v1.0.0 to v1.0.0
109 added, 19 removed. Audit A to A.
---
name: neqsim-equipment-cost-estimation
version: "1.0.0"
- description: "Equipment-level CAPEX estimation — Turton/Peters/Ulrich/Seider correlations, CEPCI escalation, material/pressure factors, bare-module → grass-roots, AACE class 1–5, location factors, currency conversion. USE WHEN: a task requires a +30%/-30% Class-3/4 cost estimate at the equipment level (vessels, columns, pumps, compressors, HX, piping). Anchors on neqsim.process.costestimation.CostEstimationCalculator."
- last_verified: "2026-04-26"
+ description: "Equipment and process CAPEX estimation — Turton/Peters/Ulrich/Seider correlations, CEPCI escalation, material/pressure factors, bare-module to grass-roots, AACE class 1-5, location factors, currency conversion, CostEstimateResult reconciliation, and mechanical-design-driven topsides/SURF/well rollups. USE WHEN: a task requires a +30%/-30% Class-3/4 estimate for equipment, a process flowsheet, topsides, SURF, wells, or reservoir-to-market CAPEX. Anchors on CostEstimationCalculator and ProcessCostEstimate."
+ last_verified: "2026-06-28"
requires:
java_packages: [neqsim.process.costestimation]
---
# NeqSim Equipment Cost Estimation Skill
- Class-3/4 (AACE 18R-97) order-of-magnitude → study estimates for individual
- process equipment — the bridge between sized equipment and a project economics
- model. Wraps Turton (5e), Peters–Timmerhaus, Ulrich, and Seider correlations
- with CEPCI escalation, material factors, pressure factors, and Lang/Hand factors.
+ Class-3/4 (AACE 18R-97) order-of-magnitude to study estimates for individual
+ process equipment and early process/facility CAPEX rollups - the bridge between
+ sized equipment and a project economics model. Wraps Turton (5e),
+ Peters–Timmerhaus, Ulrich, and Seider correlations with CEPCI escalation,
+ material factors, pressure factors, and Lang/Hand factors.
+ The preferred NeqSim path is mechanical-design driven: call each unit's
+ `initMechanicalDesign()`, `calcDesign()`, then
+ `getMechanicalDesign().getCostEstimate().calculateCostEstimate()` or let
+ `ProcessCostEstimate.calculateAllCosts()` do that rollup for a full flowsheet.
## When to Use
- - Quickly cost a sized vessel, column, HX, pump, or compressor
+ - Quickly cost a sized vessel, column, HX, pump, compressor, filter, reactor, mixer, splitter, or manifold
- Build a **bare-module** → **total-module** → **grass-roots** stackup
- Apply CEPCI to escalate published correlations to current year
- Compare alternatives (e.g. centrifugal vs reciprocating compressor)
+ - Produce a scope-safe `CostEstimateResult` for equipment, process, topsides, SURF, subsea, well, or field-development estimates
+ - Reconcile located process totals against located equipment rows while retaining base equipment costs
- Feed equipment cost into NPV / IRR via [`neqsim-field-economics`](../neqsim-field-economics/SKILL.md)
> For project-level economics, asset valuation, or fiscal regimes, use
> [`neqsim-field-economics`](../neqsim-field-economics/SKILL.md). This skill is
- > equipment-scoped only.
+ > the CAPEX basis skill that feeds those economics workflows.
