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Advanced Ultrasonic Backscatter Technique (AUBT) involves a collection of ultrasonic techniques used for detecting High Temperature Hydrogen Attack (
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Amine Stress Corrosion Cracking, often referred to as alkaline SCC or simply amine cracking, is a form of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) caused by the combined effects of an aqueous...
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Ammonia Stress Corrosion Cracking is a form of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) caused by the combined effects of an ammonia environment and the presence of either applied or...
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Asset Integrity Management (AIM) is a standard of operating that aims to protect equipment, health, safety, and environment. While there are numerous definitions of AIM, we define AIM as the cradle-to-grave...
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Brittle Fracture is the sudden, very rapid cracking of equipment under stress where the material exhibited little or no evidence of ductility or plastic degradation before the fracture occurs. Unlike most other tensile failures, where the material plastically strains...
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Carbonate Stress Corrosion Cracking, often simply referred to as carbonate cracking, is a form of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) caused by the combined effects of the presence of...
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Cathodic Protection (CP) is one of the most effective methods for preventing most types of corrosion on a metal surface. In some cases, CP can even stop corrosion damage from occurring. Metals, especially ferrous metals, corrode in the presence of oxygen, water, and other...
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Caustic Stress Corrosion Cracking, often referred to as caustic cracking or caustic embrittlement (although it is not technically an embrittlement damage mechanism), is a form of
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A Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) is a multipurpose software tool used to create a working record of a facility's maintenance management data, including but not limited to equipment...
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Condition Monitoring Locations (CMLs) are designated locations on pressure vessels and piping where thickness monitoring...
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Corrosion and Materials is a field of study that focuses on understanding the causes and mechanisms of corrosion. According to API 510...
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A Corrosion Control Document (CCD), sometimes also known as a corrosion report, corrosion manual, or critical process variable, is a document responsible for summarizing a unit's process description and...
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In the simplest terms, Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI) is any type of corrosion that occurs due to moisture present on the external surface of insulated equipment. The damage/attack can be caused by one of multiple factors, and can occur in equipment operating at ambient, low,...
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Cracking is the the physical response in a material or piece of equipment to excessive exposure to damaging conditions. Cracking is usually caused by stress, although it can be exacerbated by other factors. It should go without saying, that you do not want cracking in...
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According to API 570, Piping Inspection Code: In-service Inspection, Rating, Repair, and Alteration of Piping Systems, Critical Check Valves (CCV) are defined as check valves in piping systems that have been identified as vital to
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Damage Mechanism is a general term used to describe mechanical or chemical processes that result in equipment damage or material degradation. These can range from corrosion, to...
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Dead Legs are areas of a piping system that rarely see flow, yet are still exposed to process, even if not explicitly cut off. In an effective asset integrity management program...
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Eddy Current Testing (ECT) is an electromagnetic testing method for nondestructive testing (NDT) of conductive materials. This method can be used in several applications such as crack...
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Electro-Magnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) is an Ultrasonic Testing (UT) technique that generates sound in the component being inspected rather than the transducer. Because the sound is generated in the part inspected instead of the transducer, EMAT is a completely...
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Embrittlement is the process of a material becoming brittle due to a loss of ductility. Hydrogen embrittlement, temper embrittlement, liquid metal embrittlement, and sulfide stress cracking (SSC) are all examples of embrittlement. Embrittlement can be a very dangerous...
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Erosion Corrosion is a term that refers to the combined effect of erosion and corrosion on a metal surface which is caused by the rapid flow of any turbulent liquid through piping. The rate of erosion is dependant on the level of turbulence, with more turbulent liquid being more...
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It is undeniable that every plant will experience equipment failure at some point during its lifetime. Despite this, avoiding failures is the goal of every asset integrity professional in the oil and gas industry. As...
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Fatigue is a failure mechanism that involves the cracking of materials and structural components due to cyclic (or fluctuating) stress. While applied stresses may be tensile, compressive or torsional, crack...
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Fiber Reinforced Polymer (FRP) Systems, also known as fiber reinforced linings, are composite materials commonly used to reinforce infrastructure, including steel piping, in the oil and gas and other process...
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Fired Heaters, often referred to as furnaces (direct fired heaters), are pieces of equipment often used in processing facilities to heat gases or liquids up to a desired temperature. Fired heaters in the petrochemical and refining industry are critical pieces of...
