Managing Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning Projects - A Chemical Engineer's Guide (2022)

Managing Engineering, Procurement, Construction,
and Commissioning Projects

Managing Engineering, Procurement,
Construction, and Commissioning Projects
A Chemical Engineer’s Guide
Avinashkumar V. Karre
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v
Contents
Preface xi
Part I Introduction to EPCC Industry 1
1 Introduction 3
1.1 What Is EPCC Industry 3
1.2 Types of Projects 4
1.2.1 Cost of a Project 5
1.2.2 Purpose of a Project 7
1.2.3 Engineering Needs 8
1.2.4 Licensors Need 8
1.2.5 Profit Based 8
1.2.6 Schedule Based 9
1.3 Function of Different Disciplines 9
1.4 Different Phases of the Project 11
1.5 Importance of Chemical Process Engineers 14
1.6 Interaction with Operating Industry or Customers 15
1.7 Interaction with Vendors 15
1.8 Workshare with Multiple Offices 17
1.8.1 Importance of Workshare 17
1.8.1.1 Low-Cost Services 17
1.8.1.2 Labor Shortages 18
1.8.1.3 Level the Workload 18
1.8.1.4 Time Differences in Countries 18
1.8.2 Types of Workshares 19
1.8.2.1 Workshare with an Individual 19
1.8.2.2 Workshare a Piece of a Project 19
1.8.2.3 Workshare Part of the Engineering Team 19
vi Contents
Part II Roles of Chemical Engineers in Different Phases of

the Project 21
2 Phase 1 (Scope Planning) 23

2.1 Perform Feasibility Studies 23
2.1.1 Study Types 23
2.1.2 Study Duration 24
2.2 Interaction with Customer, Recommendations, and Meetings 24
2.3 Preparation of Preliminary Scope Reports 25
2.3.1 Assumptions Required 25
2.3.2 Basis of Design Document 26
2.3.2.1 Contents 26
2.3.2.2 Comparison of Study Report with the Design Basis Document 26
2.3.2.3 Basis of the Equipment 26
2.3.2.4 Report Format 27
2.3.2.5 Study Report Tracking 27
2.4 Technology Selection 28
2.4.1 Technology Options 28
2.4.2 Meeting Between Customer and EPCC 28
2.4.3 Initiate a Study Contract with Technology Companies 28
2.4.4 Review Report from Technology Companies 29
2.4.5 Customer and EPCC Make a Technology Selection 30
2.4.6 Technology Selection Based on Other Criteria 30
3 Phase 2 (Scope Definition) 31

3.1 Develop a Block-Flow Diagram 31
3.1.1 What Is a Block-Flow Diagram (BFD) 31
3.1.2 Information Needed to Develop a BFD 31
3.1.3 Utility Block-Flow Diagrams 31
3.1.4 Examples 31
3.1.5 Uses of BFD and UBFDs 31
3.2 Develop a Process-Flow Diagram 32
3.2.1 What Is Process-Flow Diagram 32
3.2.2 Information Needed to Develop a PFD 33
3.2.3 Utility Flow Diagrams 35
3.2.4 Example 35
3.2.5 Uses of PFD and UFD 35
3.2.6 Distinguishing New Scope from Existing 35
3.2.7 Revisions to the PFDs and UFDs 36
3.2.8 Titleblock for the PFD 36
3.3 Prepare IFE Quality P&IDs 36
3.3.1 IFE Quality P&IDs 36
3.3.2 Uses of IFE P&IDs 37
3.3.2.1 General Uses 37
3.3.2.2 Estimating Uses for Phase 2 Estimate 37
Contents vii
3.3.2.3 Reviews with the Customer 37

3.3.3 Example of a P&ID 38
3.4 Identify Major Pieces of Equipment, Instruments, and Electrical 38
3.4.1 Identification of Major Pieces of Equipment 38
3.4.2 Controls and Electrical Estimate 39
3.4.3 Mechanical Engineering Estimate 39
3.5 Estimate Preliminary Sizing of Major Equipment and Instruments 40
3.5.1 Preliminary Sizing of Major Equipment 40
3.5.2 Instrument Sizing 41
3.5.3 Estimation of Electrical Loads Based on Preliminary Horsepower 41
3.6 Metallurgy Selection of Major Equipment 42
3.6.1 Provide Preliminary Information on the Stream 42
3.6.2 Special Consideration for the Metallurgy 43
3.6.3 Most of the Services in Refinery Are Carbon Steel 43
3.6.4 Importance of a Metallurgy 44
3.7 Complete Simulations for Different Cases and Prepare IFE Quality
HMB 45
3.8 Complete Studies 47
3.9 Preliminary Estimate of Utility Summary 47
3.9.1 Introduction to Utility Summary 47
3.9.2 Use of Utility Summary and Value Plus Suggestions 47
3.10 Participation in LOPA 49
3.10.1 What Is LOPA 49
3.10.2 Format of LOPA 49
3.10.3 LOPA Team 49
3.10.4 Difference Between LOPA and HAZOP 49
3.11 Prepare IFE Quality Design Basis 50
4 Phase 3 (Scope Development) 51

4.1 Perform Detailed Hydraulics 51
4.1.1 What Is Detailed Hydraulics 51
4.1.2 Examples of Criticality of Hydraulics 52
4.1.3 Importance of Design Safety Margin 52
4.1.4 Battery Limit Table Coupled with Hydraulics 53
4.1.5 Line Sizing Criteria for Hydraulics 54
4.2 Detail Design of Other Equipment 54
4.2.1 Heat Exchangers 54
4.2.2 Vessels 56
4.2.3 Columns 56
4.3 Input to Line List and the Process 57
4.4 Create Change Orders and Report Any Changes to Project 63
4.5 Process Data for Inline Instruments 64
4.5.1 Input to Inline Instrument Datasheets 64
4.5.2 How Process Engineers Get the Data 64
4.5.3 How Control System Use the Data 65
viii Contents
4.5.4 Data Checking and Work Process 65

4.6 Prepare Preliminary Safety Valve Evaluations 66
4.7 Prepare and Issue Equipment Datasheets 68
4.8 Communication with Other Disciplines, Projects, and the Customer 70
4.9 Participate in HAZOP 70
4.10 Follow Up and Implementation of HAZOP Items 71
4.11 Issue and Prepare IFR/IFH/IFA/IFD Quality P&IDs/PFDs/MSDs
(Including Tie-in/Demo P&IDs) 72
4.12 Complete and Lead Line-by-Line Reviews of P&IDs 73
4.13 Prepare IFD Quality Design Basis 74
4.14 Issue IFD HMBs 74
4.15 Utility Summary IFD 75
4.16 Prepare DPDT Diagrams 75
4.17 Prepare Material Selection Diagram 76
4.18 Drafting of the Drawings and Backchecking 77
4.19 Input to 30% Model Reviews and Plot Plan Development 79
4.20 Input to Cost Estimate 80
4.21 Budget Estimate, Schedule, and Staffing Plan 80
4.21.1 Interactive Schedule Planning Meetings 80
4.21.2 Budget Preparation 81
4.21.3 Schedule and Dates 81
4.21.4 Staffing Plan 81
4.21.5 Project Status Progress and Tracking 86
4.22 Lead Workshare Meetings 87
4.23 Input to Internal Meetings with Project and Discipline Teams 88
4.24 Plant Visits 89
4.25 Input to Preparation of Demolition and Tie-in P&IDs 89
4.25.1 Tie-in P&IDs 89
4.25.2 Demo P&IDs 89
4.26 Preparation of Pipe Service Index 90
4.27 Process Audit 91
5 Phase 4 (Detailed Design) 95

5.1 Participate in the Final HAZOP 95
5.2 HAZOP Action Item Closeout and Hold Items 95
5.3 Project Support as Needed 96
5.4 Provide Offline Instrument Data 96
5.5 Squad Check of Process and Vendor Data 98
5.6 Finalize Safety Valves Design and Issue IFD Datasheets 99
5.7 Closeout of Documents 101
5.8 Input to 60% and 90% Model Reviews 101
5.9 Lead Workshare Meeting 102
5.10 IFC and IFC–R P&IDs 102
5.11 Line List Updates and Input to New Lines 103
5.12 Leading MOC Meetings 103
Contents ix
5.13 Cause-and-Effect Table 105

5.14 Input to SP Items and Tie-in Forms 106
5.14.1 SP Items 106
5.14.2 Tie-in Forms 106
6 Phase 5 (Construction and Support) 109

6.1 Preparation of Procedures and Manuals 109
6.2 Tie-in Execution 109
6.3 Provide Answers to the Construction Team 109
6.4 Updating P&IDs as Needed 111
7 Phase 6 (Commissioning and Startup) 113

7.1 Perform General Process Activities 113
7.2 Prepare and Complete Pre-startup and Safety Checklists 114
7.3 Check Performance Test of All the Equipment 116
7.4 Participate in Control System Loop Testing 116
7.5 Leak Testing 117
7.6 Drying-Out and Oxygen Freeing 118
7.7 Startup Assistance 118
Part III The Process Engineer 119
8 Role by Process Engineer’s Position 121

8.1 Entry-Level Process Engineer – 0 Years Experience 121
8.2 Junior Process Engineer – 1–2 Years Experience 121
8.3 Mid-Level Process Engineer – 3–6 Years Experience 121
8.4 Lead Process Engineers – 7–10 Years Experience 122
8.5 Senior Process Engineers – 10–15 Years Experience 122
8.6 Process Managers – 15+ Years Experience 122
8.7 Competency Guide for Process Engineers 122
9 Interaction of Process Engineers with Others 137

9.1 Project Tree 137
9.2 Customer 138
9.3 Mechanical Engineer 139
9.4 Projects 140
9.5 Piping Design 140
9.6 Piping Engineering 141
9.7 Control System Engineer 141
9.8 Electrical Engineer 142
9.9 Civil Engineer 142
9.10 Construction Team 143
9.11 Cost Estimating 143
9.12 Project Controls 144
x Contents
9.13 Licensor 144

9.14 Other EPCC Engineer 145
9.15 CAD and Drafting Coordinator 145
9.16 Document Control 146
Questions 147
Answers 149
Acronyms 153
Appendix 155
Appendix A Project Conceptual Diagram 157

A.1 Explanation of Figure A.1 157
Appendix B Project Schedule Diagrams 163

B.1 Explanation of Figure B.1 163
Appendix C Project 3D Model and Plot Diagrams 165

C.1 Explanation of Figure C.1 165
Appendix D Process Engineering Diagrams 171

D.1 Explanation of Figure D.1 171
References 175
Index 177
xi
Preface
This book is written keeping in mind expansion or grassroot projects in industries,

such as oil and gas, refinery, chemical plant, and water treatment units. But the
principles of process engineering can be applied to any project, e.g. construction
of a road or mining of metals. The objective of this book is to explain responsibil-
ities of a chemical process engineer without getting into many details of chemical
engineering equipment design or technical equations.
The reader can benefit in the following ways:
1. If an engineer is new to Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commis-
sioning (EPCC) industry, he/she can contribute to the project without needing
much supervision. This improves project efficiency and greater understanding
among engineers and disciplines.
2. Other disciplines, such as civil engineering and mechanical engineering, can
better understand the functions performed by a chemical process engineer. They
can coordinate in a better way for the success of the project. A successful project
is one that can be finished under budget or on budget, with no incidents, and
under specified project timelines.
3. This book can be a guideline for new college graduates who are willing or curi-
ous to enter an EPCC industry. This should also help new graduates to prepare
for interviews. As there are several EPCC industries worldwide, the book can be
helpful to many engineers.
4. The book should also benefit personnel from an operating company who are
involved in a project. The customer can understand the routine practices of EPCC
industry and the roles of chemical process engineers. This helps improve coordi-
nation and communications.
May 2019 Avinashkumar V. Karre

Worley Group Inc, Baton Rouge
LA 70809, United States
1
Part I
Introduction to EPCC Industry
Managing Engineering, Procurement, Construction, and Commissioning Projects: A Chemical Engineer’s Guide,
First Edition. Avinashkumar V. Karre.
© 2023 WILEY-VCH GmbH. Published 2023 by WILEY-VCH GmbH.
3
Introduction
1.1 What Is EPCC Industry
Engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) industry is

very challenging due to a tight schedule and specific budget defined by the operating
companies or by the customers. The terminology “EPCC” is further classified into
four parts as mentioned below:
1. Engineering
2. Procurement
3. Construction
4. Commissioning
Typically, engineering of a processing unit is done by a process engineering
company, such as Worley Group. Sometimes, the engineering is done by the
operating companies if the project is small and if they have necessary expertise.
Engineers working with the engineering companies have the necessary skillsets and
technical capabilities to execute small (e.g. US$ 10 million) as well as larger projects
(e.g. greater than US$ 500 million). It is the responsibility of the EPCC industry to
make sure they have brilliant and capable engineers working for them. There are
several engineering companies located all over the world. Some of the engineering
companies could have specific expertise in a particular area, e.g. offshore field, and
some may have expertise and capabilities in doing projects in all the sectors. To have
a successful project, it is critical to have knowledgeable and experienced process
engineers who can design a plant. Apart from the process engineers, different disci-
plines involved are piping engineers, mechanical engineers, piping designers, civil
engineers, electrical engineers, control-system engineers, and project management.
Once the engineering is completed, primary components of an engineering
processing plant, such as equipment, instrument, and piping, are purchased by
the procurement or the buyer team. The different disciplines have a specific task
of putting together different bid tabs for each component of the manufacturing
unit. Bid tab is a comparative document of different vendors’ designs or a bid for a
component. For example, mechanical engineer puts together a pump equipment bid
tab or a comparative table showing details, such as flow, pressure, head, and cost for
different vendors. The vendor selection next goes to the procurement department
4 1 Introduction
where procurement details, such as timeline, specification, and nondisclosure

agreement (NDA), are added and the final purchase order is issued to the selected
vendor. Process engineers provide comments to the bid tabs and their role is critical
in the selection of the final vendor. The customer or the operating companies have
a say in the final selection of the vendor. The procurement team is tasked to keep
track of several items on the project, and they use industry software (e.g. system
application and products [SAPs]) for tracking and checking status. Process engi-
neers and all other disciplines are kept in the loop in the procurement cycle, and
often process engineers help vendors with the technical questions and clarifications.
All the communications for a piece of equipment in the procurement cycle are
saved and typically handed over to the project customers at the end of the project for
information.
Construction team starts the required planning at the beginning of the detailed
design engineering. Construction team has knowledge and expertise in transport-
ing large pieces of equipment, e.g. distillation towers. Other construction expertise
required are planning and creating a hold-up zone until the structure is built, cranes
and their sizes required, etc. Once the equipment or piece of the equipment or piping
is delivered to the construction site, the construction team moves that piece to the
allocated location to avoid traffic in the hold-up or laydown area. Construction team
may have to get the structures and roads built prior to the installation of equipment,
piping, instruments, etc. During a peak construction duration, the project construc-
tion team is very busy installing everything at the preplanned location. There are
engineering challenges involved, and process engineers are consulted with ques-
tions. For example, designed nozzle size on equipment was 8-in. standard (STD)
weight, but the fabricated equipment nozzle was 8-in. extra strong (XS) weight. The
process engineer in this case performs quick hydraulics to make sure the change is
acceptable.
During installation of all the construction components, such as equipment, pip-
ing, and instrument, a team of engineers and operators are involved in the final step
of commissioning. Commissioning is basically making sure the plant or processing
unit is ready to take a fresh feed. Key things in the commissioning step are hydrotest-
ing, testing flange or pipes, checking internals of equipment, checking functionality
of all instruments, and checking performance of all safety gears works. Process
engineers from the EPCC industry are involved in the commissioning step as they
know the operation and design aspects of equipment, and they could be a valuable
resource during this step. The process engineers are sometimes asked to stay at the
plant site to provide round-the-clock support to eliminate any engineering hurdles.
1.2 Types of Projects

Once the customer determines to do a project or installation of a processing unit,
the customer chooses one or multiple EPCC companies to complete the project. If
the project is small to large size, the engineering contract is given to a single EPCC
company to keep the cost low and to gain fast pace to the project. Once the contract
is received by the EPCC, the project is classified into several categories as mentioned
below, and further planning and manpower loading is estimated by the EPCC. Multi-
ple EPCC companies could be required for grassroot projects where the capabilities
and size of a single EPCC may not be sufficient. This is done to meet the desired
project timeline within the planned budget. The type of project is determined by
following categories:
1. Cost of a project
2. Purpose of a project
3. Engineering needs
4. Licensor’s involvement
5. Profit based
6. Schedule based
1.2.1 Cost of a Project

Total installed cost (TIC) determines the size of a project. TIC includes the cost of
all the machinery parts of the processing unit, engineering and labor, government
taxes, manufacturing steps, and transportation. Note that each operating company
or EPCC company may have its own definition of the type of project based on the
cost. Below is a crude definition of the type of projects based on the cost involved:
Engineering team in Table 1.1 refers to a team of piping engineers, mechanical
engineers, piping designers, civil engineers, electrical engineers, control-system
engineers, and project management. Small capital (also known as small cap) project
needs one process engineer either part-time or full-time depending on the stage of
the project. More details on stages of the project are explained in Part B of this book.
Process engineers are mostly involved in the initial stages of the project. In the
EPPC industry, it is also possible that a collection of several small-cap or ultra-small
projects are engineered by one or two process engineers. It is also possible that a
single process engineer from the operating company or the customer supervises a
small-cap project, totally avoiding the need for an EPCC industry.
Midsized project is often executed by an EPCC company due to unit-level complex-
ity involved and needs 3–6 process engineers full-time. Since it involves installation
of a new unit or revamping of an existing unit, the lead process engineer supervises
all the process engineering activities and other process engineers support the design.
The lead process engineer is required to communicate with all the disciplines and
customers for a smooth transfer of engineering information.
Large-sized project is done by a single EPCC company due to multi-unit level com-
plexity involved and needs 8–10 process engineers full-time. Since multiple units
or areas are involved, several leads are assigned to different areas, and some pro-
cess engineers support each area’s lead process engineers. Examples of such areas
include reaction, storage, tank farm, separation, and utilities. Each area lead pro-
cess engineer is required to communicate with all the disciplines, customers, and
interconnecting areas to make sure smooth transfer of engineering information is
completed. For example, the utility area lead process engineer is required to commu-
nicate with all the areas as each area needs some utility in its processes. Examples of
6 1 Introduction
Table 1.1 Definition of type of project based on cost involved.
Engineering No. of
Example of a team size process
Project types Cost involved project (No. of engineers) engineers
Ultra small Less than US$ 5 million Installation of 1–5 0.5–1

small section of
a pipeline
Small capital US$ 5–US$ 50 million Installation of a 6–20 1–2
vessel and a
pump
Midsized US$ 51–US$ 300 million Installation of a 21–80 3–6
new unit or
multiple small
or simple units
Large US$ 301–US$ 600 million Installation of 81–200 8–10
multiple
complex units
Grassroot US$ 601 million and more Installation of 201+ 11–25
multiple and
complex plants
Mega More than US$ 2 billion Installation of a 500+ 26–50
new refinery
some of the utilities are cooling water and instrument air. The tank farm area lead
process engineer is required to communicate with the main process area team where
the raw material and products are designed.
Grassroot projects are larger in size and might not be handled by the customers
or a single EPCC. Multiple EPCC companies are involved, and the project is
strategically divided into sections. For example, a large tank farm area is handled
by an independent EPCC who has expertise in the tank design, the 2nd EPCC is
handling the main reaction, purification, and separation of the processing plant, and
the 3rd EPCC industry could be handling design of utility services (utilities such
as cooling towers and boilers). A unit lead process engineer supervises all the
engineering activities for a unit and there are multiple unit lead process engineers.
Each unit lead process engineer is required to communicate with all the disciplines,
customers, all the EPCCs involved, and interconnecting areas to make sure smooth
transfer of engineering information.
Megaprojects are much larger in size compared to grassroot projects. They are
often rare and involve installation of a brand new plant, e.g. a refinery complex. Mul-
tiple EPCC companies are involved, similar to grassroot projects, the megaprojects
are also divided strategically into sections. Preplanning, communication, coordina-
tion, and consistency among all the EPCCs are key parameters for the successful
completion of megaprojects.
1.2.2 Purpose of a Project

Each project is unique and can be initiated by the customer due to a revamp poten-
tial, a grassroot opportunity, a capacity expansion feasibility of a unit, age or corro-
sion of a processing plant, safety upgrades, and environmental emissions factors.
Revamping a processing plant means utilizing some or part of the existing equip-
ment and addition of some new equipment. A good example is revamping preheated
trains of crude and vacuum distillation units in a refinery to achieve higher crude
temperatures and higher energy integration efficiencies. There could be an oppor-
tunity for the customer to install a new grassroot plant to support already-existing
plant. New chemical grassroot plant would make sense next to an already-existing
refinery complex as the raw materials needed for the chemical plant could be readily
available next to the refinery.
Most of the plants in the United States are 40–100 years old and they are designed
based on certain throughput originally. Over the years, the plant operation has
pushed the limits of the existing plant design, and over time they see operational
problems, like choking in the lines, fouling, coking, high-pressure drops, and
vibrations of equipment/supports. All these operational problems suggest that
the existing unit has a capacity limitation. The customers could be interested in
removing such bottlenecks in the system through capacity expansion projects.
Simply replacing a piece of pipe or a pump in such projects can eliminate a capacity
limitation in the processing unit, increasing throughput for the unit.
All processing plants age with time like humans. The reliability of the equipment
in those units is at risk over time despite rigorous preventative maintenance
programs. Some of the critical equipment, such as recycled gas compressor in
hydrocracker unit or the steam jet ejectors in vacuum distillation unit, have direct
impact on the functionality of the processing unit. If they are old and need frequent
maintenance, it is good idea to replace such critical equipment to gain reliability.
Also, some of the processing plants are prone to more corrosion than others, and
often require frequent maintenance due to corrosive process fluid or hydrogen
sulfide (H2 S) gases being handled. After certain history of maintenance and age
of the plant, it is important to perform a corrosion survey in the unit and have the
affected equipment or pieces replaced. An example is sulfur-containing equipment
in the sulfur recovery unit (SRU) of the refinery. Since the SRU is at tail end of the
refinery, where H2 S gas is treated and converted to recover sulfur, it is of prime
importance for the refinery to keep the SRU running without any interruptions. All
the upstream refinery unit operations are affected if the SRU’s operation is affected.
In such cases, it is very critical to make sure all the critical components of the SRU
are functioning to their best performance.
Some of the old plants may not have all the safety instruments to work safely
according to the latest industry standards and could be putting plant personnel at
risk if not attended to promptly. For example, the old plants may not have a good
safety standard around the fired heater burners. Installation of a new burner man-
agement system (BMS) on the old heater ensures all the safety standards are met.
8 1 Introduction
Some of the projects are driven primarily by emission standards and regulated by
government agencies. To meet the highest or new emission standards, the processing
plant may have to adapt to a new process or a new catalyst. Some of the customers
or operating companies go one step further and desire projects that take care of such
emission standards for next 20–30 years, as long as there is an economic sense. Such
visionary thinking also avoids any future changes to the processing plant, saving
millions for the customers.
1.2.3 Engineering Needs

Some projects are unique and are dependent heavily on work that involves a
specific discipline. Process-based projects primarily require process engineering
and feasibility studies. There is no construction or procurement needed for such
projects. Some projects consist of mechanical equipment, such as Hoppers or Bins,
where process engineering support is not needed, and they depend primarily on
mechanical engineers for equipment purchase. Some projects, such as installation
of a new concrete pad for the existing unit, need support from civil engineers.
Installation of safety instrumentation or cables and panels requires instrumen-
tation or electrical engineers, and process engineers may not be needed here.
Reworking or replacing existing piping with identical piping needs support from
piping engineers and piping designers, and in such instances, process engineers are
not required.
1.2.4 Licensors Need

Some processes require a process licensor package prepared by a licensor and
support from an EPCC company. The collaboration between an EPCC and licensor
is required so that the process package is designed safe and sound. EPCC in this
collaboration could help with defining the feed, utilities, and routing of different
products. Licensor-based projects are very common these days and neither EPCC
nor the customer may have the process capabilities in that area. Once the licensor
finishes their process package, the EPCC company takes the package and further
incorporates that into the main design of the project, which involves working
directly with the customer.
1.2.5 Profit Based

Sometimes engineering team in the operating company has found a process or
modification opportunities to the existing unit to make a quick profit. A payback
period could be less than two to three years in such scenarios. For example, there
could be an instance where one of the customers finds that the very old and unused
distillation columns could be repurposed, and by installation of some additional
equipment, a quick profit could be made. In this instance, the customer should
1.3 Function of Different Disciplines 9
make sure that the old existing distillation columns are in usable condition and
minimal civil structural modifications are needed for the columns to keep the
project cost as low as possible.
In other scenarios, the customer could be doing some laboratory experiments, and
figures that by installation of a simple purification process to the already-existing
unit could double their profits in two years.
Profits based on small-cap projects are very attractive to the customers as they
provide high profits with smaller possible capital investment. Another good example
would be replacing existing low-efficiency natural gas burners for a fired heater with
an ultralow NOx burner (ULN). The replacement of burners ensures high efficiency
is achieved in the burners, saving on operating cost of fuel gas with minor capital
investment.
1.2.6 Schedule Based

Several piping, electrical, or instrumentation tie-ins could be possible when
installing new equipment in the existing facility. The turnaround time of the pro-
cessing plant plays a vital role in such projects. A tie-in is defined by a connection
of a new piece of piping or instrument to the existing one, e.g. tie-in new 4′′ pipe to
the existing 4′′ piping. The project schedule is planned around the shutdown timing
of the processing plant.
Although the schedule is monitored for every project, it may not be necessarily
critical for all the projects. Some of the projects could be completed within one or
two years in advance based on procurement strategy or availability of material or
cost of items.
For most of the projects, project schedule is very critical for the successful com-
pletion of a project, as the profits are directly proportional to timely completion and
start of a processing plant. Some of the projects are designed to be completed based
on the emission timeline set by the government agencies.
1.3 Function of Different Disciplines

As mentioned earlier, several disciplines are involved depending on the size, stage,
and type of a project. This section briefly touches on responsibilities of each disci-
pline in relation to the project and coordination with a process engineer. Following
different disciplines are involved:
1. Process engineer
2. Mechanical engineer
3. Piping engineer
4. Piping designer
5. Control-system engineer
6. Electrical engineer
10 1 Introduction
7. Project manager
8. Procurement manager
9. Project controls
10. Project administrations
11. Document control
12. Estimating
Process Engineer:
Primary responsibility of a process engineer is to design equipment, develop equip-
ment specification sheets, catalyst design and selection, develop piping and instru-
mentation diagrams (P&IDs), develop heat and material-balance tables, perform
hydraulic studies, catalyst research, catalyst inventory calculations, participate in
Hazard and Operability Analysis (HAZOPs), participate in 3D model reviews, flare
and relief system design, provide process input for the instrument and line list data,
input to the material selection and plot plan arrangement diagrams, and coordinate
with other disciplines and customers.
Mechanical engineer:
Primary responsibility of a mechanical engineer is to provide mechanical equipment
details to the process specification sheets, prepare bid tabs or compare different ven-
dor quotes, coordinate with other disciplines and vendors, participate in 3D model
reviews, provide mechanical input to the P&IDs, prepare procurement packages for
equipment, and facilitate meetings with vendors as needed.
Piping engineer:
Primary responsibility of a piping engineer is to provide engineering details (such as
insulation and thickness) to the piping line list, develop specialty piping items (such
as steam trap), develop piping specification documents, and coordinate with other
disciplines and customers.
Piping designer:
Piping designers develop 3D models, prepare squad-check packages for piping
isometric drawings, develop isometric drawings, provide piping input to the P&IDs,
prepare piping tie-in packages, and coordinate with other disciplines and customers.
Control-system engineer:
Control-system engineers develop instrumentation specifications, perform instru-
ment sizing calculations, provide input to the P&IDs, prepare instrumentation
installation details, prepare panel layout drawings, prepare procurement packages
for instruments, participate in 3D models reviews, and coordinate with other
disciplines and customers.
Electrical engineer:
Electrical engineers perform electrical load calculations, determine substation/
generator size needed, finalize electrical lighting needed for the process areas,
prepare wiring loop diagrams, provide input to the P&IDs, participate in 3D models
reviews, prepare procurement packages for electrical equipment, and coordinate
with other disciplines and customers.
Project manager:
Project managers coordinate with other disciplines and customers, supervise cost
and schedule of a project, facilitate meetings for the project as required, solve pro-
ject engineering problems, maintain decision/risk/action, register, control change
orders, and participate in 3D models reviews.
Procurement:
They work closely with other disciplines and ensure that all the items are procured
according to the schedule.
Project control:
They prepare schedules based on input from other disciplines, monitor manhours on
the project, monitor and adjust schedule with changes on the project, track change
orders, and prepare progress reports on a weekly basis.
Project administration:
They provide onboarding guidelines to the new members coming to the team,
arrange meetings, track safety training for individuals, track and maintain project
meeting calendars, and coordinate with several disciplines and customers.
Document control:
They issue all the documents provided to them by different disciplines, track all
vendor documents and their progress, and coordinate with several disciplines and
customers.
Estimating:
They perform cost evaluation of the project in every phase of the project and provide
feedback to other disciplines and customers. They are important disciplines as the
cost results determine the fate of the project.
1.4 Different Phases of the Project
Each project is sectioned into several phases to ensure that the money spent on
engineering and toward the final installation of the project makes economic sense.
Each phase of the project undergoes a rigorous cost estimate. If the estimated cost
comes out higher than the target price the project is canceled, or further options are
explored to optimize or reduce cost. A brief description of each phase is given below:
Phase 1 – Scope feasibility:
The customer of the project typically has an idea in their mind from very beginning.
Once the contract is given to the EPCC company, the customer and EPCC company
together make progress with the scope planning. Process engineers from the EPCC
company may be tasked to perform several feasibility studies and explore options.
At this stage, there is a high-level technical interaction/meeting with the process
engineer from the EPCC and customer. Process engineer prepares preliminary scope
reports and presents them to the customers in several meetings. Sometimes there
are different technologies available, and the customer and EPCC must choose one
12 1 Introduction
technology that makes economic sense. At this stage of the project, mainly the pro-
cess engineer from the EPCC company is actively involved in the early design and
communicates directly with the customer. The project manager from EPCC has few
responsibilities to document the decisions and track the progress of the phase. Esti-
mating team is involved toward the end of the phase. No drawings or P&IDs are
developed at this feasibility stage.
Phase 2 – Scope definition:
Once the scope of the project is planned, selected, and feasibility is checked, further
definition is done in this phase. Development of a process or a block-flow diagram,
identification of major pieces of equipment, preliminary sizing of major equipment,
and preparing estimated quality P&IDs (sometimes optional) are done in this
phase, and cost of the project is estimated. A project is dead in this phase if the
cost estimates are higher than the target values. The financial risk of canceling
the project at this stage is very low. If the cost estimates are higher, in such cases,
the customer may decide to cancel the project or explore an option to cut a part
of the processing scheme and start in the middle of the process, which may make
the project viable. For example, if the cost estimate for producing product C from
raw material A is very high, the customer may choose to start from raw material B
to get to C. This should work, provided there is an adequate supply and economics
to start with a raw material B. Following two equations show that avoiding a raw
material A in the modified option saves project cost.
A → B → C … (High project cost)

B → C … (Low project cost)
Phase 3 – Scope development:

Once the project is approved in Phase 2 and moves forward to Phase 3, further devel-
opment in the design is done in this phase. Actual design and specifications for all the
equipment, instruments, civil-related designs, and electrical designs are prepared,
but there is no purchase order placed in this stage, P&IDs are developed to show
all the piping and details, line list is prepared with a preliminary process data, heat
and material balance is finalized, 30% accurate 3D model is prepared for the project,
detail hydraulics and preliminary safety valve evaluation are done, preliminary allo-
cation of equipment is done, field visits are carried out, HAZOP meetings are held
toward the end of the project, and finally cost estimate is completed. Most of the
projects are likely to move forward to the next phase of the project as the financial
risk has reduced toward the end of the phase through the knowledge of unknown
pieces of the project. But if the project were to be canceled at this stage (perhaps due
to geopolitical reasons), the financial losses for the customers are limited to only
labor costs incurred for the engineering, as the engineering material needed for the
project is not ordered at this stage.
Phase 4 – Detailed design:
All equipment, piping, control-system items, electrical items, and civil items are pur-
chased from vendors, and the progress of the procurement is tracked throughout
phase 4 until all the items reach the project plant site. All the drawings, including
P&IDs, are issued for construction, piping design issues out isometric drawings to
the pipe fabricators, and electrical and control diagrams are issued to vendor for
construction. Frequent meetings related to design changes on various engineering
drawings are held and are approved through management of change (MOC) pro-
cess. Many plant operation people are involved at this stage actively to review the
3D model and provide recommendations as needed. Initially, 60% accurate model
review meeting is held, and based on the comments from various disciplines and
operations, the 2nd 90% accurate model review meeting is held. In this phase, there
are very few unknowns, less than 2%, toward the end of the project, and financial risk
at this stage is eliminated completely, and the customer and the EPCC company are
confident about the returns on their investment and their hard work. It is possible,
but very rare, that the customers may decide to cancel the project at this stage due to
some reasons, e.g. sudden increase in raw material cost at this stage. Ultimately the
customers should decide if the project is making economic sense on a broader scale
based on the cost estimate completed by the EPCC industry.
Phase 5 – Construction and support:
In this phase, all the equipment, piping, control-system items, electrical items, and
civil items are delivered to the plant site. Construction team is involved heavily in
planning and installation of all the pieces of the project. Engineering team from the
EPCC industry provides support to the construction team and answers any questions
they may have. There is no going back on project in this phase as the materials and
pieces needed for the project are at the site. But sometimes due to sudden changes in
global economics and supply/demand logistics, the project may not be feasible at this
stage. Also, if the government agency denies permission to manufacture a product
at this stage, the customers have no choice but to stop the construction process. The
customers may choose to work on recommendations, which costs them some money,
from the government agency to continue with the construction, and make a product
and project feasible.
Phase 6 – Commissioning and start-up:
Before the plant is introduced with a fresh feed, all the necessary plant operators
are trained for operations and safety. These are the personnel who will be maintain-
ing the routine operations of the processing plant. Standard operating procedures,
training materials, start-up and shutdown manuals, equipment manuals, and sev-
eral operation manuals are helpful to these personnel in maintaining the health of
the plant. The process engineers from the EPCC industry develop all these manuals
with support of plant operations and input from the vendors.
In this phase, all the installed equipment, piping, control-system items, and
electrical items are prepared to take a fresh raw material into the process. A team
of operations and engineers go through several preprepared procedures, and
several activities are carried out. All the equipment are hydrotested, all pipe flanges
are checked for leaks, all instruments are checked for their functioning, and all
electrical equipment are tested with standards. If the team finds an engineering
problem, e.g. a leak in major equipment, the problem is solved before they proceed
14 1 Introduction
to the routine activities of the commissioning. Once all is ok, water or cold feed
is circulated through the entire processing plant. Sometimes circulating water
through a system, e.g. reactor filled with a catalyst, is not permissible. Sometimes
the system cannot work on a cold feed, in that case, heating the processing system
or heating the cold feed is necessary. In such cases, the heating system is made
ready first before starting the main process area.
1.5 Importance of Chemical Process Engineers

Process engineers understand the process and they can perform the calculations,
analyze the results, and provide a sound design to achieve the desired product.
They develop a block-flow diagram based on a preliminary understanding of the
process. Based on additional information, they develop process-flow diagrams and
P&IDs. P&IDs are like veins of the project without which there is no project. P&IDs
are further used as a guideline to develop the process and functional specifications.
Process engineers must maintain constant communication with, pretty much,
everyone on the project to make sure everyone receives the correct information in
timely manner. As illustrated in Figure 1.1, process engineer provides and commu-
nicate varieties of information and data to different disciplines. This information
and data are vital for other disciplines to make progress on the project and to
develop their design deliverables.
Schedule meetings Project progress to Document issue through

through project admin project manager and document control
project controls
P&IDs to everyone on Instrument datasheets to

the project control system engineers
Piping tie-ins required Process Line list data to piping

by piping design Engineer engineers
Electrical area
classification to Equipment datasheets to
electrical engineering mechanical engineers
Licensor
Review of engineering Project progress to
documents from project manager and
everyone project controls
Input to cost estimate
Custom
Figure 1.1 A diagram showing interaction of process engineers with other disciplines.
1.7 Interaction with Vendors 15
Table 1.2 Primary responsibilities of a process engineer in all phases of the project.
Phase Primary responsibilities of a process engineer
1 Develop feasibility report and perform studies

2 Identify major pieces of equipment and develop a block-flow diagram
3 Prepare equipment datasheets and develop P&IDs
4 Vendor data review, safety valve development, issued for construction (IFC)
P&IDs, and prepare instrument datasheets
5 Review questions from construction and provide support as needed
6 Commissioning support to plant and prepare operator training procedures
Process engineering support is required through all phases of the project, and the
information provided by process engineer affects engineering deliverables of other
disciplines. Table 1.2 shows the primary responsibilities of process engineer in all
phases of the project. It is important to note that process engineers are required and
essential in all the phases. It may not be true with other disciplines, for example,
mechanical engineers are only involved from Phase 3 and onward.
1.6 Interaction with Operating Industry or Customers
The customers and the operating industry have a general idea of outlook of the final
product, and they support the EPCC industry and make decisions. There could be
more than one person from the customer side who would be making decisions. Most
of the decisions are based on solutions and options provided by the process engi-
neers from the EPCC industry. The EPCC company has no clear idea on important
pieces without consulting the customers. Oftentimes, the customers may ask EPCC
engineers to perform studies and present options before making decisions.
The customer has a key role in the project as they supply information on design
guidelines, information on feed and product compositions, and item specifications
as needed. Sometimes the specifications and guidelines desired by the customers
are not suitable, and the EPCC process engineers should communicate the need
or deviation with the customer. Several addendums and revisions to customer
specifications may be required specific to the project. It is important to have the
latest customer design guidelines practiced by all the EPCC engineers involved in
the project. If a certain guideline is not available, the customer may ask the EPCC
process engineer to prepare one with their support.
1.7 Interaction with Vendors
Interaction with vendors is very important in any project. There could be more than
one vendor involved in a project. On a larger project, several vendors are involved in
16 1 Introduction
providing several designs and support. Vendors are typically involved in the project
toward the beginning of Phase 4 or detailed design. Several meetings may be required
with vendors to come to agreements and terms. At the end of selection of a vendor,
a delivery schedule and delivery plan are discussed. A delivery timeline for the item
associated with that vendor is then tied to the overall project schedule. Delivery plans
Project makes a Piping design Fabrication drawing

schedule for the completes piping review
fabrication and delivery isometric drawings
Document control for

document distribution
Piping design answers

questions from a vendor Construction team
Piping
vendor interaction
Process engineer
answers questions from Purchase an order
a vendor and tracking
Interaction with the Cost control and

customers estimate
Meetings
Figure 1.2 Example of an interaction of a vendor with the EPCC team.
Table 1.3 Classification of vendors (vendor is categorized based on material percentage

contribution of the components in relation to the capital cost of the project).
Vendor category Classification of the area Function of vendor
Small vendor Piping components Provide piping components, such as

strainers, sight glass, and valves
Electrical components Provide switches, lights, bulbs, cable
trays, etc.
Medium size vendor Instrument components Provide instrument, wiring, converters,
panels, etc.
Major vendor Electrical major pieces Provide electrical wiring, junctions,
transformers, substations, etc.
Piping fabrication Fabricate and deliver piping in sections
or modules
Major instrument Fabricate and deliver major pieces of
instruments, such as fire and gas panels
and distributed control systems.
Equipment Fabricate and deliver equipment in
sections or modules
1.8 Workshare with Multiple Offices 17
of the goods supplied by the vendor are discussed with the construction team and
special shipping arrangements are then planned, if needed. For example, delivery
of a 600 Klb/h steam boiler from Dubai needs a large barge. Figure 1.2 shows an
interaction of a piping vendor with the EPCC team. Table 1.3 shows classification of
vendors based on their function.
1.8 Workshare with Multiple Offices
Sometimes the home office where the project is being executed may not have all
the engineering labor support to meet the schedule requirement, and sometimes
the home office is looking for expertise in certain areas of the project within the
company. All such scenarios result in needing workshare with other offices. The
workshare office must provide high-quality results within the schedule requirement
specified.
1.8.1 Importance of Workshare

1.8.1.1 Low-Cost Services
Every country is different in its economics and labor market. Countries, such as India
and China, offer low-cost labor that’s because the cost of living in those countries is
low compared to western countries. The cost of living in western countries, like US,
UK, and Canada, is very high and so the cost of labor is very high. Table 1.4 compares
the cost-of-living numbers in India and USA. It can be interpreted from the table that
the cost of living in India is much lesser than USA when compared with few basic
parameters. The engineers in countries, like India and China, are well qualified;
in fact, they’re competitive in their skills and knowledge compared with engineers
in the western countries. The salary of process engineer in the low-cost countries
Table 1.4 Comparison of cost of living in India vs. United States [1].
% of higher cost
in USA compared
Parameter Country: India Country: USA with India
Basic utilities for an 85 m2 apartment $32.06 $162.08 506

Cinema ticket price $3.22 $10 311
Pair of Nike shoes $50.18 $76.09 152
Internet $18.58 $45.72 246
Pack of Marlboro cigarettes $1.77 $6 339
Price of 1 l of milk $0.58 $0.99 171
Price of 1 kg rice $0.36 $1.75 486
Rent of 3-bedroom apartment per month $388.6 $1685.98 434
New car price $11 748.63 $20 000 170
Source: Adapted from National Master [1].

18 1 Introduction
varies anywhere from US$ 200 to US$ 300 per month as compared to US$ 4000–US$
5000 in western countries. When the salaries are compared, it’s very attractive for
an EPCC industry based in a western country to do business with the low-labor-cost
countries.
1.8.1.2 Labor Shortages

The labor market, especially in countries like United States, is not so great. As an
example, about 478 million people are available to work in India compared to
155 million people in the United States. These numbers show that India has a good
labor market compared to United States, and labor force in India is easily available.
Due to the labor shortage in countries like United States, it makes economic sense
to find labor in countries like India, where labor is available easily.
1.8.1.3 Level the Workload

There are several reasons the home office cannot supply the manpower needed
for the project. There are other challenges, like immigration and availability of the
skilled engineers. The home office EPCC industry deals with such things. Hiring
skilled labor can be expensive in a western country and could be time consuming.
If a global team is well trained and ready to receive additional projects, then this
additional work can be sent to the workshare office. It is important to level out the
workload to maintain the project schedule. The project schedule is most important
for any project (Figure 1.3).
1.8.1.4 Time Differences in Countries

Time differences in different countries affect how EPCC industry workshare. The
time difference between US and India is roughly 11 hours and the time difference
between China and US is roughly 15 hours. So, India and China are roughly 11 and
15 hours ahead of US timing, respectively, which gives US companies an added
advantage in the workshare area. For example, a process engineer in the USA can
Local Local labor

labor cost availability
High labor cost and
labor shortage
Workshare
office
Project
success
Project#1 Project#2
Home
Project#3 Project#4 International
Office
pool of talent
Figure 1.3 Importance of workshare, manpower loading, labor shortage, and low cost.
1.8 Workshare with Multiple Offices 19
send the instructions to the workshare office and by the time the home office wakes
up, the workshare office may have completed the work within 11–15 hours. The
home office engineer can present these results, produced by the workshare office,
straight to the customer, saving time on the project. The EPPC industry can work
round the clock with the help of workshare office, which is the biggest benefit.
1.8.2 Types of Workshares

There are three types of workshare processes. They are mentioned below:
1. Workshare with an individual
2. Workshare a piece of a project
3. Workshare part of the engineering team
1.8.2.1 Workshare with an Individual

Sometimes the project doesn’t need to workshare the entire workload with the
workshare office. Sometimes the EPCC is looking for a skilled person in a par-
ticular area. EPCC can search for a skilled person in the workshare offices. Once
EPCC finds a capable individual, then the home office can workshare with that
individual. So, it’s easier to hire someone with that skill level in the global pool
of talent.
1.8.2.2 Workshare a Piece of a Project

It is important to know the capabilities and a history of the workshare office
engineers in hand. Once the home office has that database, it can figure out which
piece of project can be sent to workshare office. For example, the workshare office
may be great at rating existing equipment and doing hydraulics. So, this is a piece
of a project that can be shared with the workshare office, and the lead engineers
in the home office can monitor the progress of the workshare office through the
organizational network communications, such as Microsoft team.
1.8.2.3 Workshare Part of the Engineering Team

As previously stated, there are several disciplines involved in an engineering team
either in a workshare office or a home office. If the home office doesn’t have a capa-
bility in certain area of engineering, for example, civil engineering, and at the same
time if the workshare office has the skill sets required to execute the project, in such
cases, it would make sense to give the entire civil engineering work to the work-
share office rather than hiring the entire civil engineering team at the home office.
Hence, it is important to have access to the global pool of knowledge and skillsets
within the company. Figure 1.4 shows a flowchart of process engineering activities
between the home office and the workshare office. The workshare office executes
most of the process engineering activities and the home office provides guidance to
have process deliverables completed on the scheduled timeline. All other disciplines
utilize these final products, such as line lists, to further develop their deliverables.
20 1 Introduction
Home office
(Process
• Line list to piping design and
• Line list engineering)
piping engineering
• P and IDs • P and IDs to project teams
• Equipment design • Filled out line list • Equipment design to
• Relief valves • Marked P and IDs mechanical engineering
• Instrument data • Completed equipment • Relief valve and Instrument
and relief valve design data to control system
• Completed Instrument engineering
Workshare office
datasheets Home office
(Process
engineering) (Project
engineering)
Figure 1.4 Flowchart of process engineering activities between home and workshare
offices.
21
Part II
Roles of Chemical Engineers in Different Phases of the

Project
This section describes responsibilities of chemical engineers in different phases of a

project. As mentioned earlier, there are six phases in a project. In Phase 1, chemical
engineers, also known as process engineers, study the feasibility of the project, and
there could be technology selection process involved. In Phase 2, based on the fea-
sibility study that was done previously, a preliminary scope is defined by preparing
some important drawings, such as block flow diagrams and estimate quality P&IDs.
Also, in Phase 2, identification of major pieces of equipment is done. In Phase 3,
chemical engineers are involved in the development of the scope by producing sev-
eral engineering documents that are helpful to other disciplines in the next phases
of the project. Also, in Phase 3, the process engineer puts together a specification for
each piece of equipment.
In Phase 4 or detailed design, all other disciplines are involved in putting together
procurement packages for all the pieces in the project, and eventually, the purchase
order is placed. Also in the detailed design phase, P&IDs are issued for construction
and piping design issues construction-quality isometric drawings to the pipe fabri-
cators. In Phase 5, the role of the chemical engineer is to support the construction
with any technical questions. Also in this phase, startup and shutdown procedures
are developed. In Phase 6, a team of engineers from the customer side and chemical
engineers from the EPC industry are involved in the commissioning of the units by
testing equipment and hydro-testing.
23
Phase 1 (Scope Planning)
2.1 Perform Feasibility Studies

2.1.1 Study Types
Most of the studies are done in phase 1. Early information is better for the next
phase of the project; this just ensures that there are less unknowns in the next
phase of the project. Most of the studies involved with the main process processing
plant are completed by chemical engineers, and a timeframe is given to complete
each study within the given deadlines. The studies can be as simple as confirming
what is already stated in the project basis or a complex problem to find an optimal
solution.
Simple studies, such as confirming sizing adequacy of existing equipment, could
mean that the chemical engineers may have to do some calculations to support their
conclusions. If the studies need interaction with the existing system, a chemical
engineer may have to collect the process information from the existing plant. A good
example of this one is when the customer is trying to add a new unit or new facility
next to the already existing one. As an example, the customer wants to confirm if the
existing cooling tower and pump can supply the additional cooling water needed for
the new unit. In this study, not only the chemical engineer should collect the existing
information on the existing cooling water pump and the cooling tower but also the
engineer should make several assumptions regarding the pipe lengths from the exist-
ing tower to the new facility, the cooling water loads for the new facility, the pressure
drops for the new exchangers, etc. There could be studies with inconclusive results
or some follow-up items needed to be further worked on in the next phase of the
project.
The study can be a complex problem. What is important for chemical engineers
is to provide a solution no matter what in this phase. Once the customer defines a
topic for the study, the chemical engineer figures out steps involved to complete the
study. For a complex study, it could have more than one step involved to complete the
entire study. So essentially, each step could be a simple study in itself. The chemical
engineer may have to collect some information from the customer, and the data are
not available for the new system. In such cases, the chemical engineer makes a good
engineering assumption and proceeds with the study calculations. A good example
24 2 Phase 1 (Scope Planning)
of a complex study is the study of arrangement of several heat exchangers in the pre-
heat train of the crude and vacuum distillation units. There could be more than 30 to
40 heat exchangers interlinked with each other in the preheat train. To determine
the optimal arrangement of complex network system, the chemical engineer uses
software called pinch-point analysis. The engineer produces a report based on the
software work. Not only the chemical engineer has to first figure out how to arrange
these exchangers but also the engineer has to make sure the arrangement is optimal
and works with different simulations and heat and material balances. There could
be more than five or six simulation cases depending on the start of run, end of run,
the type of crude, the type of product to be made, and different operating philoso-
phies. So, depending on different modes of operations, the chemical engineer must
complete these studies, simulations, and eventually develop the heat and material
balance tables.
Another example of a complex study is checking the adequacy of the existing
equipment, instruments, and piping for the new anticipated flow rates and com-
position. In this study, the engineer should perform or develop several simulations
and heat and material balances. The engineer may also have to rate or check if some
of the critical equipment is reusable, for example, a study involves checking to see if
a compressor can be reused for the new anticipated rates or composition.
2.1.2 Study Duration

Depending on the urgency of the study, the chemical engineer needs to complete a
study. There could be a study affecting another study, so the previous study must be
finished first to start the other study. There could be an instance where some of the
studies are very critical, and that kind of study determines the course of the project,
and those studies are called very critical studies. But more commonly, some of the
studies require integration with existing processing unit or equipment. In such stud-
ies, it is important for the chemical engineer to collect the data from the plant, and
this step might take the study little bit longer. Several factors affect the duration of the
study. Usually, there is a meeting between the customer and the process engineers
from the EPCC industry, and there is an agreement on the duration of the studies
early on before the project is begun. In those early meetings, the customer lays out
a clear plan regarding the duration of the study. Typically, a simple study can take
anywhere between two and four weeks. A complex study can take anywhere from
4 weeks to 12 weeks. There are studies that lead to a lot of follow-up with vendors,
and the vendors are typically involved in the early phase of the project if required.
Those studies tend to consume more time and would usually carry forward into the
next phases of the project.
2.2 Interaction with Customer, Recommendations,

and Meetings
In phase 1, a chemical engineer from the EPCC and the customer meet for the first
time for the technical discussions. They both sit down and go through the objective
Study Any information Customer

identification needed to provides
complete a Yes
information
study?
Process
For a e
engineer Information
No
completes provided to a
study process engineer
Study
Revise report to
customer Note action
No Study report for review items if any
acceptable?
Input to
Action item
review
Yes register
Study duration
e
and number of Customer and Project
studies process documentation
engineer
discussions
Figure 2.1 Flowchart for the process engineering studies in the scope planning phase.
of the study, the action plan; and the information required is noted in the product
register. Appropriate action items are assigned to either a chemical engineer or to
the customer, and the information required is provided by the customer. About one
to two weeks are assigned to finish up or resolve those action items, and once those
action items are resolved, the process engineer completes the analysis and calcu-
lations and comes up with the recommendation within two to three weeks. Once
the studies are complete, the process engineer provides the recommendations and
preliminary report to the customer. About two weeks are given to the customer to
review and provide comments. After two weeks, the comments provided by the cus-
tomers are received by the chemical engineer. A second meeting is arranged to go
through the recommendations as well as the comments provided by the customer on
the study reports. If the comments on the reports are extensive, the chemical engi-
neer is asked to revise the report, redo the study, and resubmit, and the previous cycle
begins again. If both the parties agree with the resolutions and the comments, then
the process engineer finalizes the report of the study in one to two weeks. The final
report with the previous customer comments and the revision history is submitted
through the document control to all the parties involved in the project. A complete
flowchart for the process engineering studies is shown in Figure 2.1.
2.3 Preparation of Preliminary Scope Reports

2.3.1 Assumptions Required
When a chemical engineer starts working on a study, the engineer may or may not
have all the information to complete the study. In such situations, the engineer must
make an educated engineering assumption. These assumptions are statements on

which the design is dependent. Simple assumptions made are considered true until
otherwise objected by the customer. Some assumptions are complex and important
in nature and should be verified in the next phases of the project and are considered
preliminary until validated.
All the assumptions are important because without the assumptions the process
engineer cannot proceed with the design or complete the study. All these assump-
tions are properly documented at the beginning of the study report. At the same
time, it may be necessary to verify the assumptions with the customer. All these
facts should be properly noted in the assumption section of the study report.
2.3.2 Basis of Design Document

2.3.2.1 Contents
Different contents are included in the basis of design document. This document is
a design basis for all the major pieces of equipment on the project. The contents
include a background of the project, the objective, the basis for a simulation, a
basis for heat material balance, a basis for metallurgy selection, a basis for sizing
equipment, any preliminary equipment sizing report, any preliminary counts for
the instrumentation, any follow-up items to be resolved in the next phase of the
project, important meetings held and comments, notes from meetings, and the
summary of the studies completed including the recommendations.
2.3.2.2 Comparison of Study Report with the Design Basis Document

The study report is quite different from the basis of design document. The study
report is studying a piece of equipment or a portion of the project. On the other side,
the basis of design document shows an overall summary of the project scope and how
different components of the project are designed. The basis of design document gives
a good overview of the current phase and items to be expected in the next phase of
the project.
2.3.2.3 Basis of the Equipment

It is important to note the basis of equipment appropriately. The major pieces of
equipment in the processing plants are distillation columns, heat exchangers, fired
heaters, and vessels.
If a column is a brand-new piece of equipment, the basis should include feed and
product rates, pressure and temperature profile, different simulations analyzed, heat
integration around the column, number of tray optimization data, feed tray loca-
tion optimization data, and reboiler and condenser optimization data. Also, the basis
should clearly mention calculations of the height and the diameter of the column. If
the tray is chosen compared with a packing type, the basics should be explained as
well. If it is an existing column, then the calculation to support the sizing for existing
column needs to be reported.
Similarly, the design basis for other equipment, such as pumps and heat exchang-
ers, should be explained in an adequate depth by the process engineer so that all the
parties involved understand the basis.
2.3.2.4 Report Format

2.3.2.4.1 Report Format and the Contents A study report has many components in
it. The first page of the study report should clearly mention the product number,
the project name, the name of the unit, the date, the revision, the engineer’s name,
the name of the checker, and the name of the approving engineer. The other pages
of the report should include a clear executive summary, background of the study,
assumptions to complete the study, the results of the study, any calculation values
or graphs, supporting conclusion, and a list of reference documents.
2.3.2.4.2 Wet Signatures of the Parties and Issuing Through Document Control When
the study is complete, it is required to have approval from the customer, primarily to
document, that the conclusion from the study has been accepted or agreed upon. It
is common practice to get a wet signature from the different parties involved. Those
different parties are the engineer who completed the study, the checker who checked
the study for correctness, customer who approved the study, and the project man-
ager who agreed with the overall outcome of the study in relation to the project.
Table 2.1 shows different signatures required for the approval of process engineering
study reports.
2.3.2.5 Study Report Tracking

There could be multiple studies on a project. If more than one unit is involved,
the tracking of various studies in different units is somewhat difficult. The whole
purpose of the tracking spreadsheet is to show progress to the customer as well
as to the project management. It is important to show the progress of each study
because all these studies and their outcomes shape the scope of the project, and
everyone involved in the project is interested in knowing the status of every study.
The main elements of tracking study spreadsheet are the name of the study, the
unit where it belongs, the study progress in percentage, current progress, and if any
Table 2.1 Signatures required for the process engineering study report.
Role Name Wet signatures
EPCC process engineer PE Using pen

EPCC process checker PC Using pen
EPCC project manager EPM Using pen
Customer side engineer OE Using pen
Customer side project manager OPM Using pen
Table 2.2 A tracking spreadsheet for process engineering studies.
Action item
assigned to
Action customer or Expected Current Previous
Study Study item EPCC process completion study status week status Study %
No. description description engineer date notes notes complete
1 Check the Needs Person 1 MM/DD/YY Waiting on Waiting on 10

capacity of datasheet information information
E-XXXX of E-XXXX
information needed from the customer. An example study tracking spreadsheet is

given in Table 2.2.
2.4 Technology Selection

2.4.1 Technology Options
Initially, different technologies for the processing plant are preliminarily selected by
the EPCC process engineer. There might be more than one technology provider for
the same process. An experienced process engineer puts together several technology
options and compares them. Based on the experience with the technology provider,
the process engineer also notes the pros and cons of each technology. If there are
any outstanding comments from the process engineer regarding the technology, the
engineer may be able to note that down as well.
2.4.2 Meeting Between Customer and EPCC

Once the customer receives the technology options available, it takes about a week
to provide comments. At this time, there is a meeting between the customer and
the process engineer from the EPCC. In this meeting, the main agenda is to go
through the options and narrow down the technology selection to two to three
options.
2.4.3 Initiate a Study Contract with Technology Companies

Once the selection of technology is narrowed down, a process engineer from an
EPCC industry contacts the technology companies, initiates a contract to complete
the study, and provides them with a time frame to complete the technology study.
2.4 Technology Selection 29
In addition to the contract given to the technology companies, the process engineer
also provides ongoing support to ensure that the technology selection is made in the
time frame discussed earlier with the customer. Sometimes, the process engineer
from the EPCC needs to get additional information from the customer.
2.4.4 Review Report from Technology Companies

Once the technology companies had a chance to review the details of the technology
in relation to the project, the final reports are transmitted to the EPCC as well as to
the customer. The process engineer initially reviews the final reports and provides a
recommendation and comments on the technology selections. All this information
is later given to the customer for further review.
Project for a Technology Technology

processing needed? option evaluation
Yes by EPCC process
plant
engineer
Continue Technology
with the option action Meeting with
No
project items EPCC and
customer
e No
EPCC process
engineer EPCC process
reviews all engineer narrow
technical down to 2–3
Yes EPCC process
reports technology options?
engineer
provides help
Meeting Yes
Yes
between EPCC Reports
process acceptable?
engineer and
Initiate
the customer Information contract
Technology or help with the
companies needed to technology
complete work No technology companies
and provide companies?
Additional reports
meeting No
needed with Revise
technology Yes meeting
companies? needed with
Any pending
technology e
items?
companies
No
Technology
selection is Yes
made No
Figure 2.2 Flowchart of the technology selection process.

2.4.5 Customer and EPCC Make a Technology Selection

The customer and the engineer from the EPCC industry meet again and go through
the comments. If the options are well defined and if there is no doubt, then the
selection is easy. On the flip side, if the customer comes across any questions,
the customer may request an additional meeting with the technology companies.
The process engineer from the EPCC arranges a meeting with the technology
companies and communicates all the concerns and questions. Final technology
selection is based on the merits of the technology, experience of the customer with
the technology, cost, and the discussions.
2.4.6 Technology Selection Based on Other Criteria

Technology selection can be based on various factors. Some of the common fac-
tors are emission requirements, the capital investment needed, the turnaround time,
delivery time, quality of material used, and any prior application of the technology
in the industry. Most of the customers are interested in knowing the previous appli-
cation of the technology in the industry to make sure the technology that they are
selecting would work and has a good data point. Figure 2.2 shows a flowchart of the
technology selection process.
31
Phase 2 (Scope Definition)
3.1 Develop a Block-Flow Diagram

3.1.1 What Is a Block-Flow Diagram (BFD)
Block-flow diagrams (BFDs) are very simple diagrams that show a simplified version
of the process. They contain major pieces of equipment if the project is based on a
unit. They contain different units interacting with each other if the project is based
on a complex of units.
3.1.2 Information Needed to Develop a BFD

It is important to have a clear idea of the process before drawing a BFD. The pro-
cess engineer needs to understand where the raw material is coming from, how it
is transported, how it is heated, how it is separated, where it is going, and if it is
interacting with other units.
3.1.3 Utility Block-Flow Diagrams

Sometimes there are utilities involved in the process. Where the main process is
involved, the associated BFD is called utility-block-flow diagram (UBFD). There
could be multiple-BFDs just dedicated to the utility area. For example, there could
be a single-BFD showing connections between steam and boiler networks.
3.1.4 Examples
BFD does not show any flow rates, pressure, or temperatures. It is a connection of
several square blocks through a connecting line. Figures 3.1 and 3.2 show examples
of a BFD and a UBFD.
3.1.5 Uses of BFD and UBFDs

Once the BFD and UBFD are developed, these drawings are used by the customers
and the project managers for further scope discussions and making decisions. BFD
32 3 Phase 2 (Scope Definition)
Raw tanks Pumping Crude Desalters

station preheat train
Vacuum Crude Desalter

Side products tower tower preheat train
and products
Figure 3.1 Example of BFD – crude and vacuum distillation units.
Cooling tower Unit 1

Fuel gas
and pumps
Nitrogen
Boilers n
Power Instrument air
supply
Figure 3.2 Example of UBFD – utilities to Unit 1.
and UBFDs are also needed to get the funding for the next phases of the project.
Also, these block diagrams represent high-level information about the process and
are helpful to explain to newly joined engineers in the team.
3.2 Develop a Process-Flow Diagram

3.2.1 What Is Process-Flow Diagram
Process-flow diagram (PFD) shows a lot of details compared to BFD and UBFD.
There could be multiple PFDs. If the project is about a single unit, there could be
10 or 15 PFDs for the unit depending on the complexity of the unit. More complex
the unit is, greater number of PFDs is required. PFD contains all the equipment,
the connections to each equipment, and the basic information of flow pressure and
temperature is shown on each stream. Each stream is identified by a specific num-
ber usually shown in a diamond shape. These stream numbers are called heat and
material balance stream numbers, and they match with the stream numbers in the
simulations. Table 3.1 shows a typical number of PFDs depending on the complexity
of a unit. Refer to Table 1.1 for project types based on the cost of the project.
Typically, maximum of 10–15 number of equipment is shown on a single PFD.
Titleblock explaining the equipment function is shown on the PFD. Information on
static equipment, such as the distillation column or a vessel, is shown on the top of
the PFD. Information on rotary equipment, such as pumps or compressors, is shown
at the bottom of the PFD. Figure 3.3 shows a typical arrangement of static and rotary
Table 3.1 Number of PFDs based on

complexity of a unit or a project.
Project types No. of PFDs
Ultrasmall 1–2
Small cap 3–5
Midsized 7–20
Large 21–40
Grassroot 41–60
Mega 61–100
H-100 D-100
Fired heater Distillation
tower
D-100
H-100
P-00 P-101 P-101

P-100
Feed pump Product pump
Figure 3.3 Example of a PFD showing equipment at top and bottom.
equipment. Also, note that rotary equipment, such as pump, is located at the bottom
of the PFD, and static equipment is located in the main area of the PFD.
3.2.2 Information Needed to Develop a PFD

Preliminary list of equipment is needed to develop a PFD. If multiple units or com-
plex units are involved in a project, the information on the product routing and the
interaction with the other units are important. To show basic values of temperature,
pressure, and flow rates, finalized version of heat, material balance table, and sim-
ulations are required. Note that there could be multiple cases of the simulations for
a single unit. In such cases, a PFD is recreated with different process information
based on the different simulation cases. Figure 3.4 shows an example of a PFD.
TK-100 TK-101 TK-102 TK-103 TK-104 TK-105
Crude tank Crude tank Crude tank Crude tank Crude tank Crude tank
TK-100 TK-101 TK-102
P-101
TK-103
TK-104 TK-105
Tank P-101
car Transfer pump
Figure 3.4 Example of a PFD.

3.2.3 Utility Flow Diagrams

Similar to UBFDs, multiple UFDs are required. UFD shows utility connections to
the users. If multiple units are involved in a project, where a complex of units is
involved, the connection from the utility unit to the subsequent units is shown by
multiple UFDs.
3.2.4 Example
Figure 3.4 shows an example of a PFD.
3.2.5 Uses of PFD and UFD

PFDs and UFDs are very important documents. These are better documents than
BFDs as they have better information. These drawings can be utilized in multiple
ways. Process engineer uses them to develop P&IDs. Sometimes other disciplines
are involved in Phase 2 just to get acquainted with the number of equipment and
scope of the project. For all those disciplines, the PFDs are very helpful documents
for understanding and gaining knowledge. PFDs are also helpful to the customer to
prepare a project report to seek funding for the next phase.
3.2.6 Distinguishing New Scope from Existing

If the project has an existing process with a couple of new additions to the existing
process, to distinguish the existing equipment from the new equipment, it is shown
by a cloud for the new equipment. If everything on a PFD is new for a grassroot
project, then instead of showing a cloud around the PFD, a note is added to a PFD to
say everything is new on the page. Figure 3.5 shows an example of a cloud for new
equipment on a PFD.
TK-100 TK-101 TK-102 TK-103 TK-104 TK-105

Crude tank Crude tank Crude tank Crude tank Crude tank Crude tank
TK-100 TK-101 TK-102 New
P-101
TK-103 TK-104 TK-105
Tank P-101
car Transfer pump
Figure 3.5 New scope shown on a PFD using a cloud.

