Pre-Commissioning Surveys
Inspection of new thermoplastic and GRP tanks before they enter service, so fabrication faults are found on the ground rather than after the asset is holding product.
About pre-commissioning surveys
A new thermoplastic or GRP tank is only as good as its fabrication. Poor welds, incomplete lay-up, undercure and lining defects are all far cheaper to correct before the tank is in service than after it has been filled, connected and commissioned.
A pre-commissioning survey checks the asset against its specification before it goes into service. We examine the fabrication and welds, spark test linings and welds for pinholes and discontinuities, and confirm that the material, build and fittings match what was specified. The aim is simple, to find faults before commissioning rather than after.
Carrying this out at handover also gives you a clean baseline. The as-installed condition recorded here is what every future in-service inspection is measured against.
Survey scope
A pre-commissioning scope is set by the tank design, the fabrication method and the specification it is being built to. A typical scope includes:
- Close visual inspection of the shell, welds and joints
- Fabrication and weld quality assessment
- Spark (holiday) testing of linings and welds
- Hardness testing to confirm cure state
- Wall thickness verification against specification
- Check of nozzles, fittings and connections
- Verification of material and build against the specification
- Baseline record of as-installed condition
Why survey before commissioning
Cheaper to fix early
A weld or lining defect corrected before commissioning costs a fraction of the same defect found once the tank is in service.
Confidence at handover
Verifying the build against specification confirms you are accepting the asset you actually paid for.
A clean baseline
The as-installed condition becomes the reference point for every in-service inspection that follows.
Reporting and recommendations
Every pre-commissioning survey produces a clear report setting out the findings, any defects identified and how the as-installed asset compares against its specification, with recommendations prioritised by risk.
Where a defect is found, we set out what it means and what needs to be put right before the tank enters service. The report also stands as the baseline record of as-installed condition, written by the inspector who carried out the work.
Related inspection services
Commissioning a new plastic or GRP tank?
Speak with our team about a pre-commissioning survey before the asset enters service.