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Fitness for Service (FFS) is a best practice and standard used by the oil & gas and chemical process industries for in-service equipment to determine its fitness for continued service. FFS serves as a rational basis for defining flaw acceptance limits and allows engineers to...
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Graphitization is a form of material degradation occurring when the microstructure of some carbon and low alloy steels breaks down after long exposure to elevated temperatures (825 - 1300 F),...
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Guided Wave Ultrasonics (GWUT) is a nondestructive examination technique that projects sound waves along pipe walls in order to detect corrosion or other damage. Guided wave...
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Hydrofluoric Acid (HF) Alkylation Units, often referred to as HF Alky units, are process units used in petroleum refining to convert isobutane and alkenes (primarily propylene or butylene) into...
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High Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTHA) is an insidious condition that can occur in process equipment exposed to hydrogen at elevated temperatures (at least 400F or 204C), under dry conditions, when...
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Creep damage is a time-dependent phenomenon characterized by gradual, continuous deformation, affecting all metals and alloys, under the combined action of temperature and stress. In general, creep damage accumulation and the propensity for...
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Hydrocracking Units, also known as Hydrocrackers, are types of process equipment used in petroleum refining. Hydrocrackers use hydrogen and a catalyst to break down heavy crude oil molecules into various distillates and gasoline. It is also useful for converting...
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Hydroflouric (HF) Acid Corrosion is an acidic environment damage mechanism associated almost exclusively with HF Alkylation...
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Hydrogen Blistering is a form of wet H2S damage generally characterized by internal blisters (i.e., planar cavities that result in physical bulges) in steel...
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Hydrogen Embrittlement is a form of hydrogen damage stemming from the diffusion of atomic hydrogen into...
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Hydrogen Induced Cracking (HIC) is a common form of wet H2S damage caused by the initiation and propagation of small crack-like flaws, often...
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Hydrogen Stress Cracking is a form of Hydrogen Embrittlement that occurs when corrosion from acids like wet hydrogen sulfide and hydrofluoric acid cause atomic hydrogen to penetrate hardened...
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Hydrostatic (Hydro) Testing is a process where components such as piping systems, gas cylinders, boilers, and
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In-line Inspection (ILI) involves the evaluation of pipes and pipelines using “smart pigs” (both tethered and non-tethered) that utilize non-destructive examination techniques...
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Injection Points are designated places where operators can inject chemicals into a process stream to prevent or mitigate corrosion or
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Inspection is the practice of examining the physical condition of materials, components, or entire pieces of equipment in order to determine if and for how long it will operate as intended. Inspection plays a vital role in any
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An Inspection Data Management System (IDMS) is a software program or system designed to collect, store, organize, and analyze data generated from equipment inspections and testing in industrial facilities. The dataset within an IDMS includes crucial information about asset...
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Integrity Operating Windows (IOWs) are sets of limits used to determine the different variables that could affect the integrity and
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Preventing leaks is extremely important for operators in the oil and gas and chemical processing industries. Joint Integrity Management is the practice of designing, inspecting, and maintaining bolted joints to prevent the occurrence of leaks, which can lead to delayed...
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Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) are those metrics used by organizations to track and measure the performance or success of quantifiable values. KPIs can be used by individuals, businesses, facilities, and organizations to...
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Liquid Penetrant Testing, also referred to as penetrant testing (PT), liquid penetrant examination (LPE), and dye penetrant testing (DP), is a nondestructive examination (NDE) method that utilizes...
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Long Range Ultrasonic Testing (LRUT) is an advanced nondestructive examination technique that was developed for testing large volumes of material from a single test point. What differentiates this from more traditional methods of
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Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) is an advanced nondestructive testing (NDT) technique commonly used in the oil & gas and chemical processing industries to inspect for wall loss and sharp defects such as...
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Magnetic Particle Testing (MPT), also referred to as Magnetic Particle Inspection, is a nondestructive examination...
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Management of Change (MOC) is a best practice that controls safety, health, and environmental risks and hazards as they pertain to an...
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Mechanical Integrity (MI) can be defined as the management of critical process equipment to ensure it is designed and installed correctly, and that it operates and is maintained properly (i.e. no leaks and all elements are fit for service). A mechanical integrity program should...
