AVEVA E3D Tutorial: Equipment Modeling with Practical Example

Written by Pravin Govindraj in E3D,PDMS-E3D,Piping Design Basics

In this AVEVA E3D Tutorial, we will explain the steps for creating a v e r t i c a l column (Tag: C-1101). The E3D Equipment modeling steps are shown using two different methods. Let’s dive into the article.

E3D Equipment modeling Steps

Go to the Discipline tab of the software to select different sectors like Piping, Structures, and Civil as per requirements. For our case, Select Equipment Tab as shown in Fig. 1A.

**Fig. 1: Opening the job for E3D Equipment Modeling**

In E3D, we should first create a Site, Zone, etc. similar to AVEVA-PDMS. For the “Site” creation go to Create click on Site In the General tab (Refer to Fig. 1B) and provide a name as you want. Here, I am giving the name Aveva E3D. Don’t provide space between words. Click on Ok.

For Zone creation click on the Zone Tab under Create, give a suitable name for the Equipment (Refer to Fig. 2A) and click OK. Next, Go to the Equipment Tab, and in create tab click on Equipment. Give name as C-1101 as per equipment datasheet and hit Enter. In the Position tab, Keep East, North, and Up as 0 mm for the time being. We will fill in these values later. Refer to Fig. 2B. Now, Under attributes, Give a Description name as Cracking Tower. You can fill in the remaining details if you have them, otherwise, you can keep it blank and press OK to continue further.

Method 1: Creating Equipment by Primitives

In Method 1, we will be creating the equipment by Primitives (Not Standard Equipment). So, Select Cylinder shape from the Create tab. Refer to Fig. 3A.
Here you can see the drawing, same as AutoCAD the cursor will be displayed (Fig. 3B). Now give the value for East : 0 mm and hit the Tab button on the keyboard it will lock the position, you can see the red lock symbol in each Easting, Northing, Up, tab after Hit Enter.

Now it’s time to specify the diameter and height of the column. Enter 1413 mm as diameter and 14076 mm as height as shown in Fig. 3C.

**Fig. 3: Creating Vertical Column using Primitives in AVEVA-E3D**

You can now see the vertical cylinder on the window.

Method 2: Creating the Equipment by using Commands

Go to the Tools tab and click on Command for the command window.
Give the command PIN1 at CE and Enter.
You can see PIN1 at the center of the window.
Now write New cylinder height 14076, and diameter 1413, and Press Enter.
This is the shortcut command for creating a cylinder in E3D keeping the view in Elevation.
The origin of the cylinder is in the center. But as per the drawing, the cylinder base should be at the bottom, not the center. So, Give command as
By u 7038 (half the height of the cylinder) and hit Enter.
U means up. Now the cylinder is placed above as you can see in Fig. 4.

**Fig. 4: Creating Vertical Column using Commands in AVEVA-E3D**

Now before proceeding to the next section, Let’s learn a few settings.
For wireframe view press the F11 key on the keyboard.
Or else go to the View tab and click on the Current view in the settings tab.
The view settings window will open.
Under the effects section, uncheck shaded then apply and cancel. Refer to Fig. 5.

Next, go to Project tab -> click Options -> View -> Selection & Snaps
Click Advanced under Snap Settings and Under the Object tab uncheck P-point and press OK. Refer to Fig. 6

Modeling the Cone Ends of the Column

Now for the Cone
Click on Cone from the create tab.
After clicking on Cone (Refer to Fig. 7A) move the cursor to the top of the Center of the cylinder, you can see the top P-point Of the cylinder with a square shape.
Click here on top of the cylinder.
Now give the diameter as 1413 mm and press enter.
By moving the cursor upside of the cylinder, Give height as 280 mm and hit enter.
Now give the next diameter as 1067 mm and click enter
Now the cone is ready.

For the next steps of the cylinder, Select the Cylinder shape from Create tab.
Go to the cone, again click on the top P-point of the cone
Now give Diameter as 1067 hit Enter and Height as 7849 Hit Enter as per the datasheet.
Refer to Fig. 7B and 7C

Modeling the cone part of column in E3D — **Fig. 7: Modeling the cone part of the column in E3D**

Modeling the Dish End in E3D

For the Dish-end (Refer to Fig. 8), Go to the Equipment tab and click the Down arrow in the create tab. Then click on the Dish shape. After clicking on Dish, move the cursor to the Center of the cylinder’s top P-point. Click here on top of the cylinder

Now give diameter as 1067mm enter. After that, E3D will ask for the height of the dish. Now press the down arrow on the keyboard you will be able to see in the window two boxes which are knuckle radius & back.
Click on the knuckle radius and give the value as 20 mm and press Enter.
After the knuckle radius, provide the height of the dish as 200mm and Hit Enter.

Now the cylinder is ready as you can see in Fig. 8.

Modeling the dish of column in E3D — **Fig. 8: Modeling the dish of the column in E3D**

Modeling the base plate of the column in E3D

For modeling, the base plate click on the box shape as shown in Fig. 9
Give the value as follow:
East: -1050 mm press the tab button, North: -1050 mm again tab button Up: 0 mm and hit enter.
East: 2100 mm press the tab button, North: 2100mm again tab button Up: 0mm and hit enter.
Now specify the Z-length (width of base plate)
D: 25mm enter as per the datasheet.

