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GIS 36-103
Applicability Group
Date 30 August 2006
GIS 36-103
BP GROUP
ENGINEERING TECHNICAL PRACTICES
30 August 2006 GIS 36-103
Guidance on Industry Standard for
Positive Materials Identification (PMI) for Pressure Vessels, Piping, and other Components
Foreword
This revision of Engineering Technical Practice (ETP) BP GIS 36-103 consists of clarifications
throughout the document. This Guidance on Industry Standard (GIS) is based on parts of heritage
documents from the merged BP companies as follows:
Amoco
A MM-TEST-PMI-G Metallic Materials—Test—Positive Material Identification—Guide.
A MM-TEST-PMI-S Metallic Materials—Test—Positive Material Identification—
Specification.
BP OUS
RP 20-1-4 PMI.
Copyright 2006, BP Group. All rights reserved. The information contained in this
document is subject to the terms and conditions of the agreement or contract under which
the document was supplied to the recipient’s organization. None of the information
contained in this document shall be disclosed outside the recipient’s own organization
without the prior written permission of Director of Engineering, BP Group, unless the
terms of such agreement or contract expressly allow.
Table of Contents
Page
Foreword ........................................................................................................................................ 2
1. Scope .................................................................................................................................... 4
2. Normative references............................................................................................................. 4
3. Terms and definitions............................................................................................................. 4
4. Symbols and abbreviations .................................................................................................... 5
5. PMI Personnel ....................................................................................................................... 6
6. General considerations .......................................................................................................... 6
7. Requirements ........................................................................................................................ 7
8. Custom and specialty engineered equipment and parts......................................................... 8
9. Field fabricated equipment and parts ..................................................................................... 8
10. Field piping ............................................................................................................................ 9
Bibliography .................................................................................................................................. 10
List of Tables
1. Scope
a. This GIS defines requirements for PMI of materials purchased for use either directly by the
owner or indirectly by fabricators or material suppliers. PMI includes verification of the
chemical composition of metals and visual examination of the manufacturer’s stamping
and MTR of materials and parts for construction or fabrication of pressure vessels, piping,
engineered equipment, and components. These include exchangers, vessels, pumps,
compressors, furnaces, pipe spools, pipe fittings, valves, pressure relief devices, instrument
control devices, welds, welding consumables, spiral wound and RTJ gaskets, claddings,
weld overlays, studs, bolts, nuts, elastomers, non-metallic materials, etc.
b. This GIS does not cover PMI requirements for existing or in-service engineered equipment
and components.
c. Any deviation from this GIS shall be brought to the attention of a BP Materials Engineer.
PMI is used to insure that the nominal chemical compositions of metals and non-
metallic components, which affect the pressure envelope of pressure containing
equipment and reliability of all equipment, conform to the materials specified. This
minimizes the potential for premature problems or failure of equipment and
components.
If only one type of high-alloy material is used and a good paper trail back to the
initial supplier/s is maintained, PMI generally is not needed because the potential of
mixing other types of alloy steel materials is remote. Paper trails are the customary
approach for verification of non-metallic materials. The need for specifying PMI
should be based on principle of total cost of ownership (TCO); refer to GP 36-10 for
guidelines of TCO.
2. Normative references
The following normative documents contain requirements that, through reference in this text,
constitute requirements of this technical practice. For the purpose of this document, only information
related to materials selection and application is intended for reference. For dated references,
subsequent amendments to, or revisions of, any of these publications do not apply. Parties to
agreements based on this technical practice are encouraged to investigate the possibility of applying
the most recent editions of the normative documents indicated below. For undated references, the
latest edition of the normative document referred to applies.
BP
GIS 36-107 Guidance on Industry Standard for Integral Cladding, Weld Overlay, and
Limited Loose Lining of Pressure Vessels and Components.
Alloy materials
Any metals other than carbon steel, cast or ductile iron, copper, and copper alloys.
Fabricator or vendor
The recipient of a purchase order for the supply of fabricated equipment or of components such as
valves, fittings, instruments, pumps, etc. The fabricator or vendor generally receives raw materials and
goods from the material supplier.
Heat
The primary melt of a metal: this generally determines the chemistry unless the heat or portions of the
heat undergo additional treating or refining. In that case, PMI chemistry is required of the altered
product.
Inspector
A BP appointed engineer or inspector.
