Overview of Risk-Based Inspection (RBI)
Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) is an analysis methodology and process that, as opposed to condition-based inspection, requires qualitative or quantitative assessment of the probability of failure (PoF) and the consequence of failure (CoF) associated with each equipment item, piping circuits included, in a particular process unit. A properly-implemented RBI program categorizes individual pieces of equipment by their risks and prioritizes inspection efforts based on this categorization.
Probability of Failure
Probability of Failure (POF) is likelihood that a piece of equipment will fail at a given time and an important part of effective risk analyses. POF is half of the equation when determining risk as part of Risk Based Inspection (RBI) methodology. The POF, calculated together with the Consequence of Failure (COF), helps operators establish the risk level for a particular piece of equipment and set inspection intervals based on the calculated risk.
POF is calculated for individual pieces of equipment by looking at the potential damage mechanisms it could be susceptible to, a general frequency of failures, and management system factors. More details on POF are provided in the American Petroleum Institute's Recommended Practice 580 - Risk Based Inspection (RBI), which contains directions on developing, implementing and maintaining an effective RBI program.
Consequence of Failure
Consequence of Failure (COF) is one part of the equation to determine risk as part of Risk Based Inspection (RBI) methodology. COF is calculated by reviewing and ranking the potential consequences for the equipment, personnel, environment, etc. in the event of equipment failure. More details on COF are given in API RP 580 - Risk Based Inspection (RBI), which contains directions on developing, implementing and maintaining an effective RBI program.
Why use RBI?
RBI is used to identify and understand risk, risk drivers, and where equipment is in its lifecycle. RBI can indicate whether inspection is needed; however this requires additional data that is extremely targeted to reduce the underlying uncertainties associated with the risks about the current and future predicted damage state of the equipment. RBI should not be used to recommend any inspection when it will not improve knowledge about the damage state. In those cases, where PoF is driving the risk, RBI should point to other mitigation options such as replacement, repair, or other actions that satisfy the risk criteria.
RBI can be used to prioritize inspection-related activities, usually by means of nondestructive testing (NDT), in order to reduce the uncertainties around the true damage state of the equipment and the dynamics leading to such. The resulting inspection plan may outline the type and scheduling of inspection for an asset. In addition to NDE, additional risk mitigation activities identified by an RBI assessment might include a change in material of construction, installation of corrosion resistant liners, operating condition changes, injection of corrosion inhibition chemicals, etc.
Consistency and repeatability of analysis are critical to producing an effective RBI program, as RBI is based on relative risks. Caution should be used when mixing RBI platforms (e.g., using a qualitative method to perform the initial screening and quantitative methods to conduct the final analysis). Complementary methodologies must be calibrated against one another to ensure valid cut sets are achieved.
Codes and Standards
International engineering standards and practices that relate to risk-based inspection include, but are not limited to, API RP 580 and 581, ASME PCC-3, and RIMAP. API RP 580 sets out the minimum guidelines for implementing an effective, credible RBI program. API RP 581 details the procedures and methodology of RBI.
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An earlier version of this updated article appeared in the January-February 1998 issue of the Inspectioneering Journal. It is hard to believe that nine years have passed so quickly. Fortunately the industry, as a whole, has learned much and...
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Pressure Vessels and Piping for Refineries and Oil Production Facilities Inspection - RBI - Fitness for ServiceNovember/December 2006 Inspectioneering JournalBy Don Cook at State of California
On July 26, 2006, the State of California revised its Petroleum Safety Orders. The Petroleum Safety Orders are part of the California Code of Regulations Title 8 and address the health and safety requirements for places of employment in the State of...
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July/August 2006 Inspectioneering JournalBy 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...
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May/June 2006 Inspectioneering Journal
Revisions to the California Code of Regulations Title 8 Petroleum Safety Orders are nearly complete and the new regulations should be published late summer 2006. The regulations will affect both drilling and production facilities and refining,...
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January/February 2006 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
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.
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March/April 2005 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
We are happy to announce the 10-year anniversary of the inaugural issue of the Inspectioneering Journal!
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March/April 2004 Inspectioneering JournalBy 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...
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July/August 2003 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
"Low Hanging Fruit" and "Step Change" are analogies that have been bantered around in our industries for some time. Picking the low hanging fruit is just the beginning and something that most passersby can glean. Also, real change that affects an...
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May/June 2003 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
There are many aspects to successful, effective and efficient implementation of RBI 1, such as; - Data collection - Operations data - Mechanical data - The role of inspection histories and inspection planning - How much data do I really need to...
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March/April 2003 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal, and Mahdi Al-Marzouqi at ADGAS
The large LNG facility is located on DAS Island, offshore of Abu Dhabi, in the Persian Gulf and experiences extremely high humidity year round. These conditions are known to produce a high potential for external corrosion and under insulation...
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November/December 2002 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
The Alberta Boilers Safety Association (ABSA) issued the requirements document, Risk Based Inspection Programs for Pressure Equipment, in March 2001. This document defines the minimum requirements for the development and use of risk based inspection...
