Technical Assurance Services

T&D Design Authority

Germanischer Lloyd – Service/Product Description

Germanischer Lloyd – Service/Product Description

T&D Design Authority Contents

Service Title: Technical Assurance Services Page 3 Service Description and Values Generated

Lead Practice: GL Technical Assurance (Germany) Pages 4 - 8 Detailed Method Statement

The detailed method statements explain how the

work is conducted, which inputs are required and
which outputs and results can be expected.

a: Design Consultancy Service

b: Competent Design Authority

Pages 9 - 11 Case Studies and Examples

a: Design Authority Report on Overhead Lines &

Substation Close to High Pressure Gas Pipeline

b: Replacement Water Heating System at City Gate

Above Ground Installation (AGI)
c:
Optimisation of High Pressure Venting on HP Gas
Sites

2
 SERVICE DESCRIPTION

Service Description
and Values Generated:
The increased demand for gas services worldwide also increases
demand for design expertise and know how. When gas is brought to
market via cross-country high pressure pipelines it is important to
ensure that the pipelines, associated plant and storage equipment are
designed to the highest National and International Standards.

a. Germanischer Lloyd (GL) offers a consultancy service that

provides solutions to the mechanical, electrical,
instrumentation, software and civil design-related issues
involved in the construction of high pressure pipelines,
storage equipment and pressure reduction plant. This
service is used by clients to support Feasibility, Conceptual
and Front End Engineering Design (FEED) studies.

b. GL acts as Competent Design Authority for the UK’s major

gas transporter, providing detailed design assessment and
appraisal of engineers engaged both internally and
externally by the company.

3
DETAILED METHOD STATEMENT

a. Design Consultancy Service Pipeline Feasibility

How: GL produce feasibility, conceptual and FEED studies
to support commercial and technical pipeline project
delivery. Perform gas network analysis and develop
routing and costing options.
Input: User project scope requirements.
Output: Optimum design solution for pipeline projects.
GL evaluate the technical and economic issues that determine the
connection of new gas supplies to existing or new gas networks. The
aim of a feasibility study is to determine the likelihood that gas
supplies can be made available. This will involve an estimate of land
requirements, the impact of the pipeline construction on the
environment demonstrated by a Preliminary Environmental Impact
assessment and identification of any relevant geographical and
archaeological features that would be met in the pipeline construction
phase.

Typically, a preliminary analysis of gas demand is undertaken and this

feeds into a Pipeline Investment Appraisal to examine demand growth
profiles with key inputs of:

 Capital costs

 Operating costs of the pipeline

 Annual and peak day transportation tariffs

 Annual demand volumes and growth during the pipeline

life cycle

GL have undertaken a large number of Feasibility studies for clients

both in the UK and worldwide. Customers include National Grid (UK),
Premier Gas (NI) and DEPA (Greece).

GL are involved in shaping legislation and standards that impact on

pipeline codes and standards, including the areas of pipeline design,
construction and operations. Important new legislation can be shaped
by GL’s input and advice, as we are recognised in the UK as being
among the leading experts in the field. An example is where GL
provided valuable expertise in assessing the impact of the European
ATEX regulations in the UK.

