OIL & GAS INSPECTION SERVICES
Inspection
CIS offer a full range of inspection services, which can be employed either in conjunction with Expediting or as a separate function. The extent of the inspection work is normally agreed upon with the Client prior to the placing of contract orders, to meet either international Standards appertaining to the contract, or the specific requirements of the Client.
The service can be modified as necessary during the period of the contract to accommodate revised Client requirements and/or overcome shortcomings, which are frequently encountered, in the manufacturers' facilities.
Our experience ensures that the extent of inspection is kept to a minimum since we are qualified to assess both the standard of Quality Assurance provided by manufacturers and the degree of Inspection required to meet international or other standards imposed by the Client.
Furthermore, substantial savings in cost of inspection can be achieved provided manufacturers' International Quality Assurance Procedures are of a sufficiently high caliber to reduce the requirement for outside inspection.
Our inspection Staff comprises qualified Engineers, most of whom have specialist knowledge resulting from shop floor experience in their particular field. We have, for many years, been retained by our existing Clients to carry out inspection of a wide range of mechanical, electrical and electronic equipment, verify manufacturers' Quality Assurance Procedures against specific requirements, witness performance tests and ensure the adequate provision and efficient transmittal of inspection/test documentation.
All specialist inspection procedures, including ultrasonic/radiographic examinations, etc., can be included in our overall inspection service and our Engineers are available at short notice to carry out inspections anywhere in the world.
We measure our effectiveness by our ability to provide a service specifically tailored to our Client' requirements and are rewarded by their continued satisfaction with the savings they have secured through our efforts in ensuring that all problems have been resolved before equipment is received on site.
The extent of inspection can vary considerably dependent upon many factors and can be comprehensive or selective by incorporating any or all of the following functions:
- • Ensure that all contract specification requirements are fully understood
by manufacturers and list areas of doubt or non-compliance. This is
usually carried out at the commencement of a contract, so that by the
time equipment is offered for inspection there are no anomalies or
misunderstandings - • Vet manufacturers' internal Inspection/Quality Assurance Procedures
and specify improvements, where necessary, to meet contract or
national/international standards - • Ensure adequate inspection documentationcertification is available at
manufacturers - • Witness material tests on components and raw materials and ensure
issue of relevant certificates - • Verify that manufacturers' test data is in compliance with specification
- • Make dimensional examinations of components/assemblies
- • Witness N.D.T. of material/components and ensure issue of relevant
certificates - • Ensure that all labour used throughout manufacture is qualified in
accordance with contract requirements - • Inspect work during all or part stages of manufacture within the
manufacturers' workshops - • Inspect/control Weld Procedures during manufacture and test welders
as required - • Examine radiographs and detect weld cracks
- • Verify stress relieving operations and obtain the necessary
documentary evidence - • Inspect surface finish to agreed standards
- • Inspect surface preparation for priming/paint application
- • Verify that paint application is to agreed specification
- • Inspect surface preparation for application of rust preventatives
- • Witness operational/performance tests
- • Prepare or vet inspection/test certificates and release certificates
- • Ensure prompt and efficient issue/distribution of inspection/test/
release certificates - • Inspect packing case construction and materials
- • Inspect/control shipping specifications, contents listing/marking and
case markings
Inspection procedures
At the start of every contract, the contract engineer concerned will:
- • Establish exactly the material being supplied, and determine, from the
Client's instructions, the extent of inspection required - • Obtain from the specification, details of the extent of operational,
pressure, material tests, etc., and discuss these with the manufacturer
prior to drawing up the inspection procedure - • Determine the facilities available at the Manufacturers' works, and
hence the extent of tests which they normally apply. In addition, the
extent of pre-erection in the works should be discussed; this may be a
limiting factor on pre-shipment inspection - • Confirm that the inspection/test procedures proposed by the
manufacturer are adequate to cover those laid down in the specification,
or in our Inspection Procedure, and that the type of documentation
normally supplied by the Manufacturer is satisfactory
Expediting
Expediting is a comprehensive service embracing many aspects - commencing with the placing of the contract, or in some cases even earlier - up to and including site erection and commissioning.
This is a positive function, prompt remedial action is taken when delays, or the possibility of delays, are encountered. Action is taken as a matter of course, up to and including Managing Director level, to ensure that the contract is maintained to program, with plant and equipment delivered to site in the correct sequence and in accordance with the site erection program.
Initial action consists of discussing the requirements of the order and client's specification, and working through the relevant correspondence to determine what design queries, etc, are currently outstanding. These are then listed in our reports, together with a note who is responsible for actioning each particular query. Subsequent correspondence is checked at each visit, and the outstanding query situation is kept up-to-date.
In many instances, the manufacturer is responsible for submitting documents to the Client for approval, e.g. schedules, drawings, welding procedures, and instructions in respect of packing and shipping methods, etc. and it is part of our service to ensure that all required documents are issued within the scheduled time-scale. We also endeavour to ensure that the time taken by the Client for review and approval of drawings does not result in a schedule restraint. It is at the drawing office stage that many serious delays occur, and we pay particular attention to the scheduling and issuing of manufacturing drawings and works' instructions.
Experience has shown that it is vital to make detailed analysis of all sub-contracts and to act according to the requirements of each in relation to the main contract, since it is obvious that the failure of any subcontractor to meet its scheduled delivery could not only affect, but wreck, the delivery schedule of the major shipment.
Complete manufacturing programs are obtained and reviewed. If, in our opinion, the manufacturer has insufficient capacity or labour to maintain the program outlined, then this is brought to the attention of the management with a request that extraordinary measures should be taken, including the provision of extra shifts or even sub-letting parts to other manufacturers. The manufacturing program is reviewed at each visit and the information obtained is verified by visits to the shop floor, which enable us to estimate whether or not the time allowed for the remaining operation is reasonable.
Particular attention is paid to shipping, especially when equipment is destined to ports where there is an infrequent service. We keep abreast of the shipping situation and are therefore able to suggest to the manufacturers target vessels which would give satisfactory on site delivery. Packing and marking is checked and the job is followed through until equipment is loaded on board. Details of items shipped on a particular vessel, sailing dates, estimated arrival dates, etc, are given in our reports.
Reports back from site indicating progress and/or any special requirements are welcomed since this can often assist the effectiveness of our service. The above gives a brief resume of the service which we are normally requested to provide but which can be, and often are, tailored to meet the requirements of individual clients. The method of reporting and frequency of visits is arranged to suit the Client; though we prefer to provide detailed reports on a regular monthly basis together with a summary which gives the general picture.
Expediting procedures
CIS aim to provide a positive and comprehensive service, the objective of which is to ensure that equipment is delivered on site on time, in the correct sequence and in good condition, in order that the Client's overall program can be maintained and the planned start-up date achieved.
Expediting is a positive function, with remedial action on the spot wherever practicable when delays or potential delays become apparent.
It must be accepted that Expediting involves areas where there can be no hard and fast 'rules' to follow. This is particularly relevant where personalities and interpersonal relationships become involved, which often happens in this field of activity.
Each Expeditor must approach each job in a manner which will yield the best results.
