Published and Presented at Reputable Venues

Qualitative Risk Assessment of a Commercial Refrigeration System

A case study presenting the methods used to calculate qualitative risk for a critical refrigeration system and the results of the assessment.

• by Rob Sladek

This case study presents the methods that were used to calculate qualitative risk for a critical refrigeration system and the results of the assessment. This case study is intended to demonstrate how a Qualitative Risk Assessment can be a cost-effective and resource-efficient means to prioritize equipment which is often under the radar.

• This assessment was performed to scope a capital, reliability investment by focusing the inspections, improvements and repairs to ensure reliable future operation.
• Probability was assessed using simple hoop stress, historical and expected corrosion rates and also accounted for a unique damage mechanism.
• Consequence was tabulated on Safety, Environmental and Operational factors based on Site SME review and assignment.
• A non-standard risk matrix was developed based on the needs of the site.

• - AIChE Global Congress on Process Safety, 4/3/2019; Inspectioneering, 6/3/2019

Managing Reliability of Ethane Crackers using DMR, RBI, and IOWs

How RBI, DMR, and IOW programs can be used to manage reliability of Ethane crackers.

• by Vibha Zaman and Leomar Penuela

Special attention is needed to avoid unexpected catastrophic failures while optimizing performance of Ethane crackers. Our corrosion engineers discuss how Risk Based Inspection incorporating a Damage Mechanism Review and used with well-designed Integrity Operating Windows can be used to manage this risk and improve reliability.

• - AIChE Global Congress on Process Safety, 4/3/2019; Inspectioneering, 6/3/2019

Safe Operation of Aging Hydrogen Generation Plants

Integrating DMR, RBI, and IOWs to manage aging plant reliability

• by Vibha Zaman and Leomar Penuela

This article discusses the use of the Risk Based Inspection (RBI) methodology supplemented by a well-designed Integrity Operating Window (IOW) program to assess and manage aging in fixed equipment and piping in hydrogen generation units; a similar methodology can be used to manage aging of other process units.

• - Inspectioneering Journal, 3/1/2017

Applying Mechanical Integrity and Inspections to Asset Performance Management

Promote process equipment mechanical integrity and risk mitigation using risk-based strategies for asset performance management.

• by Michael Warren

Do you have the right data to get the key insights to act upon? Do you have access to all the data for a particular asset? And is that data current? In today's digital revolution, cloud computing, improved analytics are driving big data and productivity in the energy and manufacturing sectors.

• - International Society of Automation, 1/11/2016

Time to Value - Asset Integrity Management Delivered, Confidently, Comprehensively and Quickly. An AOC & Intergraph RBI Solution

Delivering knowledge based asset files from the true sources of data - confidently, accurately, electronically, and in half the time.

• by Asset Optimization Consultants

The presentation discusses how Fusion allows our engineers to more quickly and efficiently extract accurate and current, critical equipment and piping data whether electronic or paper based that can readily migrate into the plethora of technologies such as Meridium, PCMS, APIRBI, SAP PM, Ultrapipe, Capstone RBMI, ACET, or Credo as well as facilitate expedite reconciling piping circuits, line numbers, and TML information from a variety of data sources, including isometric drawings, circuitized P&IDs, IDMS, and RBI databases.

• - Intergraph Corporation, 11/11/2014

Implementing RBI in Remote Locations

The importance of understanding risk and the significant value attainable through the implementation of risk based inspection (RBI)

• by Paul Sheriff and Leon Johnson

The project expedited developing Cristal's Process Safety Management (PSM) standards and being able to meet the more stringent local requirements from the H&SE. The project developed Cristal's asset management requirements for Mechanical Integrity as outlined in the five year PSM plan submitted to HSE. Cristal were able to reduce unexpected failures on critical equipment and demonstrate the significant value attainable through the implementation of Risk Based Inspection. Cristal has continued establishing its RBI program at other Cristal sites.

• - Meridium User Conference, 1/28/2014

An Update on Risk Based Inspection: Bringing Focus on External Corrosion Under Insulation, Stress Corrosion Cracking And Other Damage Mechanisms - Reliability and Maintenance (RMC-12-46)

Using RISK as a basis for maintenance planning

• by Joel Presley, Tim Munsterman, and Ed Mullings

Using RISK as a basis for maintenance planning - Since its introduction over fifteen years ago, the concepts of risk-based inspection (RBI) have been applied successfully in many plants around the world. Risk-based inspection is a systematic process for factoring risk into decisions concerning how, where, and when to inspect a process plant. RBI focuses inspection resources on the highest priority equipment to determine asset integrity. RBI cost effectively helps make process plants safer and more reliable.

• - NPRA Reliability & Maintenance Conference & Exhibition, 5/22/2012

From Fitness for Service to a Reliability-Based Mechanical Integrity Program - A Journey from the Ashes to Sustained Reliability (RMC-10-30)

An upgrader is brought safely back into production a year ahead of expectations, avoiding an opportunity cost exceeding $300 million.

• by Lenin Elorza

The fitness for service/salvage study was completed on the fractionator on January 28, 2005. As a result of the study, the Alberta Boiler Standards Administration (ABSA) allowed the repaired fractionator and upgrader to be brought back to full production a year earlier than expected. Following the study we began implementing a risk based inspection program based on the API 580 certified reliability based mechanical integrity (RBMI) technology and work processes.

• - Reliability and Maintenance Conference, 5/25/2010

Risk Based Asset Management - Delivering and Sustaining Value Across a Mid-Sized Refining Enterprise (RMC-09-45)

The business case developed for an RBI program - realized benefits and how the on-going value of the program is measured

• by Jim McVay and Mike Hurley

The key to sustaining the value from a reliability-based mechanical integrity (RBMI) program begins with program ownership and continues with best practice management systems. We began our RBMI program with a pilot study in 2005 at one of our refineries. The pilot involved migrating our time-based fixed equipment inspection program to a RBMI program for eight process units. The study cost approximately $400,000 and was completed in less than four months. The return on that investment yielded a payback in less than twelve months and a value that exceeded $2.5 million in turnaround cost savings and quickly delivered almost seven million dollars in risk reduction.

• - NPRA Reliability & Maintenance Conference & Exhibition, 5/19/2009

Global Challenges Facing the HSE Function Within the Oil and Gas Industry

Challenges of migrating North American and European HS&E management systems and personnel into domains that have not placed HS&E as a core element of success

• by Ray Bradish, Jonathan Bui, and Yolanda Nunez

Prepared for the Society of Petroleum Engineers by one of our consultants while with a different company, this paper addresses the challenges of migrating North American and European Health, Safety, & Environmental (HS&E) management systems, including HS&E personnel, into these domains that historically have not placed HS&E as a core element of business success.

• - Society of Petroleum Engineers, 9/1/2008