Project number: PN-XX Figure 3.6 Example of title block

on a PFD.
Process flow diagram
Diesel and kerosene loop
Drawing: DN-XX Rev: A

number Sheet 1 of 1
3.2.7 Revisions to the PFDs and UFDs

There could be revisions associated with the PFD and UFD documents, and it is
clearly mentioned on every page of the PFD and UFD. In Phase 2, there is one PFD
review with the customer, and the comments from the meeting are marked on the
PFD. These comments are later picked up by the drawing drafting technicians in
Phase 3.
3.2.8 Titleblock for the PFD

The title block for the PFD is based on the customer guidelines. Typically, it contains
information on the PFD and details of major pieces of equipment. Figure 3.6 shows
an example of a title block used for the PFD.
3.3 Prepare IFE Quality P&IDs

3.3.1 IFE Quality P&IDs
Estimate quality P&IDs are also called issued for estimate (IFE). Information such
as Line sizes for major lines, lot of hold notes, major piping connections, and all the
equipment required for the project is shown on the IFE quality P&IDs. Information
such as line details, line numbers, details for the instruments, and electrical equip-
ment, pressure safety valve (PSV) and flare scope, utility and pump seal plans, and
equipment sizes are not shown on the IFE quality P&IDs.
It is a conceptual P&IDs hand marked by a process engineer.
P&IDs are a combination of piping, instrumentation, and equipment. These draw-
ings show line sizes for the major pipelines. Typically, 4-in. and smaller line sizes are
not shown on the drawing because those are low-cost items and do not contribute
much to the cost estimating. Four-inch and smaller pipe sizes could be steam traps
common headers or instrument air pipings. The line detail, such as isolation valves,
is not shown in this phase but it is a good practice to show line sizes followed by a
pipe spec. There could be a global comment from the customer to use carbon steel
material everywhere for all the piping, in that case, a simple line size on the drawing
3.3 Prepare IFE Quality P&IDs 37
is sufficient for Phase 2. Very minimum details to the instruments are added. The
line number, instrument number, equipment number, and any electrical loop num-
ber are not added at this stage. Equipment sizes are not shown on the P&IDs, as they
are already shown in the equipment list. There are several hold notes added to the
P&IDs, and the details of the hold note information are needed for further follow-up
in the next phase. Relief valves are not evaluated in phase 2, and the engineer may
choose to show a placeholder just to give something for the estimating. Flare design
is typically studied as a part of feasibility studies, and if the determination is made
to add a new flare, few details of the flare could be added in this phase. The details
of utilities are not shown in Phase 2, as these details will be further developed in
the next phases. The pump seal plans and a plant compressor seal plan details are
also undeveloped at this stage because the seal selection is not done in phase 2. An
example of a P&ID is shown in Figure 3.7.
3.3.2 Uses of IFE P&IDs

3.3.2.1 General Uses
Other disciplines might be interested in seeing the preliminary equipment, instru-
ment, and piping count needed for the cost estimate. The customers are also inter-
ested in looking at the P&IDs, as it shows more details compared to PFDs.
The customer uses the latest version of the P&IDs to get board approval for the next
phases of the project. Sometimes it is important to have interface meetings with the
two or three engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCCs)
involved for larger projects, in such cases, interface priorities are developed in rela-
tion to the P&IDs and maintained for further communication in the next phase of
the project.
3.3.2.2 Estimating Uses for Phase 2 Estimate

The cost estimating team is most interested in the IFE P&IDs. If the other disciplines
are not involved, then estimating use these P&IDs as a basis to get a preliminarily
count of instruments, piping, electrical, and equipment items. These P&IDs provide
adequate information to complete the estimate within acceptable error of margin
required for phase 2.
3.3.2.3 Reviews with the Customer

Early review meeting with the customer is important, especially with the operations
to get early feedback on thought process of operations. These kinds of reviews with
the customer are focused on high-level comments, such as deletion of equipment
and additional major piping. These meetings are not focused on addition of a drain
valve or a block valve. All these comments are shown or marked by the process engi-
neer on the P&IDs using a pen on paper or a Bluebeam can be used.
3.3.3 Example of a P&ID

Figure 3.7 show examples of process and utility P&IDs.
E-01
V-01
T-01
P-01
(a)
Pump P-01
MF-1-5
B.L.
FT
01
Instrument Instrument
air air
UF-1-1 UF-1-2
From To tower
compressor T-02
C-01
Filter V-01
Reactor R-01 MF-1-6
MF-1-1
Tower T-01
(b) MF-1-3
Figure 3.7 (a) Process P&ID (b) Utility distribution P&ID.
3.4 Identify Major Pieces of Equipment, Instruments,

and Electrical
3.4.1 Identification of Major Pieces of Equipment
Plot space is basically an empty space where all the new equipment is going to be
installed and commissioned eventually. Plot space for the project is very critical
for successful completion of a project. The customer may have identified a loca-
tion where the new unit and new equipment will be located. It is also important
to place the new unit plot space adjacent to the existing units if there is an inter-
action between the raw material and products with other existing units. Plot space
for certain types of equipment, such as fire heaters, is critical for the overall plot
3.4 Identify Major Pieces of Equipment, Instruments, and Electrical 39
space planning purposes. This is because according to the National Fire Protection
Association (NFPA) codes, fired heaters need to have a 40-ft clearance around them,
meaning no other equipment is allowed within 40 ft of radius.
Also, if the plot space is tight, the process engineer needs to mention which level
each equipment can be accommodated, and there are some special free training
requirements that should be clearly indicated on the P&IDs so that the piping design
team can locate the equipment accordingly. In such cases, the equipment must be
located at top level of the structure so that it free drains to the downstream equip-
ment. All the rotary equipment, such as pumps and compressors, are located at a
grade level. All the exchangers on the project, to minimize this pipe run, are located
in a common structure. Bigger equipment, such as distillation columns, needs to
have some access for the operators to climb and do maintenance. There may be
some underground equipment, such as vertical underground fire water pump, in
such cases, the civil engineer should make sure the soil conditions are suitable for
the installation of the underground equipment. Some special equipment that is very
tall in the structure, such as a column as high as 220 ft in the air, needs to be evalu-
ated for the wind loads. Hence, identification of the major piece of equipment is very
important in the determination of plot space in early phases. As the current phase
goes to the next phase, the scope develops, and more information on the equipment
is available, and the plot space gets rectified.
The process engineer should make sure to show enough details on the P&IDs so
that the preliminary plot space can be developed.
Civil engineers may not get all the information from the P&IDs or equipment.
In the early phases, if the civil engineers are involved to help estimate, civil engi-
neer would ask for the rough order of magnitude of the equipment sizes so that the
number of piling and the concrete requirement for that piece of equipment can be
estimated. It is too early for civil engineers to be involved in this phase. A common
practice is estimating the cost of the project based on the database that the cost esti-
mating has in the software. The estimating software can come up with rough order
of magnitude of the concrete and the piling.
3.4.2 Controls and Electrical Estimate

There are some instrument and electrical items that may not be shown on the P&IDs
in the early phases. Estimating or the disciplines can come up with the electrical
loads for the transformer and generator or uninterrupted power supply (UPS). The
control system engineering can come up with a panel box requirement for the safety
integrated systems (SISs). The cost estimating and the disciplines look at the equip-
ment list and P&IDs to get a preliminary list of electrical and instrument items.
3.4.3 Mechanical Engineering Estimate

It is a responsibility of a process engineer to come up with the preliminary sizes
for all the equipment on the project and show them in the equipment list. The
equipment list may not have all the necessary details to come up with the cost of
particular equipment. For example, the process engineer may come up with a size
of an exchanger as 42-in. ID (inside diameter) and 20-ft length AEU type exchanger.
The mechanical engineer may provide additional information required for the cost
estimation based on previous experience on other projects. Another example would
be the process engineer providing basic performance data for a pump, such as
100 gallons per minute at 230 TDH (total developed head) and density of a liquid.
This may not necessarily provide the size of a pump itself, so mechanical engineers
may use this preliminary information to provide a size and a model of the pump
for the cost estimating. Mechanical engineers would look at catalogs and previous
vendor or project information. Similar basis is true for controls and electrical
engineering as well.
3.5 Estimate Preliminary Sizing of Major Equipment

and Instruments
3.5.1 Preliminary Sizing of Major Equipment

For the distillation columns, the process engineer could use software to size a col-
umn quickly. For sizing column trays and packing, other proprietary software, such
as KG tower and Sulzer, is used. The process engineer may not be putting together a
datasheet in this phase for the column. For the cost estimate purposes, some generic
designs for the column internals, such as reflux distributor, downcomer, collection
pipe, and channel, are used.
Preliminary equipment design is done by the process engineer. Major assump-
tions, such as “pump hydraulics are not done so the pipe lengths are assumed,” are
noted. The pump sizing maybe 50% accurate. For all the pumps, overall basis for
the hydraulics should be noted if the length and fittings are assumed. The flow rates
should be from the simulations or heat and material balance tables. If the overdesign
is added, that should be clearly mentioned as well. In this stage, it is a good idea to
summarize design details for the pump hydraulics to give a good idea to the reader.
An example summary table is shown in Table 3.2.
For heaters, streams involved, i.e. inlet and outlet should be mentioned clearly. If
there is more than one simulation that also should be mentioned here. In addition to
that, method of firing the heater should be mentioned. It can be a fuel gas-powered
furnace or fuel oil. Also, the basis for the burner selection either ultralow NOx or
Table 3.2 Pump summary table.
Pumping Estimated
Pump Quantity Flow TDH 𝚫P Specific temperature motor
tag no. of pumps (gpm) (ft) (psi) gravity (∘ F) size (hp)
P-XXXX
3.5 Estimate Preliminary Sizing of Major Equipment and Instruments 41
low NOx burner should be mentioned. Other design parameters, such as the oxygen
percentage in the stack, the flame temperature, the fuel gas pressure, temperature,
and the pressure drop across the heater, should be clearly mentioned. The process
engineers may not size the actual heater, but the performance data provided by them
are used by the vendor or the cost estimate to come up with the sizing and costs.
Vessels are very easy piece of the project. The process engineer should consider
the streams involved, holdup time, and separation efficiency as required.
3.5.2 Instrument Sizing

Process engineers are not expected to come up with the sizes of instruments, such
as control valves. One line size smaller control valve size is assumed usually for the
cost estimate. Process engineers differentiate the type of flowmeter based on their
experience. For example, for water service, a differential or a plate flowmeter can be
used. Some other unique services where the high-pressure drop cannot be allowed,
venturi type of flowmeter should be used. It is not required, or it is not expected from
a process engineer to mark up the type of instrument and the size of the instrument
earlier in Phase 2 on the P&IDs but it is always better if they can show details on
the P&IDs. Below example in Figure 3.8 shows a type of a flow meter (turbine) and
type of a control valve (globe), and additional details regarding level control and flow
cascade.
3.5.3 Estimation of Electrical Loads Based on Preliminary Horsepower

Once the process engineer defines the preliminary horsepower in the equipment list,
electrical engineers can use the data to come up with the size of a substation and
T-01
Figure 3.8 Example of P&ID showing details of instrumentations.

Table 3.3 Equipment list given to the project and mechanical engineering.
Design
Motor estimated
Insulation (Y/N)
Temperature, ∘ F
Equipment type
New Equip. No.
Pressure (psig)
Capacity/Duty
HP/Voltage
or Diff. Head
Construction
Dimensions
Material of
Scope (New
Description
Modified)
Quantity
power source required for the project. Note that in this phase, as very little informa-Type
tion is known, process engineer assumes efficiencies of the motors and the rotating
equipment to get an approximate power estimate. It is always important for the elec-
trical team to add some additional design margin to account for the approximate
estimation. If the electrical team is not involved earlier in the phases, then the cost
estimate can use the data to come up with the sizes of electrical stations using the
software and the database available. Table 3.3 shows an equipment list produced by
a process engineer in Phase 2.
3.6 Metallurgy Selection of Major Equipment
3.6.1 Provide Preliminary Information on the Stream

The process engineers are not material specialists or metallurgists. They are not
expected to provide material selection expertise for equipment, piping, control
valves instruments, etc. But process engineer is expected to provide the information
that leads to making determination of which material to be used. An experienced
process engineer can specify the type of metallurgy needed based on the prior
history of the project or prior experience. Typically, material expert from the
customer side is available to help choose the metallurgy required for the major
pieces of equipment. If the customer-side metallurgist is not available, then the
EPCC industry finds an expert within the global pool of talent. For instruments, the
metallurgy may be somewhat straightforward. As an example, orifice plates and
control valves are usually bought in stainless steel due to high erosion potential
of the fluid. Bottom line is the process engineers are not required to select the
metallurgy for the equipment, but they are involved in the early discussions
with the metallurgist and the customers to provide any additional information if
needed.
3.6 Metallurgy Selection of Major Equipment 43
3.6.2 Special Consideration for the Metallurgy

Process engineer should note special consideration that helps metallurgy engineers
select appropriate metallurgy for an item. Other considerations are if the processing
unit is operating at a high temperature and if there is wet hydrogen in the system.
If the system has oxygen, the oxygen can corrode the bad metallurgy. If the process
is operating at very low temperatures or subzero temperatures, it is important for
the metallurgist to know. The metallurgy depends on so many factors as mentioned
earlier, and the type of material used for the equipment and piping determines the
cost of a project. Hence, it is very important to select the right metallurgy based on
the process conditions.
Below are some example guidelines that the process engineer working on a
refinery project should keep in mind when preparing a special consideration of the
metallurgy.
∘
● High-temperature sulfidation attack – Above 450 F the sulfur species in hydro-
carbons attack carbon steel. This is mitigated with chrome alloy 5 Chrome/9
Chrome/12 Chrome
– 5 Chrome 400–550 ∘ F
– 9 Chrome 550–650 ∘ F
– 12 Chrome over 650 ∘ F
● Naphthenic Acid Attack of Gas oils with high Naphthenic Acid concentrations
(total acid number [TAN] > 1.0)
– Above 450 ∘ F/high velocity, the 316 SS has experienced excessive corrosion
– Sulfur species can “help” form a passive layer on the base metal improving
resistance
– Typically, 317 Stainless Steel (>2.75% Moly) mitigates the problem
● Hydrogen embrittlement – due to “wet” Hydrogen Sulfide or High Hydrogen
Partial Pressure/Elevated Temperatures
– Up to about 400 ∘ F, Carbon Steel is good for all hydrogen partial pressure
applications
– Over 450 ∘ F, need to look at the “Nelson Curves” that plot hydrogen partial
pressure vs. Temperature (warning, the 0.5% Chrome should be same as carbon
steel)
3.6.3 Most of the Services in Refinery Are Carbon Steel

Most of the services in the refinery operations are carbon steel, and during estimating
if no information is provided, it is assumed that the material is going to be carbon
steel. As the carbon steel material is less expensive than stainless steel, the project
cost might not be realistic if incorrect metallurgy is chosen for the cost estimation.
Hence, process engineers should be willing to provide the appropriate metallurgy
or at least provide the process conditions that might lead to choosing the correct
metallurgy.
3.6.4 Importance of a Metallurgy

If the metallurgy is not chosen correctly in the early phases, it is acceptable to make
a mistake in Phase 2 but more than likely this mistake is going to carry forward into
the next phase. It is not acceptable to make such major mistakes in Phase 3 as the
cost estimate are plus or minus 30% and has a major cost impact.
As an example, several years back, a licensor was involved in a particular project.
As an EPCC process engineer, it was not his/her responsibility to assign metallurgy
for columns that will eventually be installed in the tail gas treatment unit of the refin-
ery. A licenser company was contacted in Phase 2 regarding metallurgy of a system
as they know the metallurgy for the two columns based on their expertise. The licen-
sor has widely used their technology and proven that their selection works. During
Phase 2, it was not communicated in the documents from the licensor, so process
engineer from EPCC consulted the licensor about the metallurgy. The answer came
from the licensor that it should be carbon steel based on the process stream and heat
and material balance data in Phase 2. The metallurgy should have been a stainless
steel material but a carbon steel material was used in the estimate. Also, all the docu-
ments, such as equipment list and P&IDs, reflected the same metallurgy. This major
mistake was carried over to the next phase, and there was very minimal support from
the licensor in Phase 3.
Later, the process engineer from the EPCC noticed that wrong metallurgy was
specified for two columns. The entire project team was now trying to figure out a
solution to fix a problem since two columns were long lead (takes longer delivery
time) critical equipment, and the purchase order was placed. It was impossible to
change the metallurgy at that time because the fabricator has already purchased
the metal sheets. As a part of the solution, the fabricator was called and requested
to immediately stop the production process of the columns. Further, the fabricator
was asked to provide the metallurgy detail and temperature details used for testing
and production. Later, upon further review by the EPCC metallurgy engineers, the
data found were fortunately acceptable and carbon steel material was acceptable.
Such mistakes can be harmful and detrimental to the project and should be carefully
considered.
Below are some other examples of importance of metallurgy and its effects if not
chosen correctly.
● Oxygen Services
– All ferrous-based materials (including Austenitic Stainless Steels) can “burn
(rust)” if provided an ignition source – “must be clean and must limit velocity.”
– Monel (nickel alloy) is preferred
● Acids
– Wet Hydrogen Chloride (HCl) corrodes about everything except Hasteloys and
some “plastics” – corrosion inhibitors are added in many towers’ overhead
systems.
– Sulfuric acid – carbon steel for concentrated, alloy 20 (Duplex SS) for diluted
(93%), plastics for less than 93%.
3.7 Complete Simulations for Different Cases and Prepare IFE Quality HMB 45
3.7 Complete Simulations for Different Cases

and Prepare IFE Quality HMB
Simulations are basically developing a working prototype of the processing plant

and can be achieved by using various computer software for accuracy and carrying
out multiple tasks at the same time. Heat and material balance (HMB) tables are
heat and material balance tables developed based on the simulations and consist
of stream mass and chemical properties of the process streams. Simulations and
HMB are linked with each other. When the simulation is completed, the data from
the simulation are transferred to HMB tables. There could be multiple cases in the
simulations depending on type of feed, temperature, and different product profiles.
The process engineer should make sure that simulation for all different cases is
completed. The process engineers should also make sure all the equipment is sized
for the worst-case simulation and HMB scenarios.
Note that all these deliverables are estimated quality for Phase 2. Any changes with
the simulation and HMB would affect the sizing of equipment and the cost estimate
in the upcoming phases. It is expected by process engineers and the customers to
avoid any changes unnecessary going forward.
Sometimes a licensor or technology company is involved in Phase 1. In Phase 1,
they produce a HMB but do not typically provide a simulation. EPCC uses this HMB
to produce overall HMB to include other supporting details, such as outside battery
limit area and utility area. Table 3.4 and Figure 3.9 show examples of HMB table and
simulation, respectively.
Table 3.4 Example of a HMB table.
Customer’s Name:
Project name:
Unit:
Project #:
PFD#: Simulation case description:
Stream description Feed to X-101 Outlet of X-101 Feed to D-101
Stream No. 1 2 3
Stream phase Vapor or liquid Vapor or liquid Vapor or liquid
Pressure (psig)
Temperature (F)
Total mass rate (lb/h)
Composition (wt%)
Component 1
Component 2
Component 3
Component 4
HOR
X-100 X-134 X-127
Temperature XX F
DUTY XX Btu/hr
Pressure XX psig DUTY XX Btu/hr DUTY XX Btu/hr
Feed Temperature XX F
Mass Flow XX Ib/hr Feed Temperature XX F Feed Temperature XX F
Product Temperature XX F
Specific Gravity XX Product Temperature XX F Product Temperature XX F
X-100
5 Reb
12B 1 1st 10
FCV loop 12B X-100 8
Temperature XX F 12A MIX-102 TEE-101 Temperature XX F
11
Pressure XX psig
Temperature XX F
2 9
X-127 Pressure XX Molar Flow XX Ibmole/hr
TCV X-127 MIX-100 psig
vap X-134 Mass Flow XX Ib/hr
3 Line loss and other unknowns
12 bypass
V-100 8
HOR Mass Flow XX Ib/hr Pressure Drop XX psi
X-134
11
A pump HOR to 13
H-1 Line loss and
X-125 drum
ADJ-1 dis TEE-102 energy 12 bypass X-189 7
MIX-101 other R
dis unknowns RCY-1
12 6 7
P-100 X-125
Pump H-1 TEE-100 4 X-189 Mass Flow XX Ib/hr
suction
P-100 H-1 energy X-125 X-189
Delta P XX psi Heat Flow XX Btu/hr DUTY XX Btu/hr XX Btu/hr
pump DUTY
Power XX hp 12 Feed Temperature XX F Feed Temperature XX F
Temperature XX F Product Temperature XX F Product Temperature XX F
Pressure XX psig
Figure 3.9 Example of a process engineering simulation.

3.9 Preliminary Estimate of Utility Summary 47
3.8 Complete Studies
Some unfinished studies from previous phases should be finished in this phase. If
the data are available, the study can be completed in this phase. If not, the timeline
is discussed with the customer and the study is to be completed in the next phase of
the project.
Some of the studies, such as flare studies, were not able to complete because of
lack of the data in the previous Phase 1, the process engineer can complete such
studies in Phase 2. If the data are still not available, the process engineer can initiate
a request for the data, and the customer can start gathering the information needed.
Sometimes to complete a study, information is needed from the technology company.
During the progress of Phase 2, there could be a need for several additional studies.
Some studies can be quickly completed in Phase 2, and some may not be approved,
such studies that cannot be completed are carried forward to the next phase of the
project. As discussed previously, the preparation of the study approval process and
the documentation are similar to process mentioned in Phase 1.
3.9 Preliminary Estimate of Utility Summary
3.9.1 Introduction to Utility Summary

Utility summary is very common deliverable from the process engineer. Usually, the
licensor will not provide this information. The process engineer should put together
a utility summary. Utility summary consists of utility requirements for the plant,
such as instrument air, boiler feedwater, and steam. The licensor company may or
may not provide the information for the utility. In such cases, the process engineer
should perform calculations and come up with the utility summary values for differ-
ent utilities and list them down in the table. Table 3.5 shows an example of a utility
summary table.
3.9.2 Use of Utility Summary and Value Plus Suggestions

Utility summary table is very important to the project, particularly to the plant. If the
project is not a grassroot, utilizing some of the existing equipment is critical to the
plant operation. The customer must make sure they can provide the utility demand
stated in the utility table if no new utility equipment has to be planned for the project.
There could be some debottlenecking opportunities in the existing utility system
coupled with the new project processing area. So, the process engineer can suggest
these debottlenecking studies to the customer, and the customer may consider doing
a study or not. There could be some value improvement suggestions that the EPCC
process engineer can come up with. These value improvement suggestions are noted
by the project and customers. If there is a saving to be made, the customer could
request the process engineer to consider the study and implementation as necessary.
Table 3.6 shows an example of a value plus suggestion template.
Table 3.5 Example of utility summary table.
Natural gas, million metric standard
Instrument air, standard cubic

cubic foot per day (MMSCFD)
Steam, LP/MP/HP, lb/hr
Boiler feed water, gpm
foot per hour(SCFH)

Hydrogen, MMSCFD
Cooling water, gpm
Potable water, gpm

Condensate, lb/hr
Electric power, hp
Blowdown, lb/hr
Equipment tag #
Chemicals, lb/hr
Nitrogen, SCFH
Plant air, SCFH
Service
P-100 Feed 50 0 0 0 0 10 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
pump
E-100 Columns 0 0/15, 0 15, 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
reboiler 255/0 255
Table 3.6 Example of a value plus suggestion.
Idea # Title:
Status: Approved Y/N Description of idea:
Date submitted: Created by: Project phase:
Originating office: Project#: Customer name:
EPCC project manager assigned:

How this value plus idea creates an impact
or saves energy
Steps taken to come up with a value plus
suggestions
Attachments
Total impact on cost and schedule Impact Currency, USD

Total installed cost Savings of $
Carbon savings Savings of CO2 XX metric tons of CO2
APPROVALS
Submitted by: Date:
Approved by EPCC manager: Date:
Approved by customer: Date:
3.10 Participation in LOPA 49
3.10 Participation in LOPA

3.10.1 What Is LOPA
Layer of protection analysis (LOPA) is simplified method of risk assessment that
provides a middle ground between a qualitative process hazard analysis and a tradi-
tional quantitative risk analysis. It is a very preliminary analysis usually done in the
early phase of the project to find out the risk associated with the processing unit. If
there is a hazard identified in the LOPA meeting, there is a recommendation associ-
ated with the hazard to mitigate the hazard.
3.10.2 Format of LOPA

Figure 3.10 shows an example of a LOPA table.
Number of PLs SIL level required

(c)
3 1 1
(c) (c) (c) (b)
2 1 1 2 1 2 3
(c) (b) (b) (b) (a)
1 1 2 1 2 3 3 3 3
Hazardous L M H L M H L M H
event o e i o e i o e i
likelihood w d g w d g w d g
h h h
Minor Serious Extensive
Hazardous event severity rating
(a) One Level 3 SIF does not provide sufficient risk reduction at this risk level. Additional modifications are required to reduce risk.
(b) One Level 3 SIF does not provide sufficient risk reduction at this risk level. Additional review is required.
(c) SIS independent protection layer is probably not needed.
(d) This approach is not considered suitable for SIL 4.
Figure 3.10 Example of LOPA table. Source: Patel [2]/Hydrocarbon Processing.
3.10.3 LOPA Team

The team typically includes personnel who have knowledge of plant operations,
maintenance, design, facility, or the project being installed. These are plant process
engineers, plant operators, plant maintenance, plant controls, and lead process engi-
neer from the EPCC industry. This team is sufficient for Phase 2.
3.10.4 Difference Between LOPA and HAZOP

Hazard and operability analysis (HAZOP) is hazard operational study. LOPA study is
performed at the earlier stages of the design phase, and HAZOP is done in the scope
development and the detailed design phases. The HAZOP is more detailed analysis
of the processing system compared to LOPA, where a high-level hazard analysis is
carried out. The HAZOP is a risk assessment methodology for evaluating hazards
involved in the process. If there are hazards involved, then the recommendation is
made by the team. The recommendation is captured by the process engineer quickly,
and the P&IDs are marked that way if it is easy. If it is a complex recommendation,
then a hold note is added to the P&ID, and it is followed up in the next phase of the
project.
3.11 Prepare IFE Quality Design Basis

As explained earlier, process engineer put together a design basis document that
shows the basis used for sizing equipment for any items, the summary of studies
involved, any hold items, summary of meetings or discussions, and a list of all the
deliverable items for Phase 2.
51
Phase 3 (Scope Development)
Later “issued for design” datasheets for all the equipment are used by mechani-
cal engineers to develop mechanical datasheets. Process engineers add details to
the P&IDs based on the sizing of the equipment, heat and material balance, and
information from the licensor vendor. These preliminary P&IDs are reviewed by the
customer engineers and other disciplines. The comments provided in this meeting
are later picked by the process engineers and the P&IDs are “issued for HAZOP.”
Once the hazard operability study (HAZOP) is complete, the HAZOP provides a list
of recommendations to the process engineers. Process engineers go through the rec-
ommendations and update P&IDs and the design of the equipment as necessary.
Process engineers later issue P&IDs for design.
It is important to know that the quality of information provided by the process
engineer in this phase is much better than in the previous phases because lot
of information is available for process engineers to produce a good engineering
design. Sometimes the information is not available and process engineers are
required to assume or make a good engineering assumption. At the same time,
the piping engineers and design team develop a 3D model based on the P&IDs.
Based on the progress of the P&IDs, the process engineers are required to assess the
requirement of relief valves in this phase and come up with a preliminary sizing
and mark it on the P&IDs. Apart from all the work, the process engineer should
participate in several meetings, lead the workshare meetings, provide input to all
the disciplines, and also meet with the customers and resolve when comments or
questions are asked.
4.1 Perform Detailed Hydraulics
4.1.1 What Is Detailed Hydraulics

If it is an existing pump, the hydraulics are carried out based on the existing equip-
ment information and the existing piping isometric information from the plant. If a
new piece of piping or equipment is added in between two existing equipment, then
a good engineering assumption is made for the piping based on the preliminary
52 4 Phase 3 (Scope Development)
plot-space drawing, and the information of the new equipment is based on the design
being done in this phase.
If it is a new pump, preliminary pipe lengths are estimated based on a preliminary
arrangement of the equipment with additional design margin to account for the
fittings and elbows. Once the hydraulics are done, the process engineer provides
information to the entire project team and the customer. Depending on the service
of the pump and experience of the customer with that pump service in other units,
the customer may ask to perform or double-check the hydraulics assumptions based
on the detailed isometric drawings. Note that in the timeframe of Phase 3, the piping
isometrics for the new section of the piping may not be easily available. The process
engineer requires isometric drawing from piping design. Process engineer checks
the hydraulics one more time based on the very preliminary isometric drawings to
make sure early assumptions were all correct. If the assumptions are somewhat con-
servative and simple in nature and do not affect the mechanical design of the pump,
the process engineer is not required to update the design of the pump because by that
time or toward the end of Phase 3, mechanical engineers may have selected vendor
and finalized the model for the pump. So, it is a rework for mechanical engineers
for a small change if it is not required and it is made. On the other hand, based on
the checking if found that the earlier design was not conservative or underdesigned,
then the process engineer is obligated to update the previous design and notify
mechanical engineer accordingly to stop previous work and modify the design as
necessary.
4.1.2 Examples of Criticality of Hydraulics

● In a vacuum distillation unit of a refinery unit, plant operations use 150 psig
steam to maintain a vacuum needed in the column. The vacuum is maintained
by sending the 150 psig steam to the ejectors. If the steam line to the ejectors is
not sized correctly, the ejectors may not get adequate steam, which will result in
loss of a vacuum in the column. Loss of vacuum in the column has a direct effect
on upstream and downstream operations. Hence, it is critical to make sure the
steam-line hydraulics are done as accurately as possible.
● In a crude distillation unit of a refinery unit, plant operations use raw crude
pumps to pump crude oil from storage tanks to the crude tower through several
exchangers, pipelines, control valves, flow meters, heaters, and vessels. If the
process engineer does not design the raw crude pump design accurately, the raw
crude may not reach the crude tower. This has a direct impact on performance
of preheating trains and no liquid is received on crude tower trays. This has
an indirect impact on downstream units, such as vacuum units, fluid catalytic
crackers, and product tanks. For such reasons, it is critical to make sure the pump
hydraulics are done as accurately as possible.
4.1.3 Importance of Design Safety Margin

Since hydraulics or design of equipment is very critical on all the projects, it is rec-
ommended by all the customers to consider adding a safety margin to the design
4.1 Perform Detailed Hydraulics 53
to account for few unknowns (such as fouling rate increase over time), to provide
some flexibility to the operations, and to provide some future expansion capabili-
ties. Below are some overdesign factors considered for design of a new pump. Note
that the design margin for few services, such as reflux pump, is somewhat higher
than other services. This is because these services are more critical to the operation
of the unit. Table 4.1 shows examples of design safety margins used for few pump
services in a refinery.
4.1.4 Battery Limit Table Coupled with Hydraulics

If a complex of multiple units is involved, there is a way to communicate the details
of the design with the other parties. A battery limit table is developed by a engi-
neering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) process engineer.
Different parties involved in the design interact with each other based on this
table. Different parties sometimes request information or sometimes provide the
information.
Example of battery limit table is shown in Table 4.2. There are revisions to the
battery limit table, and the comments are noted in the comment section, and data
request can also be noted if there is any.
Table 4.1 Examples of design safety margin for pumps.
Item Design margin
Reflux pumps 20% on HMB rate

Cooling water pumps 20% on HMB rate
Product pumps 10% on HMB rate
Intermittent pumps 5% on HMB rate
Table 4.2 Battery limit table.

