Hydrostatic and Pneumatic Testing of Metering and Process Skids: What CRN Reviewers Expect

By Kopfkino Consulting Corp. · Published September 14, 2026 · Updated October 17, 2026 · 7 min read

CRN reviewers expect a pressure test procedure with the design and completed test records at fabrication. UG-99 test pressures, BC's 1,677 kJ pneumatic rule and TSK-1002 records explained.

A CRN-registered skid needs pressure-testing documentation at two stages: a pressure/leak test procedure submitted with the design (test medium, test pressure, and acceptance criteria; Saskatchewan's skid program requires these on the line list and as a procedure), and completed test records at fabrication, captured in construction data reports such as TSASK's TSK-1002, Alberta's AB-83/AB-81, or BC's FRM-1329.

Your metering skid is ready to ship: the vessel has a CRN, the valves and transmitters are registered, the piping design is registered. Then the inspector asks for the pressure test procedure and the completed test record, and the shop has neither. Pressure testing is where design registration meets physical construction, and it is one of the most common documentation gaps on skids bound for Canada.

What test pressure do the codes require?

Two baselines govern most metering and process skids:

  • Vessels built to ASME BPVC Section VIII Division 1: hydrostatic test per UG-99 at a minimum of 1.3 times the MAWP, adjusted by the allowable-stress ratio between test and design temperature.
  • Piping built to ASME B31.3: hydrostatic test at a minimum of 1.5 times design pressure (para. 345), with pneumatic and alternative options under defined conditions.

Because a skid is decomposed into vessel(s), fittings, and interconnecting piping for CRN purposes, one package carries two test regimes: the vessel's 1.3× MAWP hydro at the vessel shop, and the piping system's 1.5× test on the fabricated assembly. Reviewers expect the submission to state which code applies to which boundary.

Hydrostatic or pneumatic? Stored energy and the BC 1,677 kJ rule

Hydrostatic testing is the default: water stores little energy at test pressure. Pneumatic testing is the exception: where water would contaminate the process (common on dry-gas metering skids), where supports cannot carry the water load, or where freezing is a concern. The trade-off is safety: gas stores enormous energy, and failure at test pressure can be violent.

Canadian regulators therefore treat pneumatic testing as a documented, restricted choice. Technical Safety BC requires additional pneumatic-test content when stored energy exceeds 1,677 kJ (jurisdiction practice; confirm current thresholds with the AHJ). Expect to supply the stored-energy calculation, justification over hydro, and safety provisions such as exclusion zones and stepwise pressurization. Ontario's piping guideline likewise requires test pressure and type on the registered drawings; if the submission says "hydro" but the data report says "pneumatic," expect questions.

Test procedures as part of the design submission

Test planning starts inside the design registration package, before fabrication:

  • Saskatchewan (TSASK skid program, IP-2016-07-04 / TSK-1003): line lists must state size, material, schedule, max P/T, MDMT, corrosion allowance, RT, test medium and test pressure, and PWHT, plus a pressure/leak test procedure. Skid/piping drawings require a Saskatchewan P.Eng.'s stamp.
  • Ontario: piping drawings must show the construction code, fluid service category, design P/T, test pressure and type, PRV settings, and an overpressure-protection statement.
  • Alberta (AB-96 piping registration): the P.Eng.-authenticated design package defines the test basis the construction record is held to.

Reviewers check that test pressures match the code of construction, the medium suits the service, and the procedure is auditable, calibrated gauges, hold points, acceptance criteria, sign-offs.

Test documentation in data reports and construction records

At fabrication, the test record lands in jurisdiction-specific completion forms:

JurisdictionTest-related construction recordNotes
SaskatchewanTSK-1002 Construction Data ReportOne per fabricated skid; required even under 0.5 m³; nameplate attached only after final acceptance
AlbertaAB-83 (owner record, kept ≥ 5 years) and AB-81 (contractor completion report)Owner and contractor obligations are separate
British ColumbiaFRM-1329 construction data reportBC-built piping: licensed contractor, safety-officer notification, test witness possible
OntarioPiping Installation and Test Data ReportCountersigned by the authorized inspector
QuebecRBQ declaration of installationFiled ≥ 30 days before work completion (r. 6.1 s. 32)

Vessels carry their own data reports (e.g., U-1 forms) recording the vessel hydro; the skid's piping test is documented separately in the records above.

Witness and hold points

Shop inspection is performed by the AHJ's authorized inspector, an ABSA safety codes officer, TSSA inspector, TSBC safety officer, TSASK inspector, or RBQ-recognized inspector, depending on fabrication location. Pressure tests are typical witness/hold points: TSBC's directive contemplates a test witness for BC-built skid piping; TSASK requires notification before fabrication. For fabrication outside Canada, the AHJ-accepted inspection agency must be engaged before work starts.

Worked scenario: a gas metering skid for three provinces

A fabricator builds a custody-transfer metering skid: filter-separator vessel (MAWP 6,895 kPa), B31.3 piping (design pressure 6,895 kPa), registered valves and transmitters, for sites in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and BC.

  • Design stage: the TSASK skid submission lists test medium and pressure on every line and attaches a hydro procedure: water, 10,343 kPa piping test (1.5× design pressure), calibrated dual gauges, 30-minute hold. The AB-96 package states the same basis; the vessel shop tests the separator at 8,964 kPa (1.3× MAWP) per UG-99.
  • Change control: the owner requests a pneumatic test to keep water out of the dry-gas lines. The skid is registered in BC, so stored energy is calculated; it exceeds 1,677 kJ, and a pneumatic justification and safety plan join the submission before the test, not after.
  • Construction stage: the inspector witnesses the piping hydro; results go on the TSK-1002 (one per skid serial number), the AB-83/AB-81 set, and BC's FRM-1329. The nameplate goes on only after final acceptance.

What CRN reviewers look for in a test plan

  • Consistency: line-list test pressures match the code of construction and drawings.
  • A real procedure: medium, pressure, gauge calibration, hold time, acceptance criteria, sign-offs.
  • Pneumatic justification and stored-energy content where applicable (BC's 1,677 kJ rule).
  • Alignment: the test performed matches what was registered, no silent substitutions.
  • Complete records on the correct form, per unit.

Common mistakes

  • Testing to the wrong multiplier, applying the vessel's 1.3× MAWP to B31.3 piping, which requires 1.5× design pressure.
  • Omitting test medium/pressure from line lists in TSASK skid submissions, a mandatory IP-2016-07-04/TSK-1003 element.
  • Switching from hydro to pneumatic after registration without updating the submission or addressing stored energy.
  • One data report for multiple skids: TSASK requires a TSK-1002 per fabricated unit.
  • Missing inspector notification, losing the witness point and forcing a re-test.

Best practices

These are engineering recommendations, not regulatory requirements (confirm obligations with the AHJ):

  • Write one master test procedure per skid design; reference it in every jurisdiction's submission.
  • State test medium and pressure on every line-list line from day one.
  • Decide hydro vs. pneumatic before submission; document stored energy if pneumatic is even possible.
  • Brief the authorized inspector early; put witness/hold points on the fabrication schedule.
  • Build a per-serial-number pack: vessel data report, piping test record, calibration certificates, inspector sign-offs, completion form.

Frequently Asked Questions

What pressure testing documentation is required for a CRN-registered skid?

A pressure/leak test procedure with the design submission (Saskatchewan requires test medium/pressure on line lists plus the procedure), and completed test records in the jurisdiction's construction data report. TSK-1002 (SK), AB-83/AB-81 (AB), FRM-1329 (BC), the Piping Installation and Test Data Report (ON).

What test pressure applies to a hydrostatic test on a CRN skid?

ASME VIII-1 vessels: minimum 1.3 times MAWP per UG-99. B31.3 piping: minimum 1.5 times design pressure. One skid usually carries both regimes.

When is a pneumatic test allowed in Canada?

The construction codes permit it, but regulators treat it as a restricted, documented choice. BC requires additional pneumatic-test content above 1,677 kJ stored energy; confirm current requirements with the AHJ.

Do I need a separate test record for each skid in a repeat build?

Yes. TSASK requires a TSK-1002 per fabricated skid, with the nameplate attached only after final acceptance. Alberta's AB-83/AB-81 apply per installation.

Does the authorized inspector have to witness the pressure test?

Often, yes: pressure tests are common witness/hold points; Ontario's test data report is inspector-countersigned, and BC's directive contemplates a test witness. Notify the inspector first or risk a re-test.

Key Takeaways

  • Pressure testing is documented twice: a procedure in the design submission, and a completed record in construction data reports.
  • Vessels test at 1.3× MAWP (UG-99); B31.3 piping at 1.5× design pressure.
  • Pneumatic tests demand justification and stored-energy documentation. BC flags anything over 1,677 kJ.
  • TSASK requires test medium/pressure, a leak-test procedure, and a TSK-1002 per skid.
  • Schedule inspector witness/hold points before testing, especially outside Canada.

Related Guides

Sources

Test documentation sits where design review, quality control, and jurisdiction-specific forms intersect, and where otherwise compliant skid packages stall. Kopfkino Consulting supports fabricators and QA managers with CRN applicability, registration strategy, design review before fabrication, test-procedure development, submission packages, P.Eng. coordination, multi-province registration, regulator-comment resolution, and international OEM support. Preparing a skid for Canadian registration? Contact us to discuss your project.

Contact us to discuss the registration scope for your equipment and its destination provinces.

Topics: CRN Registration, Pressure Testing, Hydrostatic Test, Metering Skids

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