## AACE Cost Estimate Classes
| Class | Maturity | Accuracy | Method |
| ----- | ------------- | ------------- | ----------------------------- |
| 5 | Concept | −50% / +100% | Capacity-factor (six-tenths) |
| 4 | Pre-FEED | −30% / +50% | Equipment-factored (this skill) |
| 3 | FEED | −20% / +30% | Sized equipment + bulk MTOs |
| 2 | Detailed | −15% / +20% | Detailed quantity takeoff |
| 1 | Final | −10% / +15% | Vendor quotes |
## Pattern 1 — Bare-module Cost for a Vessel
```java
import neqsim.process.costestimation.CostEstimationCalculator;
CostEstimationCalculator cost = new CostEstimationCalculator();
cost.setCurrentCepci(CostEstimationCalculator.CEPCI_2025); // 840
cost.setMaterialOfConstruction("SS316"); // sets Fm = 2.1
cost.setLocationByRegion("Norway"); // location factor
double shellWeight_kg = 8500.0; // from mechanical design
double designP_barg = 110.0;
double Cp = cost.calcVerticalVesselCost(shellWeight_kg);
double Cbm = cost.calcBareModuleCost(Cp, designP_barg); // applies Fp & Fm
double Ctm = cost.calcTotalModuleCost(Cbm); // + contingency + fees
double Cgr = cost.calcGrassRootsCost(Ctm); // + auxiliary facilities
```
## Pattern 2 — End-to-end via `calculateCostEstimate`
```java
cost.calculateCostEstimate(
Cp, // purchased equipment cost
designP_barg, // for Fp
shellWeight_kg, // for installation man-hours
"vertical_vessel" // equipment category
);
String json = cost.toJson(); // structured output for results.json
```
- ## Pattern 3 — CEPCI Escalation
+ ## Pattern 3 — Volume-Based Vessel Cost
+ For screening work, use the volume-based methods when the mechanical design
+ knows vessel diameter and length but the shell weight is not yet reliable.
+ These are now the preferred basis for separator, absorber, column, filter, and
+ reactor vessel screening.
+
+ ```java
+ double vesselVolume_m3 = Math.PI * diameter_m * diameter_m / 4.0 * tanTanLength_m;
+ double verticalCp = cost.calcVerticalVesselCostByVolume(vesselVolume_m3);
+ double horizontalCp = cost.calcHorizontalVesselCostByVolume(vesselVolume_m3);
```
+
+ Keep the legacy `calcVerticalVesselCost(weight_kg)` and
+ `calcHorizontalVesselCost(weight_kg)` methods for cases where the mechanical
+ design has already produced a defensible shell weight.
+
+ ## Pattern 4 — CEPCI Escalation
+
+ ```
C_today = C_published × CEPCI_today / CEPCI_published
```
Built-in indices: `CEPCI_2019` (607.5) through `CEPCI_2025` (840). Escalate any
literature correlation that's published with a base year.
- ## Pattern 4 — Equipment-Specific Methods
+ ## Pattern 5 — Equipment-Specific Methods
| Equipment | Method | Sizing input |
| ------------------------ | -------------------------------------- | --------------------- |
| Vertical pressure vessel | `calcVerticalVesselCost(weight_kg)` | shell weight |
| Horizontal vessel | `calcHorizontalVesselCost(weight_kg)` | shell weight |
+ | Vertical vessel screening | `calcVerticalVesselCostByVolume(volume_m3)` | vessel volume |
+ | Horizontal vessel screening | `calcHorizontalVesselCostByVolume(volume_m3)` | vessel volume |
| Distillation column | `calcColumnShellCost(weight_kg)` + `calcSieveTraysCost(D, N)` | weight + diameter + tray count |
| Shell-tube HX | `calcShellTubeHeatExchangerCost(area_m2)` | area |
| Plate HX | `calcPlateHeatExchangerCost(area_m2)` | area |
| Air cooler | `calcAirCoolerCost(area_m2)` | bare-tube area |
| Centrifugal pump | `calcCentrifugalPumpCost(power_kW)` | shaft power |
| Centrifugal compressor | `calcCentrifugalCompressorCost(power_kW)` | shaft power |
| Reciprocating compressor | `calcReciprocatingCompressorCost(power_kW)` | shaft power |
| Piping | `calcPipingCost(D_m, L_m, schedule)` | diameter, length |
| Control valve | `calcControlValveCost(Cv)` | Cv |
- ## Pattern 5 — Material and Pressure Factors (Turton)
+ ## Pattern 6 — Mechanical-Design Estimator Wiring
+ Equipment-specific mechanical designs own their estimator selection. This is
+ what makes full-process rollups work: `ProcessCostEstimate` does not need to
+ know every unit's detailed sizing correlation; it asks the unit for its
+ mechanical design and cost estimate.
