Storage Facility
P-11111-B Storage Facility
In late 2022 Vibe.FX was contacted by a client requesting an inspection on 4 multi-stage vertical turbine pumps that had been sitting dormant for 72 months after initial installation. Because these assets had not been put into service and were brand new, the client wanted to verify installation prior to startup to ensure there would be no unforeseen issues due to the 72 month delay in startup.
During inspection it was noted that the grouting had not bonded to the bases and there were multiple cracks due to improper installation. Upon removal of all 4 sole plates it was found that the vertical risers were not the proper height, the bases were installed upside down and plastic shimming was used to level the bases.
Final determination was that the contractor used to install the 4 multi-stage vertical turbine pumps did not follow the recommended API 686 standards.
This included a number of common recommended practices including the use of check sheets, secondary witnessing and hold points. The result for the client was additional costs incurred and lost production during the removal and proper reinstallation of the 4 multi-stage vertical turbine pumps in order to achieve optimal performance and production of their facility.
The potential risks had these issues not been addressed and corrected include lost production into the millions of dollars range, danger to the environment and neighboring communities as well as additional downtime to the complete facility.