Relief valve on the battery limit needed Y/N
Double block and bleed needed Y/N
Design temperature (F)
Decide pressure (psig)
Flow rate (gpm/lb/h)
Line from P&ID No.
Line class or rating

Line to P&ID No.
Battery limit No.
Velocity (ft/s)
Comments
𝚫P/100 ft
Line No.
Service
4.1.5 Line Sizing Criteria for Hydraulics

A process engineer needs to perform some non-pump hydraulics for all the projects.
The engineer should meet the customer’s guidelines for the velocity and pressure
drop, and make sure the line sizing is carried out as per criteria specified by the
customers. Line sizing criteria for pump outlet lines are shown in Table 4.3.
Table 4.3 Different design criteria for sizing lines.
Pump outlet lines
Flow range (gpm) 𝚫P/100 ft Velocity (ft/s)
0–250 1.8 8.5

250–1000 1.8 10.5
1000–3000 1.8 12.5
3000 and higher 1.3 14.5
4.2 Detail Design of Other Equipment
Other equipment, such as heat exchangers, vessels, and columns, are managed a
little differently than pumps. It is necessary and important for the process engineer
to complete the design of such equipment as accurately as possible.
4.2.1 Heat Exchangers

In previous phrases, detailed design of the heat exchanger was not carried out. It is
one of the common equipment that is available in all the processing plants. It is not
required or expected from process engineer to do the mechanical design of the heat
exchanger, but it is preferred to have process engineer complete the design. So, this
way when the process information along with the mechanical information for the
heat exchanger is given to the mechanical engineer, and when the mechanical engi-
neer goes out to the vendor for a quote, different vendors will try to come up with the
same or similar design. That way it is very simple to compare similar designs with
minor changes from vendor to vendor. On the flip side, if the mechanical design is
not provided by the process engineer and if just the process information is provided
on a datasheet, different vendors are at liberty to design their own design, and differ-
ent vendors have their own different designs. It would be very difficult to compare
multiple designs that differ drastically.
Shell and tube design exchangers are very commonly used designs in the indus-
try. Within the shell and tube design exchangers, there are multiple types of heat
exchangers that the process engineer should choose based on the different factors,
such as service of fluid, viscosity of fluid, thermal stresses encountered, phase of
fluid, corrosive nature of fluid, and purpose of exchanger.
4.2 Detail Design of Other Equipment 55
Table 4.4 Examples of fouling factors used in designing heat exchangers.
Fluid Fouling factor [(h/ft2 /F)/Btu]
Demineralized water 0.0002

Propane 0.001
Gasoline 0.001
Cooling water 0.002
Light gas oil 0.002
Heavy gas oil 0.003
Heavy fuel oil 0.005
When designing the heat exchangers, the processing engineer uses software called
heat transfer research institute (HTRI). The process engineer should make sure that
design for all the simulation and heat and material balance cases must come up with
a conservative design after adding additional design margin, as required by the cus-
tomer. In addition to that, process engineers must keep in mind the fouling factors
based on the services. Table 4.4 provides few examples of fouling factors used in the
industry. Excessive falling fouling factor can overdesign the exchanger vastly and
lower fouling factor usage can under design the heat exchanger. In such cases, it is
important for the process engineer to note down all the fouling factors that he or she
planned to use in their design and get approval from the plant engineers to make sure
they agree with the fouling factors. Also, the customer can provide valuable feedback
on the fouling factors for different services based on the existing plant operations.
Also, there are some criteria as laid out by the customer regarding how much pres-
sure drop a process engineer can allow on shell or tube side of the exchanger based
on the viscosity of the fluid. There are some thumb rules process engineers must
know, which also come with experience. Table 4.5 lists some thumb rules used in
the industry for the shell and tube heat exchangers. As an example, high fouling
Table 4.5 Thumb rules used for choosing the side of a shell and tube heat exchanger.
Fluid service Shell side Tube side Reason
Cooling water ✓ Ease of cleaning

Corrosive/viscous ✓ Ease of cleaning/maintenance
fluid
Lower allowable ✓ Allows lower pressure drop
pressure drops
Vaporizing fluid ✓ Because a vapor normally has a
higher volume and lower
heat-transfer coefficient than a
liquid
High-pressure fluid ✓ Tubes have high-pressure rating
services, such as vacuum bottoms, should be placed on a tube side because tube
sides are easy to clean compared to shell sides.
4.2.2 Vessels
Vessel is a storage and separation equipment used in all chemical and refining
plants. There are two types of vessels. One type provides a hold-up time and second
type does the actual separation between two or three phases. Process engineers
should follow the guidelines provided by the customer’s design guideline manual,
and design the drums accordingly. It is important for the process engineer to
understand the implications of not following the guidelines. Below are some
examples of implications:
Example 1 – The hold-up time for many vessels required is 10 minutes to protect
the downstream or upstream equipment. The feed drum of a processing unit is
designed for 10 minutes of residence time to provide the adequate residence time
needed. If the upstream process unit is tripped in this situation, the reactor feed
pump, connected to the feed drum and delivering liquid to a reactor, can provide
adequate time to the reactor for safe shutdown. Essentially, this provides a critical
time for the operator to safely shutdown the reactor.
Example 2 – Another example is the reflux drum connected to the column overhead
system. Adequate residence time is provided to the reflux drum to provide ade-
quate reflux to the column just in case the condenser fails. This scenario provides
the operator with crucial time needed to safely shutdown the column without
causing any upsets or damage to the column trays or packing.
Example 3 – Another example of the separation of three phases in the amine flash
drum. In the amine flash drum, hydrocarbons gases dissolved in the rich amine
are separated from the trace amounts of oils present in the rich amine. To design
the amine flash drum correctly, the vessel is typically sized to provide 30 minutes
of residence time to provide adequate separation time between hydrocarbons and
the amine. If the rich amine flash drum is not designed adequately to separate
trace amounts of hydrocarbons from the amine, the hydrocarbons can carry over
to the lean amine and further may end up in an amine acid gas. This amine acid
gas further feeds to the sulfur recovery unit, and any trace amount of hydrocar-
bon can cause the sulfur recovery unit to experience severe process upsets due to
higher concentrations of hydrocarbons. So, it is important for the process engineer
to understand the implication of not designing as per the guidelines
4.2.3 Columns
Similarly, for the columns, the process engineer should understand the implications
of not designing a column correctly. For example, if the column is not designed cor-
rectly, the flooding number might exceed 80% and column trays might flood. This
has a direct impact on product specification in the column, and the operator may not
be able to meet the product specification needed if the original design is incorrect.
4.3 Input to Line List and the Process
Line list is an engineering document shared with multiple disciplines. It contains

information related to several teams associated with the project. Figure 4.1 shows
the different inputs required to prepare a line list document.
Line list is a complex document where multiple disciplines, mainly process
engineering, piping design, and piping engineering are involved in the develop-
ment. Piping design provides the basic information related to the line list based
on the P&IDs. The basic information is a line number, “from and to” of the line.
The process engineer has the main job to provide lot of process information, as
shown in Table 4.6. The process information in the line list document is operating
temperature, operating pressure, maximum operating pressure and temperature,
upset pressures, and temperatures fluid phase. Piping engineering once received
the process data, starts filling out information to make sure the piping design is
within the design limits. Also, piping engineering adds the insulation requirement
range as per process information provided. So, the entire communication between
these three disciplines is shown in Figure 4.2.
In addition to developing the line list, once the line list is ready, piping engineering
will issue out the line list for construction. Piping design then uses this construction
line list to develop the piping isometric drawings. In addition to line list, there are
some other lists, such as tie-in list, hold list, and deviation list, which are part of the
project. The tie-in list is developed and maintained by the piping design. The hold
list items, which are also mentioned on the P&IDs, and any general project holds
are maintained by the project management. The deviation list is also maintained by
the project management, and it contains a list of deviations from standard customer
Line list output

PFDs, UFDs,
H and MB
MSDs Isometric
Line drawings
list
P and IDs Relief valve
input design
and
Equipment Piping Basis
datasheets output
documents
Pipe
specifications Paint and insulation
specifications
Figure 4.1 Line list input and output tree. UFD, utility flow diagram.
Table 4.6 Line list process responsibility and description.
Process Engineer’s
Item # responsibility Description
1 Description of This explains Fluid Services, e.g. vacuum bottoms, and raw
service crude
2 Type of fluid This explains a group of fluid service codes. The type of fluid
in the piping system could be, e.g. steam, water, and crude
3 Specify blowdown This shows whether or not the line is blowdown or relief line
or relief line
4 Specify slug flow This shows whether or not the line is expected to be a slug
or not flow
5 Phase of the fluid The phase of the fluid contained in the piping system at
(Liq/Vap/Mix) normal operating conditions, e.g.
liquid/vapor/mixed/slurry/solid
6 Density The density of the process fluid at normal operating
conditions should be specified. This is a determining factor
in the weight analysis of the piping line. For mixed phase,
density of vapor and liquid shall be provided (i.e. 0.03/62.4)
along with normal average density
7 Vibration This density is used for calculation of maximum 𝜌V 2
8 Toxic/Lethal Intended to inform piping design per ASME B31.3
9 Erosive Indicates whether or not the line has an erosive fluid
10 Corrosive Indicates whether or not the line has a corrosive fluid
11 Normal operating This is the normal process or utility fluid pressure that the
pressure equipment and piping system will be exposed to in routine
operations
12 Normal operating This is the normal process or utility fluid temperature that
temperature the equipment and piping system will be exposed to in
routine operations
13 Mass flow rate The mass flow rate is used to calculate velocity and
maximum 𝜌V 2 , which is used as a starting point for
evaluating if a line experience vibrations
14 Velocity Flow velocity shall be specified
15 𝜌V 2
Supply 𝜌V 2 (consider worst-case and add other child
diameters as necessary for the line), which is used as a
starting point for evaluating if a line may be subject to
vibration concerns. Engineer must also consider other
modes of vibration, such as high-frequency
acoustic-induced vibration (AIV), pulsation study for
reciprocating compressors/pumps, and hydraulic transients
(water hammers)
16 Alternate Alternate operating case definition is per project
case – (upset) requirements – steam out, catalytic regeneration,
pressure blowdown/relief, etc.
If no alternative operating scenario enters N/A
Table 4.6 (Continued)
17 Alternate Alternate operating case definition is per project

case – (upset) requirements – steam out, catalytic regeneration, etc.
temperature If no alternative operating scenario enter N/A
18 Maximum pressure Upset maximum pressure is the highest pressure to which
at coincident the piping system will be exposed, such as when a relief
temperature device is at full open conditions. Coincident temperature is
the temperature during this upset pressure scenario
19 Coincident Coincident temperature is the temperature during the upset
temperature pressure scenario
20 Upset The upset basis code specifies the cause of the pressure
(max pressure) upset scenario. Typical upsets are:
basis code Existing/open-ended pipe
Other (see remarks)
Code1: PSV set pressure
Code 2: PSV set pressure plus static head
Code 3: PSV accumulation pressure
Code 4: Normal pump suction plus maximum head
Code 5: Maximum pump suction plus normal head
Code 6: Maximum pump suction plus maximum head
Code 6: Maximum compressor discharge pressure
Code 7: Normal operating pressure plus safety margin
Code 8: Start-up condition
Code 9: Per design guide
Code 10: Equipment design condition
Code 11: Rupture disc set pressure
Code 12: From Existing Line List
Code 13: Auto refrigeration
21 Short term basis ● Short-term upset, maximum of 10 h per upset and 100 h
per year. Maximum allowable overstress is 33% of design

● Short-term upset, maximum of 50 h per upset and 500 h
● Short-term self-limiting (i.e. PSV accumulation)
maximum of 50 h per upset and 500 h per year. Maximum

allowable overstress is 20% of design
22 Maximum
temperature at Upset maximum temperature is the highest process or
coincident pressure utility fluid temperature to which the piping system will be
exposed
23 Coincident pressure Coincident pressure is the pressure during the upset
temperature scenario
24 Upset (maximum The upset basis code specifies the cause of the temperature
temperature) basis upset scenario. Typical upsets are:
code Code 1: Relieving temperature
Code 2: Loss of cooling
Code 3: Loss of power
Code 4: Reactor upset temperature
(Continued)
Code 5: Regeneration temperature

Code 6: Equilibrium with heat source
Code 7: Steam out (not steam cleaning)
Code 8: Normal operating temperature plus safety margin
Code 9: Start-up condition
Code 10: Per design guide
Code 11: Equipment design condition
Code 12: From existing line list
25 Short temperature ● Short-term upset, maximum of 10 h per upset and 100 h
basis per year. Maximum allowable overstress is 33% of design

● Short-term upset, maximum of 50 h per upset and 500 h

● Short-term self-limiting (i.e. PSV accumulation)
maximum of 50 h per upset and 500 h per year. Maximum

allowable overstress is 20% of design
26 Design
pressure – internal This is the pressure for piping component evaluation and is
used to calculate the required minimum wall thickness of
the pipe. The design pressure is established by work
instructions and/or project design criteria document
27 Design This is the temperature for piping component evaluation
temperature – max and is used to establish the allowable stress value to be used
in calculation of wall thickness. The design temperature is
established by work instructions and/or project design
criteria document
28 Design minimum Minimum process temperature or minimum ambient
temperature (DMT) temperature, whichever is less
29 Steam out pressure Based on customer criteria
General industry practice is to use 50 psig (3.45 barg)
NR – Steam out is not required
30 Steam out Based on customer criteria
temperature General industry practice is to use 300 ∘ F (149 ∘ C)
NR – Steam out is not required
31 Fluid service Per ASME B31.3, the Fluid Category is a general term
category concerning the application of a piping system, considering
the combination of fluid properties, operating conditions,
and other factors which establish the basis for design of the
piping system
32 Chemical cleaning Identifies special cleaning preparation required for
pipework
33 Insulation type The insulation category that determines the purpose of
insulating the line. This should be determined at the
beginning of the project and will not change during the
course of the project.
Based on Customer criteria. Typical examples are as follows,

but others may be added per project customer requirements:
● Heat Conservation
● Cold Conservation
● Personnel Protection
● Sound Attenuation
● None
34 Heat tracing type The type of tracing to be used to maintain a predetermined
temperature. This should be determined at the beginning of
the project and will not change during the course of the
project.
Based on customer criteria. Typical examples:
● Steam Tracing
● Electric Tracing
● Glycol Tracing
● Steam Jacketing
● Hot Water Tracing
● Freeze Protection
● Other
● None
35 Tracing HOLD The temperature that must be maintained inside the piping
Temperature by the heat tracing applied
36 Tracers – Number Assign the number to identify the tracers
37 Tracers – Size Enter size of tracers
38 Notes/Remarks Specific comments related to the piping system as required
by Process, Piping Design, or Piping Engineering
Process Notify
piping Piping design to Notify Process engineer
engineer adds process
design add basic line to add process
new lines to engineer
information information
P and IDs
Revise Notify
piping
Line list status Yes engineer
changed to No
approved and Piping engineer
IFC issued Specification
adds their
burst?
information and
Piping design to perform flange
use the final list rating calculations
for development
of isometric
drawings
Figure 4.2 Flow chart showing communication between different disciplines.

62
Fluid category Plant

Med
Leak Test
Area
Table 4.9
Table 4.8
Table 4.7
psig Press Fluidphase
in/sch Nom. Wall Thickness Y/N Slug Flow

Size
lb / ft3 Density
Y/N Calc. Wall Unit
psig Press
Operating Conditions
in Corr. Allow
°F Temp Fluid Service Name
4 Phase 3 (Scope Development)
NDE % psig Max Upset Press

(X-Ray) Service Code
°F Coin. Upset Temp Max Press @
Coincident Temp P&ID Line No.
Max Press Basis
Material
Insulation ShortTerm Basis
Pipe Specification
in Thick °F Max Upset Temp
Upset Conditions
psig Coin. Upset Press Max Temp @ Existing Pipe
Paint Spec
Coincident Pres
Max Temp Basis
Color Code P&ID No.
Short Term Basis
Piping design responsibility columns of the line list.
Finish Color °F Min. Temp From

Process engineer responsibility columns of the line list.
Piping engineering responsibility columns of the line list.

°F Steam Out
Y/N Post weld heat treatment To
Temp
Type Insulation
°F Temp
Type
sibility columns in the actual line list document for different disciplines.
Tracing
Lvl °F Maintenance Temp
Stress Analysis
Calc. No. Remark
guidelines. Note that the customer must sign off or agree on a deviation before the
deviation can be implemented into the project. Tables 4.7–4.9 show different respon-
4.4 Create Change Orders and Report Any Changes to Project 63
4.4 Create Change Orders and Report Any Changes

to Project
Changes in the project are very common. The change is referred to as a new
addition when compared to the original scope. Whenever a process engineer or any
other discipline engineer sees a change either initiated within the EPCC or from
the customer, the engineer should submit a change order request form. This form
basically has brief information about the project, the information of the engineer
submitting the change order, whether it is affecting other disciplines or not, a brief
description of the change being proposed, also any additional emails or attachments
are provided by the customers is helpful in assessing the change orders. Also, the
change order form should mention the budget or hours required for the involved
discipline to complete the task. Also, the discipline must add brief notes about
scope of work and change. Table 4.10 shows a template and example of a change
order form.
Once the change order is submitted, the project management should ensure
that they have input from all the disciplines that are affected by this change order.
Then the completed change order form is provided to the customer for review
and approval. Once customer approves the change order, the additional budget
will be included as part of the project. If a process engineer initiates a change,
it affects all other disciplines and could be true with other disciplines as well.
The change orders are important when it comes to the budget standpoint and
schedule.
Table 4.10 Template and example of a change order form.
Customer’s name
Project No.
Project name
Location of plant
Change order No. (CON)
Unit No.
Change originated by Change submitted date MM/DD/YY
Originator discipline Originator lead’s name
Change requested by Customer/EPCC Project manager handling
the CON
Reference documents and attachments
Brief description of change

Brief description of how the change is
affecting other disciplines
Manhour estimate for each discipline to support the change order
4.5 Process Data for Inline Instruments

4.5.1 Input to Inline Instrument Datasheets
Process engineers provide mountain of information to the control system engineers.
This information is based on several calculations, P&IDs, and HMB data. Some of
the most common inline instruments are control valves, shutdown valves, and flow
measurement devices. Below Tables 4.11–4.13 provide templates regarding different
information expected from a process engineer.
4.5.2 How Process Engineers Get the Data

For the control valves, the pressure drop across the valve is estimated based on the
hydraulics. Typically, the normal flow rate comes straight from the heat and material
Table 4.11 Template for flow meter instrument data.
Max D/P permitted (IN WC)

Inlet P @ max flow (PSIG)
Operating specific gravity
Operating viscosity (CP)
Max line velocity (FT/S)

Vapor pressure (PSIA)
Vessel No. or line No.
Instrument number
Equipment number
Service description
Process comment
Instrument type
Maximum flow
Oper temp. (F)

Fluid phase
Checked by
Fluid name
Flow units
P&ID No.
Tag No.
Rev
Table 4.12 Template for ON–OFF valve instrument data.

Normal inlet pressure (PSIG)
Normal flow rate (LB/MIN)
Max inlet pressure (PSIG)

Max flow rate (LB/MIN)
Normal inlet temp (C)
Normal viscosity (CP)
Fusible plug (Y/N)
Process comments
Shut off D/P (PSI)
Instrument type
Tag number
P&ID No.
Fluid
State
4.5 Process Data for Inline Instruments 65
Table 4.13 Template for control valves and pressure regulators instrument data.
Norm flow outlet pressure, PSIG

Diff. pressure @ norm flow, PSI
Norm flow inlet pressure, PSIG
Max flow outlet pressure, PSIG
Min flow outlet pressure, PSIG

Diff. pressure @ max flow, PSI
Tight shut-off required yes/no
Diff. pressure @ min flow, PSI

Max flow inlet pressure, PSIG
Min flow inlet pressure, PSIG

Shut off D/P pressure, psig
Norm flow specific gravity

Compressiblity (Z) design
Norm flow inlet temp, ∘ F

Max flow specific gravity
Min flow specific gravity

Max flow inlet temp, ∘ F
Min flow inlet temp, ∘ F

Vapor pressure, PSIA
Instrument number
Line/equipment no.
Equipment number
Std density, LB/FT3

Service description
Critical pressure
Instrument type
Failure position
Design T, deg F
Norm flow unit

Max flow units
Min flow units

Molecular WT
Design P, psig
Viscosity, CP
Tag number
Checked by
Norm flow
P&ID No.
Max flow
Function
Pipe spec
Min flow
Revision
Remark
Fluid
State
balance table. The maximum flow rate is 110% of the normal rate, and the mini-
mum flow rate is about 50% of the normal flow rate. Before working on the actual
datasheets of the control valves, process engineers should reach out to the customer
and make sure the philosophy of the flow rate is agreed upon.
For inline meters, the same maximum and the normal flow rate philosophy is
used, and the pressures are based on the hydraulics of the control valve. The on–off
valve and the shutdown valves are very simple instruments and do not have the pres-
sure drop as they are fully open valves. The flow rates for the on–off valves are similar
to the logic mentioned earlier for the control valve.
4.5.3 How Control System Use the Data

Once the process data are transmitted to controls system engineering, control system
engineers perform a preliminary evaluation using their software and flag if some-
thing is out of ordinary or if any additional information is needed from process
engineering. Process engineers then resolve this problem and provide additional
information if needed. In addition to this, controls system engineering prepares their
version of the datasheets and provides them to process engineering for squad check-
ing. Once the squad check is complete and process engineering complete providing
comments, the controls system engineering will pick up the comments and goes out
for a budgetary quote with the vendors. Once budgetary quotes are received, quotes
are then fed into the overall cost estimate of the project.
4.5.4 Data Checking and Work Process

Figure 4.3 shows a workflow process of checking inline instrument data.
Notify Process
Control system Notify
New instruments control engineer
eng. creates data process
added to P and ID system adds data
request engineer Notify
by a process eng.
spreadsheets control
engineer Process system
engineer engineer
to revise
No Control system
Controls system
eng. performs
Notify eng. prepares Result preliminary
process official datasheets Yes ok? calculations
engineer
Revise
Squad No
check Data
Datasheets Receive
acceptable? Yes quotes from
to vendors
vendors
Control system
Input to cost
prepares cost index
estimate
spreadsheet
Figure 4.3 Workflow process of checking inline instrument data.
4.6 Prepare Preliminary Safety Valve Evaluations

Safety or relief valves or pressure safety valves (PSVs) protect a piece of a pipe, equip-
ment, or a complex system that involves multiple equipment. It is important that
safety valve evaluation and the requirement analysis are done in Phase 3. There
could be multiple contingency scenarios for a single relief valve. Until Phase 2, there
have not been many efforts to figure out the need for a relief valve. In Phase 3,
primary task is to figure out how many relief valves are needed and exactly at which
locations. If the new process is affecting the capacity of existing relief valves, the
process engineer should identify such relief valves and perform a preliminary anal-
ysis and flag them if change is warranted.
Some of the relief contingency scenarios are cooling water failure, automatic con-
trol valve failure, columns scenarios, tube rupture failure, fire case, thermal scenario,
and abnormal heat input. In Phase 3, it is not necessary to review and perform
detailed calculations for each contingency, but it is important to do an engineer-
ing judgment to figure out which scenario gives the most relief rate to provide the
biggest size of a relief valve. Highest rate for a relief valve will give a conservative
estimate of a relief valve inlet and outlet pipe sizes. Conservative estimates are pre-
ferred in Phase 3 to avoid further changes in Phase 4. Table 4.14 shows some example
guidelines to choose controlling cases in this phase.
Once the engineering judgment is made and controlling scenario has been iden-
tified for a relief valve, process engineer completes the controlling case sizing cal-
culations using software or a spreadsheet. This preliminary relief valve size can be
4.6 Prepare Preliminary Safety Valve Evaluations 67
Table 4.14 Guidelines for choosing controlling cases of relief valve

contingency scenarios.
Controlling scenario
Item (most likely)
Distillation column Power failure case

Exchanger which does not follow the 10/13 Tube rupture
API guidelines
Cooling water exchangers Thermal expansion
Vessels with liquid External fire
Vessels with gas Thermal vapor expansion
Table 4.15 Examples of relief valve inlet and outlet pipe sizes
based on PSV size.
Inlet pipe size Outlet pipe size

assumption assumption
PSV size (in.) (in.)
1D2 2 3
1.5G3 2 4
2H3 3 4
2J3 3 4
put on the P&ID with the hold note saying that “this is preliminary sizing and to be
confirmed in the next phase.”
Isometric piping drawing information for the relief valve may not be available in
Phase 3. The primary objective of Phase 3 is to figure out the need for a relief valve
and a preliminary relief valve size. As the piping isometric drawings are not avail-
able in Phase 3, there is not much effort put in place to estimate the PSV inlet and
outlet pipe sizes. If it is existing relief valve, the process engineer may quickly check
the adequacy of existing PSV inlet and outlet pipe sizes. If the pipe size for the exist-
ing system is inadequate, the process engineer could flag the pipe changes on the
P&IDs and notify piping design. If none of the information is available, which is
more likely, the process engineer may assume one line size higher for the inlet and
outlet based on the relief valve flanges, and preliminary sizes are marked on the
piping and instrumentation diagram (PIDs.) Few examples of relief valve inlet and
outlet piping sizes are shown in Table 4.15. Table 4.16 shows an example of tracking
spreadsheet for the PSVs.
Table 4.16 Tracking parameters for relief valve contingencies.
Information needed to complete the sizing

Relief Load (lb/h or gpm)
Piping size inlet/utlet

PSV set point (psig)
Equipment number
Discharge location
PSV number
Comments
Scenarios
P&ID No.
PSV size
Service
4.7 Prepare and Issue Equipment Datasheets
Once a process engineer completes a design of equipment, it first goes through the
checking process. If there is a comment from the checker, the process engineer picks
up those comments and gives the design folder back to the checker for final approval.
Once the checker finally approves the design, the process engineer is ready to issue
the datasheet to mechanical engineer. If there is a need to make changes to the
equipment or updates after this point, the process engineer updates the design folder
internally without any formal issue.
The process engineer must issue datasheet to the mechanical engineer as well as
the customer. For the first revision, the datasheet goes out to the mechanical engi-
neer as well as the customer, and then two weeks are given for the review and com-
ments. After two weeks, the comments are picked up by the process engineer, and
the datasheet is revised to Rev. B, and issued for information. Any further changes
after that point are clearly marked in a different color under datasheet to distinguish
from the previous marks and are issued as Rev. C and Rev. D. Once the P&IDs are
issued for approval (IFA), the datasheet is issued as IFA, capturing any comments
until then and clearly marking them in a different color to distinguish from the pre-
vious revisions. Once P&IDs are issued for design toward the end of Phase 3, the
datasheet is issued as Rev. 0. This Rev. 0 is issued for design datasheet, and this
means the mechanical engineer can take this datasheet and go out to the vendor
to get the vendor quotes. Any further changes after this point are marked as Rev. 1,
Rev. 2, and properly notified to mechanical engineers as needed. Table 4.17 shows
different revision cycles for mechanical equipment datasheets.
It is important that process engineer should carefully add notes to the datasheet
to avoid any confusion. For example, there have been cases where process engineer
does not add clarification on the net positive suction head (NPSH) margin added for
the pump datasheet, and this datasheet goes on to the mechanical engineers. It is
4.7 Prepare and Issue Equipment Datasheets 69
Table 4.17 Revision cycles for mechanical equipment datasheets.
Issued for review

(IFR)/IFI IFA IFD
1st revision Rev. A Rev. D (after IFA Rev. 0 (After IFD

P&IDs are issued) P&IDs are issued)
2nd revision Rev. B (IFI) — Rev. 1 (any further
revisions)
3rd revision Rev. C (IFI) — —
interesting to note that mechanical engineers have their own guidelines to add NPSH
margin if it is not clearly noted on the P&ID or datasheet. So mechanical might end
up adding the NPSH safety margin in addition to the process engineer’s margin. This
could be a double-dipping in the design margin that has additional costs associated
with it. Process engineers should be careful with the notes and the clarifications just
to make sure there is no overkill in the design, and clear communication is made
with other disciplines.
Once all the issued for design (IFD) datasheets are issued for all the equipment,
IFD design folders are issued to the customer. Any further updates, such as change
in nozzle sizes, are made during the close-out documentation. Figure 4.4 shows a
workflow process for developing mechanical datasheets.
Process engineer Checker

Notify reviews the Design Yes
completes design
of an equipment design adequate?
Revise
No Issue for review
Yes (IFR-Rev. A)
No datasheet to
IFI-Rev.C mechanical
If any
changes Comments? engineering and
customers
Issued for
Datasheets information
issued for (IFI) – Rev.B
approval Issued for
(IFA) along design (IFD- Mechanical Vendor performs
with P and IDs
Rev. 0) engineering prepares calculations
vendor packages and
send to vendors
Any process
updates after Quotes
Mechanical from
IFD-Rev. 0 IFD-Rev. 1
engineering takes vendors
issue?
the revised data and
sends to vendors
Input to cost
estimate
Figure 4.4 Workflow process of developing mechanical datasheets.

4.8 Communication with Other Disciplines, Projects,

and the Customer
Communication is a key in every step of the phase and for all the disciplines. Once
process engineer issues several equipment datasheets, there is a back-and-forth
communication with mechanical department and other teams. Process engineer
issues out inline control information to the control system engineering so there is
a back-and-forth communication regarding the data and questions. Also, there are
internal and external customers who are interested in the process information for
the equipment datasheets and the control system engineering data.
As the process engineer provides a lot of information in this phase, there are ques-
tions asked by disciplines and the customers all the time. Process engineer spends
a lot of time answering all these questions and supporting as needed. Also, there
are support meetings needed with vendors and licenser companies as mechanical
engineering team makes progress with the equipment purchase.
Process inputs process data to the line list. There is a back-and-forth communi-
cation between piping design and piping engineering, especially on this topic and
related items.
There are several issues with the P&IDs in this phase. Process engineers must issue
those P&IDs through document control. Prior approval of project management is
required for any issue that goes out to the customer.
Apart from such communications, if licensors are involved, the process engineer
may have to be in constant communication with the licensor as the design pro-
gresses. As the licenser package is provided by the licensor, several disciplines in
the EPCC may have questions on ongoing basis, and they reach out to process engi-
neers for answers. Process engineers may be able to help them depending on the
complexity of the questions being asked. For a complex question that needs licensor
support, licensor is contacted, meeting is arranged between the involved discipline
and the licensor, and process engineer will act as a mediator.
4.9 Participate in HAZOP

In previous Phase 2, a very preliminary analysis of the processing plant was done,
and hazards were identified. Some of the recommendations that are simple in nature
are already picked up by the process engineer, and some complex recommendations
are carried forward to this phase. Process engineers must make sure those complex
recommendations from previous phase are incorporated into the design. HAZOP is
required in this phase as the scope has evolved and developed based on the infor-
mation provided by the process engineer. The HAZOP is done prior to issue of IFD
documents and before the vendor information is unavailable. The idea of doing the
HAZOP is to find out if any additional recommendations or measures are required to
mitigate any possible hazards and safety issues in the processing plant and design.
Like previous phase, the HAZOP team goes through each node for the entire pro-
cessing plant. The HAZOP facilitator calls the key nodes, for example, high flow or
4.10 Follow Up and Implementation of HAZOP Items 71
Table 4.18 Severity and likelihood of a process upset.
Likelihood
Almost certain 5 Moderate High Extreme Extreme Extreme
Likely 4 Moderate Moderate High Extreme Extreme

Possible 3 Low Moderate Moderate High Extreme
Unlikely 2 Low Low Moderate High High
Rare 1 Low Low Low Moderate Moderate
Insignificant 1 Minor 2 Moderate 3 Major 4 Critical 5
Consequence
low flow, and HAZOP team then talks about what will happen if no safety majors are
not available. Then the HAZOP team lists down all the safety measures available to
mitigate the hazard concerns. Also, the HAZOP team should go through the severity
and likelihood for each node. For high severity and likelihood items, the team pro-
vides a recommendation of adding a new safety device or an instrument. Table 4.18
mentions the severity and likelihood of an upset event.
Process engineers should prepare following documents for HAZOP. It is important
to be as prepared as possible because the HAZOP team is looking for quick answers.
● Line list document
● Pump deadhead calculation summary
● P&IDs drawings
● Process-Flow Diagrams (PFDs) drawings
● HMB tables
● Utility summary table
● Design pressure and design temperature diagrams
● Design basis
● Battery limit table
● Equipment datasheets
4.10 Follow Up and Implementation of HAZOP Items

Once the HAZOP is completed, the facilitator takes couple of weeks to draft a report
and compile all the recommendations. The report and recommendations are given to
the process engineer for implementation. Simple recommendations, such as mark-
ing up a P&ID, can be quickly captured by a process engineer. But not all the rec-
ommendations are simple in nature, in fact, most of them are complex and require
studies and calculations. Once the process engineer finishes with the HAZOP stud-
ies, and further, the studies are approved by the customer, process engineer then
updates required documentation, such as equipment datasheets, P&IDs, and control
information.
Some of the HAZOP items or recommendations might affect other disciplines.