+
```java
+ unit.initMechanicalDesign();
+ MechanicalDesign design = unit.getMechanicalDesign();
+ design.calcDesign();
+ design.getCostEstimate().calculateCostEstimate();
+ double grassRootsCostUSD = design.getCostEstimate().getGrassRootsCost();
+ ```
+
+ Current topside coverage includes specialized mechanical-design/cost paths for
+ separators, scrubbers, columns, absorbers, adsorbers, mercury removal, pumps,
+ compressors, expanders, ejectors, heat exchangers, BAHX units, tanks, pipelines,
+ valves, mixers, splitters, filters, reactors, and manifolds. Header-like units
+ such as mixers and splitters should calculate dry weight during `calcDesign()`;
+ filter/reactor/manifold estimators reuse the mechanical design outputs instead
+ of duplicating sizing logic.
+
+ ## Pattern 7 — Material and Pressure Factors (Turton)
+
+ ```java
double Fp = CostEstimationCalculator.getPressureFactor(designP_barg); // ~1.0–3.0
// Fm constants: FM_CARBON_STEEL=1.0, FM_SS304=1.8, FM_SS316=2.1,
// FM_SS316L=2.3, FM_MONEL=3.2, FM_HASTELLOY_C=3.8, FM_TITANIUM=4.5
```
- ## Pattern 6 — Stackup Convention
+ ## Pattern 8 — Stackup Convention
```
Cp = purchased equipment, FOB factory (input)
Cbm = Cp × (B1 + B2 × Fm × Fp) bare module
Ctm = Cbm × 1.18 + contingency 15% + fees 3%
Cgr = Ctm × 1.30 + 30% auxiliary (utilities, storage, OSBL)
```
- ## Pattern 7 — Cost Estimate for a Whole Process
+ ## Pattern 9 — Cost Estimate for a Whole Process
```java
- double totalCgr = 0.0;
- for (ProcessEquipmentInterface eq : process.getUnitOperations()) {
- Cp = costForEquipment(eq, cost); // dispatch by type
- cost.calculateCostEstimate(Cp, designP, weight, eqType);
- totalCgr += cost.getGrassRootsCost();
- }
+ ProcessCostEstimate processCost = new ProcessCostEstimate(process);
+ processCost.calculateAllCosts();
+ double totalCgr = processCost.getTotalGrassRootsCost();
```
+ Use this rollup for reservoir-to-market screening once the flowsheet contains
+ unit operations for the major equipment. It initializes each unit's mechanical
+ design, runs `calcDesign()`, calls the attached estimator, and aggregates the
+ result by equipment category.
+
+ ## Pattern 10 — Result Schema and Reconciliation
+
+ Use `CostEstimateResult` when handing estimates to reports, agents, or downstream
+ economics. The map names encode whether rows are additive, summary totals, or
+ non-cost quantities:
+
+ | Map | Meaning | Reconciliation Rule |
+ | --- | ------- | ------------------- |
+ | `capitalCosts_USD` | Additive direct capital-cost lines | Sum only inside the same scope |
+ | `capitalCostBreakdown_USD` | Supplementary detail behind a capital line | Do not add to the parent line |
+ | `capitalCostSummary_USD` | Capital subtotals/totals | Show as totals; do not re-sum |
+ | `projectCosts_USD` | Additive project-cost lines | Sum only inside the matching project scope |
+ | `projectCostSummary_USD` | Project subtotals/totals | Show as totals; do not re-sum |
+ | `quantityBasis` | Non-cost quantities with units | Never mix into USD totals |
+ | `weightBasis_kg` and `materialTakeOff` | Physical basis and MTO traceability | Keep separate unless building a controlled MTO rollup |
+
+ Examples of intended placement:
+
+ - Unit estimators: `purchasedEquipmentCost` in `capitalCosts_USD`; `bareModuleCost`, `totalModuleCost`, and `grassRootsCost` in `capitalCostSummary_USD`; `installationManHours` in `quantityBasis`.
