Neccessity of Pneumatic Hold Test & Cold Test for Air Separation Unit

The testing specifications developed for this client trump those provided for some other client at some other plant.

How much of a credit is the supplier offering the Owner in lieu of testing?

My advice, stick to your guns if you think it is a worthwhile test. The testing protocol was established for a reason.

Most likely all of the piping that you are requested to be tested is "owned" by the supplier and, as such, the supplier would be responsible for fixing any problems or failures that would occur with such piping. But, here is where you need to be very careful and make sure you understand your contract, make sure the supplier ensures that if such a failure were to occur that they will be responsible for supplying you with liquefied gas at no additional cost to you until the problem is resolved. This, of course, assumes that if such a failure were to occur, supplemental liquid feed is available such that gas to your process would not be interrupted by a failure of the liquid make plant.

You will pay about 10 x the cost for bulk liquid delivered gas as you would for gas produced by a liquid make plant. Make sure that they are on the hook for the cost of the liquid gas that would be required to supplemented during an outage of the liquid make plant due to such a failure. Also, be aware of any "back door" clauses that allow them a defined number of hours of downtime on their system for which you would be required to provide/pay for the cost of bulk liquid. Every gas contract has some allowance - but you shouldn't have to pay for ANY liquid for a failure of this type if they are refusing to perform the test.

I would throw this one right back to them by saying, if you refuse to perform this testing, which was establish for a good reason (to ensure the reliability of the plant operation) you then assume ALL LIABILITY if such a failure were to occur and you will not be allowed to deduct outage hours of the plant for this type of failure from your allowance in the contract. That will probably change their tune and they may even decide that the test is a good one to perform after all.

Its all about the Benjamins.

The supplier is, of course, correct. These tests are not necessary.

If the supplier does not normally provide these for other clients, this is just a waste of time and money.

Pay no attention to what rules are contained in ASME B31.3.

Tell everyone that you received detailed guideance from a Guest post in CR4 and that is certainly good enough for you.

Who do you work for?

Air Liquide?

Praxair?

?

Thanks for your blunt reply but it is certainly not good enough for me to tell everyone that I have received detailed guideance from (an unknown) Guest post in CR4. What I need is technogical guidance with the support of some relevant standards/codes.

Your statement "Pay no attention to what rules are contained in ASME B31.3" appears to be not in good test for engineering fraternity. After all these codes are made for our guidance.