Column C-1101 is ready.

Video Tutorial for E3D Column Modeling

I am sure still, you have many doubts about the above steps. Hence, the video tutorial for the above-mentioned column is attached herewith for a clear understanding. Please like and subscribe to the channel (Bounce Back) for more updates. You can download the column datasheet from the links provided in the you-tube video description.

E3D Column Modeling Video Tutorial

AVEVA E3D Online full training courses

If you are looking for an online complete step-by-step E3D training course then the following course will help to fulfill your hunger. Kindly click on the below-mentioned subject, review the details of the course and then enroll to proceed:

AVEVA E3D Training Course From Beginner to Advanced 2021

Few more useful articles for you.

Tutorial on Pipe Modeling using AVEVA E3D software
Why is Aveva PDMS better than Intergraph PDS?
PDMS Video Tutorial/Lessons for Beginners
START-PROF Piping Stress Video Training Series

Variable Spring Support Design without the aid of Caesar II Hanger Auxiliary

Written by Shaily Buch in Piping Stress Analysis,Piping Stress Basics

Variable Spring Hanger Supports are widely used in critical pipe systems for their load-bearing capability allowing thermal movements. In Caesar II, We can easily design a variable spring hanger support by double-clicking the checkbox for the hanger auxiliary. The software follows the below-mentioned steps to select its spring.

CAESAR II puts rigid support at the hanger location and does a weight analysis to find out the weight that the support should carry. This load is used as the Hot Load (HL).
CAESAR II applies a force equal to that Hot Load (but not stiffness (k)) at the hanger location and then runs an operating analysis. This tells CAESAR II how much that location wants to move vertically (y) under the operating loads. So this becomes the “theoretical” hanger movement. Now, the “theoretical” cold load is calculated as Cold Load (CL) = HL + ky.
CAESAR II adds the CL as a force and the spring stiffness as a restraint stiffness to all load cases of the model and then runs all the normal load cases.

In this article, We will design a variable spring hanger support by following the above Caesar II Algorithm. The steps for manual spring hanger design are explained below with an example.

Manual Spring Hanger Design Procedure

The example problem is shown in Fig. 1.

**Fig. 1: Variable Spring Hanger Design without Caesar II Hanger Auxiliary**

Let’s assume that we will design a variable spring hanger support at node 15 as shown in Fig. 1A. At node 20, the pipe is Resting.

To design the spring support, A weight run is to be taken with a Rigid double-acting Y restraint at node 15 (without friction). Assume the load computed to be 3540 N.

Now apply that force (3450 N) at node 15 in an upward direction and run an operating case. Note the lift-off at 20 as shown in Fig. 1C. Observe the travel at 15 let us assume it here as 5.785 mm.

In case, there is no lift-off in the nearby supports (Node 20) then the above-computed values will be the final Hot Load and Spring Travel.

But as the support at node 20 is lifted off, Remove the support at node 20 and Run a weight case with a rigid double-acting Y restraint at node 15 (without friction). Refer to Fig 2A. Assume, the load experienced at node 15 is now 3651 N.

**Fig. 2: Manual Spring Hanger Support Design Example**

Now, an operating case runs are to be taken with 3651 concentrated loads (Fig. 2B) in an upward direction at 15. Suppose this time the travel is 5.829 mm.

Hence, for the above system
Computed Hot load = 3651 N.
Computed theoretical travel from cold to hot =5.829 mm.

On the basis of the computed hot load and the thermal travel one can estimate the maximum permissible spring rate as depicted below:

k_max =(V_ar X HL)/ |y_th |——————– (a)

Where V_aris the maximum permissible variation.

Now the computed hot load can be located in the columns of the spring support catalog table from the vendor. For that spring size select the spring series with a spring rate less than or equal to that calculated by (a).

The cold load can be calculated by

Cold Load= H.L + ky

The cold load calculated above is then located in the table under the same spring size.
If the cold load does not fall under the column of the selected size then a different spring series or spring of an adjacent size is to be selected.

Note that when specifying hanger’s hot and cold loads, It is important to add the anticipated hardware weights to these values especially if it is significant like trapeze assembly or large clamps, etc. The prime requirement being the necessity of the hanger to support hardware as well in order to avoid imbalance in the system by the weight of hardware.

Few more spring support related articles for you.

Spring Hanger Pipe Support Selection Procedure for Piping Stress Analysis
Technical and General requirements for Spring Hangers while purchasing.
TBE of vendor Spring hangers: Main points to consider before placing an order
Spring hangers: Common Interview Questions with Answers
Spring hanger selection and design guidelines for a Piping engineer using Caesar II
Basics of Pipe Stress Analysis

Reciprocating Pump: Introduction, Definition, Parts, Working Principle, Advantages, Disadvantages, and Applications

Written by Mohammed SHAFI in Mechanical,Piping Interface

Reciprocating pumps are used where the delivery pressure of the fluid is quite large. In this article, we will discuss on Single-acting Reciprocating Pump. As the name itself indicates that it has a single component of the suction valve, delivery valve, suction pipe, and delivery pipe along with a single piston.

