1. Where the Saudi Aramco Line Class Designators and Service Code are be found?

It is found in SAES-L-105 and Project Piping Material Specification for the individual Packages followed by the
International Standard B31.3.

2. Break down the line class 6” – CA-127-1CS3C

6” = Pipe Size
CA = Drawing No.
127 = Drawing No.
1CS3C = 1 – 150 Flange Rating,
CS – Carbon Steel (Base Material),
3 – Corrosion Allowance (4.8mm) &
C - Caustic
3. What is a piping system?
A Piping system is a system which connects the equipment (Pressure vessel, Heat exchangers, pumps,
compressors and other fluid handling or processing equipment) which follows International Codes & Standards
based on the Industrial Application.

A piping system consists of the following.

1. Line Class
2. Service
3. Pressure Rating
4. Corrosion Allowance

4. How do you verify that the correct piping material is used?

It can be identified through the following ways
1. Heat No. Traceability with MTC
2. With Material ASTM Specification
3. Color Coding system
4. Positive Material Identification

5. What is often overlooked during orifice flange fabrication?

1. Orifice Tapping Hole orientation
2. Flow direction
3. Flush grinding after Welding
4. NDT after Flushing
5. Seal Welding of Orifice tapping with instrument connection
6. All parallel pipe lines with adjacent orifice fittings shall have a min spacing of 300 mm (12 in) between
flanges outside diameters if horizontal taps are required.
6. What are the common failures in the quality system during fit-up that leads to hydro-test failures?
1. Inappropriate Installation of Material used ( Base material, Thickness, Rating)
2. Internal Misalignment
3. Excess Root gap

7. What is the maximum diameter piping allowed in hazardous service?

Socket weld:- 2” for maintenance & minor modification & 1-½” for new construction

Threaded:- 1-½” for standard fitting & valve, and 2” maximum when required for maintenance, minor field minor
modification of existing piping system (SAES-L-110)

8. When a flange connects the pump or other equipment, is there any special tolerance involved?

For piping over 3-inch NPS and connected to machinery/equipment, flange alignment shall be within the
following limits unless piping analysis per SAES-L-120 shows that loads and moments are within the
manufacturer's limits for the machinery/equipment nozzle:
a) Vertical bolt hole offset: ± 2.4 mm
b) Horizontal bolt hole offset: ± 2.4 mm
c) Rotational offset: ± 2.4 mm
d) Flange face tilt across diameter: 0.025 mm per 25 mm (0.001 inch per inch) of flange outside
diameter up to a maximum of 0.672 mm (0.030 inch), and 0.254mm (0.010 inch) for all flanges with
an outside diameter less than 10 inches.
e) Flange face separation, gasket thickness: ± 1.6 mm
f) Combination of vertical, horizontal and rotational offset: ± 3.2 mm

9. What is required thread engagement for piping at Saudi Aramco and where can it be found?
The Minimum number of the engaged threads per nominal size is as follows.
1. For ½” and ¾” - 6 threads must be engaged
2. For 1” to 1 ½” - 7 threads must be engaged
3. For 2” to 3” - 8 threads must be engaged
10. How can an inspector determine if cold spring exists visually on a flanged section of pipe?
It can be determined, if the pipe is stressed mechanically like Bending, Twisting or Pulling. And it is not
acceptable.