Articles

Risk Based Inspection (RBI). A pillar in modern asset integrity technology, its benefits have become widely known and accepted (we examined all of the ways RBI reduces shutdowns and improves profitability in previous articles, here and here). The intelligent risk analysis afforded in comparing an asset’s unique probability of failure (PoF) vs. its consequence of failure (CoF) allows operators to reliably extend inspection intervals. In fact, RBI has been shown to reduce inspection points by as much as 80%, and cut down the likelihood of unplanned shutdowns by more than half.

When it comes to the asset integrity management (AIM) of plants and facilities, it seems that everyone has a different definition of what regulatory compliance entails. With so many differing regulatory bodies across the globe (each with different requirements) it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what steps a company needs to take to ensure that compliance will be met. Thus, it’s a challenging tenant of AIM to get right – and yet, with the risk of hefty fines in case of an audit failure, it’s also an expensive one to get wrong.

One area of increasing interest in the world of asset integrity management (AIM) for plants and facilities is that of Key Performance Indicators (KPI). Leveraged properly, KPIs can be the catalyst for future advanced analytics of your equipment data. They provide a rare window of insight into the efficacy of various elements of your inspection data management (IDMS), equipping you with the tools you need to hone and target your strategies for better asset performance, reduced inspection costs, and superior mechanical integrity.

By now, the benefits of cloud computing for asset integrity management (AIM) are well known. The ability to store all asset data securely in the cloud – thereby outsourcing the complex and expensive IT support and maintenance involved in hosting it in-house – can be leveraged for tangible and immediate cost savings. However, when it comes to selecting the right software for cloud-based inspection data management, things are not quite as cut and dry.

Managing pipeline corrosion can be a time-consuming guessing game – wasting money and resources looking for corrosion where it isn’t and missing corrosion where it is. A lot of it comes down to not knowing what you don’t know. For example: at any given time, how aware are you of what contaminants are in the process stream? When the stream composition changes? Are you always aware and instantly alerted when key corrosion factors in your asset change?

The key to reducing maintenance costs and unplanned downtime for plants, pipelines and facilities lies in maximizing the asset inspection process. A recent study into plant maintenance found that the three leading causes of unplanned shutdowns include aging equipment (44%), operator error (16%) and a lack of time (15%).^[1] All of these can be mitigated with focused changes to your inspection process.

The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has transformed the landscape of Asset Integrity Management for the Oil and Gas industry. By empowering owner-operators with the ability to interconnect a vast array of physical assets on one digital platform, IIoT facilitates improved productivity, profitability, inspection scheduling, and corrosion mitigation – all while significantly reducing the likelihood of asset failure.

An API Recommended Practice (API RP 584), Integrity Operating Windows (IOW) are an essential component of any asset integrity management (AIM) system. IOWs improve predictive accuracy. They facilitate the collection, retention, and analysis of variable data – providing early warnings when a pre-defined process variable’s boundaries are exceeded. This helps to predict and prevent corrosion, increase productivity by allowing for predictive maintenance, and reduce the likelihood of asset failure.

The key to success for any asset integrity management (AIM) program lies in the development of its workflow process. For owner operators of plants, pipelines, and facilities, efficient and seamless inspection data management is key. The more effective the workflow and its application, the more reliable the equipment – reducing the chances of costly shutdowns or unnecessary repairs.

Technology in the asset integrity management (AIM) sector is now more advanced than ever. Risk-based inspection planning, seamless connectivity between software platforms, real-time monitoring and alerts of asset performance conditions, and the ability to synchronize inspection work from the field form a small sampling of the technology available to operators of plants, pipelines and facilities today.