops Dept., Box 65, DH
Manager, N.A. Oil & Gas Projects Dept., E-6340, Dhahran
Manager, N.A. Proj. Design & Construction, W-3450, Ras Tanura
Manager, Offshore Projects Dept. E-6320, Dhahran
Manager, Pipelines Maintenance Dept., Box 47, Dhahran
Manager, Pipelines Operations Dept., T-660, Dhahran
Manager, Pipelines Projects Dept., E-2900, Abqaiq
Manager, Process & Control Systems Dept., E-2260, DH
Manager, Purchasing Dept., MSB, R-892A, Dhahran
Manager, Ras Tanura Producing Dept., Rm. 3086-N, Ras Tanura
Manager, Refinery Maintenance Dept., Rm. 3040-N, Ras Tanura
Manager, Refinery Operations Dept., Rm. 3040-N, Ras Tanura
Manager, Refinery Process Plants Projects, E-6950, Dhahran
Manager, Refinery Support Projects, E-6950, Dhahran
Manager, Resource Planning Dept., E-4260, DH
Manager, S.A. Oil & Gas Projects Dept., R-1600, Udhailiyah
Manager, S.A. Producing Engineering Dept., R-3560B, Udhailiyah
Manager, S.A. Proj. Design & Construction Dept. E-6380, Dhahran
Pagel of 2
DISTRIBUTION LIST (cont d.)

Manager, Safaniya Producing Maint. Dept., Box 502, Tanajib Central

Manager, Safaniya Producing Operations Dept. Box 553, Tanajib
Manager, Shedgum Gas Plant Dept., Box 7000, Abqaiq
Manager, Technical Services, ASC Houston
Manager, Terminal Operational Dept., Room N-2046, Ras Tanura
Manager, Terminal Maintenance Dept., Room N-2014, Ras Tanura
Manager, Udhailiyah Producing Maint. Dept., E-3620-B, Abqaiq
Manager, Udhailiyah Producing Ops. Dept. E-3620, Abqaiq
Manager, Uthmaniyah Gas Plant Dept., Box 755, Udhailiyah
Manager, Yanbu Maintenance Dept., Yanbu, Yanbu Pouch
Manager, Yanbu Operations Dept., Yanbu, Yanbu Pouch
Chief Fire Prevention Engineer, Loss Prev. Dept., E-1780, DH
Chief Process Engineer, E-2070, DH
Superintendent, Berri Gas Plant Eng'g. Div., Box 122, Dhahran
Superintendent, Ju'aymah Gas Plant Eng'g Div., Box 8260, Ras Tanura
Superintendent, Shedgum Gas Plant Eng'g. Div., Box 755, Abqaiq
Superintendent, Uthmaniyah Gas Plant Eng'g. Div., Box 755, Udhailiyah
Superintendent, Yånbu Engineering Div., Yanbu, Yanbu Pouch
Superintendent, Material Handling Eng'g./Support Div., B-3122, R-212, Dhahran
General Supervisor, Abqaiq Operations Eng'g. Div., E-3120, Abqaiq
General Supervisor, Abqaiq Plants Operations Eng'g., C-2116, Abqaiq
General Supervisor, RT Producing Ops. Eng'g. Div., Room N-3080, Ras Tanura
General Supervisor, Saf. Producing Ops. Eng'g. Div., Box 574, Tanajib Central
General Supervisor, P/L Ops. Eng'g. Div., T-678, Dhahran
General Supervisor, Refinery Eng'g. Div., Room N-3038, Ras Tanura
General Supervisor, Term. Tech. Svcs. Div., N-2046, Ras Tanura
General Supervisor, Udhailiyah Ops. Eng'g. Div., R-2570, Udhailiyah
Tech. Director, O&GMD, E-2240, DH
Supvr. Technical Information Center, E-3370, DH
Administrator, Materials Standardization Div., B-536, R-14, Dhahran
Division Heads, Consulting Services Department

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