Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Contents
1 Scope……………………………………………... 2
2 Purpose…………………………………………… 2
3 Conflicts and Deviations………………………… 2
4 Applicable Documents………………………….. 3
5 Definitions………………………………………… 3
6 Violations Definitions……………………………. 4
7 Instructions……………………………………….. 5
8 Responsibilities………………………………….. 8
9 Cancelled Quality Notifications……………….. 10
1 Scope
1.1 This Procedure establishes instructions for escalation of unresolved quality issues
in Saudi Aramco projects including delinquent quality concern notifications.
2 Purpose
2.1.2 Clearly define the corporate process for project quality issue escalation
including its documentation, requirements and definition of violation
categories, systems and procedures.
2.1.3 Ensure roles and responsibilities for project quality issue escalation are
well defined and auditable.
2.2 The intent of quality issue notification is to report and record quality or technical
deficiencies, determine the root cause of the problem, record the actions taken to
correct non-conformities, avoid recurrence and enhance overall project quality.
3.1 Any conflict between this procedure and other applicable Mandatory Saudi
Aramco Engineering Requirement (MSAER) shall be resolved in writing
through the Chairman, Inspection Engineering Standards Committee (IESC).
3.2 Direct all requests to deviate from this procedure in writing to the Manager,
Inspection Department of Saudi Aramco, Dhahran.
Page 2 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
4 Applicable Documents
The applicable requirements in the latest edition of the following Saudi Aramco
Engineering Procedures, Schedule “Q” and General Instructions (GIs) shall be
considered an integral part of this procedure.
5 Definitions
LBE: Logbook Entries (First level of reporting quality deficiency using Manual
Logbook or the Quality Management Information System, QMIS)
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Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
NCR: Non Conformance Report (Issued by Saudi Aramco through SAP QM).
6 Violations Definitions
Page 4 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
the structural integrity of the next phase will be jeopardized. Such violation if not
corrected in a timely manner will lead to more severe damage or complexity.
2) Any violation to Schedule Q.
Commentary Note:
Minor violations related to Schedule Q listed in Appendix D are excluded from this
definition.
7 Instructions
Page 5 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
7.2 Agreed Completion Date (ACD) for LBEs, NCRs and Worksheets
7.2.1 PID PQM, SAPMT Senior Project Engineer or Lead Project Engineer and
the Contractor Quality Representative are responsible for determining the
initial Agreed Completion Date (ACD) for LBEs, NCRs and Worksheets.
For example the NCR shall not exceed the maximum period including
any one-time extension.
In case a conflict on establishing the new ACD extension date, the PMT
Department Manager shall make the final decision.
Page 6 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
7.3.5 When an Internal NCR has been issued by the Contractor’s QC, Saudi
Aramco quality notification shall be recorded by PID in the “General
Comments” category of the QMIS, for the purpose of Lessons Learned
collection. The QMIS entry shall be closed when the internal NCR is
completed or when escalated to SA NCR due to non-compliance within
the ACD.
Page 7 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
7.5.3 Repeat of Moderate or Major violation within six (6) months will result
to a Quality Notification starting at the next higher level of Violation
Category and Notification. Repeat of a Minor violation due to
negligence shall be considered as Moderate violation.
7.5.5 Valid NCR shall be escalated to a Worksheet (WS) when any of the
following applies:
7.5.6 A Worksheet that was not resolved on or before the ACD, including the
approved extension period (if extension is approved), shall be escalated
to Delinquent Worksheet, after discussing and notifying the relevant
PMT representative.
7.5.7 Once the project reaches its MCC stage, all open LBEs, NCRs,
Worksheets and DWS shall be transferred to MPCS. Items required for
start-up or impacting safety are to be marked as ‘YES’ Items. All other
items shall be designated as ‘No’ Items.
8 Responsibilities
8.1.1 Reviews and approves or rejects PMT request to extend ACD for
Worksheets
Page 8 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
8.2.3 Reviews and may grant one-time approval of ACD extension prior to
escalation of valid NCR
8.2.4 Decides cases of violations not clearly defined in Section 6 and not listed
in Appendix D “Examples of Violations and Escalation Steps”
8.4 SAPMT
8.4.2 Approves valid NCRs initiated by Inspection Department within five (5)
working days.
Page 9 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
8.4.4 PMOD shall track and report percentage of Project Quality Notification
completion in monthly bases for major violations.
