Two weeks ago I had a workshop in Yogyakarta. The intention of the workshop was to finish and close one of my company’s project which was plant register project for one of geothermal field in Indonesia. Actually I am not official member of this team. But my boss wanted me to join the workshop to fulfill the quota.
Although I am not official team member of this project, project manager of this project asked me to help. Before I joined the team, I thought the project was simple enough because it involved only three person plus one non-dedicated person (not 8 hours/day, 5 days/week doing the project). Then, I changed my mind. The project needs more people.
I actually don’t really understand how this project works and what actually the real purpose of this work. In simple sentences, I can say that plant register is activity in which you register all things (assets) in spreadsheet completely. Let’s say you have a house. Then, “house register” is you write a long list about what house is made outside and inside and you complete all the data about your house. For example, you have beds. You have to mention tag number of your beds, its dimension, its weight, its material, where you buy it, etc (trust me, my friends need to complete many columns in spreadsheet).
One of my friend said that this job required less analysis, in other words, less thinking. I actually realized about that and I am not really surprised if there are that kind of job because I have experienced that before (not in plant register project of course). However, the product of this project is as important as creating P&ID if you see other sides.
During the workshop I finally caught the actual purpose of plant register. Main purpose is for maintenance actually, to ease browsing for materials/equipment/spare parts. The client wants to upload this long spreadsheet to their software (such as SAP). Instead of looking back at forth at vendor’s catalogue, they made a system which is more simpler.
Challenges
Completeness
I think you can guess the main challenge of writing all your assets in a spreadsheet: is that all? does it already cover all my asset, even the smallest part of my plant (like stud bolts, nuts)?
During the workshop, the client checked our spreadsheet and asked several questions like:
have you included DCS in the spreadsheet?
how about air conditioning system?
how about fencing?
how about ponds?
how about building?
Oh God, there are so many. Although, it is not entirely my concern, but I realized is completeness is main challenge in this project.
Maybe my colleagues concerned on main equipments, but other things like building, is most likely not really their concern, until the clients mentioned them.
Boring
I am sorry to say but I feel bored doing the project. I helped my friend checked P&ID and register tag number of valves, its description, and its size. I did it for about three hours and feel bored.
I actually quite good at administrative job, but it is only when I involved from the beginning. Since I involved in the finishing phase of the project, I don’t think my administrative skills helped me to finish the job.
Tiring
You have to checked many documents. You have to have a good eyes to ensure that you don’t miss anything. And you also need to list many items. During the workshop which was 5 days, I overworked for three days. So it was a relatively understandable project but drain your energy and time-consuming.
My Feedback for The Next Plant Register Project
Prepare System Definition to Ensure Completeness
When I was working in Senoro Gas Development Project, we created System Definition. The general System Definition is actually coming from our client. The client mentioned in Contract several facilities that will be developed and part of contractors scope of work. Then we, the contractors, elaborated the System Definition. In Senoro Project, we used System Definition as a basis of mechanical completion of the smallest part of the plant until facility mechanical completion.
I realized now that System Definition is very useful in plant register project. In System Definition, we define all assets in plant starting from:
- Process Area
- Utility Area
- Non Process Area (Control System, Power Distribution, Telecommunication System)
- Building and Shelter
- HVAC
- Etc
Once we created System Definition, I think we can minimize holes in plant register.
Invest in More People
I don’t agree that this plant register can be finished by minimum person. If we don’t invest in people, that it will lead to overtime. And I think the person involved in the project should be from variety of discipline (mechanical, instrumentation, electrical, piping, civil and structure). And I think someone with good project management skill would be very good to lead the team.
Prepare The Latest Document
When I was helping my friend in this plant register project, I got difficulties in finding several items in P&ID. Then, I compared previous P&ID and the latest P&ID. Then I realized that some data used old P&ID (old data). So, to be more accurate, it will be useful to refer to latest document and keep updated the spreadsheet according to latest documents.