OQ Cuts Costs and Avoids Production Loss with Asset Performance Management Software

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oq

Customer Information

Introduction

Industry

Chemicals

Products

Mechanical Integrity

The Challenge

OQ wanted to transition from traditional time-based inspection methods to a more efficient, risk-based inspection (RBI) approach for managing the integrity of pressurized equipment. This transition required a significant overhaul of existing processes, data management, and integration with other systems such as SAP. The challenge was compounded by the need to ensure data quality, manage a large volume of assets, and optimize inspection activities to reduce costs and risks associated with equipment failure. Key requirements included:
  • Ensuring compliance and safety within processing, covering critical assets such as pressured vessels, process piping, storage tanks, boilers, and heaters, etc.
  • Improving execution of inspection recommendations.
  • Reducing maintenance spending and avoiding unnecessary costs.

The Solution

Using GE Vernova’s Mechanical Integrity application in Asset Performance Management (APM), OQ took a risk-based approach to inspections. This included risk-based inspection (RBI) analysis of all downstream assets, initiating an integrity operating windows (IOW) program to set safe operating limits for key assets, and integrating with its SAP enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. The organization also established an RBI committee to assess and optimize the RBI study, removing irrelevant damage mechanisms and adding relevant ones to mitigate risks. Continuous improvement and integration with other management tools were emphasized to enhance the RBI process.

The Results

  • Full RBI analysis: Achieved for all assets in a major polypropylene plant.
  • System integration: Integrated APM with SAP, facilitating data flow between systems.
  • RBI assessments: Conducted RBI assessments for 2,044 assets, removed unnecessary damage mechanisms and added relevant damage mechanisms for risk mitigation.
  • Cost savings for three major turnarounds:
    Total savings ~$59M
    - Total maintenance cost savings: ~$833,000
    - Total production loss savings: ~$42M
    - Total inspection cost avoided: ~$16M
  • Continuous improvement: Emphasized the dynamic nature of RBI and the importance of integrating management tools for ongoing improvement.

RBI Review in Mechanical Integrity Application

OQ Presentation 2022
Image credit: OQ Presentation 2022
Disclaimer: The above summary is based upon a presentation given by Abdullah Al Hamdi, RBI Engineer, and Shihab Al Rahbi, RBI Engineer, in November 2022.