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Data Management

Overview of Data Management

Data Management refers to the process of collecting and organizing data in a way that makes it useful and easy to retrieve, navigate, and read at a later date. Over the course of a single day, the average facility will generate immense amounts of data. This data includes things such as pressure, flow, and conditions of various pieces of equipment such as pipelines, valves, and pressure vessels. 

Data management can be a complex process. This is because data can come from numerous incompatible sources, with different levels of completeness and complexity. Getting these distinct sources of data to all mesh together can be difficult. Although the process can be made a bit easier with the use of a good data management system.

Proper data management is incredibly important for effective Asset Integrity Management programs.

 

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Articles about Data Management
  • Fight-or-Flight Inspection: Don't Let Big Findings Cloud the Big Picture
    July/August 2017 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Mark Savage at Sentinel Integrity Solutions, Inc.

    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.

  • 8 Essential Features of Field Data Collection Technology
    Blog
    June 14, 2017 By Ken Latino at GE Digital

    The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has created immense excitement and promise for industrial facilities. 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. The challenge today is that many of our assets are not yet “connected” or “intelligent,” meaning that they are not yet outfitted with the health monitoring instrumentation that...

  • Executive Q&A with Clay White, Director of Mechanical Integrity for Phillips 66
    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.

  • Harnessing the Power of Big Data to Drive Improvements in Reliability and Maintenance
    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.

  • The Time Is Now for Intelligent Leaders to Embrace Technology
    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.

  • All Inspection Contractors Say Their Data is Correct, But How Do You Know for Sure?
    Partner Content

    The problem is, you don’t. With the out of date procedures that traditional inspection contractors use, data is usually invalid by the time it reaches your system. You rely on this data to make critical decisions regarding integrity concerns, and with the exorbitant amount of money you pay for the data, it should be accurate and delivered in real-time.

  • MTR Turnover- What is it Good For? Absolutely Nothin’!
    Online Article

    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 are used during manufacturing, and when these are mandatory for turnover in the manufacturing record book (MRB) or vendor data book (VDB) to the owner-user for retention as a permanent record. I will give specific examples from relevant Acts, Codes, Regulations, and Standards to prove that MTR turnover to the owner-user is usually not required and provide examples to clearly demonstrate how this increases costs but does not add value. I will also describe why this is a much bigger problem than wasted paper and recommend best practices that are easily implemented. With this information, projects and owner-users can reduce costs and eliminate headaches, while still maintaining all of their quality and technical requirements.

  • Clearing out the Data Clutter: How well-maintained data can add value to your reliability program
    May/June 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Jeffrey Foushee at Pinnacle Advanced Reliability Technologies, and Ryan Myers at PinnacleART

    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 inefficient and counterproductive to make decisions based on data in its raw form.

  • Creating an Effective Inspection Recommendation Management System
    March/April 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
    By John Reynolds at Intertek, and Mark Bell at Ethos Mechanical Integrity Solutions

    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?

  • Laying Off “Safety”: Managing Knowledge Transfer Through the Downturn to Maintain Industry Best Practices
    March/April 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Greg Fletcher at North Highland Worldwide Consulting, and Josh Arceneaux at North Highland Worldwide Consulting

    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 ready for even more workforce reductions. In addition, there is the ongoing reality of baby boomers retiring from the workplace – also known as the impending shift or crew change.

  • My Inspection App Can Do What?
    January/February 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Barbara Lasseigne at Envoc

    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.

  • Improving the turnaround lifecycle through careful planning, proper execution, and thorough documentation
    Partner Content

    Turnarounds are costly in terms of lost production. In many respects a turnaround can be even more complicated than the initial construction of the facility, so a carefully designed plan will reduce overall costs. After execution, safety reviews, Corrosion Monitoring Program updates, MOC documentation, and PHA Revalidations are a must.

  • Inspect Yourself into Outstanding Performance
    January/February 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Grady Hatton at Versa Integrity Group, Donald Brou at Capitol Ultrasonics, and Joe Nichols at Valero Energy

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

  • 2015 is behind us – Let’s Look Ahead
    January/February 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal

    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, responsibly, and reliably.

  • The Importance of Selecting the Appropriate Inspection Method
    November/December 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Mike Brown at Sentinel Integrity Solutions

    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 techniques that will result in the highest probability of detection (POD), while potentially saving the facility operators’ time, effort, and capital.

  • Recording Thickness Data During Thickness Monitoring Inspections
    September/October 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
    By A.C. Gysbers at The Equity Engineering Group, Inc.

    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.

  • A New Trend for Pipeline Integrity Management: How GIS and Risk-Based Asset Management (RBA) Integration Can Improve Pipeline Management
    May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Dylan Schrader at PinnacleART, Tom Pickthall at EnhanceCo Inc., and Carlos A. Palacios at CiMA-TQ

    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 equipment meet strict integrity requirements and comply with regulations in order to avoid unnecessary downtime and mitigate safety and environmental risks.

  • Effective mechanical integrity programs start with qualified and experienced personnel
    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?

  • The Industrial Internet’s Role in the Pipeline Industry
    May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Mauricio Palomino at GE Oil & Gas, Measurement & Control Business

    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 and controls that continually monitor the performance of electric distribution and can self-adjust to demand and outage conditions to optimize uptime across the whole network or a combination of networks, the Industrial Internet has opened the door to a new era of efficiency, productivity, and safety for the industrial world.

  • There’s an Inspection App for That
    May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Barbara Lasseigne at Envoc

    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 time, reduce cost, and improve safety over traditional methods.

  • Overdue Equipment and Inspection Recommendations
    Blog
    June 8, 2015 By John Reynolds at Intertek

    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 of the inspection efforts at each operating site, as well sending the message that FEMI is just as important as other plant priorities. Of course, in order to get to that point, inspection scheduling, data quality, data analysis, and...

  • High-Energy Piping Systems: Avoid Cracking Under Pressure
    January/February 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Pamela Hamblin at Thielsch Engineering, Inc.

    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 trying to determine what to inspect, where to inspect, and what to do with those inspection results once they have them.

  • The Top 10 Reasons for FEMI Failures in the Hydrocarbon Process Industries
    November/December 2014 Inspectioneering Journal
    By John Reynolds at Intertek

    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 systems continue to fail, thus causing significant process safety events (e.g. explosions, fires, toxic releases, environmental damage, etc.).

  • Does your AIM system optimize the consistency, accuracy and manageability of your facility’s Mechanical Integrity program?
    Partner Content

    AIM systems should ensure that the your facility’s MI software is accurately performing the calculations needed to calculate minimum thickness, long/short term corrosion rates and remaining life used to predict future inspection intervals. They should evaluate your MI software’s basic design and corrosion monitoring variables.

  • A Roadmap for Successful Turnaround Inspections: Turnaround Completion and Inspection Documentation
    November/December 2014 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Scott Corey at Sentinel Integrity Solutions Inc.

    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 was completed in conjunction with the applicable codes, and sometimes that it was completed in conjunction with the client’s own in-house specifications.

  • Leveraging RFID Technologies for Pipeline Asset Management
    September/October 2014 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Layne Tucker at EchoRFID, and Peter Forster at ProStar

    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 electronic data solutions.

  • PEI Codes and Standards, Work Processes, Data Management, and Continuous Improvement to achieve Excellence in a PEI program
    Blog
    October 28, 2013 By John Reynolds at Intertek

    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 Deterioration Management and Control, among others.

  • A Discussion on the Piping Thickness Management Process: Collecting Quality Thickness Data
    May/June 2013 Inspectioneering Journal
    By A.C. Gysbers at The Equity Engineering Group, Inc.

    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 failures in petroleum refining.

  • The Role of Record-keeping and Data Management in Achieving Excellence in Pressure Equipment Integrity and Reliability
    January/February 2012 Inspectioneering Journal
    By John Reynolds at Intertek

    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 records, as well as doing all the necessary data analysis.

  • InVista™ In-Line Inspection for Unpiggable Pipelines
    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.

  • Advancements in Integrity Management - Obtaining Greater Value from Thickness Data
    July/August 2010 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Craig Emslie BSc at Sonomatic Ltd., and Karen Gibson at Sonomatic Ltd.

    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 each individual item.

  • Importance of Data Management and Availability to Produce an Effective Inspection Program
    November/December 2007 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Mark Vining at Sunoco Inc.

    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 for performing just these tasks relegates a valuable resource to nothing more than a ledger of inspection events. The value of these systems becomes more apparent when they are utilized to show you where you should be inspecting.

  • Risk-Based Inspection Case of Histories (Part 1 of 2): An Interview with Sean Johnson, Pressure Equipment Integrity Assurance Engineer for the Shell Martinez, CA Refinery.
    July/August 2006 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal

    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 of crude oil a day into many products including automotive gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, petroleum coke, industrial fuel oils, liquefied petroleum gas, asphalt, sulfur, and lubricants. The Shell Martinez Refinery has grown into a sprawling yet efficient assemblage of sophisticated processing equipment; modern control rooms; environmental protection facilities; shipping and receiving terminals for marine, rail, and truck cargoes; maintenance shops; office buildings; quality assurance laboratories; storage tanks; and warehouses. In some ways it resembles a small city with its own utilities, medical facilities, and fire department.

  • IJ 2006 Survey Preliminary Results
    January/February 2006 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal

    The deadline for submission will be extended through the end of 2006 and we will update and report on the results at least one additional time through year’s end.

  • Considering Buying Linked Inspection Database Management and RBI Programs?
    March/April 2004 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal

    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 platforms to better schedule and coordinate activities.

  • Fitness for service: a powerful tool to keep your plant running safely
    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.

  • Evaluation, Reporting and Trending of Ultrasonic Thickness
    September/October 2000 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Russel T. Mack at National Association of Inspection Companies (NAIC)

    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 interrelationships of data by location for trending. Part 1 article areas then included: -UT Data Reporting and Evaluation -Imaging UT Data Evaluating the Quality of Static UT Data -Visual Trending of UT data -Mathematical Trending of UT Data Now, in Part 2, we will cover data quality issue statistics and possible sources of poor quality UT data.

  • Collecting Quality Failure Rate Data for the Chemical Process Industry
    September/October 1998 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Bernie Weber at Det Norske Veritas

    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 been collected. The type of information that would allow more effective continuous improvement is often collected without any real thought other than, "sounds like we should have it," or "we might need it someday." Data collection is typically driven by perceived data requirements, regulatory requirements, and data that make day-to-day work assignments more efficient or provide proof of work performed.

  • An Inspection Record System Information Management System
    March/April 1998 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Mark Bell at Ethos Mechanical Integrity Solutions

    In Part 1 of my article that appeared in the previous edition of the IJ, 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 additional important issues.

  • An Inspection Record System Information Management
    January/February 1998 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Mark Bell at Ethos Mechanical Integrity Solutions

    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 information (not being a computer type, a piece of information to me is a piece of information, not a Byte). A statistician with my company recently compared our management of information with trying to get a drink of water from a fire water hose. The information is there, but good luck trying to use it.

  • Plant Condition Management Strategies
    September/October 1997 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Michael Twomey at CONAM Inspection Inc., and Jay N. Rothbart at Conam Inspection Inc.

    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 addition, the adage "garbage in = garbage out" keenly applies. To avoid this concern, it is vital to quality assurance check the data prior to input.

  • Plant Condition Management Strategies
    July/August 1997 Inspectioneering Journal
    By Michael Twomey at CONAM Inspection Inc., and Jay N. Rothbart at Conam Inspection Inc.

    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 and prioritizing preventive maintenance strategies. This shift coincides with the movement toward a risk-based inspection approach to plant condition management. This approach ranks units or individual equipment according to criticality or risk, allowing inspection efforts to be focused where they can have the greatest effect in risk reduction. There are a number of points to bear in mind when planning to implement a plant condition management system.

  • Piping Inspection - Improving Thickness Data Taking Accuracy
    March/April 1997 Inspectioneering Journal
    By John Reynolds at Intertek

    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.

    Companies
    Metegrity
    Metegrity

    Metegrity is a software company providing Inspection Data Management Solutions to support the assets of Petroleum (upstream, midstream and downstream), Pipeline, Power, and Chemical industries. With 20 years in business and installations in over 850 facilities, Metegrity proudly serves some of the world’s largest process manufacturing companies.

    PinnacleART
    PinnacleART

    Pinnacle Advanced Reliability Technologies (PinnacleART) is a leader in building, implementing and maintaining comprehensive reliability programs for facilities in the oil and gas, chemical, mining, pharmaceutical, wastewater and electric power industries, to name a few. Our team consists of talented experts and engineers, who offer the highest degree of service and uncompromised reliability for every one of our projects. PinnacleART’s specialists are dedicated to delivering optimal outcomes for our clients, which results in reducing risk, ensuring compliance, optimizing costs and improving safety.

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