Avoiding Corrosion Related Leaks in Processing Facilities
CML Optimization: Effective and Efficient Coverage and Placement
Fixed Equipment Mechanical Integrity (FEMI) Resources – Past vs. the Present
Novel Inspection System Aligns FRP and Metallic Asset Management Approaches
Pay Attention to the Condition of Your Passive Fire Protection and the Potential Risk It Hides
Risk Based Methodology for Industrial Steam Systems
Risk: An Ever Present Challenge
The Power of Proper Post-Weld Heat Treatment
A History of In-Line Inspection Tools
An Overview of Flare Systems for the Oil and Gas Industry
Executive Q&A with Clay White, Director of Mechanical Integrity for Phillips 66
Safe Operation of Aging Hydrogen Generation Plants
The Impact of Drones on Industrial Facilities
The Piping Integrity Management Challenge
Understanding Code Compliant Ultrasonic Testing
2017's Leadership "To Do List" - Business Processes and their Importance
Fifty Important Roles & Responsibilities of the Plant Corrosion/Materials Specialist
Harnessing the Power of Big Data to Drive Improvements in Reliability and Maintenance
Identifying Common Mistakes in Inspection Interval Determination
Piping Inspection – Much More Than Thickness Monitoring
Risk Management (RBI/Reliability) in a Lean Operating Environment and Uncertain Future
The Time Is Now for Intelligent Leaders to Embrace Technology
7 Questions You Need to Answer when Establishing an Integrity Management Program
Advancements in CUI Detection and Overview of MsS Guided Wave
Calculating the Required Structural Thickness of Pipe Using Beam Stress Theory
CML Reduction – Are you planning to fail?
Dead Leg Integrity Management System
Proper Assessment of Inspection Findings
RBI, Inspection Effectiveness and Human Factors
Choosing the Right Smart Pigging Technology – Lessons Learned
Detecting and Quantifying Cracks Using Eddy Current Array
Integrating and Planning Maintenance Activities in Oil and Gas Installations
Remote Integrity Monitoring of High Criticality Equipment in Real Time
Supplier Technical Assessments
The Hierarchy of a Fixed Equipment Asset Integrity Management Program
Achieving Excellence in PRD Integrity Management
Auto-Ignition of Ultrasonic Couplants During Thickness Gauging and Corrosion Mapping
Common Sense Maintenance Front Line Supervisor Development and Utilization – Part 2
Digital Radiography of Welds Using Flat Panel Detector Base Image Sensors
Embracing a New Approach to Retroactive PMI
Pipeline Failure – Safeguards Are so Important to Hydrocarbon Transport Lines
RBI – Real-Time Turnaround Management
Remaining Life Sensitivity to Longitudinal Weld Seam Peaking in High-temperature Low Chrome Piping
Article Index
 | May/June 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By David E. Moore at Becht Engineering, PONO Division Read a firsthand account of how organizing Process, People, Plant, and Performance can reveal breakdowns in your corrosion management practices and drive down corrosion related leaks. |
 | May/June 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Ryan Myers at PinnacleART, and Brian Marino at PinnacleART Effective condition monitoring location selection is a key component of a best-in-class mechanical integrity program. Learn how moving beyond traditional qualitative approaches to optimized CML selection can reduce risk and maximize the value of each inspection. |
 | May/June 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By John Reynolds at Intertek 35 years ago, an inspection supervisor, some inspectors, and a project engineer could cover an entire refinery. So why are so many more mechanical integrity resources needed today? |
 | March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Fernando Vicente at ABB, and Laza Krstin at ABB Myths, challenges, and good practices related to process piping integrity management activities that help inspection and maintenance managers make the right decisions to develop cost-effective piping inspection plans without compromising the asset’s reliability or performance. |
 | November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Mohamed Amer at TUV Rheinland This article describes a high-level dead leg integrity management program overview and is based on experience, knowledge, and adaptation of inspection management philosophies currently being implemented within the Oil & Gas and the petrochemical industry. |
 | May/June 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Dr. Brian Cane at TLV, Co. Steam systems account for almost a third of the energy used in industrial applications for product output. Maintaining their integrity and efficiency is vital. Learn how an effective risk-management process aids in the optimization of these critical assets. |
 | March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal Inspectioneering Founder and Chief Editor, Greg Alvarado, recently had the privilege to sit down with Clay White, Director of Mechanical Integrity for Phillips 66 (Downstream), to discuss the world of fixed equipment reliability in the refining and petrochemical industry. |
 | March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Ibrahim Kodssi at ADGAS Flare systems provide hydrocarbon facilities with safe and efficient discharge of relief and waste gases by controlled open flame burning. This article provides information on the selection, inspection, and maintenance of various types of flares. |
 | January/February 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Israel D. Martinez at ORPIC Evaluating remaining wall thickness of an asset is not enough to ensure its continued safe operation. Proactive strategies should be implemented to assess the entire environment affecting an asset’s condition, including the development of more effective inspection plans. |
 | March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Rami Mattar at Amerapex Corporation Application of drones in industrial inspections is not new, although it is still performed by only handful of companies. Market penetration of this technology in the industrial space has been relatively slow. |
