Case Study: Performance Audit of Indonesia’s LPG Bottle Filling Stations

Indonesia’s largest state-owned oil and natural gas corporation, PT Pertamina, has chosen TÜV Rheinland to provide LPG bottle filling station (SPPBE) performance audit services across regions in Indonesia. The audit process consists 222 checklists covering five elements, and is run every three months.

Basic Case Study Facts

Initial Situation and Requirements

When it comes to daily activities such as cooking, Indonesia still uses liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). PT Pertamina manages an integrated operation, including business management of LPG, both upstream and downstream, domestic and overseas, through its subsidiaries at a strategic operational arm length.

Pertamina starts the distribution of LPG from their refinery until it reaches the bulk energy filling station or SP(P)BE, a private-owned filling plant that is responsible for the filling and transportation of LPG bottle filling operation into the tube.

In order to maintain their SP(P)BEs’ performances and to ensure that they meet stringent quality requirements, PT Pertamina needed an independent, reliable, and recognised partner to provide LPG bottle filling station performance audits.

The Audit Process and Results

LPG bottle filling plants vary considerably in size, complexity, and layout. The detailed design of filling plants and the associated cylinder filling equipment should be undertaken by an appropriate supplier based on the required performance specifications. The plant specifications should comprehensively cover the throughput, safety, and quality requirements over various phases of development.

The audit process was mainly undertaken in the filling plants and maintenance areas, and covered the following areas:

• Bottle inspection LPG filling
• Leak testing
• Weigh rescale 
• LPG evacuation (if there's a gas leak)
• LPGr requalification
• LPG bottle handling 

Several issues were uncovered during the audit process. For example, it was found that the skid tank driver didn’t use safety shoes and helmet, cell phones were allowed to be used in the LPG bottle filling areas, and transport capacities were not according to standards.

Providing Solutions That Work

While more than 70 technical experts have been conducting SPPBE performance audits throughout regions in Indonesia, TÜV Rheinland provides wide-ranging technical consulting services that trace the entire process of the project.

TÜV Rheinland works on behalf of the client to solve problems as they occur. This is done by ensuring that the management and operational performance of each LPG filling station fulfils all five elements of Pertamina’s requirements, namely:

1. Well maintained equipment and facilities
2. Motivated and well-trained staff
3. Quality and quantity assurance
4. Health and safety environment
5. Administrative services

Main Benefits to the Client

TÜV Rheinland supported Pertamina by providing:

1. Highly qualified and experienced experts to conduct the LPG filling station performance audit service based on Pertamina requirements
2. Independent review and reporting, which helped the client to reduce risk
3. Enhanced reliability of their SP(P)BE stations’ performances

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