Reciprocating Compressor – Delivering Quality

Resident surveyor for client’s compressor installations.

The Project

The client approached REV to provide a resident surveyor responsible for the quality and specification adherence of multiple new API-618 reciprocating compressors on a site in Northern France

We became involved towards the end of the product design stage due to concerns from the client that the equipment would not adhere to the contract specification. Our scope was to liaise with the OEM on the client’s behalf, ensuring that the products received would meet their requirements.

Scope of Engineering Works Our Approach The Results

Initially we reviewed the contract, highlighting points of concern to ensure that the completed product would adhere to the requirements of API-618, and the client’s petrochemical standards and specifications.

Our involvement centered around the inspection of the equipment being manufactured, providing services to ensure the product met the client’s expectation. It quickly became apparent that there were various issues with the initial design, and we worked closely with the OEM to ensure that all challenges were overcome, reducing potential delays and protecting our client’s interest.

We acted as our client’s representative at the Factory Acceptance Testing of the new equipment, certifying performance prior to the equipment’s installation at site. Our work through the manufacturing and testing process ensured that our clients expectations were met.

After the commissioning was completed, our client experienced issues relating to high vibration levels, and requested that we attend site to conduct a full investigation. REV identified the cause of the high vibration as the client’s process control combined with inadequate support for the pulsation dampers and provided an engineering solution to ensure the continued safe operation of the equipment.

We ensured that all the equipment was delivered to the program, meeting the performance and quality requirements set out by the contract, while conforming to industrial standards relating to operation and safety.

We worked closely with both our client and the OEM to ensure that a collective solution was found to challenges, reducing project delay and protecting the integrity of the asset.

Our follow up vibration analysis provided an engineering solution that would ensure the safe operation and reliability of the machines over the equipment’s entire lifespan.

The project was delivered according to the client’s requirements, we reduced potential delays by identifying specification errors and working closely with the OEM. Our work ensured that the client had safe, reliable assets whilst also avoiding any further contractual litigation.