Partner Content InVista is a lightweight, hand-held ultrasonic in-line inspection tool (intelligent pig) capable of detecting pipeline wall loss and corrosion in unpiggable or difficult-to-inspect pipelines. The pipeline geometry inspection data captured by the InVista tool is exceptionally powerful when combined with the LifeQuest™ Pipeline fitness-for-service capabilities, providing an integrated solution set for the pipeline industry. |
 | May/June 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Marc McConnell, P.E. at Versa Integrity Group, and Tracey Maloney at Versa Integrity Group The "simple" process of PWHT is more complicated than it may appear at first glance. Knowledge of the procedures, attention to details, and actual experience are indispensable in preventing failures caused by improper PWHT. |
January/February 2017 Inspectioneering Journal Historically, if asked when or how likely an austenitic series stainless steel component is to crack, corrosion engineers usually answered “very” or “maybe” or, later, “I didn’t see that coming.” With the introduction of API’s formal risk assessment methodology, that situation has changed over the past 20 years. |
 | March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Matt Ellinger at DNV GL The purpose of this article is to describe the various in-line inspection (ILI) technologies that are currently available to the market. The pros, cons, and applicability of each type of tool will be discussed in greater detail. |
 | May/June 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Geoff Clarkson at UTComp, Inc. Discover a new ultrasonic inspection approach that provides quantified mechanical integrity and conservative remaining service life information on fiberglass reinforced plastic equipment. |
 | May/June 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Hossam Aboegla at Lloyd's Register Energy Asset integrity and life cycle management are unique but intertwined concepts. The dynamic process between these principles has a significant impact on the lifecycle of individual assets and, therefore, the integrity of an entire plant. |
 | January/February 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Edwin A. Merrick, PE at The Augustus Group This article presents a perspective on the human factor and emphasizes the value of using risk tools at all levels in the organization to help provide management focus during times of severe economic pressure. |
 | March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Vibha Zaman, P.E. at Asset Optimization Consultants, and Leomar Penuela at Asset Optimization Consultants This article discusses the use of the RBI methodology supplemented by a well-designed IOW program to assess and manage aging in fixed equipment and piping in hydrogen generation units. |
 | May/June 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Justin Nickel at PK Technologies Are you giving CUF the attention it deserves? Learn the vital role fireproofing plays in maintaining the integrity and reliability of what it protects as well as what's needed for managing potential CUF issues. |
 | November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Loganatha Pandian at Meridium, Inc. This article summarizes seven key questions that an organization needs to answer to create a robust mechanical integrity program that is properly designed to monitor corrosion and indicate when issues increase to a level requiring review or maintenance. |
 | January/February 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Abdelmounam Sherik at Saudi Aramco Research and Development Center, Mark Rosa, PE at Harvard Business School, and Abderrazak Traidia at Saudi Aramco Research and Development Center This article summarizes a comprehensive survey conducted by the Research & Development Center (R&DC) of Saudi Aramco to understand top corrosion damage mechanisms experienced by its operating onshore surface facilities. |
 | Partner Content If you are developing a mechanical integrity program, or you would like to optimize your existing mechanical integrity program, do you have qualified MI consultants to meet your regulatory needs? If you already have a sound, defensible MI inspection system in place, do you have qualified and experienced personnel maintaining your program? |
 | January/February 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Chuck Provost at Sentinel Integrity Solutions Some facilities lead the industry with streamlined RBI/IOW programs, and some facilities are just implementing standard calendar-based programs. Both are still susceptible to inspection interval gaps. |
 | March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By A.C. Gysbers at The Equity Engineering Group, Inc. Integrity Operating Windows (IOWs) have a subset of operating variables that are important for degradation monitoring, but may not have direct operational controls. Per API RP 584 Integrity Operating Windows, these are known as IOW Informational Limits, which are often neglected or misunderstood by operations or technical personnel within a plant. |
 | November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Lynne Kaley at Trinity Bridge LLC / Trinity Bridge Digital This paper provides the background for the technology behind the Third Edition thinning model as well as step-by-step worked examples demonstrating the methodology for thinning in this new edition of API RP 581. |
 | January/February 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By John Reynolds at Intertek In this article, the roles and responsibilities of the corrosion and materials SME will be outlined as I see them, fully recognizing that there is probably no one person out there with all the knowledge and skills suggested herein. |
 | November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Nolan L. Miller at SASOL North America This article will go through the methodology of each process that could be used in determining the structural component for the required pipe wall thickness, but will focus on the use of Beam Flexural Stress calculations and Beam Deflection calculations to determine the structural component of the required pipe wall thickness calculation. |
