22 entries found for "Mechanical Integrity"
Replacing Internal Visual Inspection with Non-Intrusive Techniques in Refineries: Practical Recommendations
by Michael Hurley, 12/17/2025
Tags: API 580 API 581 Damage Mechanisms Inspection Mechanical Integrity Risk Risk Based Inspection
While Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) promised to reduce intrusive vessel entries, corporate risk aversion and rigid API standards have hindered progress. This post examines why internal visual inspection (IVI) remains the standard despite its human-factor limitations. We analyze the Probability of Detection (POD) for advanced NII technologies - including PAUT, PEC, and Corrosion Mapping - to propose a roadmap for achieving technical and regulatory equivalency in refinery asset integrity.
Why Companies Prioritize Other PSM Elements Over Mechanical Integrity
by Michael Hurley, 12/10/2025
Tags: Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation
Mechanical Integrity (MI) is one of the most critical elements for preventing catastrophic events, yet it is routinely identified as one of the weakest in Process Safety Management (PSM). This article details 10 realistic reasons - from economic pressure and production bias to leadership knowledge gaps and the invisibility of degradation - why organizations chronically deprioritize MI work over other, more administrative PSM elements. Discover why companies focus on paper compliance instead of asset integrity.
Why is Mechanical Integrity So Important to Process Safety Management?
by Michael Hurley, 12/3/2025
Tags: API 580 API 581 Damage Mechanisms Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation Risk Management
Mechanical Integrity (MI) is the crucial foundation of Process Safety Management (PSM). Major accidents overwhelmingly result from equipment failures like ruptured vessels or corroded piping. This post details eight essential reasons why a robust MI program is vital, including preventing loss of containment , ensuring safeguards function as designed , and meeting mandatory OSHA and EPA compliance.
Are U.S. Refinery Incidents Increasing? A Clearer Look at the Data, the Debate, and When the Trend Began
by Michael Hurley, 11/26/2025
Tags: Mechanical Integrity Regulation Risk Management
Public data suggests U.S. refinery fires and explosions have increased significantly since 2018, with some analyses showing a tripling of incidents. However, industry process safety metrics indicate improvement. This article explores the evidence, why the datasets conflict, and the start of the upward trend.
PHMSA vs OSHA for Hydrocarbon Facilities
by Michael Hurley, 11/12/2025
Tags: Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation
Hydrocarbon facilities in the U.S. frequently face overlapping regulation from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). While PHMSA primarily governs transportation safety via pipelines (49 CFR 190-199), OSHA focuses on worker safety and health within facilities, including Process Safety Management (PSM). This post clarifies their distinct scopes, common jurisdictional boundaries (e.g., at the first valve inside a facility), and provides tips for operators to integrate their compliance programs.
Why Moving to RBI Makes Sense - No Matter Where You Start
by Michael Hurley, 11/5/2025
Tags: Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Risk Based Inspection Risk Management
Discover how transitioning to a Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) approach can deliver real value and significant cost savings over traditional time/condition-based Mechanical Integrity (MI) programs. We use a simple 100-vessel example to show a potential $645,000 savings per inspection cycle and discuss how RBI accelerates compliance and prioritizes safety-critical tasks.
Proposal for Individual Damage Mechanism Risk Calculation in API 581
by Michael Hurley, 10/22/2025
Tags: API 581 Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Technology
In 2021, I published a proposed change to the API 581 PoF calculation. While I believe API 581 is solid as a recommended practice, I believe that inspection planning can be further optimized and fine-tuned to adapt to organizational needs. Since then, the original article has prompted a variety of comments and questions and so I have rewritten the original article for, hopefully, a little more clarity, and I have consolidated the top questions along with my comments.
The Top Three RBI Risks That Cannot Wait for a Budget Rebound
by Michael Hurley, 10/1/2025
Tags: CUI Inspection Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation Risk Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Value
When organizations face budget cuts, they may postpone projects, but certain risks are too critical to delay. This post highlights three such Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) risks that demand immediate attention: high-risk equipment, Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI), and overdue critical inspections. Acting now can safeguard people, assets, and the bottom line from costly failures.
Why We're Lowering Our Rates - and Why Now?
by Michael Hurley, 9/24/2025
Tags: Mechanical Integrity Value
As the post-COVID downturn has continued, we have seen former, current, and future clients struggle. Recognizing this, and taking advantage of new efficiency gains, we are reducing our rates on new projects so that we can further support our friends in the industry.
Risk Strategies for Pressure Retaining Equipment
by Michael Hurley, 7/11/2024
Tags: API 580 API 581 Damage Mechanisms Mechanical Integrity Risk Based Inspection
What are equipment/inspection strategies in relation to mechanical integrity (MI) and risk based inspection (RBI)? It is a simple answer, but can be complicated to produce a documented set. API RP 581 has gone as far as the RAGAGEP can go since it is up to the Owner/User to define them as they are responsible for their risk. Knowing strategy/effectiveness tables are likely to be used without modification therefore AOC created a set that can be used as inspection recommendations out of the box.
