Frequently asked questions

Third-party inspection is inspection by an organisation independent of both the manufacturer and the buyer, carried out on the buyer’s behalf at the manufacturer’s works to check that equipment meets the purchase order and specification.

In oil & gas procurement they usually mean the same thing: inspection at the vendor’s premises on behalf of the buyer. Vendor and source inspection describe where it happens; third-party describes who does it.

Per inspector-day, quoted before the assignment, with long-distance travel itemised. Send the PO, ITP and vendor location for a quote within one business day.

Yes. We act as the local inspection partner in China for international agencies, working on their forms and procedures.

Yes. We do not sell equipment, act as sourcing agents or take commissions from vendors.

Desk expediting follows the order by email and phone with the vendor. Field expediting adds visits to the workshop to see what has actually been produced, which is more reliable when the vendor's reports are optimistic.

Yes. Combining them saves travel cost, and the inspector already knows the order. We report progress and quality separately so each goes to the right person.

We witness and review NDT carried out by the manufacturer or its NDT contractor, and our inspectors can perform PMI and ultrasonic thickness checks. Where independent testing is needed, we arrange it through accredited laboratories.

Yes. We witness sampling, specimen marking and testing at the laboratory, so the results can be traced back to the heat or lot.

When the manufacturer has inspection activities on most working days, for example a pipe mill campaign, a large vessel package or a module yard. At that point, daily presence costs less than repeated visits and avoids production waiting for the inspector.

From a few weeks to more than a year. We plan rotations and cover leave so the position is never empty during production.

Yes, where we have inspectors holding the approval your project requires. Tell us the approval scheme and discipline and we will send matching CVs.

The quality management system, workshop equipment and capacity, welding and NDE capability, test facilities and calibration, sub-supplier control and recent references for similar equipment.

We use ISO 9001 as the base and add the requirements of your project or operator, such as welding quality to ISO 3834 or specific approval questionnaires.

Pre-shipment inspection is a single check of finished goods. Vendor inspection follows the inspection and test plan through fabrication, with visits at hold and witness points such as material review, fit-up, NDE, pressure tests and FAT, as well as the final release.

We quote per inspector-day, including travel within the agreed area, and itemise any long-distance travel separately. You receive the quote before the first visit, based on your PO, ITP and the vendor's location.

The inspector sends a short flash report with the result and photos on the day of the visit. The full report in your format follows, normally within 24 hours.

Yes. We report on your forms, your project's forms or our standard format, in English.

Yes. We confirm that the certificate is valid, that it covers the equipment model, gas group and temperature class on your datasheet, and that the marking on the equipment matches the certificate.

A factory acceptance test (FAT) is a run of the equipment at the manufacturer against an agreed procedure, before shipment, to prove that it works as specified. We witness each step and sign the FAT record or raise punch items.

Mill surveillance means an inspector works at the pipe mill for the length of a production campaign, witnessing tests at the frequency set in the ITP rather than making a single final visit.

Yes. For PSL2 and offshore orders, the first-day production or procedure qualification test is usually a hold point. We witness sampling, testing and the review of results before production is released.

Yes. The inspector measures surface roughness on raised faces and ring grooves with a roughness comparator or profilometer and compares it with the range in ASME B16.5 or the PO.

Yes. Trading companies often consolidate items from several plants. We inspect at each plant or at the consolidation warehouse, and report traceability item by item.

We measure wall thickness with an ultrasonic gauge at the extrados, intrados and ends of a sample of elbows and tees, then compare readings with the minimum wall for the schedule.

Under UG-99 the standard hydrostatic test pressure is at least 1.3 times the maximum allowable working pressure, multiplied by the ratio of allowable stress at test temperature to allowable stress at design temperature. The inspector checks the calculated value on the test procedure before the test starts.

No. The Authorized Inspector works for the fabricator's insurance or inspection agency and certifies code compliance for the U stamp. We act for the buyer, checking your specification, drawings and quality requirements, which go beyond the code.

A typical vessel needs four to six visits, set by the hold and witness points in your ITP, such as document review, fit-up, NDE review, hydrotest and final inspection. Large or critical equipment may justify a resident inspector instead.

The inspector records the result, marks the test as not accepted and issues a non-conformance. The manufacturer usually trims the impeller or corrects the issue and repeats the test, which we witness again.

Video witnessing is possible if the buyer and project allow it, but most specifications require an inspector at the test bench for hold points. We can combine an on-site inspector with a live video feed for your engineer.

Yes. Packages contain valves, instruments, pumps and vessels from sub-suppliers. We can inspect key sub-supplier items at their own factories before they arrive at the package vendor.

For small skids, one experienced mechanical inspector with support for the FAT is usually enough. For large modules we assign mechanical, electrical and instrument inspectors at the relevant stages.

Yes. Trial assembly is often a hold point for pipe racks and modules. The inspector checks overall dimensions, bolt hole alignment and connection fit before the steel is dismantled for shipping.

Yes. We measure coating thickness against ISO 1461 or ASTM A123 and check for bare spots, ash and drainage defects.

The inspector confirms the test medium, test pressure and hold time against API 598 or API 6D, checks that the gauge is calibrated and correctly ranged, watches for shell leakage and records seat leakage for each closure test before signing the test report.

Yes. We use handheld XRF analysers to verify the alloy of bodies, bonnets, stems and trim on stainless, duplex and alloy valves, and record the readings against the specified grade.

A final inspection of one batch at one factory is usually one inspector-day. Large orders, 100% witnessing or multiple test benches take longer. We confirm the man-days after reviewing your PO and inspection and test plan.

We review the API 607, API 6FA or ISO 15848-1 type test certificates and check that the valve design, size and pressure class are covered. These are type tests, so they are not repeated for each order.