Risk Based Inspection (RBI) techniques can significantly improve inspection outcomes and save money on your inspection program. ALS expertise in inspection and engineering will help you realise these benefits.
Risk based Inspection (RBI) is:
- The process of developing an inspection plan based on a risk assessment of the likelihood and consequences of failure of plant and equipment.
RBI takes into account the actual condition of the equipment as assessed in previous inspections and its current operating parameters.
Experienced ALS inspectors and engineers use this information to set inspection and test plans (ITPs, PITPs) according to the known condition of the equipment.
The traditional counter approach of RBI is statutory or code compliant inspection programs, which requires a particular set of inspections be completed at particular intervals.
These intervals are typically set in line with applicable codes and regulations and are dependent on equipment type, Hazard Level, operating parameters and the age of the equipment, not its actual condition as assessed by inspections.
The Benefits of RBI
In considering the actual condition of the vessel and its current risks of failure, ALS staff can work with our clients to use RBI to deliver significant improvements to your inspection program.
These benefits can be:
- Extension of intervals of inspection, in some circumstances extending inspection intervals many years beyond those that statutory inspection regimes specify, saving money.
- Reduction of the scope of inspections based on expected failure mechanisms. This can mean significant savings through simply less inspection tasks, through to the entire removal of inspection scopes such as internal inspections.
Our Approach and Services
ALS promotes a disciplined approach to RBI, following the principles of standards such as API 580 and API581 and guided by professional engineers with significant experience in successfully executing RBI programs.
ALS expert services that support achieving successful outcomes from RBI programs include:
- Integrity engineering services to review asset inspection histories and create and optimise inspection and test plans (ITPs) using RBI processes.
- Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA and like concepts FMECA, FMESA) to make risk assessments of critical failure modes to which inspection programs can be focussed.
- Deep experience in inspection techniques such as non-destructive testing (NDT), so that once inspection plans are designed, they can be executed in a cost effective manner.
- Development of Non Intrusive Inspection (NII) scopes to reduce costs of inspection and production down time without increasing plant risk.
Learn more about our related services at the below links.