4

Develop Conceptual Study
The following elements are just some of the considerations in
producing a conceptual report on a pipeline project:
 Pipeline Design Premise - the design code of practice
together with relevant specifications will be chosen at this
stage.
 Pipeline Route Selection - The study should develop any
route options identified in the Feasibility study. The routes
should be the shortest and most economic, taking
account of ground conditions and environmental impact.
The route will seek to avoid sensitive areas, areas of
special scientific interest, forestry and wetlands. At this
stage, pipe dumps and proposed above ground
installations are considered.
 Pipeline Construction Considerations - The report will
include all major road, river and rail pipeline crossings.
 Pipeline Construction Budget and Schedule - A budget
cost estimate is done. The estimate will have an accuracy
of typically +/_ 10% and will lay down construction and
commissioning timescales for the project.
 Planning, Legislation and Consultation - Legal
considerations, such as the UK Gas Act, European
Environmental and Planning legislation plus Health and
Safety Legislation are identified and considered at this
stage.
DETAILED METHOD STATEMENT
Front End Engineering Design (FEED)
The FEED study will result in detailed engineering designs and the
determination of a fixed price for project investment and will form
the basis of for the award of a turnkey contract for Engineering
Procurement and Construction (EPC).
The full range of design services is supplied by GL. We currently
employ Engineers in all pipeline disciplines and provide expertise in
pipeline design and routing, design of associated above ground
installations such as pig-traps, pressure reduction stations and
metering installations.
The full range of electrical services are provided including the design
of earthing systems for pipelines and installations, over-voltage
protection of equipment form AC faults, lighting and switching
transients. The design of the E&I systems are based on the gas
industry standards/codes of practice.
GL’s Electrical and Instrumentation engineers define, develop and
document the processes in designing safety-related instrument
systems to reduce the risk of a hazardous event and eliminate the risks
by defining the safety functions to be provided.
GL’s civil engineers provide design services that draw on their expertise
in structural steelwork, concrete, pipeline protection slabs, roads and
drainage. They can be called upon to provide expert advice on
specifications and standards for the design, testing and construction
of civil and structural works on high pressure pipelines and
installations.
Equipment design and selection of items that include gas heaters,
regulators, valves, pipes, tees and fittings are undertaken by
GL’s experts in Pressure Control and storage. This includes the
knowledge of LNG and LP gas holder storage equipment. Our PCS
(Pressure Control and Storage) engineers are also engaged in
formulating standards by active involvement on IGEM (Institute of
Gas Engineers & Managers) committees plus CEN committees.
5
DETAILED METHOD STATEMENT

Pipeline Lifecycle

The diagram below shows a typical pipeline lifecycle and also the
areas where the Transmission and Control design team provide
expertise and input, namely the DESIGN BASIS DOCUMENT and
QUALITY PLAN, the SAFETY and ENVIRONMENT DESIGN and the
PRESSURISED SYSTEM DESIGN.

6

b. Competent Design Authority
How: By the use of a formal Modification Control
Procedure to control every phase of work from
design, to commissioning and record retention. This
will ensure compliance with industry standards and
legislation, in particular, the Pressure Systems Safety
Regulations 2000, Pipeline Safety Regulations 1996,
Electricity at Work Regulations 1989 and the
Construction and Design (Management) Regulations
1994.
Input: Customer design submissions
Output: New works and modifications carried out to existing
plant / equipment located on operational gas sites
are conducted in an appropriate manner to meet
industry standards and legislation requirements.
DETAILED METHOD STATEMENT
Process
GL uses a formal design appraisal process.
The design appraisal process applies to ALL works on pipeline pressure
systems and is applied to all disciplines. It applies to ALL Instrument,
Electrical and Software systems, not just those attached to pressure
systems. The role of the Competent Design Authority (CDA) is
undertaken by GL Engineers when applied to NG designs and
modifications. GL, as an organisation, has unrivalled experience in
this area due to the fact that we have undertaken in the region of
hundreds of design reviews, design audits, design appraisals and
assessments over the full range of disciplines such as Mechanical, Civil,
Electrical, Instrumentation, Software, Process, CP and Safety. We are
the appointed Competent Design Authority in ALL these disciplines.
We believe no other organisation has the depth and breadth of
expertise in this field as we have written, applied and amended the
process and have briefed the process out to National Grid (NG) and
it’s design organisations including Mouchel Parkman GEL, AMEC,
SERCK (approximately 12 design organisations in total).
The benefits of having GL perform this role as a single organisation,
are:-
1. Customer Service. Our design appraisers have ready
access to all of GL’s highly qualified and experienced
engineers.
2. Compliance. It is a fundamental element of the design
appraisal process that compliance to National and
International codes and specs are implemented. A major
benefit from using GL as the CDA is that our engineers
and staff write and update many specifications in their
daily work as well as undertaking assessments and
appraisals.
3. Control of the Business. The design process, if badly
managed, can cost a company both financially and by
harming their reputation. GL have long experience of gas
industry design.
7
DETAILED METHOD STATEMENT

GL work in accordance with the following UK industry documents: Systems

 IGE/GL/5 Plant Modification Procedures.
 T/PR/G/19 Management Procedure for
Application of Model Design Appraisals.
The systems to control design appraisal process are a primarily a
number of specially developed databases and a national register. For
NG Gas’ instance, GL manages and administers an Appraiser/Approver register,
to formally register Approvers and Appraisers previously assessed as
being competent to do design appraisals and approvals.

