JOINT INTEGRITY AND TESTING
LESSON LEARN OVERVIEW
PREPARE BY : FARGHUD EISMETH BIN ENTJEP
INTRODUCTION
WHY JOINT INTEGRITY SO IMPORTANT?
• MAJORITY OF FLANGE LEAKS ARE ATTRIBUTABLE TO
PROCEDURAL,PROCESS, OR OPERATIONAL FAILINGS.
• SUPRISINGLY, FEW ARE DUE TO TECHNICAL REASONS.
• FUNDAMENTALLY,IT’S PEOPLE AND THEIR
COMPETENCIES THAT PREVENT LEAK.
IMPORTANCE
• ENVIRONMENTALLY RESPONSIBLE AND SAFETY FOCUSED
INSTALLATIONS COMMONLY RECORD LEAKS AND REPORT LEAK SIZE
AND FREQUENCY AS A METRIC.
• JOINT INTEGRITY ALLOWS ORGANIZATIONS TO FULLY MEET THE
DEMANDING SAFETY, ENVIRONMENTAL, AND EXTERNAL
COMPLIANCE STANDARDS.
• NEARLY ALL PROCESS PLANTS DEPEND ON EITHER WELDED OR
BOLTED JOINTS. A WELDED JOINT MUST COMPLY WITH NUMEROUS
MANDATED PROCEDURES AND COMPETENCY REQUIREMENT TO
ASSURE QUALITY. BUT A BOLTED FLANGE JOINTS HAS HISTORICALLY
HAD FEW SUCH REQUIREMENTS, EVEN THOUGH IT SERVES THE
SAME PURPOSE-PRESURIZED PROCESS CONTAINMENT.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• OWNERSHIP, SUPPORT AND STRUCTURE
– Defined joint integrity owner should be appointed.
This provides an unambiguous reporting structure,
aids in solving issues and ensures that the Joint
Integrity Program is effectively communicated to
all level of an organizations.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• MANAGEMENT PROCESS AND STRATEGY
– An overall JOINT INTEGRITY strategy should be in
place to drive leak-free intent, integrate
seamlessly, and ensure the joint integrity
philosophy is embedded throughout the
organization.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• TECHNOLOGY AND BEST PRACTICE
– Procedure and technical standards should
represent best practice, providing a ‘single source
of truth’, minimizing delay and avoiding rework.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• CRITICALLY ASSESSMENT
– Define and implement a joint criticality
assestment policy to ensure resources allocated to
each joint are balance with risk.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• VENDOR PACKAGES
– A system should be in place to ensure that vendor
suppliers work to mandated client procedure.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• TRAINING AND COMPETENCE MANAGEMENT
– All field service personnel should have a proven
level of competency, ensuring work is executed
‘RIGHT FIRST TIME’ providing long term integrity
of bolted joints.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• JOINT IDENTIFICATION,STATUS CONTROL
AND TAGING
– Implement a Data Management System to provide
permanent, comprehensive, and searchable
record of every joint.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• INSPECTION AND COMPLIANCE
– Implement a program of on-site inspection to
ensure procedures are followed, verify
workmanship, drive down operational costs, and
avoid unplanned shutdowns.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• MANAGEMENT OF LEAKS
– Establish a robust leak investigation process to
ensure leaks are addressed ,resolved, eliminated,
and lesson learned.
ESSENTIALS OF ASSURED JOINT INTEGRITY
• REPORTING, ANALYSIS AND KPI’S
– Clear reporting structure and metrics should be in
place, providing visibility on progress and
performance, and demonstrating that schedule
are being met.
COMPREHENSIVE JOINT INTEGRITY
APPROACH WILL PROVIDES :
• Create a flawless startup
• Achieve planned schedules
• Improve plant and personnel safety
• Provide long term assurance
• Identify problems in joints/materials
• Provide fully traceable records
• Realize cost saving
• Comply with industry best practice
CHALLENGES DURING THE TURNAROUND
• Inadequate trained personnel in JIT field- Hard to manage
joint inspection during tight SHUTDOWN schedule
• CONTRACTOR competency issues
• To use JOINT INTEGRITY for normal maintenance work
• JIT only established during SHUTDOWN, need to re-
train people
• Insitu machining of large size flanges
• Actual control during execution
• Jit Inspector don’t have approve list of critical touch joint
during the execution.