Submitted quality notifications in SAP QM shall not be marked for deletion without
proper justification approved by PID Division Head. The approved justification shall
be attached in the quality notification being “marked for deletion”.
Revision Summary
28 January 2012 New Saudi Aramco Engineering Procedure.
17 March 2013 Minor revision to provide clarification on selected sections.
11 February 2016 Minor revision: 1- to establish the ACD completion date for each violation category and
2- Advancing the notification of DWS02 to Sr. VP of Technical Services.
Page 10 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
Page 11 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
Contractor’s INCR
Yes
Yes
One-time
Repeat INCR? Completed on
No No extension No
w/in 6 Months ACD?
granted?
Yes
Yes Yes
Completed
Reported by
No No on Extension Yes
Contractor?
Date?
Yes
Completed on Yes
ACD?
No
One-time
Completed on
extension Yes Yes
Extension date?
granted?
No
No
Follow the
Quality Issue
Close INCR & QMIS
Reporting
Process
Page 12 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
Page 13 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
ESCALATION MATRIX
Recommended Phase for
S/N Sample Violation Violation Category
Proactive Notification
Job X/Kick-off/Weekly QC
1. Forged Quality Documents Major
Meetings
Procurement and/or Installation of counterfeit materials
classified as inspectable per SAEP-1151 Job X/Kick-off/Weekly QC
2. Major
Note: For non-inspectable materials, PQM decides on Meetings
the initial Violation Category
Starting a project which excludes ANY Mandatory
Saudi Aramco Engineering Requirement (MSAER),
3. without securing the required waiver approved by Job X/Kick-off Meetings Major
applicable management level authority.
Unavailability of approved Contractor QA Manager or Job X/Kick-off Meetings/
4. Contractor QC Manager Moderate
Weekly QC Meetings
Commencing of Special Process activity as specified in Job X/Kick-off/Weekly QC
5. Schedule Q without approved procedures/personnel Moderate
Meetings
Concrete or Asphalt placement without pre-approval of Kick off Meetings/Weekly
6. the batching plant or mix design QC meetings Moderate
Page 14 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
ESCALATION MATRIX
Recommended Phase for
S/N Sample Violation Violation Category
Proactive Notification
20. Insufficient QC Manpower (Deficiency < 10% of Plan) Job X / Kick-off Meetings Minor
Legend:
L = e-Log Book entry
N = Non-Conformance Report (Q8 Notification)
W = Worksheet (Q9 Notification)
Page 15 of 17
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
Initiator Inspector PID Supervisor PQM PID Div. Head ID Dept. Mgr. Chief Engineer
Approver Field Sr. Project Eng. PID Div. Head ID Dept. Mgr. Chief Engineer ES VP
Supervisor
Recipient Project Contractor PMT Dept. Mgr. PMT Gen. Mgr. Vice President, TS Sr. VP
Engineer Representative PMT
Project Quality Project Manager PMT General Manager PMT VP Technical Services PM VP
Manager (GM) ES VP Sr. VP
Interested Sr. Proj. Eng. Proponent Site Rep. Dept. Manager for ID Chief Engineer, ES VP PMT GM
Parties Project Manger PMT GM Chief Engineer
PID Supervisor Division Head, PID Project Manager Dept. Mangers for Dept. Managers for Dept. Mangers for
Proponent Site Rep. PMT & Proponent Proponent, ID, PMT Proponent, ID, PMT
Page 16 of 17
*Contractor INCR will be escalated to Aramco Worksheet for Moderate and Major Violations if ACD is not been met since contractor has been giving the time but he did not
correct his problems.
Document Responsibility: Project Quality Standards Committee SAEP-381
Issue Date: 11 February 2016
Next Planned Update: 28 January 2017 Project Quality Issues Escalation Process
Appendix F - Index
1 Scope………………………………………………………………………..…………… 2
2 Purpose……………………………………………………..…………………………… 2
3 Conflicts and Deviations………………………..……………………………………… 2
4 Applicable Documents……………………………………………………………..…… 3
5 Definitions……………………………………………………………………...………… 3
6 Violations Definitions…………………………………………………………………… 4
7 Instructions……………………………………………………….……………………… 5
8 Responsibilities…………………………………………….…………………………… 8
9 Cancelled Quality Notifications………………….…………………………………… 10
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