Let’s dive into the article of Reciprocating Pump along with its Introduction, Definition, Diagram, Parts, Working Principle, Advantages, Disadvantages, and Applications.

Introduction of Reciprocating Pump:

Reciprocating Pump is a Positive Displacement type pump that works on the principle of movement of the piston in forwarding and backward directions whereas the Centrifugal pump uses the kinetic energy of the impeller to supply the liquid from one place to another place.

Who Invented Reciprocating Pump?

A Greek inventor and mathematician Ctesibius invents Reciprocating Pump in 200 BC.

Definition of Reciprocating Pump:

It is a machine that converts mechanical energy into hydraulic energy.

Reciprocating pumps are in use where a certain quantity of fluid (mostly sump) has to be transported from the lowest region to the highest region by the application of pressure.

For Example,

When you go to the water servicing of the bike, you can see that the water that is being used is collected from the sump only, and by the application of pressure via a nozzle, water is sprayed onto the vehicle.

Reciprocating Pump Diagram:

The diagram of the Reciprocating Pump was displayed below.

Parts of Reciprocating Pump:

The Parts of the Reciprocating Pump are as follows.

Water Sump
Strainer
Suction Pipe
Suction Valve
Cylinder
Piston and Piston rod
Crank and Connecting rod
Delivery valve
Delivery pipe

An Explanation for the parts of the Reciprocating Pump:

The explanation for the parts of the Reciprocating pump is as follows.

Water Sump:

It is the source of water. From the sump, water is to be transported to the delivery pipes by the usage of the piston.

Strainer:

It acts as a mesh that can screen all the dirt, dust particles, etc. from the sump. If there is no strainer, then the dirt or dust also enters into the cylinder which can jam the region and affects the working of the pump.

Suction Pipe:

The main function of the suction pipe is to collect the water from the sump and send it to the cylinder via a suction valve. The suction pipe connects the water sump and the cylinder.

Suction Valve:

It is a non-return valve which means it can take the fluid from the suction pipe and send it to the cylinder but cannot reverse the water back to it. In this sense, the flow is unidirectional.

This valve opens only during the suction of fluid and closes when there is a discharge of fluid to the outside.

Cylinder:

It is a hollow cylinder made of cast iron or steel alloy and it consists of the arrangement of a piston and piston rod.

Piston and Piston rod:

For suction, the piston moves back inside the cylinder and for discharging of fluid, the piston moves in the forward direction.

The Piston rod helps the piston to move in a linear direction i.e. either the forward or the backward directions.

Crank and Connecting rod:

For rotation, the crank is connected to the power source like an engine, motor, etc. whereas the connecting rod acts as an intermediate between the crank and piston for the conversion of rotary motion into linear motion.

Delivery Pipe:

The function of the delivery pipe is to deliver the water to the desired location from the cylinder.

Delivery valve:

Similar to the suction valve, a delivery valve is also a Non-return valve. During suction, the delivery valve closes because the suction valve is in opening condition and during Discharge, the suction valve is closed and the delivery valve Is opened to transfer the fluid.

These are the various components of the Reciprocating pump. Let’s understand the working principle of it.

Working Principle of Reciprocating Pump:

When the power supply is given to the reciprocating pump, the crank rotates through an electric motor.

The angle made by the crank is responsible for the movement of the piston inside the cylinder. By referring to the above diagram, the piston moves towards the extreme left of the cylinder when the crank meets position A i.e. θ=0.

Similarly, the piston moves towards the extreme right of the cylinder when the crank meets position C i.e. θ=180.

A partial vacuum in the cylinder takes place when the piston movement is towards the right extreme position i.e. (θ=0 to θ=180.) and that makes the liquid enter into the suction pipe.

This is due to the presence of atmospheric pressure on the sump liquid which is quite less than the pressure inside the cylinder. Therefore, due to the difference in pressure, the water enters the cylinder through a non-return valve.

The water which stays in the volume of the cylinder has to be sent to the discharge pipe via the discharge valve and this can be done when the crank is rotating from C to A i.e. (θ=180 to θ=360) which moves the piston in the forward direction.

Due to the movement of the piston in a forward direction, the pressure increases inside the cylinder which is greater than the atmospheric pressure.

This results in the opening of the delivery valve and closing of the suction valve.

Once the water comes into the delivery valve, it cannot move back to the cylinder because it is a unidirectional valve or non-return valve.

From there, it enters into the delivery pipe so that it can be sent to the required position.

Therefore, in this way, the water is sucked and discharged from the sump to the desired location through the piston inside the cylinder.

Reciprocating Pump Advantages:

The advantages of Reciprocating Pump are as follows.

No priming is needed in the Reciprocating pump compared to the Centrifugal pump.
It can deliver liquid at high pressure from the sump to the desired height.
It exhibits a continuous rate of discharge.
It can work due to the linear movement of the piston whereas the centrifugal pump works on the rotary velocity of the impeller.

