SAC- (Standards Cutoff - May 31 2016 ) REV2

SAC INSPECTION CHECKLIST SACIC NUMBER DATE APPROVED QR NUMBER

Review Hardness Testing Procedure - All Applications

SACIC-W-2012 4-Feb-21 WELD-
(Plant Piping, Pipelines, Vessels & Tanks)
PROJECT TITLE WBS / BI / JO NUMBER CONTRACTOR / SUBCONTRACTOR

CONSORTIUM of BRANCH OF SINOHYDRO

KING SALMAN INTERNATIONAL COMPLEX FOR MARITIME INDUSTRIES 25-00053,0004, 0005, CORPORATION COMPANY LTD and
AND SERVICES (MYP) PACKAGE # 4, 5 & 6 0006, 0007 SEPCO ARABIA COMPANY

EQUIPMENT ID NUMBER(S) EQUIPMENT DESCRIPTION EQPT CODE SYSTEM ID. PLANT NO.

LAYOUT DRAWING NUMBER REV. NO. PURCHASE ORDER NUMBER EC / PMCC / MCC NO.

SCHEDULED INSPECTION DATE & TIME ACTUAL INSPECTION DATE & TIME QUANTITY INSP. MH's SPENT TRAVEL TIME
SAUDI ARAMCO USE ONLY
SAC TIP NUMBER SAC ACTIVITY NUMBER WORK PERMIT REQUIRED?

SAUDI ARAMCO INSPECTION LEVEL CONTRACTOR INSPECTION LEVEL

ITEM
ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA REFERENCE PASS FAIL N/A RE-INSP DATE
No.

A GENERAL PROCEDURE REQUIREMENTS

Production Hardness Testing Info (Weld reporting/tracking) shall be

reported in an e-format (Excel, Access, PDF or similar). Data Management
& Tracking System (Database) that must be SA approved prior to start of
SAEP-1160,
A1 work.
Para. 5.1
Note: For fewer than 500 groove/butt weld joints, contractor may use
hardcopy tracking system with approval of SA Insp Dept.using applicable
SACTR for Hardness Test & SACTR-W-2008 Weld Summary Report.
Database for Welding & Hardness Testing) covers two types of welds for
either pressure piping (Plant, Pipelines) or field-erected pressure vessels
and API storage tanks:
SAEP-1160,
A2 A) Full penetration groove & butt weld hardness tests are
Para. 6.2
tracked
B) Socket & Fillet welds (Includes "other" weld or components specified for
Hardness Testing).
CONTRACTOR shall implement an ongoing training program to introduce
A3 and familiarize all personnel with the project quality requirements for their Sch. Q Para 5.15
area of responsibility.

B Procedure Specifies Hardness Testing requirements - Plant Pipining & Pipelines

Procedure covers HT or repairs. Repair welds in cast, forged, or plate
components shall be hardness tested, as specified in paragraph 2.2.7.7, NACE SP0472,
B1
Para 2.2.7.7

Procedure addresses:
1) Hardness testing using Portable TeleBrinell Hardness Tester in
accordance with ASTM E 10 NACE SP0472
B2
2) Hardness testing using comparison hardness tester in accordance with Para 2.2.7.3
ASTM A 833

When necessary, the surface on which the impression is to be made shall

Specification
be filed, ground, machined, or polished with abrasive material so that the
B3 ASTM A 833 Para
edge of the impression shall be defined clearly enough to permit the
4.1.2
measurement of the diameter to the specified accuracy.
Assemble the comparative bar into the apparatus making
sure a minimum distance of no less than 5 mm will exist
Specification
between diameter of the impression to be made and any other
B4 ASTM A 833 para
indentations on the face. Minimum distance of the indentation
6.1
diameter from the edge of the part tested shall be 12.5 mm.

Impression Diameter—The diameter of the impression produced on the

Specification
comparative bar should not exceed 4.2 mm. If a larger impression is
B5 ASTM A 833 para
produced, the comparative bar may give way laterally and the test result
6.2
may be in error.

Determination of Part Hardness—Employing the calibration device

Specification
supplied by the manufacturer for the apparatus, determine the hardness of
B6 ASTM A 833 para
the part by comparing both impression diameters and the hardness of the
6.4
comparative bar.