+ - `ProcessCostEstimate`: process PEC/BMC/TMC/grass-roots in `capitalCostSummary_USD`; `totalProjectCost` in `projectCostSummary_USD`; `totalInstallationManHours` in `quantityBasis`.
+ - Topsides facilities: direct field cost and excluded non-topsides scope in `capitalCostSummary_USD`; `totalTopsidesCapex` in `projectCostSummary_USD`; module detail in `capitalCostBreakdown_USD`.
+ - SURF/development: `totalSURF` and `totalDevelopment` in `capitalCostSummary_USD`; vessel days in `quantityBasis`.
+
+ `ProcessCostEstimate.toJson()` reports equipment rows with location-adjusted
+ costs in the standard `*_USD` fields, because those rows must reconcile with the
+ process totals and `costByEquipmentType_USD`. Base, unlocated rows remain under
+ `basePurchasedEquipmentCost_USD`, `baseBareModuleCost_USD`,
+ `baseTotalModuleCost_USD`, and `baseGrassRootsCost_USD`, with `locationFactor`
+ shown explicitly.
+
## Common Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
| ------------------------------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| Using outdated CEPCI | Always set `setCurrentCepci(CEPCI_<year>)` before calculating |
| Hardcoding Fm = 1 | Pick from `FM_*` constants based on actual material of construction |
| Missing pressure factor at high P | Use `getPressureFactor(P)` — silently × the cost at HP/HIPPS service |
| Reporting Cp as "installed cost" | Cp is FOB only; installed = at minimum Cbm |
| Mixing currencies | Use `setCurrency(code, rate)` then read all costs through `convertFromUSD/convertToUSD` |
+ | Adding `capitalCostSummary_USD` into `capitalCosts_USD` totals | Summary rows are already subtotals/totals; show them separately |
+ | Treating `quantityBasis` rows as USD costs | Quantity rows carry units like man-hour or vessel-day, not currency |
+ | Comparing located process totals to base equipment rows | Use located `*_USD` equipment fields for reconciliation, base fields for pre-location analysis |
| Claiming Class-3 accuracy on capacity-factored | Capacity factor (six-tenths) → Class 5; named in AACE 18R-97 |
| Ignoring location | `setLocationByRegion("Norway")` ≈ 1.3× US Gulf Coast for offshore |
+ | Adding a new mechanical design but leaving the base estimator | Assign the unit-specific `costEstimate` in the mechanical design constructor |
+ | Passing shell weight to a volume correlation | Use `calc*ByVolume(volume_m3)` only with vessel volume |
## Validation Checklist
- [ ] CEPCI year matches the project base year
- [ ] Material of construction set per stream service (e.g. SS316L for wet sour)
- [ ] Pressure factor applied for design P > 10 barg
- [ ] AACE class declared in report (5/4/3) with stated accuracy band
- [ ] Stackup shown: Cp → Cbm → Ctm → Cgr with each multiplier
- [ ] Currency and location factor stated
+ - [ ] Additive cost rows, summary totals, supplementary breakdowns, and non-cost quantities are kept in separate `CostEstimateResult` maps
+ - [ ] Process equipment rows reconcile on the same basis as totals: located-to-located or base-to-base
- [ ] JSON saved via `cost.toJson()` to `results.json` under `capex` section
- [ ] Sensitivity to ±20% on key drivers (compressor power, column trays) reported
+ - [ ] Full-process screens include major reservoir-to-market equipment rather than only topside separators and compressors
+ - [ ] New equipment classes expose a specialized mechanical design and estimator before relying on `ProcessCostEstimate`
## Related Skills
- [`neqsim-field-economics`](../neqsim-field-economics/SKILL.md) — project NPV / IRR / fiscal
- [`neqsim-api-patterns`](../neqsim-api-patterns/SKILL.md) — `CompressorDesignFeasibilityReport` includes integrated cost
- [`neqsim-standards-lookup`](../neqsim-standards-lookup/SKILL.md) — AACE 18R-97