The way GL controls the management of the CDA role is as follows: The number and types of design appraisal are held on a Pressure
Systems database which can track that status of a design appraisal at
 By the implementation of the Management Procedure for any given point in the process, as each design appraisal has a unique
Control of Modifications T/PR/G17. pressure systems identifier.

 By the establishment of the Competent Design Authority

for all disciplines.

 By the assessment and interview process for the

appointment of Approvers and Appraisers.

 By the registration and control of Approvers and

Appraisers, including establishment and maintenance of
the national register.

 By the implementation of a Deviation Procedure for

unavoidable non-compliances with National standards.

 By the implementation of an Audit process to ensure

compliance with requirements and make
recommendations for the improvement of the design
appraisal process.

GL developed an original design appraisal process, in partnership with

the UK’s major gas transporter, NG, and currently controls the
assessment and appointment of Appraisers and Approvers of all
disciplines. The design appraisal process has recently been expanded
by GL to include LNG plant as well as pipelines, AGIs and storage.

GL work to enhance and improve the design appraisal process by

expanding the assessment and appointment process to include, for
example, commissioning engineers. This would be part of a staged
process to make sure that all engineers involved in a role of design
appraisal will have been formally assessed as to their competence in
the role.

GL undertake training and assessment seminars specifically aimed at

design engineers to develop companies’ in-house capability to
undertake a greater amount of design appraisal in-house. This will
have a positive impact on costs and project timescales by eliminating
some of the requirement to externally source design expertise and at
the same time increase the engineering competence of staff. This
benefits a company’s business performance by adopting best practice
to manage value for money.

8

a. Design Authority Report on Overhead Lines & Substation
Close to a High Pressure Gas Pipeline
Date: 2007
Customer: National Grid
Savings: Risk mitigation
Issue:
AGI built too close to high voltage power lines.
Resolution:
Examine implications on Cathodic Protection system
Method:
Site survey and report on findings
Forsbrook 132kV Substation:
HV Overhead lines & Primary Substation close to HP pipeline
Sub - Issue 1
NG Procedure ECP/2 states that overhead lines (132kV or greater)
running in parallel with a gas pipeline should be avoided or at least
minimised. The procedure gives separation distances for the overhead
line and pipeline and the distance that parallelism applies.
The length of the overhead line and pipelines parallelism was
measured on a scaled drawing and found to be in the region of
4.9km, with a distance between the overhead line and gas pipeline
measured as 75.2m.
Procedure also ECP/2 indicates that for parallelisms greater than 3km,
the separation distance between the overhead line and the
underground gas pipeline should be 500m. Distances closer than that
recommended in ECP/2 could give rise to both current density and
voltages on the pipeline.
Recommendation
NG should ensure that Procedure ECP/2 is made available and
understood by all parties contracted to work on Substations and
overhead lines in the proximity of pipelines.
Sub - Issue 2
Overhead power lines can generate values of current density greater
than 100 A/m² on pipelines with the subsequent risk from AC corrosion.
At values of current density 30 A/m² the corrosion risk is uncertain.
CASE STUDIES
Recommendation
Consideration should be given to measuring any standing voltages
and current densities on the pipeline.
Sub - Issue 3
Insulation Joints are typically installed on a pipeline as it leaves the
AGI’s/PRS’s prior to the pipe-work heading belowground. Typically
insulating joints on a 69 BAR pipeline are tested at the manufacturers
in dry conditions to 3kV where they do not breakdown and pass
current. However when damp and in a working environment the
insulation joints are considered to be good for 2kV.
GL considered given to two possible scenarios for the failure of the In-
sulation Joints:
Earth Fault - Earthing Risk Management’s document ERM R202 covers
risk to CP operators from an earth fault on the 132kV system at the
substation (the risk being within the broadly acceptable region – of 1
in 1.2m). The report also demonstrates that the voltage levels along
the gas pipeline fall off over distance and by the time they are at the
insulation joints at both ends of the gas pipeline (i.e. AGI’s/PRIs) they
have fallen away to under 185 volts.
Recommendation
This level of voltage is well below the breakdown value of the
insulating joint so therefore no voltage from a Substation fault should
find its way onto the AGI.
Sub - Issue 4
Lightning strike – A lightning strike on the 132kV or 33kv overhead
lines. A lightning strike on these lines could travel and earth itself at
the primary substation. The magnitude of the voltage and hence
current from the lightning strike could be higher than that from a
fault as mentioned above, with the potential to produce a voltage
large enough to breakdown the insulation joint with the subsequent
potential explosion risk and instrument damage at the AGI.
Recommendation
NG should take steps to mitigate the risk of lighting strikes.
9
 CASE STUDIES