• Don’t have approve and fixed list for EIS BLIND and SYSTEM
BLIND during the execution.
LESSON LEARNT
[Link] the torque values.(No approve torque value for cnaf
gasket and rubber gasket)-leak during start-up for sea water line
because tighten by hand only.
[Link] the anti-seize compound and sealant
[Link] that require torque more than 500 [Link] or/and 65mm nut
size or/and less critical joints to be tightened using hydraulic
torque wrenches.
[Link] calculations for optimum bolt load to be carried out for
critical joints.(P-BOLT calculation for all critical joint flanges)
[Link] charts derived from 60% of the bolt yield strength to be
used for less critical non-standard flanges
LESSON LEARNT cont..
[Link] lubricant to be used is Dow Molykote 1000(some
contractor still use COPASLIP-high temp anti seize compound)
[Link] gasket compound to be used for holding gaskets of
heat exchangers or sealing of minor imperfections in gasket faces is
Deacon 770-P or superior.(now we use 3M SUPER ADHESIVE 77)
[Link] of the gasket face to be kept within +/-0.2mm unless a
lower figure is indicated in the drawing.(some joint for
example ,flatness is out of tolerance due to flange distortion)
[Link] of bolts on the flange must be done correctly so that the
right tightening sequence can be maintained
10.
Bolts and nuts for every joint under HBT must be replaced at every
TA (mandatory for critical joint as per BFJI PROCEDURE)
LESSON LEARNT cont..
[Link] should not be attempted until
the flange design thickness has been
checked in the design data so that the
flange thickness is not reduced below the
design. In case machining is done and the
flange thickness is reduced, proper
records should be maintained.
DEFECT FINDING..
DESCRIPTION:SCRATCH MARK ACROSS
GASKET SEAT COVER FOR VALVE INLET FLANGE.
ISSUE: NO REQUEST FROM CONTRACTOR FOR
JIT INSPECTOR TO WITNESS THE JOINT DURING
JOINT BREAKING. JIT INSPECTOR FOUND THE
DEFECT ONLY WHEN THE CONTRACTOR
ALREADY WANT TO [Link] INSPECTOR
HOLD THE JOINT TILL THE REPAIR IS DONE.
DEFECT FINDING..
DESCRIPTION:SCRATCH MARK ACROSS
GASKET SEAT.
ISSUE:MECHANICAL DAMAGE ON GASKET SEAT
BECAUSE CONTRACTOR (TURCOMP) NOT
PROPER HANDLING AND COVER THE FLANGE
DURING THE SERVICE PHASE.
DEFECT FINDING..
DESCRIPTION:SCRATCH MARK ACROSS
GASKET SEAT.
ISSUE:BEFORE JOINT MAKING,JIT INSPECTOR
WAS REQUEST TO WITNESS THE JOINT,NO JOB
PACK AT THE SITE,DON’T HAVE ANY
DOCUMENT FOR JIT INSPECTOR TO REFER AT
THE SITE. TASK LEADER ASK TO PROCEED THE
JOB EVEN JIT INSPECTOR STILL NOT COMFIRM
WHAT TYPE OF GASKET SHOULD BE USED
THERE. THE TASK LEADER PROCEED TO USE
CNAF GASKET EVEN JIT INSPECTOR WANT TO
USE SIGMA GASKET(TEFLON+CNAF).AFTER
FURTHER DISCUSSION WITH OUR SUPERIOR,
SUPPOSED TO USE SIGMA GASKET,SO REWORK
ON THAT JOINT.
DEFECT FINDING..
DESCRIPTION:PITTED ACROSS GASKET SEAT.
ISSUE:REPAIR ON THE NEXT SERVICE/TA
DEFECT FINDING..
DESCRIPTION:PITTED ACROSS GASKET SEAT.
ISSUE:REPAIR ON THE NEXT SERVICE/TA
DEFECT FINDING..
DESCRIPTION:PITTING CORROSION WITH
SERRATION LOSS
ISSUE: NO REPAIR REQUIRE
DEFECT FINDING..
DESCRIPTION: SCRATCH ON TOP COVER.
ISSUE:NO REPAIR REQUIRE(APPLY BENZONA
ON THE DEFECT TO COVER THE SCRATCH)