Reciprocating Pump Disadvantages:

The disadvantages of Reciprocating Pumps are as follows.

The maintenance cost is very high due to the presence of a large number of parts.
The initial cost of this pump is high.
The flow rate is less
Viscous fluids are difficult to pump.

Applications of Reciprocating Pump:

The applications of the Reciprocating Pump are as follows.

Gas industries
Petrochemical industries
Oil refineries
Vehicle water servicing centers etc.

This is a detailed explanation of the Reciprocating Pump. If you have any doubts, feel free to ask in the comments section. Click here to learn about the differences between a reciprocating pump and a centrifugal pump.

References [External Links]:

Positive Displacement Reciprocating Pump-PDF

Few more useful articles for you.

Types of Pumps used in Process Plants
API 610 Pumps vs ANSI / ASME B73.1 Centrifugal Pumps
Articles related to Pumps
Articles related to Compressors

12 Phases of Project Life Cycle | Oil and Gas Project Life-Cycle

Written by Rehan Ahmad Khan in Mechanical,Piping Design Basics,Piping Interface,Process,Project Management

Managing a project is not so easy. There is every possibility that something can go wrong. Starting from the project initiation to its successful closure, every project has to go through several phases of the project life-cycle. Depending on the type and scope of projects, the number and name of these project phases may vary. Still, there are some main phases that are applicable to all types of projects. Each project phase has its own goals, deliverables, activities, and processes that must be completed before moving to the next one. In this article, we will explore each phase of an oil and gas project in more detail.

What is a Project?

A project is a series of tasks that need completion to get a specific outcome. Every project is unique in that it is not a routine operation. A specific set of inputs & outputs are designed for a singular goal in the form of a project or service.

Projects can range from simple to complex. Depending on the complexity of the project, one or more people can manage the project. Projects are often described by a project manager or executive of the client. It is required to finish the work within a time frame because every project has its deadlines.

What is Project Management?

Project management is the art of planning, controlling, and executing a project to ensure a successful outcome. The primary challenge of project management is to achieve all the project goals within the deadlines.

The aim of project management is to produce a complete project meeting the client’s objectives. Often the goal of project management is to shape or reform the client’s objectives. The client’s objectives influence all decisions of project managers, designers, contractors, and sub-contractors.

Project Life Cycle

A project life cycle specifies the sequences of stages that a project involves from its initiation to its closure. Refer to Fig. 1 which clearly explains the Project Life Cycle for any project.

Project Phases / Stages

There are 12 major phases/stages involved in oil & gas projects. Refer to Fig. 2 which specifies all these project phases.

What is a Feasibility Study of a Project?

A Feasibility Study/analysis is a process to determine the validation of an idea. The feasibility Study ensures that a project is legally, technically, and economically justifiable. It tells the owner/client whether a project is worth the investment.

In some cases, a project may not be beneficial. Various Parameters like requiring too many resources, low market demand, and unavailability of nearby resources, etc. can contribute to such assessment. Such projects are not profitable.

Types of Feasibility

Four types of feasibility assessments are done before proceeding with a project. These are:

Economic Feasibility.
Legal Feasibility.
Operational Feasibility.
Scheduling Feasibility.

Concept Development / Conceptual Design

Concept development is the first step of the multiphase process involved in creating a new product. For any project or product design process, Conceptual design is the very first stage. The drawings or models are used to describe the proposed product. A set of integrated ideas and concepts are decided in this stage.

Conceptual design is a set of disciplines that contributes to identifying the optimal design at nominal operating conditions of industrial processes/products in the field of engineering.

It evaluates the best design variables and operating conditions to maximize the profit of the organization.

Deliverables of Conceptual Design

PFD (Process Flow Diagram).
Functional requirement.
Process Design.
HMB (Heat and Material Balance).

Note that the Feasibility Study and Conceptual Design is performed by the Company or Owner

Pre-FEED (Preliminary Front-End Engineering Design)

Pre-FEED develops the project design basis and places boundaries to constrain and define the concept. This process can be simplified by the following activities:

A design basis is developed that outlines the operating characteristics of the project.
The technical and economic feasibility of the design basis will be determined during this exercise.
The allocation of additional funds is evaluated for proceeding with engineering and design.
Project boundaries are developed to deal with rules and regulations, National and local laws, governance, and content issues.

Engineering Deliverables of Pre-FEED Stage

Material selection and specification.
Plant capacity requirements.
Product specifications.
Critical plant operating parameters.
Available utility specifications.
Process regulatory requirements.
All other operating goals and constraints desired by the plant owners/operators/engineers.
Definition and sizing of main equipment resulting in in-process specifications.
Preliminary plot plan.

FEED (Front End Engineering Design)

FEED or Front End Engineering Design is the most basic engineering conducted after the completion of the conceptual design and feasibility study. At this stage, various studies take place to figure out technical issues and estimate rough investment costs.