 | May/June 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Mike Asquini at T.A. Cook Risk is an inherent aspect of asset management. Unfortunately, controlling it is easier said than done. Risk must be managed beginning with the initiation of a project and lasting until completion. How can one implement a reliable risk management program while balancing organizational demands? |
 | January/February 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By David Aldrich at North Highland, and Teri Mendelovitz at North Highland This article covers where to start, what to look for, and how to execute a data and systems-focused performance improvement project that can drive large overhead savings. |
January/February 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Justin Nickel at PK Technologies Today’s intelligent technology can provide is interoperability, mobile data collection, cascading questions, picture referencing, photo annotation, data funneling and cost savings. Take a closer look at some of the benefits intelligent technology can provide. |
September/October 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal Risk-based inspection (RBI) programs and processes are front and center, both as a challenge to get it right, and as an integral tool and process to help us achieve success in risk management and equipment reliability. It has to be implemented, maintained, sustained, and in a state of continuous improvement over time in order to achieve the desired results. |
November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Blake Stermer at Sentinel Integrity Solutions As the industry strives to maintain PSM/OSHA compliance through owner/user mechanical integrity programs, inspection professionals should fully understand technical standards to generate an adequate repair recommendation or request further inspection and testing |
 | Partner Content FFS assessment techniques are applicable to a wide range of damage types: LTA's, cracks, creep damage, dents, and more. These are very powerful analytical tools that often allow operators to not only keep the plant running, but to keep it running safely. |
 | March/April 2017 Inspectioneering Journal By Bob Lasser at Imperium, Inc. Ultrasonic phased array allow for a variety of structures to be inspected without radiation or taking equipment out of service. Codes are now being developed which allow phased array systems as an acceptable inspection technique for many procedures. |
 | November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Adam Gardner at PinnacleART Beyond the financial hits, undetected degradation from corrosion can also lead to critical safety risks. To effectively manage mechanical integrity, organizations need reliable methods of identifying the current states of corrosion occurring within their assets. |
 | September/October 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Tata L.N. Murthy at Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd For all operators, a system made up of a variety of equipment must be available to carry out continued operations. Planning plays a vital role in the success of major maintenance projects. Integrating all departments in the maintenance plan can save operators time and money, can increase equipment availability, and can help ensure the activities are conducted in a safe and efficient manner. |
 | September/October 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Kimberley Hayes at Olympus Detecting, quantifying, and sizing indications characterized as a “crack” in critical equipment have long been the global benchmark of asset integrity programs. Therefore, the increased precision that inspection programs obtain using advanced technologies can dynamically improve the overall assessment. |
 | July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Gene Larson at ECHO Ultrasonics This article details the basis for the lack of understanding about the potential for ultrasonic couplant auto-ignition and outlines an ALARP operating practice for mitigation. |
November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Grady Hatton at Versa Integrity Group, and Marc McConnell, P.E. at Versa Integrity Group The concept of reducing Condition Monitoring Locations (CMLs) is misguided, and the number and location of CMLs should be OPTIMIZED, not systematically reduced. CML allocation in piping requires a good process, otherwise, you can run into a lot of dead ends before arriving at your intended destination. |
 | September/October 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Dr. Jake Davies at Permasense Ltd. Remote monitoring solutions are making it possible to avoid sending personnel into harsh environments without forgoing the essential data gathering that keeps assets safely operating. |
November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal Human factors, inspection effectiveness, and RBI all play an important role in running an effective asset management program. This article discusses how each is applicable to inspecting equipment in processing facilities. |
 | November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Joey Johnston at DronePro, LLC In the first quarter of 2016, Texas-based DronePro LLC completed the first ever inside-the-derrick inspection of an offshore drilling rig utilizing a proprietary unmanned aircraft system (UAS), or drone, with its associated technology and equipment. |
November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Michael Turnquist at Quest Integrity Group This article exhibits how modern inspection methodologies combined with innovative computational analysis practices demonstrate the value of conducting fitness-for-service (FFS) assessments on sectional piping. |
Partner Content Industrial Rope Access is a proven method of achieving a safe work position at elevated heights or areas that are difficult to access. When combined with advanced NDE technologies, rope access technicians can substantially reduce the cost of inspections and maintenance activities by virtually eliminating the need for fixed scaffolding. |
 | July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Brian Wilson at Thermo Fisher Scientific The instrumentation available to detect inadvertent material substitutions through positive material identification (PMI) has never been more available, portable or powerful than it is today. For one industrial services company, Tacten Industrial, Inc., embracing the latest technological advances in PMI while using rope access to conduct inspections has helped to transform their business. It has found the ideal formula for retroactive PMI that allows its team and its clients to rest assured that they’ve conducted their testing right – the first time. |
