Improving Turnaround Performance with Detailed Inspection Planning

Introduction

The most valuable unit of measure within an outage, shutdown, or as referenced in the energy industry, a turnaround is not money, but instead, it is time. If forced to do so, one can produce more money; one cannot produce more time. The loss of time equates to the loss of opportunity, something that cannot be reversed and made up. Time is the most often used unit of measure on the abscissa (x-axis) in key performance indicators (KPI). Reducing the time required to complete the activities of a planned turnaround – without reducing scope – returns dividends several times more than the cost of the activity itself. These dividends are paid in the form of opportunity.

However, to reduce the time within the outage, one is required to carefully plan the activity to a level that reduces the risk of any dead or downtime, inefficiency, and uncertainties. Then, one must execute the plan in accordance with its requirements. Such sophisticated planning often requires the utilization of an individual with improved skills over conventional, traditional planners of today. The personnel with these skills are most often found in the Inspection Departments of owner-operators or their contracted inspection service providers.

Successful turnaround planning (TAP) organizations are now integrating the Detailed Inspection Planner (DIP) within their teams to increase the accuracy of planning, ensure the execution of the correct work scope, and reduce the time required to complete the TAP activity.

The Inspection Planner Job Description

Below, you’ll see an excerpt from a sample job description for a DIP. The major differences are obvious; there is a heavy emphasis on mechanical needs for fixed equipment reliability and inspection. The subjects of welding, bolting, gaskets, heat treatment, cathodic protection, torque, demisters, refractory and insulation are often referenced. Then there are the code requirements, jurisdictional restrictions, inspection and non-destructive testing requirements. Additionally, these personnel are most always certified by national trade organizations that validate competency.