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Overview of Maintenance
Maintenance is the practice of protecting or restoring equipment in order to maintain function and integrity. As a critical component of an asset integrity management (AIM) program, maintenance engineers and technicians dedicate time to developing and implementing maintenance strategies that optimize production and use cost-effective maintenance techniques.
Typical maintenance techniques include cleaning, inspection, lubrication, testing, replacing, and/or repairing components. Furthermore, the responsibilities of a maintenance engineer may be predictive or preventive. The fundamental difference between predictive and preventive maintenance is that predictive maintenance is a continuous process based on the current condition of equipment whereas preventive maintenance is performed in scheduled intervals based on the age and remaining life of a piece of equipment.
Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance depends on the probability of failure and the consequences of a potential failure. The frequency of inspection and maintenance is based on the probability and consequences of failure.
Typically, preventive maintenance is planned and requires engineers and technicians to review past and current inspection and maintenance data in order to predict damage that may result in failure. The purpose is to eliminate unnecessary inspection and repair tasks and reduce maintenance costs. Examples of preventive maintenance may include simple tasks such as cleaning, tightening bolts, changing oil, or lubricating equipment or added parts such as filters to separate dirt and other impurities from contaminating products.
Predictive Maintenance
The purpose of predictive maintenance is to prevent unscheduled shutdowns by predicting damage and failures before they occur. This can be done through inspection methods or utilizing sensors to collect data and measure the current condition of equipment during operation. For this reason, predictive maintenance is sometimes called condition-based monitoring. Although installing predictive maintenance measures can be costly, the result of such an investment shows an overall reduction in maintenance costs and facility downtime.
Corrective Maintenance
Corrective maintenance is performed on equipment in order to restore a failing piece of equipment back to its operating conditions. Here, it’s important that if maintenance technicians need to replace a component, that they follow specifications and if possible, replace components with original equipment manufacturers. Example of corrective maintenance repairs include welding, sealing, adjusting fixtures, etc.
Reliability Centered Maintenance
Reliability centered maintenance (RCM) is a framework that ensures that preventive, predictive, and corrective maintenance tasks are practiced in an efficient, reliable, and safe manner. The benefits of a well organized RCM framework include maintaining the integrity of components, extending the life of equipment, and eliminating unplanned shutdowns.
RCM programs are unique to every company. However, there are several critical factors to consider.
- Maintenance programs should follow a cradle-to-grave approach and evolve as the facility incorporates new equipment and decommissions aging infrastructure.
- It’s also important to document all equipment, data, procedures, and facility objectives. All maintenance procedures should be documented in a detailed manner so that successive tasks can be performed efficiently.
- Establishing clear objectives also helps engineers and inspectors align their decisions to meet facility goals.
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May/June 1995 Inspectioneering JournalBy Paul Pausky at F.B. Dunn & Associates, Inc., and Mark Fitzgerald at F.B. Dunn & Associates, Inc.
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Videos related to Maintenance
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Published on April 24, 2018The CSB has released an animation detailing the events leading up to the February 8, 2017 explosion at the Packaging Corporation of America's DeRidder, Louisiana, pulp and paper mill. The incident killed three contract workers and injured seven.
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Published on October 16, 2017The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a new 8-minute safety video describing the events leading to the November 22, 2016 fire at ExxonMobil's Baton Rouge refinery, which severely burned four workers. The video, entitled "Fire in Baton Rouge," details the CSB's Key Lessons stemming from the 2016 incident.
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Published on July 26, 2017The U.S. Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released a 3-minute animation describing the events leading to the November 22, 2016 fire at ExxonMobil's Baton Rouge refinery, which severely burned four workers. The fire erupted during maintenance activities in the refinery’s sulfuric acid alkylation unit.
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Sponsored White Paper
Petrochemical Update provides their most up to date & in-depth overview of the North American downstream industry in their latest Market Outlook and Insights white paper.
Downloads & Resources related to Maintenance
Events related to Maintenance
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May 6 - 9 2019Location: San Antonio, Texas, United States
Hosted By: American Petroleum Institute
Dates: May 6, 2019 - May 9, 2019
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May 21 - 24 2019Location: Grapevine, Texas, United States
Hosted By: American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM)
Dates: May 21, 2019 - May 24, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows Seminars & Workshops -
June 11 - 12 2019Location: Houston, Texas, United States
Hosted By: Petrochemical Update
Dates: June 11, 2019 - June 12, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows -
March 13 2019Location: Online Webinar
Hosted By: Johns Manville
Dates: March 13, 2019
Online Events -
Apr 29 - May 3 2019Location: Galveston, Texas, United States
Hosted By: Refining Community
Dates: April 29, 2019 - May 3, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows Training Courses -
March 24 - 28 2019Location: Nashville, Tennessee, United States
Hosted By: NACE International
Dates: March 24, 2019 - March 28, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows Seminars & Workshops -
April 10 - 11 2019Location: Phoenix, Arizona, United States
Hosted By: American Petroleum Institute
Dates: April 10, 2019 - April 11, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows
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March 13 2019Location: Online Webinar
Hosted By: Johns Manville
Dates: March 13, 2019
Online Events -
March 21 2019Location: Pasadena, Texas, United States
Hosted By: Plant Maintenance, Inspection, and Engineering Society
Dates: March 21, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows -
April 2 - 4 2019Location: Orlando, Florida, United States
Hosted By: NISTM
Dates: April 2, 2019 - April 4, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows -
April 25 - 26 2019Location: Jakarta, Indonesia
Hosted By: Astrindo Convex
Dates: April 25, 2019 - April 26, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows -
Sep 30 - Oct 3 2019Location: Rotterdam, Netherlands
Hosted By: Refining Community
Dates: September 30, 2019 - October 3, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows Training Courses -
November 18 - 21 2019Location: Mumbai, India
Hosted By: Refining Community
Dates: November 18, 2019 - November 21, 2019
Conferences Exhibitions & Trade Shows Training Courses -
November 18 - 21 2019Location: Atlanta, Georgia, United States
Hosted By: American Petroleum Institute
Dates: November 18, 2019 - November 21, 2019
Exhibitions & Trade Shows Standards & Committee Meetings
News related to Maintenance
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NewsForbes, January 2, 2019
The oil and gas industry has seen an increase in the usage of drones and the vital role they have to play in the industry.
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Press ReleaseManaging Aging Plants USA, September 27, 2018
The conference program for the upcoming 2018 Managing Aging Plants USA Conference is now available.
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Press ReleaseManaging Aging Plants USA, April 2, 2018
Managing Aging Plants USA is seeking presentations for their 2018 conference, scheduled to take place November 13-14, 2018 in Houston, TX.
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NewsU.S. Chemical Safety Board, June 11, 2015
The US Chemical Safety Board (CSB) has released its draft investigation report into the 2009 massive explosion at the Caribbean Petroleum, or CAPECO, terminal facility near San Juan, Puerto Rico.
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