Saudi Aramco: Company General Use

SAC- (Standards Cutoff - May 31 2016 ) REV2

SAC INSPECTION CHECKLIST SACIC NUMBER DATE APPROVED QR NUMBER

Review Hardness Testing Procedure - All Applications

SACIC-W-2012 4-Feb-21 WELD-
(Plant Piping, Pipelines, Vessels & Tanks)
PROJECT TITLE WBS / BI / JO NUMBER CONTRACTOR / SUBCONTRACTOR

CONSORTIUM of BRANCH OF SINOHYDRO

KING SALMAN INTERNATIONAL COMPLEX FOR MARITIME INDUSTRIES 25-00053,0004, 0005, CORPORATION COMPANY LTD and
AND SERVICES (MYP) PACKAGE # 4, 5 & 6 0006, 0007 SEPCO ARABIA COMPANY

ITEM
ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA REFERENCE PASS FAIL N/A RE-INSP DATE
No.
The report shall include the following information:
1. Indentation hardness number of the component and the Brinell hardness Specification
B7 number of the comparative bar, ASTM A 833 para
2. Identification of the manufacturer’s equipment, and 7.0
3. Diameters of the indentations in the component and comparative bar.
Procedure Specifies Hardness Testing requirements - Pressure Vessels & Tanks
C
Vessel or tank Butt Welds: a minimum of one location per weld seam
shall be HT'd. One HT shall be made each 3 m (10 ft) of weld seam. In VESSELS &
addition, one hardness test shall be made on each nozzle flange-to-neck API
C1 and nozzle neck-to-shell/head weld. TANKS
Note 1: Each weld procedure used shall be hardness tested. NACE SP0472,
Note 2: Each weld is tested at or near middle of weld 2.2.7.4
bead.
VESSELS &
Vessel or tank fillet welds: hardness testing should be done API
when access is feasible. The number of hardness tests and locations TANKS NACE
C2
required shall be approved by the user with NACE SP0472 Para 2.2.7.4 as SP0472, Para
a guide. 2.2.7.5

D Test Result Evaluation and Acceptance Criteria

Hardness Test Acceptance Criteria (Alloy steel @ P-No) per ASME B&PV
Code Section IX. P-Nos meet maximum HBW values :
A) 225 for P-3, P-4, P-10 (A, B, C, F), P-11
PLANT PIPING,
B) 235 for P-5A, P-5B (exception in C below), P-5C, P-6, P-7
VESSELS
Note: P-5C is listed at 241 in ASME B31.3 Heat Treatment
& API
Table C)
D1 TANKS
248 for P-5B for 9Cr-1Mo-V grades (F91, P91, T91, WP91, Gr 9, and
C12A)
(*ISO
Note 1: HBW = Brinell Hardness Value taken @ weld
15156)
Note 2: NACE MR0175/ISO 15156 supersedes ASME
PWHT Table HT values for Item "B" above (235 HBW). Attachment 1 lists
a 241 value D)
REMARKS:

ATTACHMENTS: Attachment 1 - ASME B31.3 (Table 331.1.1, Requirements for Heat Treatment)
Attachment 2 - Attachment 2 - ASTM A 833 – 08a & NACE SP0472, Appendix A (Suggested Guidelines (12-Steps) for Portable Brinell Hardness Testing
(BHT) of Welds)
REFERENCE DOCUMENTS:
1. NACE SP0472 (2010 Edition) Methods and Controls to Prevent In-Service Environmental Cracking of Carbon Steel Weldments in
Corrosive Petroleum Refining Environments
2. Specification ASTM A 833 Standard Practice for Indentation Hardness of Metallic Materials by Comparison Hardness Testers1
3. SAEP-1160 DATABASE, PROCESS CONTROL TRACKING (By Weld) (August 18, 2019)
4. ASME B31.3 (2016 Edition) PROCESS PIPING
5. API Standard 650, Welded Tanks for Oil Storage, Twelfth Edition, January 2016
6. 620 API 2013 ADDENDUM 2018 Design and Construction of Large, Welded, Low- Pressure Storage Tanks
7. ISO 15156 - Petroleum and natural gas industries — Materials for use in H2S-containing environments in oil and gas production (2015 Edition)
Contractor / Third-Party Saudi Aramco
Construction Representative* PMT Representative
Work is Complete and Ready for Inspection: T&I Witnessed QC Record Reviewed Work Verified
Name, Initials and Date: Name, Initials and Date:

QC Inspector PID Representative

Performed Inspection Work / Rework May Proceed T&I Witnessed QC Record Reviewed Work Verified
Name, Initials and Date: Name, Initials and Date:

QC Supervisor Proponent and Others

Quality Record Approved: T&I Witnessed QC Record Reviewed Work Verified
Name, Organization,
Name, Sign and Date:
Initials and Date:

*Person Responsible for Completion of Quality Work / Test Y = YES N = NO F = FAILED

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SAC- (Standards Cutoff - May 31 2016 ) REV 2

SAC INSPECTION CHECKLIST SACIC NUMBER DATE APPROVED QR NUMBER

Review Hardness Testing Procedure - All Applications

SACIC-W-2012 4-Feb-21 WELD-
(Plant Piping, Pipelines, Vessels & Tanks)
Attachment 1

ASME B31.3 Section 331.1.7 Hardness Tests (Mandatory). Hardness tests of production welds and of hot bent and hot formed piping are intended to
verify satisfactory heat treatment. The hardness limit applies to the weld & the heat affected zone (HAZ) tested as close as practicable to the edge of the
weld. (a) Where a hardness limit is specified in Table 331.1.1, at least 10% of welds, hot bends, and hot formed components in each furnace heat treated
batch and 100% of those locally heat treated shall be tested. (b) When dissimilar metals are joined by welding, hardness limits specified for the base and
welding materials in Table 331.1.1 shall be met for each material.

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SAC- (Standards Cutoff - May 31 2016 ) REV 2

SAC INSPECTION CHECKLIST SACIC NUMBER DATE APPROVED QR NUMBER

Review Hardness Testing Procedure - All Applications

SACIC-W-2012 4-Feb-21 WELD-
(Plant Piping, Pipelines, Vessels & Tanks)
Attachment 2 - ASTM A 833 – 08a
Portable Brinell Hardness Testing (BHT) of Welds
1. Finish—When necessary, the surface on which the impression is to be made shall be filed, ground, machined, or polished
with abrasive material so that the edge of the impression shall be defined clearly enough to permit the measurement of the diameter
to the specified accuracy. Take care to avoid overheating or cold working the surface. Sufficient metal shall be removed to eliminate
decarburized metal.

2.Assemble the comparative test bar into the apparatus making sure a minimum distance of no less than 5 mm will exist
between diameter of the impression to be made and any other indentations on the face. Minimum distance of the indentation
diameter from the edge of the part tested shall be 12.5 mm.
3. If the apparatus is equipped with a presetting bar stop, ensure the fixture is properly in place.
4. Ensure that the hardness test block is flat on the test surface.

5.Apply the impact load using a 1 to 21⁄4kg (2 to 5 lb) hammer. It is essential to apply a well guided, short blow in order to avoid a rebound and thus a
double blow that may produce an erroneous result by damaging the sharp edge of the ball impression.

6.Impression Diameter—The diameter of the impression produced on the comparative test bar should not exceed 4.2 mm. If
a larger impression is produced, the comparative bar may give way laterally and the test result may be in error. In this case the
use of the 1500-kg load should be considered (see ASTM A 833-08, para6.2).

7. Measurements— Two diameters of each impression at right angles to each other shall be measured to within 0.05 mm and
their mean value used as the basis for subsequent calculations.
If the two diameter measurements differ by more than 0.1 mm, the readings shall be discarded in accordance with Test
Methods and Definitions A 370, and the test repeated.

8. Determination of Part Hardness—Employing the calibration device or mathematical equation supplied by the manufacturer
for the apparatus, determine the hardness of the part by using both (test bar and part) impression diameters and the hardness of the comparative bar in
accordance with the equipment manufacturer’s instructions.
9. Report: The report shall include the following information. 9.1. Indentation hardness number of the part or component as calculated in 8 with the
designation HBC and the Brinell hardness number of the comparative test bar,
9.1.1. The result shall be written as shown in the following example: 232HBC/240 where 232 is the hardness determined as defined in 8 and 240 is the
Brinell hardness of the comparative test bar.
9.2 Identification of the manufacturer’s equipment, and
9.3 Diameters of the impressions in the part or component and comparative test bar. comparative test bar.

10.Repair welds in cast, forged, or plate components shall be hardness tested, when required, in accordance with the NACE SP 0472 Para 2.2.7.7:

11. All hardness impressions at one test location should have at least 6.4 mm (0.25 in.) between their nearest edges.
12. Replace indenter ball when it is out-of-round. (Inspect & rotate ball regularly, disassemble to rotate & inspect for flat spots)
REFERENCE TEST BAR REQUIREMENTS
Note: Brinell Hardness Testing (BHT) is a self-calibrating method based on hardness impression comparison. Reference bars are M&TE, simply
Calibration standards of "Known" Material Composition & Hardness Values. (SAEP-355, Sect 6)

BHT Reference (Test) Bars are M&TE and shall:

1. Be from a Certified source (QC Record, CMTRs) to attest to their quality & HT Value per their applicable ASTM mfg requirements.
2. Have their hardness value clearly marked at the ends of each bar by the manufacturer.
3. Test Bar Selection (Material type & Hardness value) shall be selected to be "SIMILAR" to the test piece. (SAEP-355, Section 6)
3a. Test Bar Material shall be the same P-No as the Test Piece, unless CSD specifies otherwise.
3b. Test Bar Hardness Value shall be within +/- 10% of Maximum Specified Hardness (either 200 BHN, 225, 235, 248) allowed by SA.