Hidden Benefits of Risk Based Inspection (RBI)
by Paul Sheriff, 5/26/2021
Tags: HSE Mechanical Integrity Risk Based Inspection Value
The prime objective of a Site's Mechanical Integrity programme should be to eliminate any unintentional releases of stored energy. Most Sites implement Risk Based Inspection for three obvious reasons. However, as well as these reasons other less obvious but still positive benefits can be achieved through the implementation. These less obvious reasons could be equally valuable to the efficient operation of the Site.
National Regulation 13 in Brazil
by Paul Sheriff, 3/31/2021
Tags: Inspection Mechanical Integrity Regulation
Although Risk Based Inspection is well recognised as a good practice it has not been adopted by every country in the world. Brazil in particular has its own Regulatory Standard known as NR13 which it uses to set out some minimum time-based safety standards for the management and inspection of steam boilers, pressure vessels, some metal storage tanks and their interconnecting pipes. Hopefully the adoption of Risk Based Inspection is not far away.
A Practical Way to Incorporate the New PHMSA Underground Gas Storage Requirements Into your MI Program
by Michael Hurley, 3/11/2021
Tags: Damage Mechanisms Inspection Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management
PHMSA has out a new rule for underground natural gas storage facilities (UNGSFs). This is practical approach to incorporating gas wells into your mechanical integrity program with the rest of your surface and subsurface assets.
Plant Management 101: Common Work Processes
by Michael Hurley, 3/3/2021
Tags: Asset Performance Management Data Collection Data Validation Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Reliability Risk Management Training Work Process
This article deals with the dysfunctionality found in many refineries, chemical plants, and other production facilities. This can lead a facility to not reaching its value and reliability goals. One of the main reasons for this dysfunctionality is facility departments not using a common asset management work process.
Asset Value Management vs Asset Performance Management
by Michael Hurley, 2/16/2021
Tags: Asset Performance Management Mechanical Integrity Risk Based Inspection
VP of Technology, Mike Hurley, looks at the concept of Asset Value Management in the financial sector and compares it with Asset Performance Management (APM) with respect to our industry. He goes further to propose a new definition of AVM as applicable to the petrochemical industry and begins the conversation of AVM vs APM.
Proposed API 581 Inspection Plan Optimization Example
by Michael Hurley, 2/4/2021
Tags: API 581 Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Technology
This article deals with a proposal for a risk analysis option that allows for individual damage mechanism risk calculation. This is an example of how it can be applied and how it domonstrates value.
Proposed API 581 Inspection Plan Optimization
by Michael Hurley, 1/27/2021
Tags: API 581 Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Technology
This article deals with a proposal for a risk analysis option that allows for individual damage mechanism risk calculation. This allows for these individual damage mechanism risks to be compared to a risk target that when reached generates an inspection task with its own due date.
RBI Value: Both Transitioning And From The Start
by Michael Hurley, 1/21/2021
Tags: Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Risk Based Inspection Risk Management
This article deals with the value of going directly to an Risk Based Inspection (RBI) program from nothing or transitioning from a time/condition based program and demonstrates that an RBI program is the efficient use of resources.
Possible PHMSA and OSHA Jurisdictional Clarity
by Michael Hurley, 1/14/2021
Tags: Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation
PHMSA has out for comment, draft document information, that clarifies its jurisdiction in relation to OSHA for Midstream Processing Facilities.
Risk Based Inspection Seen Through the Eyes of the Experts
by Lenin Elorza, 8/27/2018
Tags: Mechanical Integrity Risk Based Inspection
An AOC Consultant facilitates a virtual panel of Risk Based Inspection (RBI) experts to gain insight into the challenges and value of RBI implementation. Our experts consider why organizations implement RBI, common challenges, and strengths of an RBI champion.
Dynamic Risk - Mechanical Integrity
by Paul Raithby, 6/26/2018
Tags: Mechanical Integrity Risk Based Inspection
Things are always changing. Including your risk profile. AOC helps companies manage their dynamic Mechanical Integrity (MI) risk. AOC can help you implement and sustain an effective Risk Based Inspection (RBI) program.
The Difference Between Safe Operating Limits (SOL) and Integrity Operating Windows (IOW)
by Lenin Elorza, 6/18/2018
Tags: Integrity Operating Windows Mechanical Integrity Safe Operating Limits
An AOC consultant, a process engineer, and a reliability engineer discuss the differences between Safe Operating Limits, Standard Limits, and Integrity Operating Windows.
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