Zond, Research and Production Firm

Director – Yaroslav M. Zinchak

Research & Production Company ZOND has a great experience, about 30 years, in nondestructive testing. The Ukrainian State Committee of Labor Protection (permit #94 PO.06.00.000.034 of November, 2, 1994) and the Ukrainian State Standards Committee (certificate #56 of November, 2, 1995, TK-78 "nondestructive testing and technical diagnostics") authorized ZOND to carry out the works in this branch. National Certificate Committee of Ukraine issued Company ZOND the license for training and certification of specialists in ultrasonic and eddy current testing of I and II qualification levels.

RPC ZOND has an essential scientific and technical potential and material and technical basis. Its staff has been engaged in problems of nondestructive testing for more than 30 years, six of them have degrees, a few have the third highest international level and the most - the second level, given by the National Certificate Committee of Ukraine. Technical solutions used in devices and other developments of the company are supported by more then 50 author's certificates and patents of Great Britain, France, and Germany. We have published more than 100 scientific and technical articles in the topic.

RPC ZOND has the Quality System that is certificated in UkrSEPRO system for conformity to ISO 9001 (certificate # UA 2.009.081).

Means of nondestructive testing of RPC ZOND

RPC ZOND has developed, made and passed the technical means and technologies of testing of drilling, oil and gas equipment main characteristics such as:
- defects of metal disturbance (cracks, pores, etc.)
- geometrical characteristics (wall thickness, degree of deterioration etc.),
- physic-mechanical characteristics, strength and air-tightness of treaded joints
Depending on the requirements of the customer our means can have various design:
- fixed (installation SOT-1)
- movable (installation PLNK-2, PLNK-5)
- portable (installation ZOND-6)
- Separate devices and service devices (device SIGMA-T, extension PTU-2, communication and matching block BZU-2, scanners SKU-N, SKM-N, transducers and acoustic blocks and other)

Standards for nondestructive testing

One of the main directions of ZOND's activities is working out the branch standards which answer the aim of guaranteeing effective operation and regulate conditions, order and means of nondestructive testing of oil & gas equipment and tools.

Passed standards:
- GSTU-320.02829777.001-95 "Nondestructive testing service regulations in oil & gas industry".
- GSTU-320.02829777.002-95 "Nondestructive testing instruction of drilling pipes in the process of maintenance".
- GSTU -320.02829777.013-2000 Recommendations for nondestructive testing of drilling equipment
- GSTU -320.02829777.014-2000 Nondestructive testing and technical state evaluation of drilling derricks in assembled and disassembled state
- Nondestructive testing carrying out methods for materials & constructions.
- Methods of determination the optimal period of nondestructive testing carrying out.
- Methods of determination the residual resource of the drill derricks.
- Methods of determination the residual resource of the drill equipment.

Under development:
- GSTU (project) Instructions of gas pipelines overhaul work
- GSTU (project) Technical state evaluation of spouter valves

Certification Center of Nondestructive Testing
Certification Center of Nondestructive Testing is a part of RPC ZOND. It was created in 1995 by the decision of Council NAKUNK (protocol #3 from 03.28.1995). The main goal of the Center was the certification of the experts of nondestructive testing for oil branch (ultrasonic method of testing). For less than four years 60 experts have been certified by the Center.

Since 1 September, 1997 the Rules of certification of the experts of nondestructive testing (DNAOP 0.00-1.27-97) have taken effect. By the decision of Personnel Certification Council (PSC) the Certification Center was given the right of experts certification in such industrial sectors:
- industrial power
- pipelines
- equipment for drilling
- hoisting devices
- metalwork and building structures

Audit that was carried out by German Certification Council has shown that Certification Center meets the requirements of European norms. On this basis the Certificate of competence #3. OCP99.A was given to the Center. All certification process is included to Quality System, that is certified in UkrSEPRO (certificate #UA 2.009.081 from 06.14.1999). Now the Center has sanction (#020 OCP.99A from 09.16.1999) to certificate experts:

1. Ultrasonic testing method:
- industrial power
- pipelines
- chemistry and oil chemistry
- equipment for drilling
- hoisting devices
- metalwork and building structures

2. X-rays testing methods:
- industrial power
- pipelines
- chemistry and oil chemistry
- metalwork and building structures

Certification

Test Center "RPC ZOND" is accredited by International Scientific-Technical Center of Quality Assurance And certification in the UkrSEPRO system as technically competent (certificate # UA 6.001.T.43b.) and offers services of certification. Branch of accreditation is testing of:
- means and technological processes of nondestructive testing;
- oil & gas equipment for drilling, repairing and exploitation of oil or gas boreholes;
- construction material, alloys, molding, pipes, building materials;
- welded constructions and products; welded steel vessels, tanks, steam boilers and water-heating boilers, main pipelines, hoisting facilities, columns, forms, metalwork, trestles.