In that case, it is the responsibility of the process engineer to work with that disci-
pline to ensure that the HAZOP item is closed out.
4.11 Issue and Prepare IFR/IFH/IFA/IFD Quality

P&IDs/PFDs/MSDs (Including Tie-in/Demo P&IDs)
In Phase 3, process engineer still owns the P&IDs. All the P&IDs are stored in a
common database, such as Bluebeam. This database can be accessed by all the dis-
ciplines, including the customer. The key members of each discipline, such as leads,
have access to make markups and edit marks to each P&IDs. Customers typically
have view-only rights and they provide comments through an email. There are dif-
ferent sessions in the Bluebeam if the project involves multiple units. If the project is
just one unit, a single Bluebeam session is sufficient. Along with the P&IDs, PFDs,
and material selection diagrams (MSDs) drawings follow a similar document issue
cycle. As the equipment design is finalized, process engineer primarily markups all
the P&IDs and PFDs. At this point, all these drawings are further drafted and issued
for review. Once the line-by-line review is complete, process engineer prepares for
the next issue, which is issued for HAZOP (IFH). IFH version of the issue mainly
takes care of the comment from the line-by-line review and any changes from the
design progress. Again, once the red lines are ready, the P&IDs are drafted and issued
for IFH. After the HAZOP, the recommendations are picked up, and later the P&IDs
are drafted and issued for IFA. Toward the end of Phase 3, process engineer needs to
ensure that the details of the designs are incorporated. Also, during the same time,
there is a lot of input provided from other disciplines. For example, piping design
provides information on the line number and control system provides the number-
ing for the instruments. All this information is drafted and backchecked, and all
the drawings are issued for design IFD toward the end of Phase 3. Table 4.19 shows
different versions of drawings issued in this phase.
Project P&IDs are the drawings associated with the changes made by the project
team. The drawing can be existing with changes done by the process engineer.
Drawing can be new if all the equipment is new. Piping tie-ins are shown on the
tie-in P&ID, and demolition (demo) of the piping is shown on the demo drawings.
Figure 4.5 shows an example of tie-in and demo P&ID drawings.
Table 4.19 Phase 3 revision cycles for P&IDs/PFDs/MSDs (including tie-in/demo P&IDs).
Revision title Description
IFR Drawings issued for line-by-line review

IFH Drawings issued for the HAZOP review meeting
IFA Drawings issued after the HAZOP comments are picked up
IFD Once design progress is complete toward the end of Phase 3, these
drawings are issued
4.12 Complete and Lead Line-by-Line Reviews of P&IDs 73
TP TP
x x
(a) (b)
Figure 4.5 Example of (a) demolition (demo) and (b) tie-in P&ID drawings.
4.12 Complete and Lead Line-by-Line Reviews of P&IDs

Line-by-line P&ID review involves process engineers going through every line as
a part of the project. For the line-by-line review meeting, process engineer issues
P&IDs two weeks in advance. All disciplines, including the customer, are required
to review and go through the P&IDs before participating in the line-by-line review
meeting. Mostly, the discipline leads from EPCC and key people from the customer
side, such as operations and process engineers, are part of the line-by-line review.
Project management from my EPCC industry as well as from customer side also
participates in the line-by-line review. Project management from EPCC takes notes
and action items from the meeting. Process engineer, as a facilitator for the meeting,
explains the attendees and participants system by system and completes the review
of P&IDs. It is time-consuming to go through the review meeting, and for a typical
review meeting for the P&ID number of 50–75, the review time needed is about five
to six days.
In the line-by-line review meeting, the process engineer explains the process, the
connecting lines, any abnormal scenarios, and the basis for line and equipment siz-
ing. Process engineer leads through these meetings and explains if any possible hold
in the design. Table 4.20 shows an example of segregation of the process systems by
P&ID number, the process engineer could use this template to prepare simplified
systems to make sure the line-by-line review meeting goes smoothly. All the experts
from different disciplines are supposed to provide quality comments to the process
engineer during this meeting. Some of the comments are very straightforward and
will be marked as a red line on the P&ID by the process engineer. Some of the com-
plex comments are discussed among the teams and when the resolution is made, the
comments are either added to P&IDs or the action item list.
Process engineers should go through the design in detail. It is expected from a
process engineer to have a thorough knowledge of the design, and he/she should
be ready to answer any questions raised by the team. If for some reason the process
engineer cannot answer some of the questions, such items are listed as an action
item, and the process engineer will follow up on those items and provide answers to
the entire team later.
Table 4.20 Segregation of the process systems by P&ID number and by service.
Process drawing numbers (DN)

System Service and utility drawing numbers (UDN)
Raw crude tank farm area Raw crude tank DN-1, DN-2, DN-5
Utilities to raw crude Utilities UDN-5, UDN-6
tank farm area
Raw crude preheat area Raw crude preheats DN-6, DN-9, DN-10
Utilities to raw crude Utilities UDN-7, UDN-10
preheat area
Nowadays, line-by-line review meetings are held electronically. Bluebeam is used

to project on a screen to save time and is efficient. In old days, the P&IDs are printed
on a 22 × 24 size big sheet of paper and posted on the wall, the process engineer uses
yellow highlighting as he/she explains through the line-by-line review. Nowadays
since everybody has access to laptops, these meetings are held using software, such
as Bluebeam. The process engineer projects the P&IDs that are being talked about
on the screen in front of everybody, and everybody can join the Bluebeam session
to view the change being marked by the process engineer on the screen. As remote
work is more desirable by many in the industry, remote communication tools, such
as Microsoft Teams, can be used to share the screen and have a line-by-line review
meeting done remotely.
4.13 Prepare IFD Quality Design Basis
As mentioned earlier, in every phase, the process engineer must update the design
basis as the design progresses. Similarly, toward the end of Phase 3, the process engi-
neer must issue IFD quality design basis document. This document has an update
from any previous phases. This document contains the design information basis
information for equipment, preliminary relief valve calculation summary, a basis
for instrument data, a basis for heat and material balance, summary of any studies,
and any items that are to be followed up in the next phase.
4.14 Issue IFD HMBs

This document is directly dependent on the simulations. If there is a change in sim-
ulation in this phase, the heat and material balance (HMB) tables are updated and
issued for design. As previously mentioned, if the licensor is involved, the licensor
may have provided the HMB tables in the previous phase, and one should not expect
4.16 Prepare DPDT Diagrams 75
any revisions in Phase 3. But it may be necessary to update the overall HMB for the
project depending on any simulations and updates from the licensor.
For some of the HMB, areas may not be available, for example, the utility area may
not have a HMB, for this area, typically utility summary and usage are issued and
considered as a HMB document.
4.15 Utility Summary IFD

The format of the utility usage is the same as previous phase. There could be addition
of new utilities in this phase that process engineers are asked to incorporate. Apart
from that, if there is an update from the previous phase, the engineer must update
the table, including any possible progress in Phase 3. If there is an update from the
vendor and licensor, the process engineer must account for that and issue the utility
usage for design.
4.16 Prepare DPDT Diagrams

DPDT stands for design pressure design temperature diagram. Basically, design pres-
sure and design temperature of all the equipment and piping are marked on the
PFD. The DPDT diagram is not a process deliverable, and not every EPCC or cus-
tomer needs this document. Some companies would like to see this document as
part of their design package. The process engineer needs to analyze the entire pro-
cess system to come up with these design pressure and design temperature values.
For instance, the pump curve is studied to get a deadhead value. This DPDT dia-
gram is also helpful in determining the design pressure and design temperature for
equipment, such as vessels, columns, and heat exchangers. The DPDT diagram can
help a process engineer in choosing an inherently safe design so that the relief valve
can be avoided in the design. The avoidance of relief valve is particularly important
where the new processing system is interacting with the existing system, and exist-
ing flare may not be adequately designed. So, in such cases, either heavy reliance on
the safety integrated systems is approached to avoid relief loads or inherently safe
design of the process system is done. As an example, for inherently safer design, the
height of vessel is raised 25 ft to avoid fire case scenario. A fire case relief scenario for
a vessel located below 25 ft must be considered and relief valves have to be provided.
Also, when preparing the P&IDs, if the design pressure and temperature are
known, a piping specification can be assigned by the process engineer. In that way,
the DPDT diagram is very helpful throughout Phase 3 and Phase 4, and it is a devel-
oping document as more and more information is available as the project progresses.
This document can be very useful for the HAZOP meetings and relief valve cal-
culations. This document can also be helpful for the development of a line list and
control system datasheets. Once the DPDT diagram is fully developed, the diagrams
can be given to the workshare office, and the engineer can refer to this diagram
D-100
Design pre: 150 psig
Feed tank
Design temp: 150 f
D-100
Deadhead pre: 142 psig
Design temp: 150 f
P-101
Design pre: 150 psig
Design temp: 150 f
P-101
Feed pump
Figure 4.6 An example of a DPDT diagram.
for providing input to the line list and control system-related instrument work.
Figure 4.6 shows an example of a DPDT diagram for a very simple system.
4.17 Prepare Material Selection Diagram

MSD are prepared by process engineer in Phase 3, and it is not done in Phase 2.
As there is a lot of information available in Phase 3 and the metallurgy is finalized,
process engineer can input all that information into the MSD. MSD consist of mate-
rial selection for equipment, piping, and control valves. The metallurgy or material
selection is marked on a different layer of a PFD, and it is called MSD. The issue
and the review cycle of the MSD diagrams follow a similar procedure as of P&IDs
and PFDs.
Consistency among all the documents, such as PFDs, P&IDs, and MSD, is
important to avoid confusion and rework. As an example, if an older version of
MSD is used to markup latest updates of the metallurgy, and if other discipline
uses this document, it may be confusing for them, and they might end up wasting
lot of time asking questions and figuring out what is correct. As another example,
if a process engineer marks something incorrect on the MSD diagram and if it
does not match the equipment datasheet, in that case, it might create confusion
and raise multiple questions. So, such inconsistencies lead to chaos and confusion.
And if the customer finds out the about inconsistency, they may not be happy
about it.
MSD is used in the HAZOP also by the mechanical team to check the consis-
tency between the datasheets and equipment. Figure 4.7 shows an example of
an MSD.
4.18 Drafting of the Drawings and Backchecking 77
D-100 Shell: cs
Feed tank ca 0.065ʺ
Casing: cs
impeller: ss316
D-100 Piping specification
cs 0.065ʺ ca
Piping
P-101 specification
cs 0.065ʺ ca
Piping specification
cs 0.065ʺ ca
P-101
Feed pump
Figure 4.7 An example of a material section diagram (CS: Carbon steel metallurgy,
CA: Corrosion allowance, SS: Stainless steel).
4.18 Drafting of the Drawings and Backchecking
Process engineers, including other disciplines, are responsible for adding marks to
the P&IDs. A team of drafting (also known as CAD team) drafts (or cad) all the draw-
ings on the project. The team could be the workshare office or home office. The
process engineers are responsible for timely completion of drafting and correctness
of the drawings. When the drawings are ready for drafting, the process engineer pre-
pares list of drawings to be drafted and gives that list to the drafting coordinator or
CAD person. The CAD coordinator gives this list to the drafting team and provides
Table 4.21 Check record box sample for a

document.
DOCUMENT CHECK RECORD
DATE:
SIGN DATE
ORIGINATOR
CHECKER
ORIGINATOR
BACKCHECKED
CHECKER
BACKCHECKED
them with a deadline and set of guidelines required by the customer. If there are
questions from the CAD team, those are either addressed by the CAD coordinator or
by the process engineer. When the questions are answered, the CAD team completes
the drafting and gives the drafted drawing copy, as a PDF, to the process engineer for
backchecking. Once the backchecking is complete, the process engineer returns the
backchecked copy with any comments and adds initials in the check box. This cycle
repeats until no further comments are required and finally the process engineer signs
off on the drawing. Tables 4.21 and 4.22 show record box samples for a document
and drawing, respectively. The CAD coordinator, who has a list of P&IDs, prepares a
transmittal package as per project guidelines and issues out the drawings as per the
distribution matrix. Table 4.23 shows a typical distribution matrix used on projects.
Figure 4.8 shows a drafting work process followed on a project.
Table 4.22 Check record box sample for a

drawing.
DRAWING CHECK RECORD
DATE:
SIGN DATE
ORIGINATOR
CHECKER
ORIGINATOR
BACKCHECKED
CHECKER
BACKCHECKED
Table 4.23 Distribution matrix (note only two functions are shown. There should be more
than two disciplines on any project).
LEGEND
RC: Review and comment
AS: Approval and sign
IF: Information only
NN: Not needed Customer side EPCC side
Document names Distribution Name Name Name Name Name Name Name
code (DC) Role Role Role Role Role Role Role
Project management
Estimate basis PM-DC-XX RC RC RC IF IF IF IF
Procurement plan PM-DC-XX AS RC AS IF IF IF IF
Process
Design basis PR-DC-XX RC RC AS IF IF IF IF
Process-flow diagram PR-DC-XX RC RC AS IF IF IF IF
4.19 Input to 30% Model Reviews and Plot Plan Development 79
Process Notify Draft coordinator

engineer prepares guidelines Drafting Any
prepares list for drafting and initiates questions?
of drawings deadlines work
Follow-up with drafting No
Answer questions
from drafting coordinator Yes
Drafted Process Drafted copy

Yes copy engineer to Drafting
acceptable? backchecks coordinator
Revise
No
Drafting
Process
coordinator Drawing
engineer
issues issued through
sign-off
document
control
Figure 4.8 Drafting work process used in scope development phase.
4.19 Input to 30% Model Reviews and Plot Plan

Development
3D model is developed by different disciplines, mainly by the piping design, civil,

control system, and mechanical and electrical engineering team. 3D model is based
on a process design provided by the process engineer in the early phase of Phase 3.
Once the 3D model is ready, the model review takes place with the participation of
plant operations, plant maintenance, and engineers. The purpose of this meeting
is to get feedback mainly from operations related to accessibility and safety of the
operations. Process engineers do play a critical role during all the model reviews as
they know the processing plant and the P&IDs in detail. Moreover, they can be very
resourceful to provide good safety and operational comments.
It is called 30% accurate model review because the design is not complete, and it
lacks a lot of vendor information, controls, electrical, and equipment design infor-
mation. So, the idea behind the 30% model review is to capture the big deficiencies
in the model, especially operations and safety point of view. Once, more details of
the design and equipment are available with the progress of the phase, the customer
may request additional 3D model reviews as needed.
Plot plan document shows equipment arrangement and locations of all the equip-
ment in the process plant or a unit. The document is mainly developed by the piping
design with input primarily from the lead process engineer. Examples of such inputs
are equipment sizing information, pipe layout arrangements, location of equipment,
and proximity of equipment. The process engineers may not know 100% at this time
but they can guide and bring up certain requirements of piping layouts or equipment
arrangements.
During the meeting, if somebody makes a comment, it is usually followed by a
discussion among the team. The facilitator for the 30% model review, usually the
piping design lead, records the resolution of the comment and the comment itself
in the 3D model software. 3D model-based comments or tags are pulled and worked
by each discipline as required. Once the resolution is provided, the engineer who
resolved the action item provides a resolution comment to close it out.
4.20 Input to Cost Estimate

Cost estimate is done by the cost-estimating team. It is important to check the cost of
the project to make sure the project is feasible. All the deliverables by different disci-
plines are submitted to the cost-estimating team. For the control system, it could
be a list of price index of all the instruments; for electrical, it could be price list
of cable and the quantities of junction boxes; for civil, it could be the quantities
of concrete and piling and foundation; for process, it is mainly P&IDs and equip-
ment datasheets; and for mechanical, it is a priced equipment list. Once everyone
provides all the information to the cost estimate, the cost estimate completes the
project cost estimate. Every discipline is asked to double-check its information to
make sure that its deliverables are accurately captured in the cost estimate. So as
a part of squad check, process engineer completes the checking and provides any
comments to the cost estimate as needed. Once all the comments from different dis-
ciplines are received, the cost estimate team can finalize the report and comes up
with the total installed cost (TIC) for the project, which is typically done toward the
end of the project for Phase 3.
Usually, after the cost report, there is a review meeting with the customer. The
customer may have questions regarding some of the values related to instrument,
equipment, or P&IDs. All the disciplines, including the process engineer, should
answer all those questions.
4.21 Budget Estimate, Schedule, and Staffing Plan

4.21.1 Interactive Schedule Planning Meetings
At the beginning of the project, usually, there is a meeting held by the project man-
agement to go over the schedule for the phase. One week prior to the meeting, every
discipline is requested to provide their anticipated completion date of different dis-
cipline activities. Project controls, once they receive all this information, will put
everything into software, and come prepared to the scheduled meeting. Other disci-
plines can only start or adjust the project schedule pertaining to their area once the
process schedule is finalized. So, it is very important in the schedule to capture pro-
cess engineering activities as accurately as possible. Once the meeting is over, and
if everybody agrees with the schedule and the deadlines, project controls issue out
a preliminary report to the disciplines and the customer. The customer may have
some input into the schedule depending on the turnaround time if there is an exist-
ing piece of equipment, piping, or unit involved. The customer may have a general
idea of when they would want to complete the phase or when they want to start a
4.21 Budget Estimate, Schedule, and Staffing Plan 81
particular unit. This information may be available to the project management, and
they can bring this up during the scheduled planning meeting.
4.21.2 Budget Preparation

At the end of each phase, each discipline is asked to provide a budget estimate for the
next phase. As part of the project, the process engineer should put together the bud-
get estimate anticipated or required to finish the phase to meet all the deliverables.
The budget estimate is typically done in a spreadsheet. It has different components,
such as summary, scope summary, the list of drawings, and list of equipment. For
every equipment or drawing, the reasoning should be clearly mentioned on the scope
page. If there are some exceptions that the process engineer is not planning to do,
that should also be clearly mentioned in the scope document. Tables 4.24–4.28 show
templates for budget preparation for a project.
4.21.3 Schedule and Dates

Once the project phase starts, the project controls issue out schedule updates and
then lookaheads every week. As a lead process engineer, one of the main tasks is to
make sure the scheduled task in the schedule is completed by the scheduled comple-
tion date. There are weekly meetings with the project management. If there is a delay
in completing some work for some reason or delay in receiving the data, it should
be clearly communicated in those weekly meetings. Table 4.29 shows an example of
weekly lookahead.
4.21.4 Staffing Plan

Lead process engineer must keep track of the schedule and the staffing plan needed
for the remaining portion of the project on a weekly basis. If the project demands
additional people due to additional change orders, the lead process engineer talks
with the department manager to seek additional resources required. It is critical
for the lead process engineer to make sure that he/she has adequate staffing to
complete the project successfully. This staffing plan also includes the plan for the
workshare office. As the lead process engineer, he/she is also leading the workshare
office. Moreover, the lead process engineer must make sure that there is an adequate
staffing plan for the drafting to meet all the deliverable deadlines. Table 4.30 is an
example of table that shows the staffing plan. Also, following example shows a
procedure to determine the staffing needed for a project based on the duration of
the project and budgeted manhours.
Duration of schedule = 7 months, Budgeted manhours = 4500
Hours spent by one engineer in a single month = 40 hours × four weeks =
160 hours
Number of Full-time engineers (FTEs) needed = Budgeted manhours/duration of
schedule = 4500/7 ∼ 643 hours total ∼ 4 × 160. Total 4 FTEs needed.
Table 4.24 Budget preparation overall summary.
No. of Engineering
Item# Description items manhours estimated
1 Design criteria/basis Refer to scope

summary
2 Studies Refer to scope
summary
3 Simulations Refer to scope
summary
4 Physical and thermodynamic properties Not applicable
5 Heat and material balances Refer to scope
summary
6 PFDs and MSDs Refer to detail sheet
7 P&IDs Refer to detail sheet
8 Drawing CAD Refer to detail sheet
9 Equipment design Refer to detail sheet
10 Vendor data Refer to scope
summary
11 Process Instrument data/cs Support Refer to scope
summary
12 Piping service index Estimate
13 Line list Refer to scope
summary
14 Hazop Refer to scope
summary
15 Contingency analysis (PSV Refer to scope
Specifications) summary
16 Utility summary Estimate
17 Engineering support Refer to scope
summary
18 Model reviews Estimate
19 Field trips Estimate
20 Plot plan development + cost estimate Estimate
21 Meetings Refer to scope
summary
22 Report preparation Refer to scope
summary
23 Process audit Estimate
Total engineering manhours
Table 4.25 Budget preparation scope summary.
Item # SCOPE SUMMARY
1 Design Basis
[example]→Mention basis for Process Design Criteria and Area Design
Summary
2 Studies
[example]→Mention studies carried out. Firewater study needs one engineer
working full-time for 6 wk
3 Heat and Material Balance (HMB)
[example]→Mention how many cases of simulations and HMB tables
4 Process-Flow Diagrams (PFDs) and Material Selection Diagrams (MSDs)
[example]→PFD/MSD count and manhours are shown on detailed estimate
sheet
5 P&IDs
[example]→ P&ID count and manhours are shown on detailed estimate sheet
6 Process Equipment Specifications
[example]→ Equipment count-based detailed count shown. Planned to make
design folders
7 Process Instrument Data and Control System support
[example]→ There are A0 numbers of control valves. A1 hour for each control
valve and A2 hour for FE (Count A3). A4 min for on–off valves (count A5), A6
min for analytical devices (count A7), A8 min for level devices (count A9), A10
min for temperature devices (count A11), A12 min for gauges (count A13), A14
hours is added for control system support on
interlock/cause--and-effect/sequence activity
8 Process Data to the Line List
[example]→ Line number count is B1
∼B2 minutes to fill out data for one line + B3 min for checking
9 Pressure Relief Systems
[example]→ Estimated C1 new PSVs and evaluate C2 existing PSVs. C3 hour per
PSV. Planned to make C4 design folders that cover all C5 PSVs. C6 hours added
per PSV to prepare C7 new datasheets.
10 Design Hazard Review
[example]→ D1 hours for HAZOP preparations +1 process engineer for D2 days
11 Engineering Support
[example]→ Set at E1% of total manhours
12 Field Trips
[example]→ Plan for tie-in work
13 Meetings
[example]→ This covers regular meetings outside of planned reviews
14 Report Preparation
[example]→ Already covered in equipment design and relief valve design folders
15 Vendor Data
[example]→ F1 hour per equipment
Table 4.26 Budget preparation – estimating manhours for PFDs/MSDs (detailed sheet).
Count of PFDs Hours Engineering manhours

or MSDs Title per item estimated
G1 PFDs G3 G1 × G3
G2 MSDs G4 G2 × G4
Table 4.27 Budget preparation – estimating manhours for P&IDs (detailed sheet).
Hours Engineering manhours

Count of P&IDs Title per item estimated
H1 New Process P&ID H6 H1 × H6

H2 New utility distribution P&ID H7 H2 × H7
H3 Existing project P&ID H8 H3 × H8
H4 Demo P&ID work H9 H4 × H9
H5 Tie-In work H10 H5 × H10
Table 4.28 Budget preparation – estimating manhours for Equipment (detailed sheet).
Engineering
Count of Hours manhours
equipment TYPE per item estimated
J1 AGITATORS K1 J1 × K1
J2 OTHER VESSELS, SMALL TANKS K2 J2 × K2
J3 BAGHOUSES, PRECIPITATORS K3 J3 × K3
J4 BELT CONVEYORS, FEEDERS K4 J4 × K4
J5 BINS, HOPPERS, SILOS K5 J5 × K5
J6 BOILERS, STEAM GENERATORS K6 J6 × K6
J7 BUCKET ELEVATORS K7 J7 × K7
J8 CENTRIFUGES K8 J8 × K8
J9 CHUTES, LAUNDERS K9 J9 × K9
J10 CLARIFIERS, THICKENERS K10 J10 × K10
J11 COLUMNS K11 J11 × K11
J12 COLUMNS (Existing, modified) K12 J12 × K12
J13 COMPRESSORS, VACUUM PUMPS K13 J13 × K13
(Continued)
Engineering
Count of Hours manhours
equipment TYPE per item estimated
J14 COOLING TOWERS (New) K14 J14 × K14

J15 COOLING TOWERS (Existing, modified) K15 J15 × K15
J16 CRUSHERS K16 J16 × K16
J17 CRYSTALLIZERS K17 J17 × K17
J18 CYCLONES K18 J18 × K18
J19 DRYERS, AIR SUSPENDED SYSTEMS K19 J19 × K19
J20 DRYERS, BATCH SYSTEMS K20 J20 × K20
J21 DRYERS, CONTINUOUS SYSTEMS K21 J21 × K21
J22 EJECTOR SYSTEM K22 J22 × K22
J23 EXTRUDERS, PELLETIZERS K23 J23 × K23
J24 FANS, BLOWERS K24 J24 × K24
J25 FILTERS/COALESCERS K25 J25 × K25
J26 FIRED HEATERS K26 J26 × K26
J27 GRINDERS, MILLS K27 J27 × K27
J28 HEAT EXCHANGERS K28 J28 × K28
J29 Heaters/Coolers K29 J29 × K29
J30 Condensers K30 J30 × K30
J31 Reboilers/Vaporizers K31 J31 × K31
J32 HOISTS, CRANES, ELEVATORS K32 J32 × K32
J33 MISC. SMALL EQUIPMENT K33 J33 × K33
J34 PRESSURE VESSELS K34 J34 × K34
J35 PUMPS K35 J35 × K35
J36 REACTORS K36 J36 × K36
J37 REFRIG UNITS, WATER CHILLERS K37 J37 × K37
J38 SCREENS, GRIZZLIES K38 J38 × K38
J39 SCRUBBERS K39 J39 × K39
J40 SMELTERS, FURNACES K40 J40 × K40
J41 STACK, FLARES, FLAME ARREST K41 J41 × K41
J42 STATIC MIXER K42 J42 × K42
J43 STORAGE TANKS, LARGE K43 J43 × K43
Table 4.29 An example of weekly lookahead of a schedule.
Software run date Page 1

Project Name and number MM-DD-YYYY of XX
Start of End date
activity of activity Deliverable Next
Activity Activity MM-DD- MM-DD- Number Progress activity
ID (AID) description YYYY YYYY (DN) % ID (AID)
Control valve instrument datasheet Comments

AID01 Process MM-DD- MM-DD- DN01 100 AID02
engineer to YYYY YYYY
provide
information
AID02 Control MM-DD- MM-DD- DN02 100 AID03
prepare
squad check
AID03 Process MM-DD- MM-DD- DN03 0 AID04
check
information
Structural steel package
Table 4.30 Plan of hours spent by engineers in different months.
Hours spent by engineers in different months
Engineer name January-YY February-YY March-YY April-YY May-YY June-YY August-YY
Process 160 160 160 160 160 160 160

Engineer 1
Process 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
Engineer 2
Process 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
Engineer 3
Process 160 160 160 160 160 160 160
Engineer 4
4.21.5 Project Status Progress and Tracking

Project status for any discipline is measured by the hours spent divided by the origi-
nal budget. So along with the schedule, project controls also issue out the project
status and the staffing report every week to all the discipline leads. The process
engineer lead must make sure she/he is making good progress or at least meeting
the planned deadlines and the planned curve. Table 4.31 shows a template for the
project staffing report.
4.22 Lead Workshare Meetings 87
Table 4.31 Example of a project status tracking.
Original Remaining Week 1, Week 2, Week 3,

Discipline budget (OB), budget (RB), manhours manhours manhours
Function manhours manhours % Complete utilized utilized utilized
Process OB1 RB1 RB1/OB1 PE1 PE2 PE3

Engineering
(PE)
Civil OB2 RB2 RB2/OB2 CE1 CE2 CE3
Engineering
(CE)
Control system OB3 RB3 RB3/OB3 CSE1 CSE2 CSE3
Engineering
(CSE)
Piping design OB4 RB4 RB4/OB4 PDE1 PDE2 PDE3
Engineering
(PDE)
4.22 Lead Workshare Meetings
Constant process engineering work is needed to move the design and meet the
scheduled deadlines. Workshare is a big part of the process engineering to meet
the deadlines for the lead process engineer. There are lots of activities that can be
given to the workshare office, such as relief valve evaluation, markup of P&IDs,
drafting the P&IDs, the line list, designing equipment, and filling out datasheets.
There are at least two meetings in a week for the lead process engineer just to check
on the progress of the workshare office and also to provide them with some helpful
information along the way and answer their questions. At the beginning of the
project, the lead process engineer prepares the workshare execution plan. Process
engineers can utilize below guidelines to prepare a workshare execution plan.
1. INTRODUCTION TO PROJECT AND PHASE

2. PROCESS ENGINEERING SCOPE FOR WORKSHARE
3. ISSUE OF DELIVERABLES
4. SCHEDULE
5. BUDGET FOR PHASE 3 PROCESS ENGINEERING AND CAD
6. WORKSHARE STAFFING PLAN
7. PROJECT AND PROCESS ORGANIZATION
8. DESIGN BASIS
9. CUSTOMER STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS
10. PROCESS ENGINEERING TOOLS
11. HOME OFFICE EXPECTATIONS FROM THE WORKSHARE OFFICE
12. CHANGE MANAGEMENT
13. COMMUNICATION PLAN
14. WEEKLY REPORTS
15. SCHEDULED CONFERENCE CALLS

16. E-MAILS
17. FILE SHARING
18. QUALITY ASSURANCE
19. DELIVERABLE VERIFICATION PLAN
20. QUALITY SURVEYS
4.23 Input to Internal Meetings with Project

and Discipline Teams
There are several meetings in which the lead process engineer must participate
every week and every month. Table 4.32 shows some of the meetings and their
purposes.
Table 4.32 Different meetings where process engineer participates.
Meeting purpose for

Meeting title Participants Meeting frequency a process engineer
Project weekly Project internal Weekly once Give weekly progress of

coordination disciplines engineering activities and
answer any questions
from disciplines
Project Project disciplines and Monthly once Give monthly progress of
monthly customer engineering activities and
answer any questions
from customer
Workshare Internal process Twice a week Track the progress of
engineers workshare activities and
provide guidance as
needed
P&ID and PFD Project disciplines and Once in every Review drawings with the
review customer phase team
HAZOP Project core disciplines Once in every Identify hazard and
and customer phase provide solutions
Design reviews Process engineer and As needed Review the design and
customer options produced
Vendor Process engineer, As needed Provide support and
meetings mechanical engineer, answers their questions
and vendor
Licensor Process engineer and Weekly or Provide support and
the licensor monthly answers their questions
Meeting with Discipline engineer As needed Review the issues raised
Disciplines and process engineer by the discipline engineer
and provide a solution
4.25 Input to Preparation of Demolition and Tie-in P&IDs 89
4.24 Plant Visits

Sometimes the process engineer may have to go to the plant to collect information on
the existing piping or equipment. This may come out of the additional scope gener-
ated during the development of the process and the project. Most of the information
can be gathered from the customer’s library and the DCS (distributed control system)
database. Alternatively, if the customer can supply this information, the engineer
can utilize this information.
Apart from that, during early and at this phase of the project, other disciplines,
such as piping, control system, and mechanical engineering, would like to look at
the plant location and the interaction with the existing plant system and the tie-ins.
The process engineer is required to accompany them for the field visits to answer
any questions they may have. As the process engineers have the most information
since they are involved from the beginning of Phase 1 and Phase 2, and also they may
have the history information and the background of the process that might help in
creating a meaningful conversation during field visits.
4.25 Input to Preparation of Demolition and Tie-in

P&IDs
4.25.1 Tie-in P&IDs

If there is an interaction between existing piping system and connection to the new
piping, tie-in P&IDs are often required. These drawings show a tie-in plan required
to facilitate the new project. There could be multiple versions of tie-in drawings
depending on the turnaround timing of the project
4.25.2 Demo P&IDs

Demo or demolition P&IDs show the demolition of certain sections of the existing
piping required by the project. Like the tie-in P&IDs, there could be multiple versions
of the demo drawing depending on the turnaround timing of the project.
Process engineer is responsible for creating tie-in and demo P&IDs. Piping design
is always available to help with the development of these drawings.
Example shown in Figure 4.9 explains different steps happening between different
phases of the project. These steps are explained below:
Step 1 – Demo drawing no. 1 demolishes pump B suction and discharge piping. This
adds tie-in numbers from 1 to 4. The demolition of the pipes is shown with a
hatched cloud.
Step 2 – For tie-in drawing no. 1, tie-in points 1 and 2 install an isolation valve, and
tie-ins 3 and 4 install an 8′′ isolation valve with a 3/4′′ bleed valve. Additions of
these items are shown with a solid cloud.
A
A Demo-
Tie-in-
drawing-no.1
drawing no.1
TP-3
TP-3 B TP-1
B TP-1 TP-2 8ʺ ¾ʺ TP-2
TP-4 TP-4
A Demo- A Tie-in
drawing no.2 drawing no.2
B B
8ʺ 8ʺ 8ʺ
¾ʺ
TP-5 TP-5
Figure 4.9 Different steps involving multiple tie-in and demolition drawings for different
phases of the project.
Step 3 – For demo drawing no. 2, the 3/4′′ bleed is demolished at tie-in number 5
to accommodate future expansion. Previous 8′′ installation at tie-in point 5 and
isolation valve on pump B discharge are shown with a dotted cloud, as the work
was done previously in step 2.
Step 4 – For tie-in drawing no. 2, new 8′′ isolation valve and a control valve are added
at the tie-in point 5. The new addition of items is shown with a solid cloud.
4.26 Preparation of Pipe Service Index

Pipe service index (PSI) is a collection of all the pipe specifications used on the
project, which are defined by the process engineering team. While the P&IDs
are being marked by the process engineer, PSI is one of the process deliverables
required by other disciplines. PSI document is developed formally in Phase 3. This
document is issued initially by the process engineering and later maintained by
the piping design and piping engineering. Process engineering will maintain this
document until IFD issue, and they always need help from other engineering teams.
Table 4.33 shows a development of a PSI document during the overall development
of the project. Table 4.34 shows the example of a pipe service index.
Table 4.33 Development and steps involved in a pipe service document.
PSI issue
Phase title Work performed by the process engineer
2 None Preliminary copy for scope development, specification

tracking, and asking questions to customer
3 IFR Prepare initial PSI document and issues to customer and
internal disciplines for review
3 IFA Pickup comments and issues IFA along with IFH P&IDs
3 IFD Pickup comments from the project development and
HAZOP, and issues IFD along with IFD P&IDs
4 IFC Rev. 0 Support in the development
4 IFC Rev. 1 Support in the development
Table 4.34 Example of a pipe service document.
Pipe Pressure Pipe Corrosion

Service Spec (PS) Rating Material Allowance Comments Rev.
HIGH-PRESSURE PS1 600# Carbon 0.063′′ None A

STEAM 600 PSIG Steel
BOILER FEED PS2 600# Carbon 0.063′′ New pipe A
WATER Steel specifications were
created per
customer
recommendations.
4.27 Process Audit

Process audit is done by very senior process manager within the EPCC home office,
but a person from a different project is unaware of details of the project the process
engineer is working on. The goal is to make sure that the lead process engineer, being
audited, has completed all the tasks required to finish Phase 3. There is a similar
process audit for phase 4 as well.
The audit checklist ensures that the process engineer has completed and followed
following key items:
● project procedures
● manhour estimate
● design basis
● design execution related to all the process deliverables
The audit report goes through a detailed checklist for each deliverable item for
process engineering. Following are some of the examples from the deliverable list.
[Example 1]: Checklist item: P&IDs – Vessels:
1. Design Data
1.1 Equipment tag should include the following info:
• Equipment number, name, or service
• Dimensions (diameter and height/length)
• Design pressure and temperature
• Material of construction
1.2 Data by or in the equipment symbol should include:
• Nozzle and manway sizes
• L/N/H liquid levels
• Skirt elevations
• Piping trim
• Insulation type/thickness
2. Process and Safety
● Are connecting line sizes, specifications, service, insulation, etc., indicated?
● Are multiple inlets required and, if so, are they shown?
● Is tangential inlet indicated?
● Are vortex breakers shown for pump suctions?
● Is skirt height/bottom elevation determined and shown?
● Are liquid level bridle connections for high liquid level (HLL), normal liquid
level (NLL), and low liquid level (LLL) shown?