NOTE: SELECT CORRECT "RANGE" OF TEST BARS: A range of test bars (100 - 400 BHN are sold) is required for BHT Test bars for production work
must be within +/- 10% of maximum specified Hardness (200 for Sour Service, ALL PLANT PIPING), 200 for vessel work or as specified in NACE MR
0175 at 225, 235, 248 for alloy steels). Check job specs for Matls to be PWHT (Piping Line Class, Data Sheets) as applicable. Before work begins,
ensure an available range/adequate supply of test bars is based on “KNOWN” material specs (CMTRs).

3c. RETESTING PRACTICE & INVESTIGATION OF UNACCEPTABLE RESULTS (PER STEP # 9) FOLLOW EXAMPLES BELOW

Example 1: A 188 BHN value test bar is used for HT of welds (200 BHN Sour Service line, test bar is P-No-1, within +/- 10% of max BHN). Test results
show 159 BHN value. Per Step # 9 of procedure, the result is invalid & retesting is required & should be performed with a bar of a hardness value closer
to 159 BHN value to obtain a valid result, even if it is below 200. Retests with same bar will result in retesting (over & over again). Per CSD, this general
retest policy is waived and is unnecessary as the final result will be under 200 & acceptable.

Example 2: Same 188 BHN value test bar is used for testing (235 BHN P-No 5 Heater Tubes ASTM A335, bar is the wrong P-No mat'l & not within +/-
10% of Max BHN value). Test bar must be selected per Example # 1 & P-No 5 Test bars of higher HT value are needed.

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(Plant Piping, Pipelines, Vessels & Tanks)

Example 3: A 225 BHN value test bar is obtained for testing Example # 2 Heater Tubes (P-5 mat'l within +/- 10% of Max BHN value). Weld readings (U-
bends) show 351 BHN value. Metallurgical Investigation of U-bends & welds finds all sampled readings (300+) using correct range of test bars.
Investigation follows. CSD rejects the welds & requires PWHT & RT (disposition). Further investigation revealed that the Heater Tubes (over 3,000 total)
were never PWHT'd, yet all had been accepted by HT reports using Equotip method. See Checklist Item D7.

Alternative Hardness Testing Equipment (2 Approved by CSD) for Branch Connection & Fillet welds, etc
1. Krautkramer Microdur 10 (MIC-10) is one of two equipment types allowed. Rebound type or Leeb portable testers that use spring-loaded probes
(specifically Proceq Equotip and others) are prohibited for use in SA. (See SAEP-355, Para. 6.2.1). Krautkramer Microdur MIC 10 portable hardness
testers require a careful selection of interchangeable probes to obtain Hardness readings from welds with geometries inaccessible to BHT (branch
connections, fillets, curved/convex surfaces, etc). Provide/document/demonstrate operator training. Careful test surface prep (fine grind/finish, 400 grit per
CSD for reliable result) is required. Verify 10% of MIC-10 readings by BHT comparison. (Once daily with testing/minimum). Take BHT readings as
close as possible to MIC-10 readings, accuracy to be within 10% with acceptable BHT results. (NACE MR0175, , owner/user option for alternative
equip).
2. MIC-20 & later generations of Krautkramer Microdur technology can be applied
(pending CSD approval).

1a. Krautkramer Microdur 10 (MIC-10) Manual Probes req'd for tight convex geometries are: Article (Model) MIC 201/ 205 with Test Load 10 N (1
kgf) / 50N (5 kgf). Portable kits must have calibration standards of known Rockwell Hardness, Hardness Conversion Tables, instructions & laminated
cards for calibration (Keep these on site with equipment to demonstrate calibration accuracy)

2. MiniBrineller (a miniature version of the Telebrinell) is also acceptable per CSD. Information on these unit complete kits can be obtained @
http://www.ndtech.net/products/minibrineller.html Verify 5-10% of Minibrineller readings by BHT (Telebrinell), same as MIC-10.

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