Problems with compressor installation and piping
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Recently, our company has installed several reciprocating compressors. Regarding the installation issues: 1. Who is responsible for installing the compressor itself – the installation company or the equipment manufacturer? As for the pipelines that fall under the responsibility of the equipment manufacturer (such as the circulating oil system, oil injection system, water circuits, and gas circuits), should the installation company handle their installation or the equipment manufacturer? If this isn’t specified in the contract, then it’s unclear who should take care of these tasks. If the installation company is responsible, it claims that certain costs should be covered by the equipment manufacturer; what exactly is the situation here? Those with experience in this area, please share your insights；
The piping for the equipment itself is installed by the equipment manufacturer; if the manufacturer does not carry out the installation, it is entrusted to an installation company, which charges a fee for this service.
1. It’s best for the equipment manufacturer to be responsible for both the compressor unit and the motor; if they are installed separately, problems are likely to arise, and disputes will ensue when issues occur. 2. If nothing is specified, it means no agreement has been reached, and they certainly won’t install them for you. What’s the purpose of a contract then? It is best for the construction party to be responsible for the oil, gas, and water pipelines, with the client providing the materials
It is generally carried out in accordance with the terms of the contract; there will be a breakdown of tasks among the parties involved. If none is provided, it will need to be resolved through negotiation
There is also a very important question: the contract should include instructions for installation and commissioning. It should be specified whether it is a turnkey project; if so, you can take possession of the system after 72 hours of trial operation.
It depends on how the compressor is packaged in a skid. For example, the compressor’s lubricating oil cooler and fuel gas filter are located outside the skid; therefore, the piping manufacturer is not responsible for these external devices and the compressor, as the placement of such external devices is determined by site conditions – the distance from the compressor and its orientation must all be determined based on the actual site conditions. In such cases, the piping manufacturer cannot handle it, and it falls to the installation contractor to take care of it.
According to the terms of your contract, if there is no agreement with the manufacturer regarding installation, it is generally the installation company that carries out the installation in accordance with the specifications and the manufacturer’s technical documents, with the manufacturer sending personnel to provide technical guidance.
Our company specializes in compressors, oil pipelines, and chemical cleaning
How is a technical agreement established? The pipelines within the scope of supply are definitely to be installed by the equipment manufacturer; otherwise, who can be held responsible if the individual unit tests fail? The installation company also has a defined scope of work when taking on the project, and any ambiguity in this regard will surely affect the quality of installation as well as the project timeline.
1. The installation of the compressor is definitely the responsibility of the installation company (lifting, positioning, alignment, grouting, curing), and the disassembly of the unit is also carried out by the fitters from the installation company, with guidance from the manufacturer’s technical staff in special cases. 2. There are several scenarios for the installation of auxiliary pipelines: (1) When the drawings specify the workload, an installation company is responsible for the installation, and the cost is calculated based on the drawings ； (2) If the drawings do not specify the workload but it is specified in the contract, the party as specified shall be responsible for the installation ； (3) In cases where neither the drawings nor the contract specify it, the manufacturer is responsible for the installation.