Project Management in the Oil and Gas Industry

7.4.3.2 Submittal 
Data
The submittal data are usually the shop drawings, samples, performance 
data, and usually all the deliverable materials required test data results or 
Letters of Certification. The review of submittal data is one of the first steps 
in the quality control process. The information received from subcontrac-
tors and suppliers for items to be installed into the project must be verified 
to meet the standards set forth in the contract documents. Items such as 
dimensions (thickness, length, shape), ASTM standards, test reports, per-
formance requirements, color, and coordination with other trades should 
be reviewed and verified carefully. Checking submittal information is 
important, especially when shop drawings are checked. Because the con-
tract drawings do not provide enough detailed information to fabricate 
material, vendors and suppliers must make shop drawings. Materials that 
require shop drawings include concrete reinforcement, structural steel, 
cabinets/millwork, and elevators.
Basically, any item that is fabricated off-site is required to have a shop 
drawing in the submittal information. It is the information provided on 
the approved shop drawings that the fabricators use to “custom-make” 
their materials. Therefore, each item on the shop drawings must be verified 
against the contract plans and specifications. Once the submittal data is 
meticulously reviewed whether it is a set of shop drawings or some other 
form of submittal data, a determination on whether or not the data should 
be “approved” or “disapproved” must be made.
The General Contractor reviews submittals and they are given over to 
the consultant engineer for further review. If the data is “disapproved” or 

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Project Management in the Oil and Gas Industry
incomplete, the originator of the submittal data must resubmit correct or 
additional information. A submittal (set of submitted information for a 
proposed material/equipment) that completes the review process is used 
as the “template” by which the material is fabricated. Any mistakes not 
discovered in the submittal review process will lead to potential problems 
involving extra cost and additional time for correction.
The Kansas City Hyatt Regency walkway collapse in 1981 is an example 
of how a poor shop drawing review can lead to disastrous consequences. In 
this case, a change in the details of structural connections left unchecked 
during the submittal process, basically doubled the load on the fourth floor 
walkway connections.
This extra load on these connections led to the collapse of the fourth floor 
suspended walkway onto the second floor walkway and then onto the ground 
floor below. This disaster led to around 114 deaths and over 200 injuries.
7.4.3.3 How to Check Incoming Materials
Once submittal information is checked against the contract requirements 
and approved, it is filed for future reference. Many companies file submit-
tals in reference numbers.
Verifying that incoming material meets contract requirements is accom-
plished by using the data shown in the submittal information. The infor-
mation found on the delivery tickets or the manufacturer’s information 
provided with the shipment is compared to the information given in an 
approved submittal. If all information is correct, then the material can be 
approved for off-loading to the storage site.
Take care that any “unapproved” material that is allowed to be stored on-
site has the possibility of being included in the construction process and leads 
to rework or other corrective action. Therefore, it is important that each item 
coming onto the site is verified to comply with the contract requirements.
7.4.3.4 Methods of Laying Out and Checking Work
The layout of work and the verification of correct placement, orientation, 
and elevation of work are extremely important. Work that is not placed 
correctly will lead to an extra cost for rework. For example, the misplace-
ment of anchor bolts for the foundation will lead to expensive correction 
work and delays.
In addition to checking work, the proper layout of work is also required. 
The required tools needed to perform this function include the use of a tape 
measure, plumb bob, carpenter’s level, and a chalk box. Topics to discuss 
for the proper layout and checking of work include checking elevations at 

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The History of Graphene 223
the height of concrete footing during placement and finishing the grade 
and floor. Methods to check for proper alignment of work in the field man-
ufacturer’s recommendations for the layout of certain items are windows, 
overhead door, and air-handling units.
Since quality control is the responsibility of everyone involved in the 
construction process, most of the engineers in construction positions will 
help to manage QC functions. Since it is not always clear what one needs to 
find in order to ensure a proper inspection, engineers should be instructed 
to watch for «key items” during inspection.