Commissioning

The likelihood of commissioning success is quite low if not enough time is given for planning and preparations, or if the competency of the team was not adequate in the early planning and preparation phase.

Engaging our commissioning team early enough keeps a consistent focus on the facility start-up sequence as project passes through the EPC phase. This approach brings seamless alignment and greater predictability by catching issues early and mitigating them to achieve an effective transition from the construction phase to full operations.

Key Components of commissioning scope / specifications are definition of all systems to be commissioned, which includes detailed list of mechanical, electrical, piping/pipeline, F&G, HVAC, safety and automation systems to be tested. Clear definition of roles and responsibilities must be established.

Testing procedures & Acceptance criteria are defined by means of detailed step-by-step methods for verifying performance and the benchmarks for success.

Mandatory documentation and deliverables must be produced during this phase.

Schedule alignment: Specific milestones for commissioning activities (e.g., factory testing vs. on-site) occurs relative to construction.

The execution strategy outlines the high-level approach, goals, and methodologies. It is a systematic, quality-focused process designed to ensure that industrial facilities are designed, installed, tested, and operated in accordance with the project specification. A successful strategy ensures an integrated, proactive approach starting at the early phase of the project. The Commissioning Execution Plan is a detailed document that translates the strategy into actionable steps.

Start-Up sequence is sequential logic ensuring that dependent systems start in the correct, pre-defined order. Start-Up sequence is being validated through commissioning.

A typical Start-Up sequence will begin with safety systems and utilities. After that process systems are introduced together with control/automation.

To ensure that the construction schedule will not jeopardize the commissioning schedule, it must be checked and reviewed at an early stage by linking it to the commissioning schedule to determine if there are any gaps. This review can give a good indication of when the overall transition from area-based to system-based construction should occur, based on maintaining the commissioning end target date.

After all heavy components and major piping have been installed, commissioning packages and activities become drivers for the sequence of construction work. From that point in time, it is hugely beneficial to switch construction schedule from area-based to system-based and align it with commissioning schedule.

Moreover, approximately the last 20% of the construction work scope progress (including pre-commissioning) shall be reported by system, to make sure construction priorities are driven in detailed by the commissioning sequences to be implemented.

Probably the single most important element of the up-front commissioning work in the engineering phase of the project is identification of sub-systems and mark-up drawings by discipline.

The definition of these is going to dictate priorities within construction (mechanical completion), in what sequence commissioning will be executed, how procedures are written and how everything will be logically linked in the schedule.

It will even dictate necessary engineering changes to facilitate effective commissioning. A very important prerequisite in getting this right is a well-advanced set of engineering drawings such as P&IDs, electrical single line diagrams and ICSS architecture.

The sub-systems and mark-up drawings form the basis for all handovers and takeovers. The marked-up drawing needs to be filled into related commissioning dossier.

The management of temporary installations and equipment during the commissioning phase is a critical process designed to safely transition a project from construction to operation, ensuring all temporary systems (power, water, air, etc.) are properly installed, maintained, and removed without damaging the permanent equipment. Every temporary installation begins with planning and setup. After that comes mandatory inspection and testing, operational management and removal and reinstatement.

To regularly monitor and control the work as the work progresses, a set of KPI’s must be established.

Standard set of KPI’s

• KPI 1 – Number of handed over systems / sub-systems from construction to commissioning and in progress by commissioning. (Handovers)
• KPI 2 – Number of delayed or advanced handed over systems from construction to commissioning
• KPI 3 – Number of systems / sub-systems completed by commissioning (and punch list items outstanding)
• KPI 4 – Number of systems / sub-systems fully completed by commissioning and ready for handover to operations
• KPI 5 – Number of systems / sub-systems taken over by operations. (Takeovers)

The overall scope of commissioning needs to be assessed, in terms of the number of ITR’s to be produced. Progress reporting is mainly based on number ITR’s complete vs number of ITR’s to be overall produced for each system. In parallel to this, progress shall be also assessed with a manhours’ evaluation. Percentage of tasks completed is better suited for mechanical completion progress and manhours-based progress is better suited for commissioning because commissioning activities are more time consuming.

Detailed planning of commissioning activities is of paramount importance, to achieve start-up schedule targets and drive the prioritization of construction and pre-commissioning efforts. This needs to be according to the defined start up and acceptance strategy and start up sequence. The numbered commissioning packages form the basis for the commissioning schedule.

Vendor packages and tagged items need to be tested to the maximum in the manufacturer premises prior to shipping to demonstrate that they are fabricated correctly as per design.

These tests are finalized through factory acceptance tests (FAT) and extended factory acceptance tests (EFAT).

These activities usually include energized and operational tests of the relevant packages and equipment, according to contractual requirements.

Reviewing vendor engineering documentation and vendor follow-up during the equipment fabrication.

Coordination between various vendors and FAT and SAT procedures review.

On-site assistance to pre-commissioning and commissioning, site acceptance testing, start-up assistance and first-usage monitoring.

Services that our commissioning workforce provide include installation assistance to pre-commissioning and commissioning, site acceptance testing, start-up assistance and first-usage monitoring. They have experience ensuring that all systems and components of the project are designed, installed, tested, operated, and maintained according to client’s operational requirements.

Management of completions management system (CMS) is basically tracking and verifying all mechanical completion and commissioning activities for complex projects. This system acts as a real time follow up of all activities from paper-based records to a digital database. It is the road to efficient handovers.

Site visits planning with detailed scope and objectives. On site assistance during SAT execution. Ensure all SAT results are documented, evaluated, and signed off.

Commissioning dossiers need to be developed as per client specifications.

Dossiers act as a comprehensive record of ITR’s, test procedures and as-built documentation.