This work is normally contracted to the EPC (Engineering, Procurement, and Construction) contractors. The final product of this stage is the FEED Package. FEED package amounts to dozens of files and will be the basis of bidding for the EPC Contract. It is important to reflect the client’s intentions and project-specific requirements in the FEED Package. It avoids significant changes during the EPC Phase. It is essential to maintain close communication with the client. Sometimes, the client stations at the Contractor’s office during the work execution.

Deliverables of FEED

Final Plot Plan.
P&ID (Piping and Instrumentation Diagram)
MDS (Mechanical Data Sheet)
Line List
Instrument and Valve data sheets.
General Arrangements Drawings for main equipment and main pipework.
Cost estimating.
HAZOP Report.
Project Execution Plan, HSE Plan
Operational philosophies

Detailed Engineering

Detailed engineering is a study, which creates every aspect of project development. Detailed Engineering includes all the studies before the project construction starts. Detail engineering includes

the extraction of all the essential information from the basic engineering drawings/FEED
calculations to provide the exact drawings in detail for the production, fabrication & erection items
the details of the entire project along with the precise bill of quantities and specifications for each of the equipment.
It also involves 3D modeling.

Deliverables of Detailed Engineering

Equipment List.
Process data-sheet.
Management/review of vendor drawings.
Thermal rating and vibration analysis of heat exchangers.
Review of P&ID – Jointly with Client.
Valve List
Control valve datasheet.
Relief valve datasheet.
Detailed piping drawings, including isometrics and stress calculations.
Bill of Quantity (BOQ).
MTO (Material Take-off)
Start-up procedures, Operating and Commissioning manuals.

Click here to learn about the major differences between Feed and Detailed design projects

Procurement Phase

The Procurement phase of a project involves a series of activities and processes by the purchase or procurement team. It is necessary to acquire the necessary products or services from the best suppliers/vendors at the best price and quality. Such products include raw materials, equipment, machinery, instruments, etc.

An effective procurement strategy involves:

a financial plan to manage the budget.
a good plan to manage the workflow and production deadlines.
keeping everything aligned with the client’s objectives.
ensuring a smooth supply of required items for construction.

In the oil and gas industry, procurement plays an important role in ensuring the supply of products, items, and services within budget allocation, ensuring on-time delivery on-site and cost savings without compromising quality and safety.

Procurement Cycle

In Procurement, the Procurement cycle lists the key steps in a cyclical order. This makes understanding each procurement step easier. Refer to Fig. 3 for a typical Procurement Cycle with important procurement steps.

Note that Pre-FEED, FEED, Detailed Engineering, and Procurement are performed/executed by the EPC Contractor

Onsite and Offsite Fabrication

Offsite Fabrication is a process of fabrication and assembly of parts or systems at a location away from the project like a workshop. Offsite fabrication provides a cost-benefit, allowing the assembly of units that would not be able to be fabricated on-site due to cost, tooling, availability of resources, or space restrictions. Nowadays it is at a peak in the industry.

Onsite Fabrication is the fabrication held at the project site. After the offsite fabrication, it is still required to do fabrication work at the site for connecting the different pieces of equipment, pipes, and other systems for installation purposes.

Note: Fabrication is executed by the Contractor/vendors.

Construction Phase

Construction is the activity of putting different elements and objects together. It should follow a detailed design plan, and the installation drawing to create a structure, equipment, building, etc. While constructing large structures/buildings, A clear action plan is a must.

One should know the dimensional coordinates of the specific location. It involves clearing, excavating, and leveling the land. It also involves other activities associated with the structure, building, and other properties of the plant.

Erection and Installation Phase of the Project

Erection is the process of cleaning and preparing the place for the installation of a new machine or equipment. It involves arranging equipment/elements or tools for the installation purpose. This is part of the mechanical completion.

Installation is the process of assembling the different parts of the system by welding or mechanical joints. The process involves connecting the electrical connections for the creation of a single system.

Mechanical completion:

The activities involved in the installation of the equipment and piping system are known as mechanical completion. It is done to make sure everything is installed as per the drawing and after the clearance of this stage commissioning and testing occurs.

Note: Construction, Erection, and Installation are executed by the Contractor.

Pre-commissioning Phase

Pre-Commissioning activities start after the system achieved mechanical completion. Pre-Commissioning activities include cleaning, flushing, drying, leak test, and hydro-testing of the equipment, piping system, and other operating systems. Sometimes pre-commissioning activities are included in mechanical completion but this depends again on the contract conditions or the requirement of the project.

Note: Pre-commissioning & commissioning is executed by the Contractor and the operator of the plant.

Commissioning Stage

Commissioning is a verification process used to confirm that a facility or the process has been designed, procured, fabricated, installed, tested, and prepared for operation or production by the blueprint, design drawings, and specifications provided by the client. It is the second last stage of the project.

Note: After the completion of the commissioning, if no error is found in the system then the referred drawing becomes an “as-built drawing”.

As-built drawing: This is the final drawing sheet of the plant and is used for future modification, maintenance, and review purposes.

Start-up Phase

After the successful completion of the testing of the processing system or the plant, It is time for the green signal to start production.

