Hi,

I’ve carried out a number of offshore piping surveys, but as a still fairly inexperienced piper of 2 years I am aware that I may not be doing things as well as I could be or as efficiently. I have never really been taught surveying techinques and only had one survey where I was accompanied by an experienced piper.

I have since carried out 7 or 8 site surveys which have mostly gone very well. But I always find when I arrive on site as I am still fairly inexperienced it seems to take me a fair amount of time to get my bearings and be able to identify what the equipment in front of me actually is, I am learning and picking things up quickly but as you experienced guys will know there are hundreds of items that can be on a pipeline, my problem is being able to look at it and think, oh thats a pulsation damper or thats a pressure relief valve, thats a particular type of valve – these are examples of items I am now fairly competent of identifying but you get where I’m coming from.

I have read the advice on this site relating to site surveys and that is helpful but it the actual measuring up on the job that I still feel I need some improvement on. As I have not been around people measuring up pipework I find it a bit difficult to find what is the easiest way of taking dimensions,does anyone have any advice on essential survey techniques? What equipment do you take on your site surveys?

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks