Common pitfalls in gathering inspection data using a case study where additional data gathering resulted in a significant improvement in FFS results.

Explore how more advanced modeling addresses the challenges of quantifying uncertainty and probability of failure to drive valuable inspections.

The focus of the 10th "Meeting of the Minds” roundtable discussion was on data validation and the importance of having consistent definitions of “good data.”

Can our industry learn a lesson from baseball's data-driven approach to move us into the next evolution of data analysis?

Data lakes are a powerful solution for storing and managing NDT data and inspection metadata. They allow for the centralization of large amounts of data that can be used as a valuable source of data for AI projects.

Our proprietary furnace tube inspection system, FTIS is an ultrasonic inspection technology capable of rapid, automated fired heater coil inspection in refinery fired heaters. The data captured by our furnace tube inspection system is...

This article discusses two use cases of how advanced visual data capture and image analytics can be used across multiple industries to drive better reliability decisions.

The convergence of IT and OT helps to streamline processes while providing access to the full picture of asset conditions, thereby enhancing risk mitigation, diagnostics, analytics, anomalies, and recommendations.

While data science has the power to revolutionize the reliability industry, it will only do so with strong guidance from SMEs. This combination enables facilities to develop solutions to challenges based on each method’s unique strengths.

Earlier this year, Inspectioneering and Pinnacle co-hosted their 9th “Meeting of the Minds” roundtable discussion with a select group of leading MI experts. This year's focus was on data collection, data organization, and data analysis.

A case study on utilizing the Quantitative Reliability Optimization (QRO) methodology to help better evaluate equipment risk and predict future product availability.

AET is a powerful, non-intrusive inspection technique to verify the structural integrity of pressure vessels, spheres, high-temperature reactors and piping, coke drums, above-ground storage tanks, cryogenic storage tanks, and more.

The addition of data science into traditional reliability methods allows models to evolve continually and learn, preventing results from becoming stagnant.

This study found that a machine learning model was able to predict degradation rates for a hydrocracker unit more accurately and with a smaller margin of error compared to current industry practices.

A changing workforce means an increased need to digitize AIM technology, including data capture and analysis, to facilitate remote work requirements and more efficient methods in a digital market.

This article discusses some of the common fitness-for-service (FFS) issues plant engineers in the chemical and refining industry are facing and a handful of recommendations on how to improve them.

Applying advanced statistical analysis methods will provide owner/users with a RAGAGEP-accepted method for analyzing corrosion monitoring data while also integrating the latest improvements in inspection capabilities.

Auto-refrigeration can impose low temperatures onto process vessels and piping causing them to be at risk of brittle fracture, the sudden break-before leak phenomena that can result in catastrophic rupture of the equipment.

Complex problems require collaboration between process, operations, maintenance, inspection, and engineering. It is important to establish a sense of trust in your organization and work to avoid situations where "dynamic tension" is a way of life.

The positive impact of digital twins on planning, costs, turnaround, revenue generation, and safety are substantial and rapid in their return. This article will examine why to leverage this technology and how to do so in a fiscally viable manner.

Utilizing a digital field service management platform for inspection and related trade support is the answer to many of the difficulties experienced in mechanical integrity programs today.

Condition monitoring optimization goes beyond traditional CML optimization, which is often limited in the breadth of analysis, or can overemphasize a subset of the overall objective.

The results of the analysis demonstrate the exciting possibilities for how “Big Data” can be used to empower the reliability and corrosion engineer to solve real-world reliability challenges faster and more accurately than current industry...

Equity Engineering Practices® (EEPs) are a collection of design and maintenance focused corporate standards that include >850 engineering standards, and >300 piping classes. Enhance your mechanical integrity programs, improve equipment...

Acting as a reliability twin, QRO is a new dynamic reliability approach that bridges existing first principles-based reliability models with advanced data science principles and system-based optimization to drive improved facility performance.

One of the most important opportunities is digitalization, visualization, and access to actionable information, which is best achieved via AIM software with digital twin technology. Yet, can it really create enough value to justify the business case?

While collecting more data may seem like the solution, the key to successfully forecasting system availability is building a strong program based on existing data. This can be accomplished through Quantitative Reliability Optimization (QRO).

This article describes an owner-user’s evergreening process to maintain accurate data to support the mechanical integrity program and assist in planning inspections, turnarounds, repairs, replacements, and upgrades.

This case study of a CO2 absorber tower in a remote location investigates the use of a new type of wireless ultrasonic sensor for monitoring the thickness of equipment while on or offline.

What do you need: CONSULTING - Subject matter experts, consultants, or team of highly skilled engineers to help solve my problem. SOFTWARE - My team requires software, products, or resources that will solve the problem. TRAINING - I require...

As the industry continues to collect more data, many facilities are unable to confidently leverage it to drive better reliability decisions because they do not collect the correct type or amount of data, which leads to unknown risks.

The manner by which reliability is achieved is experiencing a much-needed paradigm shift in the way it uses data. In this article, we’ll explain how you can leverage this industry shift to implement data-driven reliability at your facility.

Facilities that can successfully leverage both their data and expertise while effectively integrating this unified model into their core business processes can improve performance and eliminate non-value-added activities.

This article provides a guide through the actual execution of digital transformation. The author explains what digital transformation is and helps you understand the benefits you will achieve and the challenges that arise.

Understanding asset integrity and its management framework is important to sustaining the integrity of assets in the oil and gas industry. This article will discuss eleven primary elements that make up an asset integrity management program.

Are you truly prepared for your next Turnaround? Effective work processes are required to successfully plan, manage, review and supervise plant turnarounds. Inspection planning and work scope selection are critical aspects of any turnaround...

Despite the recent challenges that the oil and gas industry has faced over the past couple of months, facilities have the unique opportunity to embrace change in company culture, build data-driven processes, and focus on measuring value.

Bad data is the bane of equipment integrity — and I don’t just mean test data that is questionable. As a quick exercise, consider some of the key data issues you have encountered. Do any of the following ring a bell?

There are tools available that can achieve nearly 100% corrosion monitoring coverage. The use of robotics and ultrasonic inspection methods such as rapid ultrasonic gridding have shown to be highly effective in acquiring these data points.

When paired with the right software, the RBWS process can lead to significant reductions in turnaround work scopes. However, some software tools have distinct advantages over others.

Today's operators are implementing a myriad of Mechanical Integrity and Reliability programs to realize greater results from their facilities. However, for each of these programs to be effective, they must be fueled by quality and up-to-date data.

Inspectioneering and API have teamed up to create the Mechanical Integrity Professional Initiative. The goal of this project is to raise the benchmark on industry knowledge and develop the next generation of SMEs. We believe that equipping MI...

This article demonstrates how substituting inspection reports that originate from pen and paper to reports generated using a stylus and tablet at the time and location of inspection can eliminate data entry errors and other common mistakes.

This blog will walk through practical steps for managing IOWS and will demonstrate what successful IOW management can look like.

In order to utilize data most effectively and realize the full power of AE testing, it is necessary to bring the capabilities of laboratory testing tools to industrial sites.

This article outlines current and future challenges for asset owners and operators in the energy and marine industries and how technology will change the way knowledge is captured, stored, and used across organizations for the better.

Take advantage of every reasonable opportunity to properly organize your databases. As the information moves toward High Fidelity, you can achieve improved effectiveness and efficiency in your reliability and mechanical integrity programs.

TEAM’s integrated touch point corrosion program manages all aspects of the integrity process from screening for damage to permanent repair assuring integrity – every time. TEAM’s unique turn-key approach to touch point corrosion integrity...

This article describes how an international oil and gas company built an inspection data management program for its U.S. operations yielding improved confidence in decision-making information, cost savings through increased efficiency, and an...

In the fifth and final blog of this 5-part series, readers will learn the key obstacles faced in an implementation project and what measures can be taken to help prevent and mitigate their impact.

In this article, the author discusses how standardizing IDMS usage can help integrity teams perform more efficiently and effectively.

There are cases where selecting the best IDMS application for the company means that the end users will not immediately obtain all desired functionality. In some instances, users must forgo desirable features to satisfy more valuable requirements of...

In the industry today, there are numerous applications being used to manage asset integrity information, i.e. data and records associated with design, construction, corrosion, inspection, process chemistry, and degradation remediation. In the second...

Pinnacle's data-driven reliability framework ensures the right data is fueling the right intelligence, helping you make confident, strategic decisions.

This article demonstrates how the use of APM software can help prevent unplanned downtime by quickly identifying potential hidden failures.

In the industry today, there are numerous applications being used to manage asset integrity information, i.e. data and records associated with design, construction, corrosion, inspection, process chemistry, and degradation remediation. As the first...

Inspection data is vulnerable to flaws in collection and retention. For example, data might be inaccurate, duplicate, or incomplete due to procedural breakdowns. This article introduces Digital Data Management Systems (DDMS) as a response to these...

Although value-drivers often differ between facilities, all can agree that effective asset management strategies should lead to better decision making. In this case study, the authors detail how process-based risk management strategies can make for...

3 common repair scenarios include routine maintenance, scope repairs, and major discoveries. An inspector’s ability to properly manage each situation can mean the difference between mechanical integrity success and failure.

Traditional pressure vessel inspections often require taking assets out of service. However, MISTRAS’ Non-Intrusive Inspection (NII) programs provide data as good or better than internal inspections, while assets remain in service. NII is...

Having connected assets that continuously monitor their own health and feed that information back in a way that is timely and actionable will drive business outcomes and help organizations achieve loftier goals.

Inspectioneering Founder & 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...

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.

Today’s intelligent technology can provide is interoperability, mobile data collection, cascading questions, picture referencing, photo annotation, data funneling and cost savings.

It is a commonly held belief with oil & gas (O&G), oil sands, and pipeline projects that material test reports (MTRs) are always required for turnover to the owner-user, but that is untrue. In this article I will describe what MTRs are, how these...

Traditional, paper-based inspection processes can prevent plants from being as effective as they can be. By digitalizing your mechanical integrity process and data with MISTRAS Digital®, plants have realized up to 75% gains in IDMS data entry and...

Data, in pure form, consists of raw, unorganized facts that need to be processed. Data can be found in databases, documents, drawings, reports, spreadsheets, and numerous other sources. Having data on hand is useful, however, it’s often...

We have seen many different inspection recommendation management systems. Most of them struggle to effectively manage all inspection recommendations. However, a few of them are excellent. What makes an effective system?

It is estimated that there have been more than 250,000 layoffs in the oil and gas industry since the price of oil began to drop precipitously in late 2014. With oil not expected to rebound significantly for at least the next year or so, we should be...

You probably already know that inspection apps for tablets and smart phones exist, and have notions of how these technologies can improve efficiencies in the field and beyond.

When heading down the path of becoming an inspection professional, it’s helpful to understand the characteristics that truly make someone an outstanding inspector.

Tri-Lateral Phased Array is a novel robotic phased array ultrasonic testing technique for the on-stream inspection of fixed equipment in wet hydrogen sulfide (H2S) service. TriLat identifies and quantifies wet H2S damage in the base metal of...

The enormous decline in oil prices over the past 14 months has definitely slowed projects and changed the energy and production landscape. Despite this, refineries, petrochemical plants, and chemical facilities must continue to run safely,...

It is often best to rely on properly trained and experienced inspection service providers to determine the proper method for any inspection project. Thus, inspection companies can suggest utilizing the most effective and efficient inspection...

This article addresses a debate mechanical integrity professionals in the O&G and Chemical Processing industries periodically have about how thickness data gathered during a thickness monitoring inspection (TMI) should be recorded.

Pipeline integrity is critical to ensure maintenance and operational efficiency; however it is becoming an increasingly challenging task for the energy industry. Maintenance managers and inspectors must make sure their pipeline(s) and its associated...

Machine-to-Machine connectivity combined with advanced computing capabilities and industry-focused software enable a wide range of new capabilities. From smart homes controlled over the internet, to smart electric grids with smart meters, sensors...

Ethos has assembled a team of experts who apply what they learned through years of process safety experience in the industry and dealing with OSHA and EPA. Click here to learn more about our services.

While performing visual inspections with a pen and notepad is the traditional way to record data, there are now more efficient ways to complete inspections out in the field. Investing in a mobile inspection application can be a great way to save...

There should be a policy in place and enforced by management at each operating site of not allowing equipment and repair recommendations to become overdue for inspection and handling. Such a practice goes a long way toward increasing the credibility...

Avoiding cracking under pressure when managing high-energy piping systems is common subject matter in the power industry. Just as high-energy piping can give way to pressure, stress and fatigue, so can the people in charge of operating them when...

Based on my 45+ years of experience working with fixed equipment mechanical integrity (FEMI) issues in the refining and petrochemical processing industry, this article summarizes what I believe are the top 10 reasons why pressure vessels and piping...

One of the major challenges inspectors and plant operators face after each turnaround is to ensure that all repair and scope work is and was completed in accordance with the client’s requirements. Sometimes that verification will be to ensure work...

Whether you decide for a Computed Radiography scanner with flexible imaging plates or a flat panel detector with the fastest imaging, or even combine the advantages of both technologies, DÜRR NDT's innovative systems offer high reliability and the...

Recently developed RFID best practices provide an opportunity for pipeline businesses to transform their asset management and pipeline integrity management processes away from traditional paper-based systems to more efficient, highly-integrated...

Today’s blog post is a continuation on the 10 essential Management Systems needed for an effective PEI program that can achieve excellence. My previous posts covered the first six of these, including LCM, Risk Assessment and Inspection, and...

Piping failures still represent a frustrating and ongoing problem for processing plants. Failures are still commonly reported and contribute to large losses. In the author’s experience, piping represents the highest percentage of fixed equipment...

Clearly, record-keeping and data management have a major role in achieving excellence in pressure equipment integrity and reliability (PEI&R). Everything else we do to achieve excellence in PEI&R stems from keeping high quality and complete PEI&R...

Inspection intervals for equipment have in the past been defined in a prescriptive manner. However, industry is now embracing the Risk Based Inspection (RBI) approach which in contrast prioritises inspections based on an assessment of the risk to...

Facilities are often content in compiling event data, entering thickness measurements, assigning a system description, tracking work requests and recommendations in their databases. These are certainly valuable data points but using your database...

The Shell Martinez Refinery has been in operation since 1915, and is located 30 miles northeast of San Francisco on about 1,000 acres of land. The refinery combines state-of-the-art facilities and equipment to convert approximately 165,000 barrels...

This survey did not make metrics the primary focus. More importantly, our focus was on practices that lead to better performance. You still have to link these practices to performance.

Data management is an important issue in today's world. We have data all over the place. Every manager is looking for ways to migrate data from platform to platform to save on the cost of re-gathering data and ways to share output from various...

In part 1 of this article we covered the importance of quality assurance of UT data, that is, understanding for each particular application, the accuracy required of the UT data, and new ways/graphical program to analyze and show the...

Quality failure rate data have long been needed by the Chemical Process Industry. Unfortunately, the emphasis too often has been on the collection of data rather than on its uses . One must answer the question of what to do with the data once it has...

In Part 1 of my article, I focused on several issues that are vital to the successful application of any inspection information management system. In Part 2 of my article, I will concentrate on several...

Inspection record systems, used to be just that, a place to "record" data. Our industry has spent many millions of dollars collection data to put into our "record" systems. The problem was trying to manage and utilize the millions of pieces of...

This task though tedious and exasperating is a key part of the operation. Plant personnel often find ingenious uses and filing systems for key data such as UW 1 forms. The more remote the plant site is, the more extraordinary the hiding places. In...

Regulatory requirements such as OSHA 1910, industry codes and practices coupled with an international drive for more cost-effective preventative maintenance are leading the industry toward data information management systems to assist in organizing...

This is the second in a series of articles on piping inspection. In the last article, I enumerated four inspection issues that I believe contribute to inadequate piping mechanical integrity in the hydrocarbon process industry.