● Is demister shown?
● Are manways and handhole shown? Nozzle sizes and locations.
● Can the system be vented? Are purge connections required?
● Can the system be drained?
● Are toxic drains routed to safe containment?
● Can the system be de-inventoried?
● Can the system be started up?
● Are sample points shown?
● Is the vessel protected from overpressure contingencies and PSV
● Shown with setpoint and size, including orifice size? Example: 8T10
● Is S.O. connection shown?
● Is insulation requirement indicated?
[Example 2]: Checklist item: process-flow diagrams:
1. Have the PFDs been issued to the Customer for Design, Rev. A?
2. Are the following items shown on the Rev. A PFDs?
● All major process equipment excluding spares
● Exchanger and furnace duties
● Main process streams numbered corresponding to the HMB’s
● Mainstream operating temperatures and pressures

● Normal pump and compressor rates

● The process control philosophy (major loops only)
● Start of run/end or run or special conditions
3. Has a full-size set of PFDs (stamped “Master”) been set up, in Bluebeam? Are
they being retained by process? (Auditor to visually confirm)
4. Did EPCC or the Customer prepare the Heat and Material Balance Cus-
tomer(HMB) document?
5. When PFDs are provided by the Customer:
● Is/are controlling case(s) for equipment and piping design clearly shown?
● Is backcheck or comment on these documents in EPCC’s Scope of Work?
● If so, is the impact reflected in the manhours?
● If not, have obvious PFD deficiencies affecting safety or operability been found?
95
Phase 4 (Detailed Design)
5.1 Participate in the Final HAZOP
Compared to the previous phase, this phase has the final hazard operability study
(HAZOP), and the controlling scenario documents for the relief valve, vendor, and
seal plans information. Although it is preliminary, lot of vendor information is also
available at this stage of the process. Lots of seal plants have been selected for pumps,
other rotating equipment are finalized, and the design pressure design temperature
(DPDT) diagrams are available. All this information feeds into the detailed design
HAZOP. Also, in this phase, the HAZOP facilitator should make sure that all the pre-
vious hazard items identified are captured in the design and resolved. There should
be very minimal amounts of recommendations coming out of this HAZOP in Phase
4, as the design has progressed significantly.
5.2 HAZOP Action Item Closeout and Hold Items

Each HAZOP produces several action items that need to be resolved to complete
the design. Since most of the HAZOP items are process related, process engineer-
ing takes the responsibility of resolving them. If some help is needed from other
disciplines, the process engineer coordinates with the other discipline. The process
engineer should act very quickly to capture these items. HAZOP is typically done
toward the end of detailed design where most of the information is readily available.
Based on the HAZOP, there could be several recommendations, and once the process
engineer picks up all these comments and marks up appropriate P&IDs, the P&IDs
are further drafted and issued for construction.
If there are one or two items from the HAZOP that are not resolved, those items
are put on hold and further work is done on priority and a hold note is added on
P&ID for the time being. Later, corresponding P&IDs will be issued for construction
after picking up or completion of those hold items. Note that the P&IDs cannot be
issued for construction without any holds. The process engineer can choose, with
agreement between project management and customer, to issue all P&IDs for issued
96 5 Phase 4 (Detailed Design)
for construction (IFC), which do not have holds, and hold onto few P&IDs, which
have holds on to them. Later, these hold P&IDs can be issued IFC in a separate batch,
once comments are resolved.
5.3 Project Support as Needed

Similar to other phases, the process engineer provides engineering support and
checks the information on equipment, instruments, and piping in this phase as
well. Process engineer squad checks the isometric drawings for the piping once
they are ready for correctness of pressure and temperatures values. In addition to
that, the process engineer also supports any P&ID, pressure safety valve (PSV), and
flare-related comments and questions.
5.4 Provide Offline Instrument Data

Similar to previous phases, the process engineer is required to provide process
information on offline instruments, such as pH level, pressure, temperature, and
sight-glass instruments. Tables 5.1–5.5 show some examples of process information
provided on the instruments by the process engineer. Note that all these offline
instruments do not affect the 3D modeling compared with in-line instruments,
such as control valves. This is the reason why the process information for the offline
instruments is provided in the detailed design as the development of 3D modeling
is critical for all the disciplines.
Table 5.1 Template for level indicator and level transmitter (LI/LT) instrument data.
Upper fluid dielectric constant
Lower fluid dielectric constant
Design pressure, internal/
Operating pressure, PSIG
Upper fluid viscosity, CP

Lower fluid viscosity, CP
Operating viscosity, CP
Upper fluid & phase
Max pressure, PSIG

Operating temp, F
Material Build-up
Process comment
Interface level, ft.
Instrument type
Lower fluid S.G.

Upper fluid S.G.
Design temp, F
Operating S.G.
external, PSIG
Max temp, F
Tag number
Lower fluid
Dust/foam
P&ID no.
Unit/Area Number Date revised Function
Function Equipment number
Table 5.4
Table 5.3
Table 5.2
Unique identifier Equipment number Instrument number

Tag number
SP number Instrument number
P&ID No.
Tag number Service description
Size P&ID No. Instrument type
Item type Service description Line No./Equipment No.
Instrument type Fluid name
P&ID No. Min pH
Line/equipment No.
Normal pH
Line number Fluid name Max pH
Fluid phase Norm press (psig)
Ref equip number
Operating pressure (PSIG) Max pressure (psig)
Fluid Maximum pressure (PSIG) Norm temp (F)
Max temp (F)
Template for sight-glass instrument data.

Operating temp (F)
Template for pH analyzer instrument data.
Type of fluid flow (laminar/turbulence) Boiling point (F)

Maximum temp (F)
Temp at base (F)
Fluid phase (liquid/gas/mixed phase) Density (LB/FT3) Specific gravity at base
Viscosity, CP Oper specific gravity
Fluid color & clarity (%transparency)
Process comment Oper viscosity (CP)
Remarks Checked by Max velocity (ft/sec)
Rev Corrosive agents
Design pressure (PSIG) Abrasive agents (solids in %)
Dielectric constant
Design temp (F)
Process comment
Corrosive Rev
Template for pressure gauge and pressure transmitter (PG/PT) instrument data.
5.4 Provide Offline Instrument Data
Erosive Data checked by

97
Table 5.5 Template for temperature indicator and gauge (TI/TG) instrument data.
Maximum fluid velocity (FT/SEC)

Maximum pressure (PSIG)
Operating pressure (PSIG)
Vessel No. or line No.
Instrument number
Equipment number
Maximum temp (F)

Operating temp (F)
Service description
Density (LB/FT3)
Process comment
Instrument type
Viscosity, CP
Date revised
Tag number
Fluid phase
Fluid name
P&ID No.
Function
Data by
5.5 Squad Check of Process and Vendor Data
Once the process engineer fills out the requested data from the control system
engineering, the control system engineers transfer the process information into
the formal instrument datasheets. They will create multiple Bluebeam sessions
for squad checking the instrument datasheets. Squad check notifications usually
go out to all the disciplines on the project. Since the instrument datasheet has
process-related information, process engineers are the ones who check the cor-
rectness of the datasheets. Once the process engineer has provided comments,
the control system engineer will update the instrument datasheets based on these
comments and issue out control system instrument package to the vendor for
pricing and quotes.
Once the vendor has all the information they need, based on the delivery time
and the schedule, each vendor will start providing information on the design for
all the instruments. Information received from vendors to the control system is
transmitted to all the disciplines and customers on the project for checking. This
time, process engineer is checking the adequacy of instrument design and making
sure that the vendor has a sound design that works. If comments are provided
on the vendor packages, the package is returned to vendor, which has options
approved/rejected/acceptable with no comments. If vendor package is rejected,
the vendor is expected to revise their design and provide the revised data to the
engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) company,
and the cycle repeats. Figure 5.1 shows a vendor data review cycle and process
engineering efforts for offline instruments.
5.6 Finalize Safety Valves Design and Issue IFD Datasheets 99
Control system
eng. creates data Notify Process
IFD P & IDs are engineer
issued by process request process
spreadsheets for engineer adds data Notify
engineering offline instruments control
system
engineer
Datasheets No Comments? Controls system
To vendors Squad eng. prepares
check official datasheets
Yes
Receive Revise Revise
quotes from
vendors No
Data Yes
Document acceptable?
control issues to
all the Control system prepares
disciplines cost index spreadsheet
and gives to cost estimate
Figure 5.1 Vendor data review cycle and process engineering efforts for offline
instruments.
5.6 Finalize Safety Valves Design and Issue IFD

Datasheets
As mentioned earlier in the previous phase, a preliminary evaluation of relief
valve and contingency was done. This phase updates the previous calculations and
finalizes the relief valve sizing calculation based on some of the important vendor
information, such as control valves, pumps, and heat exchangers.
Once the relief valve design is complete, the process engineer issues out a design
folder to the checker internally. If the checker has comments, the process engineer
picks up those comments and gives the revised folder to the checker. Once no further
comments are given, the process engineer is ready to issue the design folder to the
customers for review. If there are any comments from the customer, they are picked
by the process engineer, and the relief valve design folder is issued for approval. At
this time, the process engineer also fills out a datasheet for the safety valve and issues
out to control system engineer. Control system engineer again takes this process
datasheet and transfers the process data over to a formal datasheet. These control
system datasheets are given to process engineers for squad checking. If there are no
comments, the control system then sends the information to the vendor for sizing.
Once the relief valve design is complete, the process engineer has a good under-
standing of the inlet and outlet piping of the relief valves. Process engineer can
Process engineer Checker

updates previous Notify reviews the Design Yes
incomplete relief adequate?
design
valve (PSV)
Revise Revise Issue PSV design

No folder to customer
Yes
for review
Control system No
prepares official Comments?
datasheets
Issued for approval Process engineer highlights
Revise (IFA) datasheets to P & IDs and required
Squad isometric drawings for the
Yes control system eng.
checking PSV ΔP calculations
Comments? No Information Vendor

to vendors performs
Process engineer to calculations
update P & ID and Yes
revised PSV datasheet Revise
Quotes
from
Process engineer to vendors
update PSV design
Control system eng.
folder and issue for No selects final vendor and
design (IFD) sends the information to
Comments? disciplines for squad
No
checking
Process engineer
PSV inlet/ to check ΔP for
Request to
Yes outlet piping PSV inlet/outlet
size changed? piping piping design
Figure 5.2 PSV checking and vendor data review cycle.
now highlight a set of relief valve P&IDs with inlet and outlet piping, and issues
a request to the piping design to get isometric drawings for those pipes. Once the
piping isometric drawings are available, these drawings are then used to confirm the
PSV inlet and outlet line sizes. Sometimes, the PSV type needs to be changed without
affecting the outlet line size. It is important to size the PSV inlet/outlet lines conser-
vatively early on in Phase 3 to avoid changes in Phase 4. Figure 5.2 shows the PSV
checking and vendor data review cycle.
Also, once vendor has completed the sizing calculations, vendor provides the final
design detail for the relief valve to the control system engineer and process engineer.
Process engineer reviews the vendor selection and does a quick look at the updates
that he/she had made based on the piping isometric drawings. If no comments or
changes are needed, the relief valve design folder can be issued to the customer
for design. If any comments or changes could affect the sizing of the relief valve,
the process engineer decides whether to change the pipe sizes of the relief valve or
change the size of the relief valve altogether. Accordingly, the process engineer will
communicate and act to minimize the change.
5.8 Input to 60% and 90% Model Reviews 101
Table 5.6 Document closeout revisions and issue titles.
Customer approved with

Document Issue Title Revision number no further comments
Simulations/ Issued for B or C or D depending on Yes

Utility summary design (IFD) previous issue
PFDs IFD B or C or D depending on Yes
previous issue
MSDs IFD B or C or D depending on Yes
previous issue
H&MBs IFD B or C or D depending on Yes
previous issue
Project P&IDs IFC 0 Yes
Tie-in P&IDs IFC 0 Yes
Demo-P&IDs IFC 0 Yes
Equipment design IFD B or C or D depending on Yes
folders previous issue
Relief valve design IFD B or C or D depending on Yes
folders previous issue
5.7 Closeout of Documents
Typically, closeout checklist is available from the customer side, if not, EPCC can
provide a checklist. Toward the end of Phase 4, the process engineers should make
sure that he/she issues out all these documents. Table 5.6 shows a list of documents
that are required for closeout of the project.
5.8 Input to 60% and 90% Model Reviews
At the beginning of Phase 4, 60% model review is completed when some of the
vendor information is available, and piping, civil, mechanical, control system, and
electrical engineering has made significant progress with the 3D modeling. Process
engineer participates in the model review meetings and answers any questions and
comments if required. One could expect normal to minor comments from this meet-
ing. Sixty percent refers to 60% accurate modeling.
Ninety percent of model review is done when most of the vendor information
is modeled and available. Comments from this meeting are very minor in nature,
such as moving a valve or changing the orientation of the valve. After this model
review, the disciplines issue out IFC drawings. Ninety percent refers to 90% accurate
modeling.
Process eng. – support Mechanical Piping design Civil eng. –

and answer any questions, eng.– – driver for the structure,
perform studies to support equipment 3D model
meetings, pipe supports, concrete,
3D modeling modeling piling modeling
modeling
Customers/
operations eng. – 3D modeling Electrical eng. – electrical
review and comment motors, substation, cable
development and
of 3D model trays modeling
meetings
Control system eng. – Piping eng. – modeling

EPCC project management modeling of instrument,
– facilitate meetings, record of piping specifications,
instrument cable trays, specialty items
action items and risks SIS building
Figure 5.3 Discipline deliverable diagram based on a 3D model review.
Figure 5.3 shows a discipline deliverable diagram based on a 3D model review

meeting.
5.9 Lead Workshare Meeting

As mentioned before, the process engineer conducts weekly meetings with work-
share office and helps them make progress on the relief valve and offline instrument
data, and provides support as needed.
5.10 IFC and IFC–R P&IDs

After the model review is complete, all the management of change (MOC) marks are
approved, and HAZOP is completed, IFC P&IDs can be issued. Below is an example
of revisions needed for the drawings:
Example of revisions of P&IDs in Phase 4:
Rev 0 IFC 1st IFC issue

Rev 1 IFC – Revised Changes to Column B-80
Rev 2 IFC – Revised Changes from Licensor
Once IFC drawings are issued by process engineering, the P&IDs are then handed
over officially to the construction team, and project management has a responsibility
at this stage for further revisions. The computer-aided design (CAD) coordinator also
puts all the latest IFC P&IDs on one common Bluebeam session where everybody,
including construction team and the customers, can see the latest version of IFC
P&IDs.
5.12 Leading MOC Meetings 103
Piping design Process engineer Piping engineer
Not ready Not ready Not ready

Modify Modify Modify
Ready Ready
Ready
Figure 5.4 Discipline work status diagram for the line list document.
5.11 Line List Updates and Input to New Lines
During Phase 4, the piping engineering team is busy checking the lines for process
conditions against the pipe specification design limitations. If there is a specifica-
tion burst, the process engineers are notified and requested to take corrective action.
Process engineers either need to update a piping specification or adjust the line con-
ditions and later notify piping engineering to review the revised information. Once
piping engineering checks the line and approves it, they flip the status of the line
from modified to approved. Figure 5.4 shows a work status diagram for the line list
document.
Also, there will be addition of new lines in the detailed design. Process engineers
are required to keep up with the notifications from piping design to fill out pro-
cess data for the new lines, and later notify piping design to review their portion
of the work.
Line list is something that the workshare office can help with effectively and effi-
ciently as all they need is some guidelines and weekly communication.
5.12 Leading MOC Meetings
MOC is management of change procedures. In detail design, after the P&IDs are
issued for design, every discipline is expected to markup the P&IDs as per the
MOC procedure. The procedure protects the marks from being incorporated into
the design without being officially reviewed by the customer engineers. Since the
detailed design is getting closer to the actual building of a plant, it is important to
monitor such changes to make sure that the design changes make sense.
In the MOC meeting, each discipline explains the mark they have added to the
P&IDs and the reasoning behind it. If the marks and the reasoning are appropriate,
the customer approves the marks. Later, the red line marks will then officially be
Table 5.7 Example of a MOC log and associated MOC item.
Approved
by Customer
HAZOP process Approved
MOC Change Reason for Change required, engineer by EPCC
No. description change category Y/N Y/N team Y/N
MOC#1 Changed the Changed the B Y Y Y

P-100 suction pump size to get
line size from adequate NPSH
6′′ to 8′′ and to meet
pump suction
velocity criteria
MOC#2
drafted and incorporated into the design. There are regular MOC meetings in Phase 4
depending on number of P&IDs. Table 5.7 shows an example of a MOC log and
associated items.
Change category
Category A – Minor drafting changes, such as spelling correction
Category B – Medium changes that alter the design, such as addition of a pump or a
valve
The customer identifies whether to have a HAZOP or not for a MOC item. If the
HAZOP required is identified, later the HAZOP team ensures that the HAZOP for
the item is completed.
MOC meetings and P&ID drafting are coordinated by the CAD coordinator. Dur-
ing the initial stages of Phase 4, the CAD coordinator creates Bluebeam session and
notifies all the discipline leads from EPCC industry. All leads are expected to add
marks to the P&IDs in Bluebeam as per MOC procedure prepared for the project.
Once all marks are added to the session, process engineer usually notifies CAD
coordinator to setup a MOC review meeting with the customers and discipline engi-
neers. CAD coordinator creates a MOC package (consisting of marked P&IDs and
MOC log) and sends a meeting invite. During the MOC review meeting, the cus-
tomer reviews the marks, and each lead needs to explain marks added to the P&IDs.
Once approved, the CAD coordinator marks them as approved. If not approved, the
marks are rejected and the EPCC discipline lead needs to remark as per comments
in the Bluebeam session for the next round of MOC review meeting. The CAD coor-
dinator takes the approved P&IDs and sends them for drafting. The MOC review
meetings constantly take place in Phase 4 until the discipline runs out of marks
or till the end of Phase 4. Figure 5.5 MOC approval cycle for a P&ID in detailed
design.
5.13 Cause-and-Effect Table 105
Drafting coordinator Notify Users add marks to Once adequate MOCs are
creates a Bluebeam users the P & IDs as per marked, process engineer
session MOC procedure notifies drafting coordinator
to set up a MOC meeting
Yes Marks Drafting coordinator

approved? sends out MOC
MOC review package and meeting
meeting invites to customer
Drawings to
drafting and discipline leads
No
Figure 5.5 MOC approval cycle for a P&ID in detailed design.
5.13 Cause-and-Effect Table

Cause-and-effect table is applicable to all the units in the processing plant. It
involves upset, causes, and effects from the process. Typically, development of
cause-and-effect table is not the responsibility of process engineer, but they provide
support and information to the control system engineer. Control system engineer
should keep the document updated as and when they receive inputs from the process
engineer from time to time. Table 5.8 shows an example of a cause-and-effect table.
Table 5.8 Example of cause-and-effect table.
Unit/Area
Area # 1
Interlock No. 1 2 3
FALL-XXXX
BAL-XXXX
HS-XXXX
Tag No. XX-XX
Tag No.
XX-XX
Fiame failure in main
Low amine acid gas
Cause
Emergency shut-
down sru
burner
flow
Effect
XV-XXXX Gas to main burner C C C
FV-XXXX Gas to main burner C C C

5.14 Input to SP Items and Tie-in Forms

5.14.1 SP Items
Specialty (SP) items are part of the process that cannot be categorized by equipment
or piping. These are special pieces that help process in the processing plant. Some of
the common examples are given below:
● Steam straps
● Space heaters
● Safety showers
● Eductors
● Steam exhaust head
● Water mixers
● Line filters
● Sample stations
● Eductors
● Strainers
● Flex hose
● Pulsation dampener
When a new specialty item is added to the P&ID by the process engineer or other
disciplines, the piping design will add the SP number. Basic process information,
such as maximum flow rate, design pressure, and design temperatures, are typically
needed for most of the specialty items. Table 5.9 shows an example of a SP item list.
5.14.2 Tie-in Forms

Depending on the turnaround time and the requirement for the time, piping design
prepares a tie-in form and gives it to the process engineer for approval. Table 5.10
shows an example tie-in approval form.
Table 5.9 Example of a SP item list

Purchase details
Equipment No.
Manufacturer
PO number
P&ID No.
Item type
Line No.
Remark
Vendor
SP No.
Model
Unit
Size
5.14 Input to SP Items and Tie-in Forms 107
Table 5.10 Tie-in approval form.
Project title XX
Project number XX
P&ID number Associated P&ID number
New and existing line numbers New line number (for Existing pipeline
flange or new pipe) number
Description Tie-in service
Tie-in number XX Revision #: XX
Customer technical approval Signature Date
Customer operation approval Signature Date
Customer construction approval Signature Date
EPCC process approval Signature Date
EPCC piping design lead approval Signature Date
EPCC piping design approval Signature Date
Hot tap required Y/N Insulation removal Y/N
Picture of the tie-in

109
Phase 5 (Construction and Support)
6.1 Preparation of Procedures and Manuals

During Phase 5, process engineer is asked to prepare different procedural documents
required for the safe startup of the plant. These documents are startup, shut down,
operating, training, and safety. Some of the procedures, depending on the length,
may end up being manual. All these standard procedures and manuals, once initially
drafted by the process engineer, will be later reviewed by a team of operations and
engineers from the customer side. Any changes or comments from the customers
are picked by the process engineer from the engineering, procurement, construction,
and commissioning (EPCC) and later issues out all these documents so that they can
be used by everyone. Some of these documents are used to prepare a training plan
and training development for the process operators who will be operating the plant
eventually.
Most of these documents include a detailed description of the system from the
operation and the safety perspective. For example, the startup manual for the unit
explains the necessary steps required to start a plant safely. Figure 6.1 shows a
diagram of commissioning steps, procedure development, and training.
6.2 Tie-in Execution

As explained previously, once the tie-in form is signed by the process engineer in
Phase 4, it is handed over to the construction team for signatures. Once the con-
struction provides the signatures, the tie-in is executed based on the pre-planned
timeline. Note during previous pre-turnaround time (a time before actual construc-
tion of a processing plant), some of the tie-ins may have already been completed in
Phase 3 or Phase 4 so that this new project can add a new piping or new equipment.
6.3 Provide Answers to the Construction Team

Construction team involves a team of managers, engineers, and planners. They
constantly need support as the construction progresses. It is always a good idea to
110 6 Phase 5 (Construction and Support)
Commissioning:
Dry-out Flare system
Pressure test
Oxygen freeing
Pre- Rotating equipment
Sequencing System
hydrotest Safety systems
systems definition
punch list Utility systems
Chemical cleaning
Electrical systems
Instrumentation
Commissioning Turnover plan
Tie-ins
plan Construction
performs
testing
Material Initial start
loading up
Mechanical
completion
Mechanical
start
completion
Startup Turnover
Cons to Function Performance
plan procedure completions test test
turnover
Operating Flushing Commissioning

manuals and operations
blowing support
systems
Operating
procedures
Training On the job
development training
Training
Classroom
plan
training
Figure 6.1 A diagram of commissioning steps, procedure development, and training.
understand the history of the design before accepting minor changes or making a
change during the construction phase, if beneficial to the project.
Some questions have the potential to change the original design. Other questions
from the construction team are like changing minor design from the original design.
They want to consult the process engineer to make sure there are no implications.
The process engineer in this case may have to do a quick hydraulic study to confirm
that there are no implications.
One of the examples, in the original design, was proposed to add a new 16-in.
nozzle to a vessel. This 16-in. nozzle has a thickness of standard (STD). During
the construction phase, the fabricator provided a pipe thickness of schedule 80 for
16-in. nozzle. As the actual fabricated piece was a little different than the origi-
nal design, the process engineer was asked to confirm whether this is acceptable.
6.4 Updating P&IDs as Needed 111
In this case, the process engineer does some hydraulic checks and confirms that it is
acceptable to go with design made by the pipe fabricator.
Another example is checking the pressure safe valve (PSV) inlet and outlet pres-
sure drops. Initially, in Phase 4, the piping length for a relief valve was designed
and checked with an 80-ft length and four 90∘ elbows. But during the construction,
the construction manager noticed that this pipeline length had to be increased to
102 ft and six 90∘ elbows to accommodate space restrictions. Again, for this case,
the process engineer is asked to confirm whether this change has any implications
on the design of a relief valve. So, in this case, process engineer checks the relief
valve design and confirms that there are no implications. Note that it may not always
be acceptable to make a change in the construction phase and still acceptable. For
this example, the pressure drop for the relief valve on the inlet side was originally
designed conservative, so additional few feet of pipe length and a few elbows fittings
did not alter the original design.
Steam trap requirements changes per pipe layout. Sometimes, the construction
team is required to add or delete some of the specialty items (SP) items, such as steam
traps. The process engineer may not have to spend a lot of time on such questions.
The construction team, operation, and engineers from the customer side are also
involved during the construction. So, the construction team may have questions
regarding the operation of the equipment or routing information of the pipe. The
process engineer can reply to such requests by providing a piece of information from
the procedures and manuals that he/she may have prepared or mark or highlighting
a set of P&IDs and writing a short note to the team.
As the construction is in progress, the operation team from the customer side may
request and ask other questions related to the equipment design and its function. In
this case, the process engineer can provide the design information to the customer.
6.4 Updating P&IDs as Needed

There are regular updates from construction team that are mostly minor in nature.
P&IDs are not drafted though in the construction phase. Once the construction is
completed, there may be some red line marks in the construction Bluebeam session.
The process engineer may put together a change order if asked to get those marks
management of change (MOC) approved and drafted. Alternatively, the customers
can take control of the native files from the EPCC industry and update the red line
minor marks from the construction, and store in native files of the P&IDs in the
plant library for further use. Sometimes, the customer may ask to add minor details
to the P&IDs or adjust the location of tie-ins. For minor changes related to P&IDs,
the process engineer can mark directly to the Bluebeam session for the construction,
and notify the customer accordingly.
113
Phase 6 (Commissioning and Startup)
7.1 Perform General Process Activities
There is a list of pressure safety valves (PSVs) for the project previously prepared by
the process engineer. Before the startup of a plant, once all the relief files are deliv-
ered to the site, it is required to test these safety valves at their set pressure to ensure
the original design is maintained. For such activity, the gas or vapor service safety
valve is tested using nitrogen gas. The liquid service safety valves are tested using
water. The process engineers are required to supervise and certify the testing. The
actual physical testing is done by the customer operators or technicians. In follow-
ing example, shown in Figure 7.1, assuming a gas service relief valve, high-pressure
nitrogen greater than 150 psig pressure is connected to the 3/4′′ relief valve inlet drain
connection, and 4′′ inlet isolation valve is closed. Assuming the main 6′′ PSV out-
let connection is not available and 6′′ gate valve is closed. In such case, 3/4′′ tubing
connection is made, and the test pressure can be relieved to a safe location. The PSV
test pressure should be recorded in the portable pressure gauge (PG) attached with
the 3/4′′ tubing connection. The PSV passes the test if it pops at 150 psig as per its set
pressure. Note that a regulator on the nitrogen cylinder can be used to regulate the
inlet pressure to the PSV.
Similarly, a list of equipment is prepared previously by the mechanical engineer.
The process engineer should collect all the equipment internal drawings and enter
all the equipment to ensure that all the internals are installed correctly. Also, the
process engineer should certify that all these internals are correctly installed. If some
of the internals are missing, the process engineer should mention that in the report
and the appropriate corrective action will be taken by the technician as needed.
One of the interesting tasks performed by the process engineer is a plant walk-
through of the lines or following the lines system by system depicted on the P&IDs.
While the process engineer is going through the walkthrough of the system, he/she
is required to highlight the P&IDs and confirm that all the elements, such as the
drain valves, control valves instruments, temperature gauges, and equipment, are
installed appropriately as mentioned on the P&ID’s. If he/she finds something is
114 7 Phase 6 (Commissioning and Startup)
4P6
SET @ 150
¾” Tubing
PSIG PG
Scale: 200 PSIG
Water source 6”
Note 1 CSO 4”
for liquid relief
CSO
valve service
Nitrogen gas ¾” Tubing
cylinder for Process system
gas relief valve
service
Figure 7.1 Sketch for testing a PSV.
Table 7.1 Examples of blinds and their uses.
Type of blind Purpose
Complete isolation blind Isolating one fluid from other

Figure eight blind Can be used to isolate one fluid from another or a spacer
between flanges
Spacer Used for creating a space between a pair of flanges that need
frequent changeout of routing
missing, usually there might be a missing blind flange or a valve or an instrument,

the process engineer must report findings to the construction manager so that the
manager can take the appropriate actions before the startup.
Also, the process engineer is required to create a list of blinds for different oper-
ations, such as before startup, during startup, and post-startup. Blinds are required
in the processing pipeline and utility pipelines to avoid contamination or mixing of
two fluids or as a means of positive isolation in the system. Table 7.1 shows examples
of some typical blinds and their uses.
7.2 Prepare and Complete Pre-startup and Safety

Checklists
There are several checklists that the process engineer should go through before
starting a plant. These checklists are divided into pre-startup and safety checklists.
Pre-startup checklist is associated with plant operations and the safety checklist is
associated with the safety of the plant. Table 7.2 shows some lists of checklists and
high-level overview of each checklist. Note that the list of checklists may vary
depending on the plant type or processing products.
7.2 Prepare and Complete Pre-startup and Safety Checklists 115
Table 7.2 Pre-startup and safety checklist.
Activity or Pre-startup
checklists or safety Actions Objective
Equipment Pre-startup 1. Prepare a list of Ensuring all the

tests equipment equipment are functioning
2. Complete equipment and ready to receive feed
tests including spares
Slop tank Pre-startup 1. Prepare a list of slop Ensuring the slop tanks
empty tanks can receive slop from new
2. Empty out the inventory processing plant
3. Ensure slop lines are
connected
Flare drum Safety 1. Empty out the inventory Ensuring the flare tank
empty 2. Ensure flare lines are can receive emergency
connected liquid
Flare Safety 1. Test flare to make sure Ensure that flare is
in operational available during an
conditions emergency flaring event
Equipment Pre-startup 1. Segregate spare Ensuring spare equipment
isolation equipment from are isolated and
operational equipment operational equipment are
in the equipment list lined up in the plant
Safety liquid Safety 1. Prepare a list of vessels Ensuring liquid seal is
levels in the that needs initial liquid maintained to avoid gas
vessels level blow-by and to provide
2. Add process liquid or startup liquid for pump
water to those vessels as operation
needed
Levels in raw Pre-startup 1. Add liquid to all raw Ensuring liquid levels are
and product material tanks favorable to starting a
tanks 2. Empty product tanks plant
Safety system Safety 1. Go through the safety Ensuring safety system is
instruments instrument list and available during plant
verify all emergency
instrumentation is
installed and
functioning as per
design
Safety Safety 1. Go through the safety Ensuring safety system is
hardware’s hardware (e.g. available during plant
sprinklers, hydrants) list emergency
and verify everything is
functioning
Utilities Pre-startup 1. Go through the list of Ensuring all utilities are
utilities and their pipe available for starting the
connections plant
Raw material Pre-startup 1. Go through the list of Ensuring all raw material
and product raw material and and product connections
lines product pipe are available for starting
connections the plant
7.3 Check Performance Test of All the Equipment
It is a good practice to test the performance of equipment to its design capacity if

possible before the startup even though the manufacturer has given the performing
test results. Although, it may not be possible to test the equipment to its full capacity
all the time, it is possible to test at a lower capacity. The performance of equipment
refers to comparing the operational parameters, such as pressure, temperature,
and flow rates, with the design parameters, and making sure they are within
the acceptable margins. Following are some examples of performance tests of
equipment:
Compressor – The gas compressor needs the process gas to test it. If the gas is not
available for testing, the compressor loop is typically pressured with the nitrogen
gas, and compressor is slowly started with the help of recycling line. So, this way
the compressor can be tested for its performance.
Pump – All the pumps can be tested based on the liquid in the upstream system.
If the liquid in the upstream vessel is not available, water can be added to the
upstream vessel and the pump can be tested. The seal systems are also commis-
sioned making sure the parameters match the design values.
Heater – Fired heaters are tested using a standard procedure. Initially, the cold cir-
culation of the process fluid is carried out and system is tested for any leaks.
Then, slowly the firing of the fired heater is started, and the temperature is slowly
increased until it reaches its design point.
Exchanger – Exchangers may not be able to test their performance at full capacity
since all the fluid streams may or may not be at their ideal temperature or the
desired temperature. But, if possible, the process fluid flow rates and temperatures
are increased to reach the design capacity of the exchanger, and the performance
of the exchanger is monitored.
Column – Performance of a column, especially distillation column, is tricky. The liq-
uid is introduced in the column then the reboiling is started to get the vapor–liquid
traffic started. Once enough reflux is accumulated in the reflux drum, the column
will be put on full reflux, boiling is maintained at a certain temperature with full
reflux, and feed is cut off to check the performance of a column.
7.4 Participate in Control System Loop Testing
It is necessary to make sure that all the elements of control system loops are function-
ing as per design for any safety and operational upsets encountered during startup.
The testing will make sure that all the designed instruments, the logic, alarm, and
interlocks are functioning to best of their performance compared with the design.
So, the task of checking the control system loops and instruments is primarily led by
control system engineers. This task is certified and supervised by the process engi-
neers or customer process engineers. Following tasks and details explain the role of
process engineering in the control system look testing area.
7.5 Leak Testing 117
Verify cause and effects – For this task, the control system engineer simulates a cause
mentioned in the cause-and-effect table, the process engineer should make sure
that the simulation changes the position of affected valves as per cause-and-effect
table. Also, it is important to make sure that all the safety interlocks are working
as per the design.
Verify all the alarms – On this one, the control system engineer adds an alarm, and
process engineer makes sure that the alarm is shown on the distributed control
system (DCS) and confirms the values and the alarm as per the design.
7.5 Leak Testing
There are several piping systems in a processing unit. Usually, the customer oper-
ations and process engineers lead the task of leak testing all the pipes in the plant
for a project. A process engineer should certify that there is no leak in the section of
pipe by witnessing the leak test physically in the plant.
As this activity is planned, the process engineers are asked to highlight and cre-
ate set of P&IDs to prepare for leak testing. Figure 7.2 shows an example of loop
highlighting needed for leak testing. The engineer may have to segregate the entire
process system by the service, the phase of the fluid, sometimes by the P&ID num-
bers, and unit numbers.
Gas loops are pressure tested with nitrogen depending on the pressure rating of the
piping. So, for example, if the piping class is 300#, high-pressure nitrogen at 250 psig
can be used to test the piping.
Liquid loops are pressure tested with water. If the pipe service is liquid, these loops
are pressure tested using water at the design pressures. Process engineers need to
certify after monitoring no leaks.
E-01
V-01
T-01
P-01
Gas loop
Liquid loop
Figure 7.2 Example of loop highlighting needed for a leak testing.