b. Replacement Water Heating System at City Gate AGI

Date: 2006
Customer: National Grid
Savings: Improvement in safety and efficiency

Issue:

Existing heating system is old and 50% efficient

Resolution:

Increase thermal efficiency of the system:

Method:

Provide a ‘Fit for Purpose’ design, inclusive of appropriate calculations, etc

To include:

 Design for the installation of the new heat exchangers,

to replace the existing water bath heaters.  Full Civil and Mechanical design appraisal of works.

 Design for the installation of the boilerhouse unit.
 Design for the installation of the boiler gas breakdown
system.
 Design the water and gas pipework between the
boilerhouse, heat exchangers and boiler gas breakdown
feed system.
 Provide Technical Support to Clients’ Site Personnel and
Construction Contractor.
 Produce ‘as-laid’ package after installation complete,
installation and commissioning by others.
 Produce on behalf of the client an initial Pre-Tender HS&E
Plan.

 Assess existing support slabs.  Produce a compliant stress analysis report on the new site
to IGE/TD/12.
 Design new slabs, supports and support bases as
required, installation and construction by others.  Produce hazardous area classification for complete site to
IGE/SR/25.
 Design new raft type foundation for boiler house unit,
installation and construction by others.

10
 CASE STUDIES

c. Optimisation of High Pressure Venting on HP Gas Sites

Date: 2006
Customer: National Grid
Savings: Noise reduction and efficiency improvements

Issue:

High levels of noise associated with operational venting of high

pressure gas from gas compressor stations.

Resolution:

Examine existing practice for venting gas for routine and maintenance
operations.

Method:

Complete a design review of high pressure venting to include

establishing a record of HP venting operations in the UK.

Conduct an investigation of engineering and procedural requirements

and practices benchmarking against standards and practices.

Develop methodologies for predicting and reducing noise from

venting, testing of silencers and/or development and testing of gas
capture devices for emissions reduction.

11
 Germanischer Lloyd
Industrial Services GmbH

Oil and Gas

Steinhöft 9
20459 Hamburg, Germany
Phone +49 40 36149-7700
Fax +49 40 36149-1781
glis@gl-group.com
Technical Assurance Services

 T&D Design Authority www.gl-group.com/glis

Germanischer Lloyd does not warrant or assume any kind of liability for the
up-to-date nature, accuracy, completeness or quality of the information provided.
Liability claims against Germanischer Lloyd arising out of or in connection with
material or non-material loss or damage caused by the use or non-use of information
provided, including the use of incorrect or incomplete information, are excluded
unless such loss or damage is caused by the proven wilful misconduct or grossly
negligent conduct of Germanischer Lloyd.
All offers are subject to alteration and are non-binding. Germanischer Lloyd expressly
reserves the right without notice to change, supplement or delete parts of the pages
or the entire offer or to stop the publication temporarily or definitively.

Issue no.001 15.05.2008