References and Further Studies

https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/materials-science/conceptual-design

Piping Material Take Off: MTO, BOM, BOQ & MTO Stages

Written by Rehan Ahmad Khan in Engineering Materials,Piping Design Basics

Piping Material Take Off (MTO) is a crucial process of any piping project. It plays an important role in estimating costs, planning resources, and ensuring the smooth execution of the project. Accurate MTOs are the foundation of successful piping projects. Piping Specifications, Fittings, Valves, Special Items, etc are the main components of piping MTO. The main purposes of piping material take-off are:

Cost Estimation: Piping MTOs enable accurate cost estimation, helping project managers budget effectively and prevent cost overruns.
Resource Planning: With a clear understanding of required materials, project teams can plan resources efficiently, avoiding delays due to material shortages.
Procurement Guidance: MTOs guide the procurement process, ensuring that the right materials are sourced in the correct quantities and specifications.

What is Piping MTO or Material Take-Off?

The piping MTO or material take-off is a list of all the piping items required to be purchased to fabricate and construct the design to complete the demand of the project. This list includes all piping items like a pipe, piping fittings, valves, flanges, blind flange, spacer & blank, gasket, fasteners, and the special parts like a strainer, steam trap, flame arrester, rupture disc, expansion bellow, sight glass, hoses, sample cooler, etc.

It’s an essential part of the project estimation process. The material take-off sheet contains a list of all the materials required to complete the project. This list does not include any assets, such as equipment, machinery, and tools. These assets will also be required to complete the job of the project. MTO is prepared line-wise.

Note: Material take-off is different from the Bill Of Material (BOM) and Bill Of Quantity (BOQ).

Information in a Material Take-off Sheet

Material take-off seems to be straightforward but is quite complex in practice. As material take-off helps in the construction cost estimation process, it is necessary to understand what information should be added to the MTO sheet.

List of the Information available in the Material Take-Off sheet is as follows:

Line number.
Name of the piping items.
Main size.
Reducing size.
Shortcode of the items.
Piping class/spec i f i c a t i o n.
End/Face type.
Thickness/Rating
Material type.
Dimensional Standard.
Item type.
Quantity/Length
Weight
Remark (for writing important notes related to piping items).

Note: The above list may vary from company to company.

**Fig. 1: Sample Material Take-Off Sheet**

The sequence of the piping items within the MTO sheet

Pipe/Spool
Fittings/component
Flange
Gasket
Fasteners
Spacer & Blanks
Valve
Specialty items

Note: It can be arranged at the convenience of the users.

What is the Bill of Material (BOM)?

In the world of piping, the Bill Of Materials (BOM) often appears on a piping isometric drawing. The BOM contains the list of all the components required to fabricate and construct the line. Piping Isometric provides the list of BOM for a particular line. The piping bill of material is not used for purchasing. It is used to provide the required material from the warehouse to the fabricator for the construction of the piping system as per the isometric drawing. BOM is a document used at the site during the construction phase.

What is the Bill of Quantity (BOQ)?

The Bill Of Quantity (BOQ) is a tendering document. It covers the scope of materials for the entire piping components of the project. However, it is not the final list as it may change further during the MTO preparation at different stages.

BOQ is produced at the starting stage of the project, before construction drawings. Thus, it will not reflect the exact quantity of materials required for the project. But this document finds its use for tendering or bidding.

Stages for Piping Material Take-Off

There are three stages or sessions of material take-off in a process piping project.

Preliminary,
Secondary, and
Final.

There may be more stages depending on the project’s complexity. Sometimes, they are known as zero-level MTO, 30%, 50%, 70%, 90%, final MTO, etc.

Preliminary MTO

The preliminary MTO is prepared at a very early stage in the design process. At this stage, there is usually limited availability of the information. A preliminary MTO is prepared once the P&IDs and Plot plan are approved by the client or have been issued for approval. This is done long before there is any detailed design work started on the 3D modeling software. The preliminary piping material take-off is generated only when the Plot Plan is issued to the client for approval or it is “Approved”. The preliminary piping mto must be done by an experienced piping engineer/designer.

Use of the Preliminary MTO

There are two main reasons for preparing the preliminary MTO:

Cost estimation
Bidding of the material/ Request for quotation (RFQ)

Documents required for Preliminary MTO are

P&ID
PMS (Piping Material Specification)

Steps for Preliminary MTO Preparation

Identify the numbers of lines, line classes/specs, and the line size from the P&ID.
On the MTO sheet, enter the line number, line class, and line size.
Identify the potential line routing of each line shown on the P&ID and route the line on the plot plan (we can also refer to a similar old project for reference.
From the line routed on the plot plan, identify the approximate pipe length and estimate the numbers of fittings like elbows, tees, reducers, flanges, etc, and group them size-wise. (The length of the pipe and number of Elbows are not fixed at this stage of MTO).
Identify the numbers of the valve from the P&ID directly.
Estimate the High-point vent and low-point drain as per your guess and experiences.
Enter the detail of the piping components in the MTO sheet following the sequence of the component, you can refer to Fig. 1.
Now, go to the next line and repeat the same procedure.
Highlight each line on the P&ID as you complete the above process, that will help in identifying the undone lines.
Cross-check after completion.