7.6 Drying-Out and Oxygen Freeing

Once the pre-startup, process, and commissioning activities are complete, it is
important to remove water and oxygen from the entire process as it may interfere
with the actual operation of the process. For the most part, the water in the pipelines
and the equipment are drained from the drain valves. Also, during the inspection
and several activities mentioned before, oxygen might be introduced in the entire
process. It is important to remove oxygen and water from the process to make sure
there are no unwanted reactions with the new catalyst or process fluid, and to avoid
corrosion later. So, once the water is drained from the process, the entire process is
purged with nitrogen at very low pressure for a long time until no oxygen is present,
tested by operators at several locations, and no water is present. At this point, the
entire process is ready to receive the cold feed as necessary.
7.7 Startup Assistance
Process engineers can supervise a part of the process, while the operator is making
slow changes as designed. Startup is a very slow process, especially for the first time
for the unit, and any additional help is appreciated by the customer. The role of a pro-
cess engineer from the engineering procurement, construction, and commissioning
(EPCC) industry is to supervise many process operations performed by the process
operators and operations.
119
Part III
The Process Engineer
121
Role by Process Engineer’s Position
There are total of six levels of hierarchy for process engineering in the engineering,
procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) industry. Each level brings
a specific set of skills, and expectations are different for each level. Some levels are
directly exposed to customers and internal disciplines, and some are not so. Few
levels are expected to lead projects, and few are expected to support the leads.
8.1 Entry-Level Process Engineer – 0 Years Experience
Entry-level process engineers perform very simple tasks, such as data entry, checking
the data, and doing very simple calculations. They are not expected to know the
EPCC industry software or tools immediately. They are not assigned any project but
could be helping other junior to mid-level engineers on multiple projects. They are
constantly learning new tools and procedures.
8.2 Junior Process Engineer – 1–2 Years Experience

Junior process engineer performs simple to medium complexity level tasks, such as
checking the data entry and doing simple to medium level calculations. Example of
simple to medium level calculations involves performing sizing check of an existing
small pump or designing a simple drum. They are expected to have gained some
competency in EPCC industry software or tools in one to two years timeframe. They
are not assigned any project but could be helping other mid-level or lead engineers
on multiple projects. Even though they have gained some competency in software,
they would need lot of supervision.
8.3 Mid-Level Process Engineer – 3–6 Years Experience
Mid-level process engineer performs mostly medium complexity level tasks, such
as medium level calculations. Example of medium calculations involves sizing of a
122 8 Role by Process Engineer’s Position
new pump or a new exchanger. They are expected to have gained greater competency
in EPCC industry software or tools. They may be assigned a project but could be
helping other lead engineers on multiple projects. Even though they have gained
greater competency in software, they still need little supervision.
8.4 Lead Process Engineers – 7–10 Years Experience
They can lead mid-sized projects and provide supervision to junior-level engineers.
They are expected to perform complex calculations, such as sizing a distillation col-
umn or setting up a simulation. They are expected to provide guidance and help
to other junior and entry-level process engineers. They are also expected to lead
mid-sized projects independently with minimal supervision.
8.5 Senior Process Engineers – 10–15 Years Experience
They can lead mid-sized to larger-size projects and provide supervision to mid-level
engineers. They are expected to perform complex calculations, monitor schedule,
progress of the project, budgeting, supervisory role, workshare activities, and mentor
other engineers.
8.6 Process Managers – 15+ Years Experience
They can lead big projects and provide supervision to everyone. Provides technical
leadership for the department. Everyone in the process department looks up to them
for guidance or any technical questions. They are expected to know majority of the
process engineering knowledge. They are also expected to bring more business to
the EPCC industry by utilizing their knowledge and customer contacts.
8.7 Competency Guide for Process Engineers
Table 8.1 shows a guide to the competency required for process engineers at different
levels.
Competency rating scale: 2 – Some exposure; Capable of completing task with
assistance; 4 – Capable of working independently with close supervision; 6 – Capable
of working independently with minimal supervision; 8 – Capable of working inde-
pendently and providing supervision to other more junior engineers; 10 – Capable
of leading the discipline for a project or providing technical leadership within the
department
Table 8.1 Competency guide table for process engineers at different levels.
Competency area Goals Competency required

Entry-level Junior Mid-level Lead Senior Process manager
Core Optional Core Optional Core Optional Core Optional Core Optional Core Optional
Discipline To be able to provide 8 10 10

and project technical supervision and
leadership direction to more junior
engineers
To be able to prepare, 8 10 5
update, and maintain
discipline budgets
To be able to prepare, 8 10 10
update, and maintain the
project schedule
To be able to lead a project 8 10 10
team to complete work
within budget and
schedule
To be able to critically 8 10 10
assess and develop work
methods to improve
project outcomes
To be able to support the 2 2 2 8 10 10
Chief Engineer in the
preparation of standard
work methods
(Continued)

Cooperative skills – ability 2 4 6 8 10 10

to relate to customers
(internal and external),
other work colleagues,
and vendors
Personal technical 10
development within
certain area(s) of
engineering to a widely
recognized level of
expertise and recognized
as a technical expert in
that field
Prepares, publishes, and 10
presents technical papers.
Ability to assume role of 10
Deputy Chief Engineer
when and if required,
including responsibility
for authorization of
project documentation
and drawings within the
electrical discipline
Provide technical input 2 4 6 10
into proposals
Act as a bid manager on 10
selected projects
Liaise with Business 10
Development Manager to
identify potential projects
and assist customer
negotiations
Ability to provide 10
high-level concept advice
Professional registration, Required Required
i.e. National Professional
Engineering Registration
(NPER),
Chartered Professional
engineer (CPEng), and
RPEQ
General Understand the 2 4 6 8 10 10
process importance of the process
engineering design criteria to the
process design activity and
the applicability of their
contents
Familiar with the process 2 4 6 8 10 10
standard procedures and
spreadsheets
Familiar with the type of 2 4 6 8 10 10
process information
available and how to
access it
(Continued)

Simulations To setup process 2 4 4 6 10 10

simulation in HYSYS,
Aspen
To setup a flare simulation 2 4 6 4 6 6
in FLARENET
To setup S&T HEX models 2 2 2 4 6 6
in HTRI
To setup Air cooler heat 2 2 2 4 6 6
exchanger models in HTRI
To use HYSYS to calculate 2 4 6 8 10 10
hydraulic pressure drop
including two-phase flow
including an
understanding of
correlation selection
Process To develop H&MB from 2 2 4 6 8 8
flow HYSYS simulations or
diagram PROMAX
(PFD) and
heat and
material
balance
(HMB)
To prepare PFDs in 2 4 6 8 10 10
accordance with design
operating procedures
(DOP)
To prepare Utility usage 2 4 6 8 10 10
tables from simulations
P&IDs To prepare P&IDs from 2 4 6 8 10 10
PFD
To understand the 2 4 6 8 10 10
representation of pipe
specifications,
instrumentation,
overpressure protection,
and specialty items (SP)
To maintain P&IDs 2 4 6 8 10 10
according to design
practices
To understand the 2 4 6 8 10 10
requirements for venting
and draining, start-up and
isolation for maintenance
To prepare process input 2 4 6 8 10 10
to the line list based on
simulations
To understand and 2 2 4 8 10 10
participate in the design
review process
(Continued)

Calculations To prepare calculations in 2 4 6 8 10 10

accordance with design
practices
To carryout hydraulic 2 4 6 8 10 10
calculations using
standard spreadsheets
including softwares, such
as applied flow technology
(AFT) products
To analyze and interpret 2 4 6 8 8
pilot plant data to develop
flowsheets and equipment
selection and sizing
Equipment To prepare pump 2 4 6 8 10 10
datasheets datasheet using standard
including spreadsheet
sizing
calculations
To prepare heat exchanger 2 2 4 6 8 8
datasheet from
simulations
To prepare compressor 2 4 2 4 6 6
datasheet using standard
spreadsheet
To prepare distillation 2 4 2 4 6 6
column and internals
datasheet using
simulations
To prepare vessel 2 4 6 8 10 10
datasheet using
simulations
To prepare fired heater 2 4 2 4 6 6
datasheet using
simulations
To prepare reactor 2 4 2 4 6 6
datasheet using
simulations
To prepare tank datasheet 2 4 6 8 10 10
using simulations
To prepare filter datasheet 2 4 6 8 10 10
using simulations
To prepare process input 2 4 6 8 10 10
to the equipment list
To prepare package 2 2 4 6 8 8
equipment (flare, boiler)
datasheet using
simulations
Instrument To prepare process data for 2 4 6 8 10 10
datasheets input to control valve
datasheet using
simulations and other
reference information
(Continued)

To prepare process data for 2 4 6 8 10 10

input to flow transmitter
datasheet using
reference information
To prepare process data for 2 4 6 8 10 10
input to minor instrument
datasheet using
reference data
To prepare Cause and 2 2 4 8 10 10
Effect matrix using P&IDs
To prepare Process Control 2 4 6 8 10 10
description using P&IDs
and project design basis
Overpressure To understand the 2 2 4 6 8 8
protection requirements of
overpressure protection
and how to use the
overpressure protection
philosophy
To prepare a qualitative 2 2 4 6 8 8
contingency table from
the P&IDs
To prepare calculations of 2 2 4 6 8 8
required relieving rates for
overpressure
contingencies
To prepare a quantitative 2 2 4 6 8 8
contingency table from
the P&IDs
To prepare instrument 2 2 4 6 8 8
datasheet for relief valves
Safety To understand the 2 2 4 6 8 8
integrated requirements of safety
level (SIL) instrumented systems and
assessment how to assign SIL levels to
protection loops
To participate in a SIL 2 2 2 4 6 6
assessment
Hazardous To understand the 2 2 4 6 8 8
area classi- requirements of hazardous
fication area classification and
how to apply them to
plant design
To prepare a hazardous 2 2 4 6 8 8
materials register
To provide Process input 2 2 4 6 8 8
to the hazardous area
register
Fire To understand the 2 4 6 8 10 10
protection requirements of fire
systems protection systems and
how to apply them to
plant design
(Continued)

To develop the fire 2 4 6 8 10 10

protection system based
on required codes
Environmental To understand the 2 2 4 6 8 8
emissions requirements of
compliance to the
Environmental Impact
Statement and how to
apply them to plant design
To prepare emission data 2 2 4 6 8 8
to support environmental
compliance
Plant layout To understand the aspects 2 4 6 8 10 10
and model of plant layout that are
reviews critical from a Process
engineering perspective
To participate in a 3D 2 2 4 6 8 8
model review
Commissioning To understand the 2 4 6 8 10 10
and startup requirements of
commissioning and plant
startup and how these
need to be incorporated in
P&ID development
To prepare commissioning 2 4 6 8 10 10
and startup procedures
To participate in the 2 4 6 8 10 10
commissioning and
startup of a plant
Hazard To understand the HAZOP 2 4 6 8 10 10
operability process and its importance
analysis in the development of the
(HAZOP) P&IDs
study
To participate in a HAZOP 2 4 6 8 10
study
To carryout the role of 2 4 6 8 10
HAZOP secretary
To close out HAZOP 2 4 6 8 10
action sheets
To chair a HAZOP 8 10
Bid analysis To understand Process 2 4 6
responsibility for bid
analysis
Carryout bid analysis for 2 4 6
major equipment
Vendor data To understand Process 2 4 6 8 10
review responsibility for vendor
data review
Carryout vendor data 2 4 6 8 10
review for major
equipment
(Continued)

Materials of Understand the 2 2 4 6 8

construc- importance of selecting
tion the correct materials for
construction of a project
To prepare a materials 2 2 4 6 8
flow diagram based on
simulations and input
from a materials engineer
Process To participate in a project 2 4 4 6 8
technology using a licensors package
To participate in a project 2 4 4 6 8
using the customer’s
technology
developing novel
technology
using a Company
technology
Industry To participate in an 2 for 4 for 6 for 8 for 10 for 10 for
exposure offshore O&G project any 1 any 2 any 4 any 4 any 4 any 5
of these of these of these of these of these of these
To participate in an
onshore gas project
To participate in a refinery
project
To participate in a
chemicals project
To participate in a metal’s
beneficiation project
To participate in a
renewable energy project
To participate in a
grassroot project
To participate in a metals
refining project
Contract To participate in a 2 4 6 8 10
exposure feasibility study
To participate in Phase 1 2 4 6 8 10
To participate in a 2 4 6 8 10
Detailed Design
To be seconded into an 2 4 6 8 10
operating company
Capital cost To understand the inputs 2 2 4 6 8
estimate required to produce the
various levels of capital
cost estimate
Process To understand the level of 2 2 4 6 8
studies detail required to
undertake feasibility
studies
To participate in process 2 4 4 6 8
optimization studies,
including the impact of
equipment sizing on
capital costing
137
Interaction of Process Engineers with Others
9.1 Project Tree
The leads for all the disciplines on the project report to project management. Each
discipline lead may have a team of workshare and local supporting engineering team
to support the project design activities. Also, each discipline lead should interact
with different vendors and other engineering procurement, construction, and com-
missioning (EPCC) industries, if involved, on each project. Drafting of process deliv-
erable drawings is completed by the drafting team reporting to process engineering
lead. The drawings in other disciplines are typically drafted by the supporting engi-
neers within the disciplines. The licensor and customer work directly with process
engineering lead to develop scope of the project. Figure 9.1 shows a detailed project
tree diagram.
Estimating
Quality and Project Licensor

safety management Customer
Mechanical Piping Process

Piping design Project
engineering engineering engineering
lead controls
lead lead lead
Drafting
Construction Control Electrical Civil
Document
team system engineering engineering
controls
engineering lead lead
lead
Interaction with other EPCC and vendors, workshare, and other supporting engineering team
Figure 9.1 Project tree diagram.
138 9 Interaction of Process Engineers with Others
9.2 Customer
Table 9.1 shows interaction of a process engineer with a customer.
Table 9.1 Interaction of a process engineer with a customer.
Document Role of Role of

versions Work process customer
(applicable completed engineer for for process
Item in phases) in phases customer engineer
P&IDs issued for estimate 1–6 Develop Support, review,

(IFE) (2), drawings comment,
IFR–IFH–IFA–IFD approval
(3), IFC–IFC–R (4)
PFDs, MSDs IFE (2), 1–4 Develop Support, review,
IFR–IFH–IFA–IFD drawings comment,
(3) approval
Equipment design IFR–IFA–IFD (3) 3 Develop Support, review,
design comment,
approval
Relief valve design IFR–IFA–IFD (4) 4 Develop Support, review,
design comment,
approval
Design basis IFE (2), 1–4 Develop Support, review,
IFR–IFA–IFD (3–4) design comment,
approval
Simulations, H&MB IFE (2), 1–4 Develop Support, review,
IFR–IFA–IFD (3–4) design comment,
approval
MOC — 4 Mark-ups Support, review,
comment,
approval
Pipe service index IFR (3–4), 3–4 Develop Support, review,
IFA–IFD (4) design comment,
approval
Start-up, showdown, IFR–IFD (5) 5 Develop Review,
plant operating proce- comment,
procedures and dures approval
manuals, utility
summary
Control system items — 4 Support Support
and cause-and-effect
tables
Battery limit and — 3–4 Provide Support
interface tables process
data and
support
HAZOP — 3–4 Support Support
9.3 Mechanical Engineer 139
Document Role of Role of

versions Work process customer
Item in phases) in phases customer engineer
Field visit — 2–6 Support Support

Meetings — 1–6 Support Support
Vendor data — 4 Review Review,
and comment,
comment approval
Value plus — 1–6 Suggest Review,
suggestions comment,
approval
Commissioning and — 6 Support Support
start-up assistance
IFE, issued for estimate; IFR, issued for review; IFH, issued for hazop; IFA issued for approval; IFD,
issued for design; IFC, issued for construction; PFD, process flow diagram; MSD, material selection
diagram; MOC, management of change; HAZOP, hazard operability analysis; SP, specialty items.
9.3 Mechanical Engineer

Table 9.2 shows interaction of a process engineer with a mechanical engineer.
Table 9.2 Interaction of a process engineer with a mechanical engineer.
Role of Role of
Document process mechanical
versions Work engineer for engineer for
(applicable completed mechanical process
Item in phases) in phases engineer engineer
Equipment IFR–IFA–IFD (3) 3 Provide process Support

datasheets design
P&IDs — 3–4 Support Support
Vendor data IFR–IFA– 4 Review and Provide vendor
IFD–IFC (4) comment data
Technical bids — 4 Review and Review and
for equipment comment compare
technical bids
MOC — 4 Support Support
Equipment list IFE (2), 2–4 Review and Develop design
IFR–IFA–IFD comment
(3–4), IFC (4)
9.4 Projects
Table 9.3 shows interaction of a process engineer with project management.
Table 9.3 Interaction of a process engineer with project management.
Document versions Work Role of process Role of project

(applicable in completed engineer for for process
Item phases) in phases project engineer

Value plus — 1–6 Suggest Review and follow-up
suggestions
Budget estimate — 1–6 Provide Review and follow-up
Schedule and — 1–6 Communicate Support
budget concerns
Engineering Applicable based 2–6 Develop Review, approve, and
deliverables by on documents issue
process engineer
9.5 Piping Design

Table 9.4 shows interaction of a process engineer with piping design.
Table 9.4 Interaction of a process engineer with piping design
Work Role of process Role of piping

Document versions completed engineer for design for
Item (applicable in phases) in phases piping design process engineer

P&IDs — 3–4 Support Support
Line list IFD–IFC (4) 4 Provide process Provide input to the
data line list
Isometric IFR–IFC (4) 4 Review, comment, Support and
drawings approve provide drawings
Pipe service IFR (3–4), 3–4 Develop Support, review,
index IFA–IFD (4) and comment
SP items IFR–IFA–IFD (4) 4 Provide process Support and
data, review, provide SP
comment, approve datasheets
Tie-ins IFR–IFA–IFD (4) 3–4 Provide process Support and
data, review, provide tie-ins
comment, approve forms
3D model — 3–4 Review, comment, Develop piping 3D
approve model
9.7 Control System Engineer 141
9.6 Piping Engineering

Table 9.5 shows interaction of a process engineer with piping engineering.
Table 9.5 Interaction of a process engineer with piping engineering.
Document versions Work Role of process Role of piping

(applicable in completed engineer for engineering for
Item phases) in phases piping engineering process engineer

Line list IFD–IFC (4) 4 Provide process Provide input to
data the line list
Pipe service IFR (3–4), 3–4 Develop, support Support, review,
index IFA–IFD (4) and comment
3D model — 3–4 Review, comment, Support
approve
Tie-ins — 4 Provide process Provide input as
data needed
9.7 Control System Engineer

Table 9.6 shows interaction of a process engineer with control system engineer.
Table 9.6 Interaction of a process engineer with control system engineer.
Document Role of process Role of control

versions Work engineer for system engineer
(applicable completed control system for process
Item in phases) in phases engineer engineer
Meetings, P&IDs — 3–4 Support Support

Inline instruments — 3–4 Provide process data Support
Offline instruments — 4 Provide process data Support
Squad check inline — 4 Review, comment, Support
and offline approve
instruments
3D model — 3–4 Review, comment, Develop
approve control system
3D model
Vendor data IFR–IFA– 4 Review and comment Provide
IFD–IFC (4) vendor data
HAZOP, — 3–4 Support Develop
cause-and-effect table design
9.8 Electrical Engineer

Table 9.7 shows interaction of a process engineer with electrical engineer.
Table 9.7 Interaction of a process engineer with electrical engineer.
Document
versions Work Role of process Role of electrical
(applicable completed engineer for engineer for
Item in phases) in phases electrical engineer process engineer
Meetings, — 3–4 Support Support

P&IDs
3D model — 3–4 Support Develop electrical
3D model
Vendor data IFR–IFA– 4 Review and comment Provide vendor data
IFD–IFC (4)
Area IFR–IFA– 4 Support and provide Develop design
classification IFD–IFC (4) process data
Electrical loads — 3–4 Support and provide Develop design
process data
9.9 Civil Engineer
Table 9.8 shows interaction of a process engineer with civil engineer.
Table 9.8 Interaction of a process engineer with civil engineer.
Document
versions Work Role of process Role of civil
(applicable completed engineer for engineer for
Item in phases) in phases civil engineer process engineer
Meetings, P&IDs — 3–4 Support Support

3D model — 3–4 Support Develop civil 3D
model
Pond calculations and — 4 Provide Develop design
Cooling water basin data
sizing (if applicable)
9.11 Cost Estimating 143
9.10 Construction Team

Table 9.9 shows Interaction of a process engineer with the construction team.
Table 9.9 Interaction of a process engineer with the construction team.
Document Role of process Role of

versions Work engineer for construction
(applicable completed construction team for process
Item in phases) in phases team engineer
P&IDs IFC–IFC–R 4–5 Support Support

(4–5)
Start-up, showdown, plant IFR–IFD (5) 5 Develop Support
operating procedures and procedures
manuals, utility summary
Tie-ins — 4–5 Support, review, Support and
and approve implementation
Meetings and field support — 4–5 Support Support
9.11 Cost Estimating

Table 9.10 shows interaction of a process engineer with cost estimating.
Table 9.10 Interaction of a process engineer with cost estimating.
Document Role of cost

versions Work Role of process estimating
(applicable in completed engineer for team for process
Item phases) in phases cost estimating engineer
P&IDs, PFDs IFE (2), 1–4 for Develop Estimating

IFR–IFH–IFA–IFD PFDs, 1–6 drawings
(3), IFC–IFC–R (4) for P&IDs
PFDs, MSDs IFE (2), 1–4 Develop Estimating
IFR–IFH–IFA–IFD drawings
(3)
Equipment design IFR–IFA–IFD (3) 3 Develop design Estimating
Relief valve IFR–IFA–IFD (4) 4 Develop design Estimating
design
Design basis IFE (2), 1–4 Develop design Estimating
IFR–IFA–IFD (3–4)
Simulations, IFE (2), 1–4 Develop design Estimating
H&MB IFR–IFA–IFD (3–4)
Pipe service index IFR (3–4), IFA–IFD 3–4 Develop design Estimating
(4)
Cost report — 2–4 Support, review, Develop
and comment estimating
9.12 Project Controls

Table 9.11 shows interaction of a process engineer with project controls.
Table 9.11 Interaction of a process engineer with project controls.
Document Role of project

versions Work Role of process controls for
(applicable completed engineer for process
Item in phases) in phases project controls engineer
Cost report — 2–4 Support, review, Develop estimating

and comment
Schedule — 3–4 Support Develop schedule
Project status, — 2–4 Support, review, Develop reports
budget estimate, and comment
and tracking
9.13 Licensor
Table 9.12 shows interaction of a process engineer with a licensor.
Table 9.12 Interaction of a process engineer with a licensor.
Document
versions Work Role of process Role of Licensor
Item in phases) in phases Licensor engineer
P&IDs, PFDs, Issued for 2 Provide process Develop

equipment design, information data and drawings
H&MB support
HAZOP — 2 Support Support
Commissioning and — 6 Support Support
start-up assistance
(if required)
9.15 CAD and Drafting Coordinator 145
9.14 Other EPCC Engineer

Table 9.13 shows interaction of a process engineer with another EPCC engineer.
Table 9.13 Interaction of a process engineer with another EPCC engineer.
Document Role of other

versions Work Role of process EPCC for
(applicable completed engineer for process
Item in phases) in phases other EPCC engineer
Battery limit and — 3–4 Provide process Support

interface tables data and
support
9.15 CAD and Drafting Coordinator

Table 9.14 shows interaction of a process engineer with CAD and drafting
coordinator.
Table 9.14 Interaction of a process engineer with CAD and drafting coordinator.
Document Role of process Role of CAD

versions Work engineer for and drafting
(applicable completed CAD and for process
Item in phases) in phases drafting engineer
P&IDs IFE (2), 1–6 Develop Support,

IFR–IFH–IFA–IFD drawings CAD, draft,
(3), IFC–IFC–R (4) coordinate
PFDs, MSDs IFE (2), 1–4 Develop Support,
IFR–IFH–IFA–IFD drawings CAD, draft,
(3) coordinate
9.16 Document Control

Table 9.15 shows interaction of a process engineer with document control.
Table 9.15 Interaction of a process engineer with document control.
Role of
Document Role of process document
versions Work engineer for control for
(applicable completed document process
Item in phases) in phases control engineer
P&IDs IFE (2), 1–6 Develop Issue

(3), IFC–IFC–R (4)
PFDs, MSDs IFE (2), 1–4 Develop Issue
(3)
Equipment design IFR–IFA–IFD (3) 3 Develop Issue
design
Relief valve design IFR–IFA–IFD (4) 4 Develop Issue
design
Design basis IFE (2), 1–4 Develop Issue
IFR–IFA–IFD (3–4) design
Simulations, H&MB IFE (2), 1–4 Develop Issue
IFR–IFA–IFD (3–4) design
Pipe service index IFR (3–4), IFA–IFD 3–4 Develop Issue
(4) design
Start-up, showdown, IFR–IFD (5) 5 Develop Issue
plant operating procedures
procedures and
manuals, utility
summary
147
Questions
Chapter 1
1. If the EPCC does not have a talent in certain area, what should they do to support
a project?
2. Installation of hoppers and bins falls under which type of project given below:
a. Non-process engineering
b. Engineering needs related
c. Both options a and b
d. Profit based
3. P&IDs are developed in which phase?
4. Which key factors determine the need for workshare?
5. What is the role of a lead process engineer working in a home office when
working with workshare office?
Chapter 2
1. What affects the duration of the study in phase 2?
2. Why good engineering assumptions are important when performing process
studies in phase 2?
3. What contents are included in the process study in phase 2?
4. If the EPCC process engineer cannot narrow down the technology options to
2–3 in phase 2, what steps are taken?
5. What are some technology selection criteria?
Chapter 3
1. How is PFD different than BFD?
2. Choose below options for the statement “IFE P&IDs are utilized to get ------”?
a. funding for the next phase
b. cost estimate
c. design reviews with the customers
d. all the above
3. Why it is important not to spend too much time developing design in Phase 2?
4. Why is choosing the correct metallurgy important in early phases of the project?
5. What is difference between LOPA and HAZOP meetings?
148 Questions
Chapter 4
1. Explain the importance of design safety margin for an equipment design?
2. Why choosing the side of the heat exchanger is important for fouling services,
such as vacuum bottoms?
3. How control system engineer uses the process data provided in phase 3?
4. Mention the revision titles for PFD/MSD/P&IDs in phase 3?
5. Determine number of full-time process engineers required for below example
Duration of schedule = 16 mo, Budgeted manhours = 9500
Chapter 5
1. Check if the statement is true or false: “HAZOP is done in the early phase 4”?
State your reasoning.
2. State typical offline instrument names?
3. Why it is important to size the PSV inlet/outlet lines conservatively early on in
Phase 3?
4. When P&IDs can be issued for construction?
5. Who approves the MOC marks and decides if the HAZOP is required for the
MOC items on the P&IDs?
Chapter 6
1. What are some common questions to the process engineer from the construc-
tion team?
2. State if this statement is true or false: “P&IDs can be changed in Phase 5.”
Chapter 7
1. Below statement falls under which checklist? “Go through the list of utilities
and their pipe connections.”
a. Safety
b. Pre-startup
2. Which two tasks fall under “control system loops” testing?
3. Why it is important to remove water and oxygen from the pipelines?
Chapter 8
1. What is the software usage competency of the mid-level process engineer?
2. Who is expected to bring business to the EPCC industry?
Chapter 9
1. What is the role of process engineers for project regarding schedule and budget
concerns?
2. What is the role of process engineers for piping engineering regarding pipe
service index?
3. What is the role of process engineer for electrical engineers regarding area
classification?
149
Answers
Chapter 1
1. Hire local if labor cost permits. Preferred option would be to get talent from
within the global pool of talent.
2. c.
3. Phase has IFE P&IDs that are mostly redline drawings. Phase 3 is implementa-
tion of completed design on the P&ID drawings. Phase 4 further incorporates
detailed design elements of the project.
4. High cost of labor, project workload, and labor shortage.
5. Lead process engineer should provide guidance, goby’s, and check the work of
the work-share engineers.
Chapter 2
1. Typically, a simple study can take anywhere from two to four weeks. A complex
study can take anywhere from 4 to 12 weeks.
2. All assumptions are important because without the assumptions you can’t
proceed with the design or complete the study.
3. The first page of the study report should clearly mention the product number,
the project name, the name of the unit, the date, the revision, engineer’s name,
the name of the checker, and the name of the approving personnel. The other
pages of the report should include a clear executive summary, background of
the stud, basis or assumptions to complete the study, the results of the study,
any calculations values or graphs, supporting conclusion, and list of references
documents.
4. In such cases, the EPCC process engineer meets with the customer and dis-
cusses, and narrows down options as much as possible. Action items are taken
150 Answers
from this meeting and EPCC process engineer would resolve these actions items
to come to 2–3 options.
5. Some of the common factors are emission data, the capital investment needed,
the turnaround time, delivery time, quality of material used, and any prior appli-
cation of the technology in the industry.
Chapter 3
1. PFD contains all the equipment, the connections to each equipment, and the
basic information of flow pressure and temperature is shown on their streams.
Each dream is identified by specific number usually shown in a diamond shape.
Block flow diagrams are very simple diagrams that show a simplified version of
the process.
2. h.
3. Phase 2 is a scope definition phase where process engineer spends time in
high-level processing engineering activities. Also, it may not be sure if the
project is going into the next phase 3, in that case, too much time spent on the
design development in phase 2 may not be worth it.
4. If the metallurgy is not chosen correctly in the early phases, it is OK to make
a mistake in choosing the metallurgy in Phase 2 but more than likely this mis-
take is going to carry forward into the next phase. The cost impact of chang-
ing the metallurgy in the next phases is going to be more expensive for the
project.
5. LOPA study is performed at the earlier stages of the design phase and HAZOP
is done in the scope development and the detailed design phases. The HAZOP
is more detailed analysis of the processing system compared to LOPA where a
high-level hazard analysis is carried out.
Chapter 4
1. The safety margin provides some flexibility to the operations and provides some
future expansion capabilities.
2. If the wrong side is chosen for the vacuum bottom’s fluid, then the fluid being
viscous can solidify with temperature changes and create excessive fouling over
time. Increased fouling, reduces the heat transfer necessary for the process.
3. They use the process data to get budgetary quotes from the vendors. Once bud-
getary quotes are received, quotes are then fed into the overall cost estimate of
the project.
Answers 151
4. The revision table is provided below:
Revision title Description
IFR Drawings issued for line by line review

IFH Drawings issued for the HAZOP review meeting
IFA Drawings issued after the HAZOP comments are picked up
IFD Once design progress is complete towards the end of Phase 3, these
drawings are issued
5. Hours spent by one engineer in a single month = 40 hours × 4 weeks = 160 hours.
Number of full-time engineers needed = Budgeted man-hours/duration of

schedule = 9500/16 ∼ 594 hours total ∼ 3.71 × 160. Total ∼ 4 full time engineers
needed.
Chapter 5
1. False HAZOP is done in late phase of Phase 4 when most of the information from
process engineers and vendors is available to do an effective HAZOP meeting.
2. Level indicator and level transmitter, pH analyzer, pressure gauge and pressure
transmitter, sight glass, temperature indicator, and gauge.
3. To avoid changes in Phase 4, changes made in Phase 4 had a major cost impact
on the project and should be avoided at possible cost by making conservative
assumptions in previous phase.
4. After the model review is complete, and after all the MOC marks have been
approved, and HAZOP is completed.
5. The customer.
Chapter 6
1. Some questions are like changing the original design and its implications. Other
questions from the construction team are like changing minor designs from the
original design.
2. False as the design is frozen after IFC issue.
Chapter 7
1. b.
2. Verifying cause and effect tables and alarms.
152 Answers
3. It is important to remove oxygen and water from the process to make sure there
are no unwanted reactions with the new catalyst or process fluid, and to avoid
corrosion later.
Chapter 8
1. They are expected to have gained greater competency in EPCC software or tools.
2. Process managers.
Chapter 9
1. Communicate.
2. Develop, support.
3. Support and provide process data.
153
Acronyms
AEU type of U-bundle heat exchanger

AFP Applied flow technology
BFD Block-flow diagram
CAD Computer-aided design
C&E table Cause and effect table
CPEng Chartered Professional engineer
DCS Distributed control system
Demo Demolition
DOP Design operating procedures
DPDT Design pressure and design temperature
DS Datasheet
EL Elevation
EPC Engineering, procurement, and construction
EPCC Engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning
EPM EPCC project manager
HAZOP Hazard operational study
HLL High liquid level
HMB Heat and material balance
HP High pressure
HTRI Heat Transfer Research Institute
IFE Issued for estimate
IFR Issued for review
IFRC Issued for review and comment
IFA Issued for approval
IFH Issued for HAZOP
IFD Issued for design
IFC Issued for construction
IFC-R Issued for construction – revised
Licensor A technology provider
LLL Low liquid level
LOPA Layer of protection analysis
LP Low pressure
154 Acronyms
MMSCFD Million metric standard cubic foot per day

MOC Management of change
MP Medium pressure
MSD Material selection diagram
NLL Normal liquid level
NFPA National Fire Protection Association
NPER National Professional Engineering Registration
OPM Customer side project manager
PC EPCC process checker
PE EPCC process engineer
PFD Process flow diagram
PID Piping and instrumentation diagram
PSV Process safety valves
SAP System application and products
SCFH Standard cubic foot per hour
SIL Safety integrated level
SP Specialty items
STD Standard weight
TAN Total acid number
Tie-in Piping connection
UBFD Utility block flow diagram
UFD Utility flow diagram
Vendor A company that is offering something for sale
XS extra strong
155
Appendix
157
Appendix A
Project Conceptual Diagram
A.1 Explanation of Figure A.1
Initially in Phases 1 and 2, since mainly process engineers are involved in devel-
oping the project scope, the budget required is quite small. But as other disciplines
are involved in Phases 3 and 4, additional project budget is needed to support the
engineering design efforts and purchase order for all the components of the design.
During Phases 5 and 6, the project budget mainly comes from the commissioning
and testing of equipment and instruments. It is important to note that the project
should always be completed within the scheduled budget. From the figure, the actual
budget or expensed budget should always be smaller than the planned project budget
to have a successful project.
Planned
project
completion
Planned
budget
Actual
budget
Project budget
Project timeline
Figure A.1 Project budget vs. project timeline graph.
158 Appendix A Project Conceptual Diagram
Rate of document
production
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phases 5 and 6
Different phases of project
Figure A.2 Project budget vs. project timeline graph.
Initially, in Phases 1 and 2, very few documents are produced by the process engi-
neer and few may be provided by the customer to develop a scope of the project. In
Phase 3, process engineer develops several design documents as mentioned earlier
that feed other disciplines. Phase 4 has the highest production of documents as the
vendors are involved in this phase, and they are developing detailed design docu-
ments for all the components and different areas of the project. In Phases 5 and 6,
few documents are produced by the piping design, and process engineer develops
several procedural and training materials as needed.