September/October 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By James Cheng at Bureau Veritas Having a systematic, proven methodology for effectively qualifying suppliers is extremely important. Supplier Technical Assessments, or “vendor assessments,” help buyers evaluate suppliers’ qualifications when considering their capabilities to manufacture specified industrial components or provide the desired services. |
 | September/October 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By John Reynolds at Intertek Did you ever wonder where you fit into the entire hierarchy of a fixed equipment asset integrity management (FE-AIM) program? Or who is responsible and accountable for what aspects of FE-AIM at your site? All the way from top management down to those doing the work at the field level? That’s what I will try to address in this article. |
 | July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Jackson Espinoza at Sentinel Integrity Solutions An explanation of refractory including its uses and recent advancements in abrasion-resistant materials, dry-out/cure times, improved installation methods, and anchoring systems. |
 | July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Jacob Manuel, P.E. at Stress Engineering Services, Inc., and Ralph E. King P.E. at Stress Engineering Services, Inc. An overview of process piping vibration and evaluating piping systems in vibration service to reduce harmful vibrations. |
July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Grady Hatton at Versa Integrity Group, and Melissa Guerra at Chevron Products Company Many plants inspect PRDs on preset intervals as recommended by inspection code API 510, and implement inspection practices such as API RP 576. Just seeking PRD compliance with codes and standards usually results in mediocre mechanical integrity and process safety. Companies must go further to climb the ladder to “excellence.” |
July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Guy Bogar at HollyFrontier - Tulsa Refinery Turnarounds operate at a different pace than routine work. Most plant-based inspection departments have historically struggled with Turnaround document control, such as integrating contractor reports into their routine data management system. Our solution was to execute RBI updates in real time during Turnaround execution. |
 | September/October 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Tim Haugen at Quest Integrity Group Although all ultrasonic smart pigging providers claim the ability to detect wall thinning and tube deformations to some degree, the inspection surface coverage, resolution, minimum wall thickness detection and reporting capabilities may vary drastically from one service provider to the next. Knowing your provider’s capabilities is crucial for ensuring the integrity of your assets, as one refinery recently discovered. |
July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Neil Ferguson at Hydratight Joint integrity management remains at the top of many operators’ priority list. The discipline considers risk and drives safety to ensure we learn necessary lessons from past catastrophic failures, such as the Piper Alpha explosion in 1988, where leaking gas condensate ignited and killed 167 of the 229 people on board the offshore rig. |
July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Mike Johnston at T. A. Cook Consultants, Inc. This article will examine what can occur during the course of a Front Line Supervisor’s day that may hinder the execution of their expected duties, and what can be put in place to overcome those obstacles. |
| Partner Content If you are developing a mechanical integrity program, or you would like to optimize your existing mechanical integrity program, do you have qualified MI consultants to meet your regulatory needs? If you already have a sound, defensible MI inspection system in place, do you have qualified and experienced personnel maintaining your program? |
 | September/October 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Kevin Birkby at PinnacleART Integrity and reliability personnel at processing facilities are no strangers to initiatives to improve processes in the pursuit of establishing best-in-class reliability programs. It is common practice for operators to enlist help from third parties that specialize in implementation of programs like Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) and Asset Management. |
 | July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Sanjoy Das at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, and D. Mukherjee at Bhabha Atomic Research Centre The structural integrity of components is controlled by material properties, the presence of flaws, and levels of applied stress. Several factors such as temperature, type of loading, toughness, corrosion resistance, micro-structural stability, cost etc. dictate the suitable material for the desired application. |
 | July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal By Phillip E. Prueter at The Equity Engineering Group, Inc., Jonathan D. Dobis at The Equity Engineering Group, Inc., Mark Geisenhoff at Flint Hills Resources, and Dr. Michael S. Cayard at Flint Hills Resources This article summarizes a recent finite element analysis (FEA)-based study that employs creep simulation techniques to investigate the elevated temperature response of piping with peaked longitudinal weld seams. |
Partner Content InVista is a lightweight, hand-held ultrasonic in-line inspection tool (intelligent pig) capable of detecting pipeline wall loss and corrosion in unpiggable or difficult-to-inspect pipelines. The pipeline geometry inspection data captured by the InVista tool is exceptionally powerful when combined with the LifeQuest™ Pipeline fitness-for-service capabilities, providing an integrated solution set for the pipeline industry. |
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