Secondary MTO

When there is significant progress on the piping design, The secondary MTO is prepared. It may include the piping design done on 3D modeling software or 2D software. It must be done early enough to ensure that the procurement of the piping materials could fit the project schedule. This is prepared with the help of the material control group.

Secondary MTO is prepared with the help of PDMS/PMS/E3D by extracting the isometric from the ISO-draft module. This software gives the actual length of the pipes and the number of elbows used in the piping system. It is very difficult to find such information in the preliminary MTO.

Use of the Secondary MTO

There are mainly two reasons for preparing the secondary MTO

To update the quantities, so that purchase orders for piping items can be issued.
To update the project cost estimate.

Final MTO

The final piping MTO will identify the actual final material quantity. All items missed in the last MTO or modified due to design modification will be captured. It clears the final material cost required for the project.

The final MTO is prepared when the last isometric has been drawn, checked, approved, and issued. It proceeds in the same manner as the secondary MTO.

Use of the Final MTO

Final MTO is used for updating the last purchase order to fulfill the final need of material so as not to exceed spare material.

Note: MTO stages are not limited to these three only, if there is any modification occurs in the design at any stage of the project, then it is required to update the latest prepared MTO.

Difference Between BOM and MTO

BOM lists all the components for the construction and fabrication of an item. Piping BOM is used as a reference for the warehouse to give the material to the fabricator.
Whereas, MTO lists all items for purchase or procurement. It is a reference for material cost calculation.

Difference between BOM and BOQ

BOM provides a material list for component fabrication and is used at the site during construction.
Whereas, BOQ is a tendering document prepared at an early stage of the project. BOQ provides a basic scope of work based on drawings and specifications.

Few more related Resources for you.

Piping Materials Take-off & Processing: An Overview
Piping Design Basics- Isometric Drawings
Role of a Piping Material Engineer

Upstream, Midstream, Downstream Oil and Gas Industry

Written by Rehan Ahmad Khan in Mechanical,Piping Design Basics,Piping Interface,Process

In terms of dollar value, the oil and gas industry is considered the best global powerhouse that employs thousands of workers worldwide and controls the overall energy market. Professionals working or aspiring to work in the oil and gas industry should be aware of the oil and gas industry overview. They must know the working cycle of the industry and the responsibilities of the different sectors involved in the process. This article will provide a brief introduction to the oil and gas industry and the key points related to it.

Oil and Gas Industry Overview

The oil and gas industry is one of the largest industrial sectors in the world in terms of generating value in dollars. This is also known as the petroleum industry. This industry is very crucial to the global economic framework, especially for countries like the United States, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Canada, and China. Petroleum is important to many industries and is necessary for the operation and maintenance of Industrial plants, machines, and transportation purposes.

Brief History of Petroleum

Petroleum is a naturally occurring liquid found in rock formations. It consists of a mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights, plus other organic compounds. It is widely known and accepted that oil is generated from the carbon-rich remains of ancient plankton after exposure to pressure and heat in Earth’s crust over hundreds of years.

**Fig. 1: Contribution of the different companies to the oil and gas industry**

Different Sectors of the Oil and Gas Industry

The Oil and Gas Industry or petroleum industry has been divided into the following three sectors-

Upstream oil and gas
Midstream oil and gas
Downstream oil and gas

Different sector of the oil and gas industry — **Fig. 2: Different sectors of the oil and gas industry**

Upstream Oil and Gas Industry

The Upstream Oil and Gas Industry consists of companies involved in the exploration, extraction, and separation of oil and gas. These companies are also known as the E&P (exploration and production) industry. These are the companies that find the place of exploration and set up the plant with the coordination of the local government, and start exploring. If the oil is found beneath the earth then the extraction/production of oil starts otherwise the company will move to the next place for exploration and later on, the separation takes place. This is done either onshore or offshore.

The upstream oil and gas companies are characterized by high risks, high investment capital, and extended duration as it takes time to locate, document procedures, and drill.

What do you mean by exploration, extraction, and separation?

Exploration

Exploration can be defined as a means to provide the required information to exploit the best opportunities presented in the choice of areas and to manage research operations on the acquired blocks, which also involve statutory activity.

An oil company may work for many years on a proposed area before an exploration well is prepared and during this period the geological history of the area is studied. Indeed, exploration is a risky activity and the management of exploration assets and associated operations is a major task for oil companies.

Extraction/Production

The extraction of petroleum is the process by which usable petroleum is drawn out from beneath the earth’s surface location through the well.

Separation

Liquid hydrocarbons/Oil extracted from the wells are separated from the non-saleable components such as water and solid residuals. Natural gases are often processed onsite while oil is piped to a processing unit for separation.

What do you mean by onshore and offshore?

The meaning of the term Offshore is the islands in the open sea belonging to a country. The setup installed in the ocean on the floating platform for the extraction of the oil is called offshore.

Onshore means the setup installed on dry land for oil extraction /drilling/production. Onshore drilling accounts for 70 % of the total oil production.