The above figure represents interaction between engineers, contractors, vendors,
buyers, and document control involved in Phases 4–6. Block numbers 1 and 2
represent Phase 4 and early Phase 5. Under these blocks, design or discipline
engineers produce engineering drawings and documents. Vendors are involved
in developing final design drawings for different components and elements of
the project. Buyers or purchasing team is constantly interacting with different
vendors and trying to expedite items needed for the project. Document control
collects vendor drawings from the vendors and design deliverables from discipline
engineers and distributes them to folks as per the distribution matrix for review,
1 2 3
Engineering Purchase and Drawings for
drawings and document control construction
documents
• Contractor
• Design • Logistics • Commissioning
engineers • Vendors engineers
• Vendors • Buyers • Design team
• Buyers • Auditor
Figure A.3 Flow of documents and drawings in an engineering procurement and

construction (EPC) project.
correction, record, and approval. In Phase 6 and later Phase 5, contractors are
involved in erecting the plant, engineering teams are commissioning different areas
of the plant, the design team is helping with solving design issues, and the auditor
is making sure every step is going according to the plan.
Process engineer in Phase 1 starts with some basis previously put together by the
customer. The information available to the process engineer during initial phases of
the project is very limited as the scope has not been developed. As the project makes
progress, the information from other disciplines and vendors is available more and
Expected flow
of information
Actual flow of
information
available to process
Flow of information
engineer
Figure A.4 Flow of information available to process engineer vs. different phases of the
project.
more to the process engineer. For example, for Phase 3, the vendor information is
not available to the process engineer, so the process engineer needs to develop their
design and produce several engineering deliverable documents based on prior sim-
ulation studies, calculations, and good engineering assumptions. Ideally, the flow of
information should be available to the process engineer linearly as the graph shows,
but it is never true in reality. The actual flow of information curve is non-linear with
several disruptions. In Phase 3, the process engineer would be needing design infor-
mation of a new pump and piping isometric drawings to complete the hydraulics, but
those are never available. As the design of pumps is very critical for delivering pumps
on time on site, process engineer makes good engineering judgments, e.g. using plot
plan multiplier, to come up with a sound design. Another example is during Phase
4, the process engineer is expected to complete design of a relief valve and provide
pressure safety valve (PSV) datasheets to control system engineer. In this example,
the process engineer would not have information on instrumentation and piping
isometric drawings. In this case, the process engineer issues out PSV datasheet with
somewhat conservative assumptions and later in late Phase 4 checks the validity of
those conservative assumptions.
From Figure A.5, the baseline cost estimate, shown by a dotted line, is the expected
cost of the project. The overrun (means higher than the baseline cost) and underrun
Overrun and
underrun cost
uncertainty
Baseline cost
Cost estimate
overrun
Project cost
uncertainty
estimate
Cost estimate
underrun
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 and 6
Figure A.5 Project estimate uncertainty vs. different phases of the project.
(means lower than the baseline cost), cost estimates are some percentage factors of
the baseline costs. As there are several unknowns. In Phases 1 and 2, the project cost
estimate is very uncertain and cost estimate overrun and underrun are on higher
side. As the process engineer and customer make significant progress in Phase 1
and 2, several unknowns, such as type of a process or licensor, are known by start of
the Phase 3, but the vendor information is still unknown. Cost estimate overrun and
underrun in phase 3 are still higher than in phases 1 and 2 but lower than in phase 4.
In phase 4, since all the vendor information would be available, the uncertainty has
reduced tremendously at this point and overrun and underrun cost estimates are in
single digits.

There are several unknowns, such as type of a process or licensor, in Phase 1 and 2
and hence, the risk level for the project is very high. Toward the end of Phase 2,
type of process is known. Design of various equipment is known in Phase 3 after
completion of design work by the process engineer further reducing the risk. As the
vendor information is available toward the end of Phase 4, that reduces all the design
unknowns and leaves only operational risk due to unknowns in later Phases 5 and 6.
An example of operational risks is that equipment or instrument is not performing
according to the design, it may be possible that operations will have to tune some
parameters to get the desired product specifications.
Risk level
Operational
risk
Phase 1 Phase 2 Phase 3 Phase 4 Phase 5 and 6
Figure A.6 Project risk level vs. different phases of the project.

The ability to change the cost of a design in earlier phases of the project is very high as
other disciplines, purchasing, and vendors are not involved in the design. As per the
above figure, the ability to impact cost is inversely proportional to the cost of a design
change. In later phases of the project, such as Phase 4 or 5, as most of the equipment
design and vendor information is finalized, a consequence of changing a design at
this stage is very expensive as multiple documents need to be revised, which affects
design deliverables for all the disciplines. A change is necessary and usually planned
between process engineers and project management for some exceptional cases. An
example of such case is revising relief valve inlet and outlet pipe sizes in early Phase
4 by process engineer to ensure safety and to meet design standards.
Ability to
impact cost
Cost of design
changes
Ability/Cost
Figure A.7 Ability to change cost and cost of design vs different phases of the project.
163
Appendix B
Project Schedule Diagrams
B.1 Explanation of Figure B.1
The figure shows a typical schedule page used to monitor the project schedule and
activities. Tasks or activities are arranged by different disciplines, such as installation
and configuration. The duration column represents the time remaining to complete
the activity. The start and finish dates represent the actual start and finish dates for
the activity. Over to the right of the figure with different bars show the breakdown
of duration as per different activities.
Figure B.1 Project schedule template (https://www.findwordtemplates.com/project-schedule-templates.html).
165
Appendix C
Project 3D Model and Plot Diagrams
C.1 Explanation of Figure C.1
The plot plan layout of a unit consists of main components of a process plant. In
above example, the main components are admin blocks, electrical buildings, D2 O
GR plant, stack, reactor buildings, and station buildings. All these components are
interacting with each other to make a successful process unit.
North
18 M wide road
(const)
W.M. Yard area

Stack plant
D2O up gr
plant
SAB - 48
SAB - 38
Service building
RB4 RB3
RAB RAB
Control’
SAB - 4A
SAB - 3A
bldg. P&C
P&C
dg.
. bl brdg. brdg. T.G
T.G Ele
. bl
dg.
bay c. b
Elec. ay
d
roa
ide
Mw
5.5
Admin. block Parking
area
2 M wide road
RB-3 : Reactor building unit-3 RAB : Reactor auxiliary building
RB-4 : Reactor building unity-4 W.M. : Plant: waste management plant
T.G. bidg : Turbo generator building SAB : Station auxiliary building
Figure C.1 Plot plan layout of a unit. Source: R. K. Sinha et al., 2010/With Permission of
Elsevier (https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/plant-layout).
166 Appendix C Project 3D Model and Plot Diagrams
Above picture shows a plot layout of an entire refinery plant. Although the picture is
not clear, it is important to the concept of this drawing. The blocks marked in square
shapes represent process units perhaps dependent on each other. All these units are
placed next to each other to minimize process pipeline lengths as these units will
be receiving raw materials and delivering products to one another. Off to the right
top corner of the figure shows some tanks to either receive a product or deliver raw
materials to the units.
Figure C.2 Plot plan of an entire plant. Source: Adapted from http://environmentclearance
.nic.in/writereaddata/online/RiskAssessment/07122016O3TKM30QAnnexure-
documentofRiskAssessment.pdf.
Figure C.3 Example of a 3D Shell and tube heat exchangers

modeling. Source: Mazzoldi and
Oldenburg [3].
Cooling water
Supply and return
Motor
Suction scrubber Compressor
Above picture shows a 3D model snapshot of a compressor area in a processing unit.

There are two identical compressor trains. Each train has a suction scrubber, com-
pressor, motor, shell and tube exchanger, and piping. The suction scrubber removes
all the liquid present in the incoming gas. The function of compressor is to compress
gas after the suction scrubbing and the motor provides necessary power required for
the compression. Cooling water supply and return lines in the pipe rack are con-
nected to the shell and tube exchanger and provide necessary cooling for the gas
after leaving the compressor. Also, it may not be appearing in the picture but most
of the piping such as compressor discharge and process connections to the shell and
tube exchanger is in the pipe rack where the exchangers are located.

Above figure shows a top view of equipment arrangement drawings for a processing
unit. The top right corner of the drawing shows the “plant north” direction. Coor-
dinates on Y -axis and X-axis represent the actual plot coordinates. For example,
N-90.000 represents the point at 19 ft north (Subtract N-90 from N-71) from point
where an equipment FM-H-105 is located. Similarly, E-204.000 represents the point
at 10 ft east (Subtract E-204 from E-194) from point where point 1 is shown. This
arrangement drawing can also be used to estimate distance between two pieces of
equipment. For example, the equipment FM-H-105 and FM-H-05 are separated by
3.8 ft about their centers.
168 Appendix C Project 3D Model and Plot Diagrams
1 2 3 4 5 6
E - 194.000
E - 195.600
E - 196.500
E - 199.000
E - 201.500
E - 204.000
E - 205.200
E - 206.500
Plant
A
N - 90.000 North
N - 86.200
FM-C-40
N - 82.400
B
N - 78.600
FM-H-05
N - 77.340
E - 200.850 FM-F-30
N - 74.800
C
N - 71.000
FM-H-105
N - 67.200
D
Figure C.4 Top view of an equipment arrangement drawing (https://www.wermac.org/

documents/coordination_part2.html). Source: Werner Sölken.

Similar to previously discussed Figure C.4, this figure also shows an arrangement
of equipment but on a side view angle. Side view is particularly important when the
user is interested in finding out elevations of equipment or finding if a new piece
of equipment can fit into the plot space vertically. Also, the elevation marks shown
on the Y -axis are actual elevation with reference to grade line. For this example,
the grade elevation is at EL. 1 20 000 mm. This means that the center of equipment
FM-H-05 is at 11600 mm (subtract EL. 1 31 600 from EL. 1 20 000) from grade
elevation.
6 5 4 3 2 1
E - 206.500
E - 204.000
E - 201.500
E - 199.000
E - 196.500
E - 194.000
T.O.S.
EL.1 36 200
FM-F-30
EL.131800 EL.1 31 600
FM-H-05
EL.1 31 100
4th floor
EL.1 29 200
FM-C-40
EL.123100
3th floor
EL.121900
Section A-A
(Looking South)
Figure C.5 Side view of an equipment arrangement drawing (https://www.wermac.org/

documents/docs_img/site_arr_sv.gif). Source: YTJmodels/TurboSquid.
171
Appendix D
Process Engineering Diagrams
D.1 Explanation of Figure D.1
The figure shows a simple arrangement of a double-pipe heat exchanger on a piping

and instrumentation diagram. The exchanger has cooling glycol on one side and
boiler feed water (BFW) on the other side of the exchanger. The exchanger shows an
isolation valve on the inlet and outlet of both fluid services. The outlet temperature
of the cooled BFW is controlled by varying cooling glycol flow rates. Relief valves
are available on both sides of the exchanger to protect against relief scenarios. Local
pressure and temperature gauges are installed on the inlet as well as the outlet of
BFW and glycol service. The bleed and vent valves around the exchanger and control
valve provide necessary flexibility during the shutdown activities. Heat conservation
insulation is added to glycol and BFW piping. The isolation valve sizing is shown
near the valves.

This figure shows a typical process-flow diagram (PFD) and its association with heat
and material balance (H&MB) table. The numbers 1–13 shown in the PFD diagram
represent the stream number and corresponding H&MB values, such as tempera-
ture, pressure, and composition, are shown in the adjacent table.

Piping designers use P&IDs to develop 3D piping models. P&IDs show basic
elements, such as piping sizes, equipment connections, isolation valves, and drain
valves, which are much needed for the development of 3D models. P&ID helps
instrumentation and electrical engineers to develop engineering diagrams and logic
narratives. P&ID serves as a basis for development of a control loop programming
A B C D E F G H I
EH-123 A/B
CASE: FIRE
Boiler Feed Water Cooler SIZE: 1 D 2
B A
Duty: 510 kW SET: @ 3,800 kPag
1 Type: Multi-Tube
Outer Tube Design: 3,800 kpag (F.V) @ 98°C/–29°C PSV 4×2
123
Inner Tube Design: 1,450 kpag @ 160°C/–29°C
4”-RF-A-4101
RO Trim: Outer/Inner Tube-B/A
123 2×1
Boiler Feed Water 3” 2”
3”-BFW-B-1200 CSO
PID-10-110 H 40-GT
FP
From Flow Control Valve 2”-BFW-B-1251 H 40-GT
3”-BFW-B-1203
2 TY TIC
CASE: THERMAL 123 123 ROUTED TO
SIZE: 1 D 1 SAFE LOCATION
SET: @ 1,450 kPag
TV
PSV 123 Cooling Glycol
124 Return
3” 3/4” 3” 3”-CGR-A-1821
H 40 PID-80-805
2×1
2×1 3/4” 3”-300# TO Return Header
2”-RF-A-4102
3
FP 3/4” FO
PG
3” 126
H 40
2”-BFW-B-1251 CSO TG
126
PG 3/4”
123 3/4”
HPV
TG
123
4 ROUTED TO
SAFE LOCATION PP-50
EH-123 A
40-GT
PP-50
PG
5 124 PP-50
TG
Cooling Glycol Supply 3/4” 124 EH-123 B
3”-CGS-A-1820 3” 3/4”
PID-80-805 PP-50
From Supply Header 3/4”
2”
TT
TG 123
125
TE
PG 3/4” 123
6 125 3” Cooling BFW
3”-BFW-B-1201
H 40-GT PID-10-105
3/4” To Desand Vessel
3” NC
TITLE
PIPING AND INSTRUMENTATION DIAGRAM
Double Pipe Exchanger
8
PROJ NUMBER DRAWING NUMBER
REV DESCRIPTION OF REVISION DATE BY ENG. APPR. 123456 PD-300-1001

A B C D E
Figure D.1 Example of a P&ID. Source: Toghraei, Moe, 2019/John Wiley & Sons (https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781119329503).
To Tail gas
sheet no 9317 1 Water
10 11
2
Air
Filter 8
Compressor 2A Absorber
1A 3 Steam
Cooler
5
Ammonia 1 6 9
14
4 Filter
From
sheet no 9315 vaporiser W.H.B. 7 12
Reactor
(oxidiser) Condenser Mixer
13
Product
Flows kg/h pressures nominal
Line no. 1 1A 2 2A 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
Stream Ammonia Ammonia Filtered Oxidiser Oxidiser Oxidiser W.H.B. Condenser Condenser Secondary Absorber Tail(2) Water Absorber Product C & R Construction Inc
component feed vapor air air feed outlet outlet gas acid air feed gas feed acid acid
NH3 731.0 731.0 731.0 Nil Nitric acid 60 percent
O2 3036.9 2628.2 2628.2 935.7 (935.7)(1) 275.2 Trace 408.7 683.9 371.5 Trace Trace 100,000 t/y
N2 9990.8 8644.7 8644.7 8668.8 8668.8 8668.8 Trace 1346.1 10,014.7 10,014.7 Trace Trace Client BOP chemicals
NO 1238.4 (1238.4)(1) 202.5 202.5 21.9 Trace Trace SLIGO
NO2 Trace (?)(1) 967.2 967.2 (Trace)(1) Trace Trace Sheet no. 9316
HNO3 Nil Nil 850.6 1704.0 2554.6
H2O Trace 1161.0 1161.0 29.4 1010.1 29.4 26.3 1376.9 1136.0 2146.0
Total 731.0 731.0 13,027.7 11,272.9 12,003.9 12,003.9 12,003.9 10,143.1 1860.7 1754.8 11,897.7 10,434.4 1376.9 2840.0 4700.6
Press bar 8 8 1 8 8 8 8 8 1 8 8 1 8 1 1 Dwg by Date
Temp. °C 15 20 15 230 204 907 234 40 40 40 40 25 25 40 43 Checked 25/7/1980
Figure D.2 Example of PFD and H&MB. W.H.B., waste heat boiler (https://processdesign.mccormick.northwestern.edu/index.php/Process_flow_diagram).
174 Appendix D Process Engineering Diagrams
Control
system
Loop diagram
Process
datasheets
Instrument
datasheets
Mechanical
datasheets Construction
HAZOP P and IDs Line list
Equipment Piping tie-in

design list
3D model
review Mechanical
equipment
list
Piping
isometrics
Figure D.3 Importance of P&IDs.
and dynamic control system interface. P&ID serves as a basis for preparation of
operating guidelines for the manufacturing plant and can be used for analysis of
safety incidents. In summary, P&IDs are engineering documents that are used by
everyone on the project to develop the design and in the meetings.
175
References
1 National Master. Cost of living Stats: compare key data on India & United States.
https://www.nationmaster.com/country-info/compare/India/United-States/Cost-
of-living (accessed 14 May 2022).
2 Patel, H. K. J. (2020). LOPA: A comprehensive analytical tool for deriving
SIL targets and applicability review. Hydrocarbon Processing https://www
.hydrocarbonprocessing.com/magazine/2020/february-2020/environment-
and-safety/lopa-a-comprehensive-analytical-tool-for-deriving-sil-targets-and-
applicability-review (accessed 14 May 2022).
3 Mazzoldi, A. and Oldenburg, C. (2014). Leakage Risk Assessment of CO2
Transportation by Pipeline at the Illinois Basin Decatur Project, Decatur, Illinois.
177
Index
b compressor’s function 169

battery limit table 53, 54, 71 construction 3, 8, 21, 23, 31, 37, 53, 61,
blinds 114 92, 95–96, 98, 114, 118, 121, 137,
block flow diagrams (BFD) 31–32 161
crude and vacuum distillation units construction and support
32 original design 110
develop 31 P&IDs 111
UBFD 31, 32 procedures and manuals, preparation of
Bluebeam 37, 72, 74, 104 109
Bluebeam session 72, 74, 98, 102, 104, steam trap requirements 111
111 tie-in execution 109
budget preparation 81, 82–86 construction team 4, 13, 16, 102,
burner management system (BMS) 8 109–111, 143
buyers or purchasing team 160 contents 26, 27
control system engineers 4–5, 10, 39,
c 66, 69–70, 98–100, 116–117, 141,
CAD coordinator 77–78, 102, 104 162
cause and effect table 105, 117 control system loop testing 116–117
change cost and cost of design vs. different cost estimate 11–13, 31, 37, 40–42, 44,
phases of the project 164 45, 66, 80, 162–163
change order template and example of cost estimating 37, 39–40, 80, 143
63, 64
check performance test 116 d
chemical engineers 21, 23–26, 137 demo P&IDs 72–73, 89–90
chemical process engineers 3, 14–15 design parameters 41, 116
civil engineers 4, 5, 8, 20, 39, 142 design pressure design temperature
closeout checklist 101 (DPDT) diagram 75–76, 95
columns 9, 26–27, 33, 39–40, 44, 52, 54, design safety margin 53
56, 57, 61–63, 67, 75, 116, 122, 165 distillation columns 9, 26, 33, 39–40,
commissioning 3–5, 13, 14, 21, 23, 37, 116, 122
53, 98, 109, 110, 113–118, 121, 137, document control 10, 11, 25, 27, 70, 146,
159, 161 160
communication 4, 7, 15, 19, 37, 61–62,
69–70, 74, 88, 103 e
competency guide table 123–135 electrical engineers 4–5, 8, 10, 11, 40–41,
competency rating scale 122 79, 101, 137, 142, 173
178 Index
engineering 3–11, 15, 17, 19–21, 23–28, follow up and implementation of 72

37, 39–40, 42, 46, 51–53, 57, 61, 63, participate in 71
66–67, 69–70, 79, 81, 87–92, 95–96, project support 96
98–99, 101–103, 109, 116, 118, heat and material balance (H&MB) 45,
121–122, 137, 140, 141, 159–162, 173, 175
173–176 heater 8, 9, 26, 38, 39–41, 116
engineering procurement and heat exchanger 24, 26, 27, 54–56, 75, 99,
construction (EPC) project 21, 148, 173
161 heat transfer research institute (HTRI)
engineering, procurement, construction, 55
and commissioning (EPCC) hydraulics
construction 4 battery limit table coupled 53–54
engineering 3 description of 52
industry design safety margin 53
commissioning 4 examples of criticality of 52–53
operating industry or customers 15 line sizing criterions for 54
procurement 4
project types of i
cost of a project 5–7 IFC P&IDs 102
engineering needs 8 inline instruments
licensor’s need 8 controls system 66
profit based 9 control valves and pressure regulators
purpose of a project 7–8 instrument data 65
schedule based 9 data checking and work process 66
engineering project flow meter instrument data 64, 65
phases ON-OFF valve instrument data 64, 65
commissioning and start-up 13–14 process engineers 64
construction and support 13 instrument sizing 10, 41
detailed design 13 interaction with vendors 16–17
scope definition 12 interactive schedule planning meetings
scope development 12–13 81
scope feasibility 12 issued for approval (IFA) 69, 99
entry level process engineers 121–122 issued for design (IFD) 69, 71, 72, 74–75,
equipment arrangement drawings 91, 99–100
169–171 IFD HMBs 75
exchanger 116 quality design basis document 74
issued for estimate (IFE) 36–38, 45–47,
f 50
fouling factors 55 issued for HAZOP (IFH) 51, 72
g j
gas compressor 7, 116 junior process engineer 121
gas loops 117
grassroot project 5–6, 34 k
KG tower 40
h
Hazard and Operability Analysis l
(HAZOPs) 10, 49, 51, 95 Layer of protection analysis (LOPA)
action item close out and hold items 49–50, 148, 152
95–96 lead process engineer,6 7, 49, 80, 81, 84,
closeout checklist 101 87, 88, 91, 122, 147, 151
Index 179
lead workshare meetings 87, 88, 102 piping and instrumentation diagrams
level indicator and level transmitter (P&IDs) 10, 36, 37, 38, 41, 50, 51,
(LI/LT) instrument data 96, 153 67, 69, 72–74, 95, 96, 104–106, 117,
licensor 5, 8, 44, 45, 47, 51, 70, 75, 137, 173, 174, 176
144, 163 demo or demolition 89–90
line list help instrumentation 173
input and output tree 57–63 importance of 173–176
piping design responsibility columns tie-in 89
61–62 piping design 4, 5, 8, 13, 21, 39, 52, 57,
piping engineering responsibility 61, 67, 70, 72, 79, 80, 90, 91, 93,
columns 61, 63 100, 103, 106, 140, 160, 173
process engineer responsibility piping designers 4, 5, 8, 10, 173
columns of 61–62 piping engineer 4, 5, 8, 10, 51, 57, 61, 63,
process responsibility and description 70, 91, 103, 141
58–61 piping engineering 57, 61, 63, 70, 91,
line-by-line P&ID review 73 103, 141
liquid loops 117 piping engineering team 103
liquid service safety valves 113 piping systems 117
planning 23
m flowchart 25
management of change (MOC) interaction with customer 25
13, 102–105, 111, 139, perform feasibility studies
148, 153 duration 24–25
material selection diagrams (MSD) types 23
72–73, 76–77, 84, 148 preliminary scope reports preparation
mechanical engineer 4, 5, 8–10, 15, assumptions 26
design document 26–28
39–40, 42, 51, 52, 55, 68, 69, 70, 88,
technology selection 28–30
113, 139
plant visits 88
mechanical engineering, estimate
plot plan layout, unit 167
39–40, 42, 70, 88
plot space 38, 39, 52, 170
metallurgy
pre-startup 114–115, 118
importance 44
preliminary equipment design 40
refinery operations 43
preliminary horsepower 41–42
selection 42–44
pressure gauge and pressure transmitter
special consideration 43
(PG/PT) instrument data 96–97
mid-level process engineer
pressure safety valves (PSV) 36, 66–68,
121–122
96, 100, 111, 113, 114, 162
process audit 91–93
n process engineer 10, 14, 51, 57, 68,
net positive suction head (NPSH) 69, 159–161
104 with CAD and drafting coordinator
145
o with civil engineer 142
off-line instrument data 96–98, 102 with construction team 143
oxygen freeing 118 with control system engineer 141
with cost estimating 143
p with customer 138–139
pH analyzer instrument data 96–97 with document control 146
physical testing 113 with electrical engineer 142
pipe service index (PSI) 90–91 with EPCC engineer 145
180 Index
process engineer (contd.) scope development 12, 13

with licensor 144 scope feasibility 12, 31, 152
with mechanical engineer 139 senior process engineers 122
with piping design 140 shell and tube design exchangers 55
with piping engineering 141 sight glass instrument data 97
with project controls 144 simulations 24, 27, 33, 34, 40,
with project management 140 45–46, 75
process engineer participates 89, 101 sizing column trays 40
process engineer vs. different phases of specialty (SP) items 106
the project 161–162 Squad check 10, 66, 80, 96, 98, 99
process flow diagram (PFD) 15, staffing plan 81–87
32–36, 71, 73, 75, 76, 93, startup assistance 118
173, 175 steam trap requirements 111
example of 173, 175 sulfur recovery unit (SRU) 8, 57
procurement 3, 4, 8–11, 21, 23, 37, Sulzer 40
53, 98, 109, 118, 121,
137, 161 t
project administration 10, 11 technology companies 29
project budget vs. project timeline graph tie-in execution 109
159, 160 tie-in form 106, 109
project controls 10, 11, 81, 84, 144 tie-in P&IDs 89–91
project estimate uncertainty vs. different total installed cost (TIC) 5, 80
phases of the project 162–163 tracking spreadsheet 28, 67
project management 4, 5, 28, 61,
63, 70, 73, 81, 95, 102, 137, u
140, 164 uninterrupted power supply (UPS)
project managers 11, 32 39
project schedule template 166 utility block flow diagram (UBFD)
project staffing report 84 31, 32
project status 84–87 utility summary 47–48, 75
project status tracking 87 utility summary table 47, 71
project tree 137
pump 4, 7, 23, 27, 33, 36, 39, 52, 54, 56, v
69, 71, 75, 90, 92–93, 95, 99, 104, value plus suggestion 47–48
116, 121–122, 162 vapor service safety valve 113
hydraulics 40, 53 vessel 26, 33, 41, 52, 54, 56–57, 75, 76,
92, 110, 116
r
relief valve design 99, 100, 111 w
revamping 6, 7 workshare with multiple offices
engineering team 20
s labor shortages 18
safety integrated systems (SIS) level the workload 18, 19
39, 75 low-cost services 17–18
safety valves design 99–101 piece of project 19
schedule and dates 81 time differences in countries 18–19
scope definition 12 workshare with an individual 19
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Managing Engineering, Procurement, Construction,

and Commissioning Projects

A Chemical Engineer’s Guide

© 2023 WILEY-VCH GmbH, Boschstr. 12,

All rights reserved (including those of

Print ISBN: 978-3-527-34836-7

Typesetting Straive, Chennai, India

Part I Introduction to EPCC Industry 1

Part II Roles of Chemical Engineers in Different Phases of

2 Phase 1 (Scope Planning) 23

3 Phase 2 (Scope Deﬁnition) 31

3.3.2.3 Reviews with the Customer 37

4 Phase 3 (Scope Development) 51

4.5.4 Data Checking and Work Process 65

5 Phase 4 (Detailed Design) 95

5.13 Cause-and-Effect Table 105

6 Phase 5 (Construction and Support) 109

7 Phase 6 (Commissioning and Startup) 113

Part III The Process Engineer 119

8 Role by Process Engineer’s Position 121

9 Interaction of Process Engineers with Others 137

9.13 Licensor 144

Appendix A Project Conceptual Diagram 157

Appendix B Project Schedule Diagrams 163

Appendix C Project 3D Model and Plot Diagrams 165

Appendix D Process Engineering Diagrams 171

This book is written keeping in mind expansion or grassroot projects in industries,

May 2019 Avinashkumar V. Karre

Introduction to EPCC Industry

1.1 What Is EPCC Industry

Engineering, procurement, construction, and commissioning (EPCC) industry is

where procurement details, such as timeline, specification, and nondisclosure

1.2 Types of Projects

1.2.1 Cost of a Project

Table 1.1 Deﬁnition of type of project based on cost involved.

Ultra small Less than US$ 5 million Installation of 1–5 0.5–1

1.2.2 Purpose of a Project

1.2.3 Engineering Needs

1.2.4 Licensors Need

1.2.5 Proﬁt Based

1.2.6 Schedule Based

1.3 Function of Different Disciplines

1.4 Different Phases of the Project

A → B → C … (High project cost)

Phase 3 – Scope development:

1.5 Importance of Chemical Process Engineers

Schedule meetings Project progress to Document issue through

P&IDs to everyone on Instrument datasheets to

Piping tie-ins required Process Line list data to piping

Phase Primary responsibilities of a process engineer

1 Develop feasibility report and perform studies

1.6 Interaction with Operating Industry or Customers

1.7 Interaction with Vendors

Project makes a Piping design Fabrication drawing

Document control for

Piping design answers

Interaction with the Cost control and

Figure 1.2 Example of an interaction of a vendor with the EPCC team.

Table 1.3 Classiﬁcation of vendors (vendor is categorized based on material percentage

Vendor category Classiﬁcation of the area Function of vendor

Small vendor Piping components Provide piping components, such as

1.8 Workshare with Multiple Ofﬁces

1.8.1 Importance of Workshare