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Nondestructive Testing (NDT) consists of a variety of non-invasive inspection techniques used to evaluate material properties, components, or entire process units. The techniques can also be utilized to detect, characterize, or measure the...
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Phased Array Ultrasonic Testing (PAUT) is an advanced nondestructive examination technique that utilizes a set of ultrasonic testing (UT) probes...
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Pitting Corrosion is a fairly localized form of corrosion which is characterized by small holes, known as pits, forming in materials, most often metal piping. While these pits may be small on the...
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Positive Material Identification (PMI) is a term that refers to the analysis and identification of materials through various nondestructive methods. PMI is able to determine the alloy composition of materials, and is a well-established technique that can either be performed in...
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Welding is an essential part of operating and maintaining assets in the petroleum (upstream, midstream, downstream) and chemical processing industries. While it has many useful applications, the welding process can inadvertently...
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Pressure Relieving Devices (PRD) are components used in refineries, chemical plants, and other similar facilities to prevent pressure vessels and other equipment from overpressurization by relieving excess pressure when necessary. They can be used to release gas, steam, liquids,...
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Process Hazards Analysis is a systematic method of identifying and evaluating the dangers involved with specific industrial processes in order to prevent or control potential hazards.[1,2,3] If properly conducted, it can be an effective tool for protecting...
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A Process Safety Incident typically involves an unexpected mechanical integrity failure in a pipeline system or processing facility, often including a fire, explosion, rupture, or hazardous chemical leak. These incidents can be caused by a number factors including
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Pulsed Eddy Current (PEC) is a nondestructive examination technique used for detecting flaws or corrosion in...
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Quality Assurance (QA) is a process that is used to control and improve the development of a product or service to ensure it will meet all specifications and requirements. QA involves improving the product development and manufacturing process, rather than looking at...
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Quality Control (QC) is the process of ensuring that the quality of a product or service has met certain predetermined standards. QC involves preventing defects in the finished products after they have been developed or manufactured.
While it is...
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Refractory is a heat resistant material used to line high temperature furnaces, reactors, and other processing units. It is more heat resistant than metals and is required for heating applications above 1000°F (538°C). Refractories are designed to resist chemical attack,...
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Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) is an analysis methodology and process that, as opposed to condition-based inspection, requires qualitative or quantitative assessment of the probability of failure (PoF) and the consequence of failure (CoF) associated with each equipment item, piping...
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Root Cause Analysis (RCA) is a process that uses several problem solving methods to identify the origin of a problem. The analysis answers when, how, and why a problem occurred in the first place and implements an effective solution to ensure the...
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In the refining and chemical processing industries, Small Bore Piping (SBP) is generally process piping that is two inches or less in diameter. Small bore piping typically branches off of the main process piping and is often used as relief lines and drain piping.
The...
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Source Inspection is the process of providing quality surveillance of materials, equipment, and fabrications being supplied for use in facilities. It provides confidence to purchasers that the materials and equipment they are purchasing from their suppliers meet the minimum...
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Refineries, chemical facilities, and other large industrial facilities are comprised of countless individual assets that include fixed equipment (e.g., pressure vessels, piping),
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Sulfidation Corrosion (also known as sulfidic corrosion) is a result of naturally occurring sulfur compounds found in crude oil. In the absence of hydrogen, corrosion due to sulfur compounds in...
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Thickness Monitoring is the process of routinely measuring the material thickness of equipment such as piping, tubing, pressure vessels, or tanks. Thickness measurements are performed by using
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Shutdowns, Turnarounds, and Outages (STO) are commonly used terms, often interchangeably, to describe a planned or unplanned period of time in which a plant/facility, unit, or piece of equipment is out of service. In many process industries (e.g., refining, petrochemicals,...
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Ultrasonic Testing (UT) is a group of nondestructive examination (NDE) techniques that use short, high-frequency...
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Weld Overlay (WOL), also known as cladding, hardfacing, weld cladding, or weld overlay cladding, is a process where one or more metals are joined together via welding to the surface of a base metal as a layer. This is normally done to improve the material by adding either a...
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Equipment in aqueous phase process environments containing hydrogen sulfide (H2S), generally referred to as sour service, can be particularly susceptible to numerous...
