Risk Based Work Selection (RBWS) – A Focused Process for Achieving Turnaround Excellence

Risk Based Work Selection (RBWS) is an industry best practice used to help refiners better-manage the safety and reliability of operations for a facility. When properly conducted, RBWS can help refiners optimize the scope, cost, and duration of major turnarounds (TA). Optimization of the work scope can be accomplished by screening individual TA work list items using a risk-based methodology. This methodology provides a rigorous basis to justify inclusion or rejection of work list items, taking into consideration whether they mitigate risks or satisfy benefit/cost criteria. 

The application of risk-based decision making in a RBWS process should eliminate discretionary TA tasks that do not provide a sustainable return on investment and retain only those tasks which mitigate unacceptable risks or provide adequate benefits from a financial standpoint. A properly conducted RBWS assessment can yield...