In a typical process plant several utility streams are invariably used in order to meet the process flow

as per design values and to meet quality parameters.

Typical utility streams are listed as follows:

 Steam
 Instrument Air
 Plant Air
 Nitrogen
 Drinking water
 Tempered Cooling water
 Seawater
 Fuel gas or fuel oil system
 Desalinated water/Demineralised water

Some utilities like Nitrogen acts as an inert medium in chemical storage tanks to avoid contamination
as well as prevent explosive mixture formation in vapour space. Utilities like steam is used for power
generation, heating requirements of process streams, tracing systems and as a prime mover for
rotating equipment. Instrument and plant air are vital for keeping the plant operations and to ensure
the instrumentation systems functionality.

In order to produce steam at different pressure values the quality of boiler feed water varies as well
and so the treatment methodology also will vary accordingly. Starting from desalination steps of sea
water it can follow treatment through softening beds or anion, cation and mixed beds ion exchanger
beds. In order to reprocess the condensate stream so recovered it will have to undergo polishing steps.

In addition due to environmental issues, the need to properly handle the process effluents are also
becoming an area of concern. Depending upon the contaminants presence they need to undergo
several treatment steps before they are discharged to the final outfall.

In case of atmospheric emissions the need to monitor furnace chimneys and boiler stacks arises.

Scope for an audit for utility streams makes sense in the present context and there always remains
areas to study, assess and evaluate the current operational practices, parameters with reference to
the design parameters.

In spite of the best design principles and safety exercises that might have gone into the plant evolution
there will always be some grey areas that might have slipped through from the time of construction
and commissioning up to the present operation phase.

By comparing the current operational parameters, work culture etc., from a third party view one can
come out with required guidelines in tune with other similar sister concerns to adapt the best practices
being followed elsewhere.

An audit can result in improvisation of operational efficiency, reliability and improved safety features
of a facility. It can also bring forth the unknown issues which might have been overlooked for whatever
reasons and give an opportunity to find the right solutions to be implemented.

An audit can also bring out the deficiency in competence of staff who are entrusted with taking
emergency measures in safe start up and shut down of such facilities. It can highlight actionable items
to the higher management for training and retraining needs for the staff involved.
The following areas are typical cases where an audit will make an impact to see where we may get
the benefit out of it:

 Steam header pressure management and controls adequacy. (We can assess the system
response during a disturbance due to process or trip of an equipment. We can study the
response of control systems and the pressure surges)
 Condensate recovery efficiency and losses
 Blow down systems and make up water demand.
 Quality give away in boiler feed water systems.
 Steam let down stations consumption during non- demand periods as well as response to load
swings.
 Nitrogen plant operational efficiency as well as consumption pattern
 Inappropriate uses of plant air and instrument air leading to overloading of compressors.
 Waste water treatment plant operational issues.
 Chemical consumption figures.
 Steam balance and rotating equipment operational philosophy.
 Optimum utilisation of available resources and scope for improvisation
 Operational practices during equipment changeovers.
 Adherence to SOPs’ and mandatory guidelines.
 Log reporting and hand overs between staff during shift crew change over.
 Job knowledge
 Lessons learnt
 ESD procedures and trouble shooting skills for major emergency scenarios.
 Training requirements.