Lot or batch
A quantity of the same or similar items made in a grouping, for example made at similar time, using
the same source components (such as steel from the same heat), and/or with same manufacturing
process.
Materials supplier
The recipient of a purchase order for the supply of raw materials and goods direct to BP or to a
fabricator or vendor.
Random examination
Random examination per this GIS shall include PMI examination of an entire inspection lot.
Spot examination
Spot examination per this GIS shall include PMI examination of a defined minimum percentage of
components that are not stamped with the correct stamp and/or colour coded. In addition PMI
examination shall be performed on any item designated by the Inspector.
5. PMI Personnel
6. General considerations
a. PMI results shall match the requirements of the material specified, or its approved
equivalent, for the component being tested.
b. Unless otherwise stated by BP, compliance with this GIS is the responsibility of the
fabricator or vendor and/or materials supplier(s).
c. The PMI procedure shall be approved by BP before beginning work or supplying
components and shall include a description of testing equipment, minimum personnel
requirements, calibration verification, and required surface preparation.
d. A BP inspector or a designated BP representative shall be provided documentation of PMI
procedures and PMI results required in this GIS.
e. All equipment, piping, and components shall meet the requirements of this GIS unless BP
provides prior agreement of waiver.
1. Equipment, piping, or components not meeting the requirements of this GIS shall be
rejected, quarantined, and entered into an NCR system of the fabricator/vendor or
material supplier as appropriate for disposition.
2. Non-compliance shall be reported to BP.
f. Any raw material or fabricated item purchased with PMI requirements that cannot be
traced to a PMI report, heat number, and/or MTR shall be rejected and placed in a holding
area pending a PMI examination.
1. PMI examination shall be at the fabricator’s, vendor’s, or material supplier’s cost.
2. Upon discovery of a second item not traceable to a PMI report and MTR, a deficiency
notice shall be written by the inspector and presented to the fabricator, vendor, or
material supplier, and BP.
g. If samples needed for analysis are cut from a component, the repair procedure shall be
approved by BP.
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Page 6 of 10
30 August 2006 GIS 36-103
Guidance on Industry Standard for
Positive Materials Identification (PMI) for Pressure Vessels, Piping, and other Components
7. Requirements
a. A program shall be established for material handling in the field before field construction
work on BP facilities consisting of following:
1. Storage facilities to segregate materials and parts by alloy content.
2. Inventory control on materials and parts used.
3. Procedures for transferring material stamping or marking to unused portions of
materials and parts (such as plates, pipes, and studs) before returning to storage.
b. Materials and parts shall be ordered from suppliers meeting the QC/QA program as
specified in clauses 5 and 7. If this requirement is not met, alloy materials and parts shall
be furnished with MTRs and shall be subject to 10% PMI before use.
c. Additional tracking for welds shall be as follows:
1. A minimum of 10% of field welds shall receive PMI.
2. If at any time, the inspector discovers unidentified welding consumables being used
on materials subject to PMI examination, the welds in question shall immediately be
placed on hold until such time that positive identification can be established using the
criteria in this GIS.
3. If weld consumables packaging does not meet the appropriate requirements of
clause 7 the inspector may require PMI examination of the weld consumables before
welding. The PMI shall consist of one test on one electrode from each batch number
or filler wire from each heat number. The remainder of the consumables shall be
examined to determine that colour coding, identification, and heat number are correct
and traceable to PMI accepted materials.
a. Field installations of alloy piping components shall receive 100% visual verification of
correct material stamping before painting or coating is applied and shall consist of:
1. Review of shop fabrication document(s) for evidence of shop verification of shop
fabricated components.
2. Review of correct material stamping or marking of field installed components
b. Unless otherwise specified, field verification of material identification need not include
utility piping and tubing for Class 300 and lower services.
c. Verification of pipe sections fabricated in a shop shall include:
1. Review of correct material stamping or marking after fabrication.
2. Sign off shop fabrication documents by person(s) performing visual examination
signifying correctness of materials used.
d. Visual verification of studs, bolts, and gaskets at time of assembly.
e. Welds of alloy piping components shall receive 10% PMI.
f. Welds of materials going into hydrogen or H2S service shall receive 10% PMI.
Table 1 – Common PMI examination requirements for components and fabricated equipment
Bibliography
[2] API RP 578 Material Verification Program for New and Existing Alloy Piping Systems.