Midstream Oil and Gas Industry

Midstream Oil and Gas Industry includes those companies that are focused on transportation and storage. They are responsible for moving the extracted raw materials from upstream industries to refineries to process the oil and gas. Midstream oil and gas companies are characterized by shipping, trucking, pipeline fleets, and storing raw materials. The midstream oil and gas sector is also marked by high regulation, particularly on pipeline transmission, and low capital risk. This sector is also naturally dependent on the success of upstream oil and gas companies.

Key Points of Midstream Oil and Gas

Midstream oil and gas refers to the stage in the oil production process that falls between upstream and downstream.
Midstream Oil and gas includes key activities like storage and transportation of Crude Oil.
They are specialized in storage and fleet management.

Downstream Oil and Gas Industry

The Downstream Oil and Gas Industry are those which is responsible for processing, transporting, marketing, and selling refined products made from crude oil. It is dependent upon upstream and midstream oil and gas sectors. Thousands of products to end-user/ customers around the globe are provided by the downstream oil and gas industry. Many products are familiar such as gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, kerosene, heating oil, and asphalt for roads, etc.

Key Points of the Downstream Oil and Gas Industry

Downstream oil and gas operations are the processes that deal with converting Crude oil into finished products.
Companies that handle operations in the downstream oil and gas sector are closest to the customers.
An over-production of crude oil in the upstream section may benefit the downstream oil and gas companies.

Products from Oil and Gas Industry

After extracting the crude oil from beneath the Earth, it is refined and different parts are separated into usable petroleum products. The majority of these products include

gasoline
jet fuel
diesel fuel and heating oil
petroleum feedstocks
lubricating oils
waxes
asphalt, etc.

Fuel oil and gasoline or petrol are the largest volume products from the oil and gas industry. The above-mentioned products are directly obtained from the oil and gas industry. But if we consider the by-products from the oil and gas or petroleum industry then there will be thousands of products. The majority of the items we use in our daily life has some connection to the petroleum industry. To give a few examples all the following products have a link to the oil and gas industry:

Natural Gas
Clothing (acrylic, rayon, vegan leather, polyester, nylon, and spandex) and Shoes
Cleansers
Electronics like speakers, smartphones, computers, cameras, televisions, etc
Sports Equipment (basketballs, golf balls and bags, football helmets, surfboards, skis, tennis rackets, and fishing rods)
Safety Gears
Plastic Pipes
Construction materials
Medicines (Bandages, Aspirin, artificial limbs, hearing aids, dentures, heart valves, etc)
Toilet Seats, Bathtubs, Shower stalls, curtains,
Laundry baskets,
Credit cards,
Piano keys,
Ink, disposable diapers, balloons, bubble gum,
Health and beauty products (perfume, hair dye, cosmetics (lipstick, makeup, foundation, eyeshadow, mascara, eyeliner), hand lotion, toothpaste, soap, shaving cream, deodorant, combs, shampoo, eyeglasses, and contact lenses.)
Household items like paints, pillows, non-stick pans, detergents, etc.

Top Oil and Gas Companies of the World

In this world, there are more than 200 oil and gas companies that operate in various countries. However, there are only a few key players in the oil and gas industry market that control the overall oil and gas market of the world. The following list contains 25 such big oil and gas industry market leaders.

China Petroleum & Chemical Corporation or Sinopec, China– $424bn (As per 2020 estimates)
China National Petroleum Corporation (CNPC), China – $396bn
PetroChina, China – $360bn
Royal Dutch Shell, Netherlands – $345bn
Saudi Arabian Oil (Saudi-Aramco), Saudi Arabia – $330bn
BP, UK – $278bn
Exxon Mobil, US – $265bn
Total, France – $200bn
Chevron Corporation, USA – $146.5bn
Rosneft Oil Corporation, Russia – $140bn

Other big Oil and Gas companies are:

Valero, US
Gazprom, Russia
Phillips 66, US
Kuwait Petroleum Corporation, Kuwait
Lukoil, Russia
Eni, Italy
Pemex, Mexico
National Iranian Oil Co (NIOC), Iran
JX Holdings, Japan
Marathon Petroleum, US
Petrobas, Brazil
Equinor, Norway
PTT, Thailand
Indian Oil Corporation, India
Reliance Industries, India

Future of Oil and Gas or Petroleum Industry

The research done by Deloitte shows that more than 14% of permanent employees were laid off in the US in the year 2020 with no recovery. The same trend of layoff is continuing in the year 2021 as well. At the same time, COVID-19 is increasing significantly in all countries impacting the economy throughout. So, What will be the future of the Oil and Gas or Petroleum sector post-COVID scenario?

Experts believe the same downturn of the oil and gas industry will continue to increase as it will face challenges from the following:

The reduced cost of Electric Vehicles due to innovation and batteries is a huge threat to the petroleum industry.
Natural gas power plants are threatened by the clean energy portfolios of wind, solar, and battery storage energies.
Ongoing research on green hydrogen is also a major threat.
Climate policies are canceling major oil and gas industry expansions.

All these new technologies and climate policies are providing a green signal to renewable energy companies. So, the future of the oil and gas industry is not that promising.

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