CPB 20004

Chapter 4
Plant Commissioning
Refining Plant
Refining Plant Layout
 Plant Commissioning
• is a systematic quality oriented process that begins
at project inception.
• Commissioning verifies that the design meets the
needs and functions of the facility, verifies that the
project performs as designed and intended
• prepares the customer to effectively and efficiently
maintain the facility for its service life.
• The commissioning process includes specific tasks
that must be done in a specific order.
 Plant Commissioning
Any project will go through four major phases:

a) Design.
b) Installation & Construction.
c) Commissioning.
d) System Start Up, Operation & Maintenance.
Commissioning Span of
Control
 Plant Commissioning
A successful plant commission has at least three parts:-

1.No Loss Time Accidents.

– No commissioning can be considered a success if it is not done safely. Safety
has to be stressed from the very beginning of the design, construction and
commissioning.
2. No equipment damage
– this function of many disciplines, design, construction and commissioning team.
3. On test product within a reasonable period.
– Less than two days would be considered very good, seven days would be
acceptable, and above fourteen days would be less than acceptable. One of the
best for a large ethylene plant was 28 hours; one of not as successful for an
ethylene plant was 34 days.
 Commissioning Phase
There are three major stages during the
commissioning phases. Each phase consists of
a logical progression of steps necessary to
verify that installed plant is fully functional and
fit for its design and operational purposes :

a) Pre-Commissioning.
b) Actual Commissioning.
c) Plant Trial Run.
 a) Pre-Commissioning
The objective of pre-commissioning is to ensure
that the plant is brought into prod. without risk
to :-
• the personnel
• the environment
• the equipment.
 a) Pre-Commissioning
1. System Configuration Check

• Verify all pipe work and connections within the entire

system are as per the approved P & ID and relevant
design drawings.
• Perform visual inspections on equipment and pipe
works to ensure they are clean, properly installed and
with professional finishing.
P& ID( Piping & Instrument
Diagram)
 a) Pre-Commissioning
2. Instrumentation System Check

• Verify all alarms settings and signals on

instrumentation are function as intended.

• Verify relevant signals from the field instrumentation

are displayed locally, and on their corresponding
control panels.

• Verify all instrumentation devices are properly

calibrated.
 a) Pre-Commissioning
3. Flushing and Cleaning of Lines and Vessels

• To internally clean up all pipe works and pressure vessels, ensuring no

obstructions, blockages or any potential contaminants in the process lines or
vessels as a result of poor house keeping during the construction phase.

• After flushing, it is important to ensure all pipelines and equipment are

thoroughly dried off, especially if any water incompatible chemicals are being
introduced to them during commissioning.
(This is normally prevented by using dry air to clean the pipes or vessels,
instead of water).
 a) Pre-Commissioning

4. Start Up & Shut Down Protocol

• To provide a guide line and concept for system

isolations, commissioning sequences, testing period,
etc, prior to actual commissioning.
 a) Pre-Commissioning

• List of Commissioning Items by KLM Group

 b) Actual Commissioning
1. Equipment Testing – Energisation & Dynamic Testing
• This involves the test of equipment performances. Equipment
such as pumps, heat exchangers, cooling towers, etc will be run
individually for certain period of time, and its performances will
be checked against design specifications.

2. System Functional Testing

• Individual plant system will be run and all mechanical & electrical
items within that particular system will be checked to ensure the
entire system is function as per its design concept.
 c) Plant Trail Run

• The entire plant will be put into operation. All

system involves will be run concurrently to
simulate actual plant operation condition.

• Plant final output will be verified.

 Personnel Requirements

The following personnel shall participate and

witness the commissioning of plant equipment
and system :
a) The Final Plant Operator (Client).
b) The Main Contractor.
c) The Original Equipment Manufacturer.
d) Local Authority ( Such as BOMBA).
e) Third Party Consultants (Normally Engaged by Client).
 Commissioning Certificate
• When equipment or a system is commissioned
successfully, a certificate will be issued to justify its
functionality and performances. This certificate is
normally issued by the Client to the contractor. This
certificate is referred as Commissioning Certificate

• If local authorities are involve in the approval process,

such as the plant fire fighting system where BOMBA
will have the final jurisdiction on the system, this
certificate has to be approved by them as well.
 Provisional Acceptance
Certificate (PAC)
• PAC - Provisional Acceptance Certificates.
This document is issued by the clients to the
contractor once trial run is completed
successfully. This certificate is an indication of
accepting the plant temporarily based on the
positive outcomes from the trial run.
 Warranty Period
• For any project, the contractor is normally
contractually obligated to give warranty on
plant equipment and system performances to
its clients, at a period mutually agreed by both
parties. The time frame normally ranges from 1
to 3 years, and is referred as Warranty Period.

• It is the responsibilities of the contractor to

repair the equipment and resolve any issues
affecting the plant performances without any
cost to its client, if such occurrences happen
during the warranty period.
 Hand Over
Upon completion of the warranty period, and if
there is no issues arise on the plant operations
and performances, Final Acceptance
Certificate ( FAC) will be issued to the
contractor. The plant is considered handover
officially to the client.
Start-up and Commissioning apply to
• Individual items of plant,
– eg.
• Boilers
• Instrument air compressors etc
Delays in Startup & Commissioning;

More expensive!

• Low start-ups reduce the Return on Investment

– delayed revenue stream
– Increased cost of delivery
– Financial viability

• Causes of delays:
75% due to equipment malfunction
20% from inadequate (not enough) equipment
5% from process malfunction