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September/October 2002 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
In May 2002, after 6 years of preparation, the API published the first edition of API 580 Risk-based Inspection. The document is now an ANSI/API Standard, which was balloted and approved using the ANSI consensus process for creating American...
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July/August 2002 Inspectioneering JournalBy Mike Badeen at Phillips 66 Co., Mark Geisenhoff at Flint Hills Resources, and Lynne Kaley at Trinity Bridge LLC / Trinity Bridge Digital
Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) is an emerging technology available to plant engineers and managers as theyapply risk directed activities to prioritize work and available resources for equipment management. This paper describes the learning of highly...
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July/August 2002 Inspectioneering JournalBy Mark Geisenhoff at Flint Hills Resources
Risk Based Inspection (RBI) analysis is a powerful tool that all of us can use to help with the complex issues of risk. The opportunities for application are exciting and open the door for new ways of conducting business and focusing resources....
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May/June 2002 Inspectioneering JournalBy Mike Badeen at Phillips 66 Co., Mark Geisenhoff at Flint Hills Resources, and Lynne Kaley at Trinity Bridge LLC / Trinity Bridge Digital
Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) is an emerging technology available to plant engineers and managers as they apply risk directed activities to prioritize work and available resources for equipment management. This paper describes the learning of highly...
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March/April 2002 Inspectioneering Journal
The American Petroleum Institute Recommended Practice for Risk Based Inspection, RP 580, is expected to be available for purchase in early May 2002.
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November/December 2001 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
A typical risk based inspection (RBI) analysis should include past inspection results, tempered by confidence in those results. For example, API's (American Petroleum Institute) RBI methodology and software when calculating the likelihood of failure...
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May/June 2001 Inspectioneering Journal
This is a summary about RBI application to plant utility boilers in a liquefied natural gas plant with a design life of 20 years, now 27 years old.
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March/April 2001 Inspectioneering JournalBy Gerrit Buchheim, P.E. at Becht
With the publication of API RP 579 For Fitness-For-Service and the planned publication of API RP 580 for Risk Based Inspection in 2001, these technologies will find increasing application in maintenance and inspection planning.
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September/October 2000 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
In part 1 of this series the importance of keeping the RBI process as simple as possible was stressed. Software, consequence and likelihood issues were covered. Consequences were handled directly while likelihood issues were covered in discussion...
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July/August 2000 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
Hundreds of risk based inspection analyses have been completed by contractors and owner users worldwide, by now. Much is being learned as the various approaches gain acceptance. This editorial is only one perspective built upon the experiences of...
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March/April 2000 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
Two API projects are co-sponsoring an effort to develop a risk based inspection (RBI) method for atmospheric storage tanks (AST). One of the projects is the long standing RBI project that is developing RBI methods for all types of pressure...
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January/February 2000 Inspectioneering JournalBy Gene R. Meyer at The Dow Chemical Company
Part 1 provided a review of RBI for pressure vessels and piping and an introduction to application of RBI to rotating equipment and the differences between approaching the two different types of equipment. As promised, Part 2 will delve more deeply...
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November/December 1999 Inspectioneering JournalBy Gene R. Meyer at The Dow Chemical Company
Risk based inspection, RBI, is a method currently changing how corporations view their maintenance programs. Application of a systematic analysis process that focuses on the likelihood of a given failure and the consequence of this failure happening...
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November/December 1999 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
Here are some of my observations based on numerous discussions with owner users and involvement in over 30 projects. This learning is from plant operators who have taken the RBI "plunge", after they have had time to think about their decisions and...
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September/October 1999 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
There are many analysis tools available in the market that lay hold of the "RBI" claim. I wanted to bring you, the reader, "up to speed" on some of the available technology based on my experience as an RBI project manager, client manager and member...
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September/October 1998 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
I have observed through literally hundreds of discussions and reading numerous articles on risk-based approaches that at least one potential business pitfall is appearing when owner-operators choose to begin with a "Level 1" (very qualitative)...
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September/October 1998 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal, and Paul Barringer at Barringer & Associates
Inspection to determine mechanical integrity is important to verify that equipment is suitable for intended use, i.e. to prevent or minimize the consequences of catastrophic releases of toxic, reactive, flammable, or explosive chemicals as required...
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May/June 1998 Inspectioneering JournalBy Roland A. Goodman at American Petroleum Institute
The API Subcommittees on Inspection and Pressure Vessels & Tanks are ever vigilant in keeping up with current trends and state-of-the-art technology for in-service inspection of pressure vessels, process piping, and aboveground storage tanks. One...
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January/February 1998 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
There is a potential for misconceptions about terms used regarding risk by non-risk management professionals. Understand that some risk is unavoidable. We can attempt to minimize risk to any extent desired, but without an effective process that...
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September/October 1997 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
The amount of serious questions regarding the various technology options for implementing an effective RBI program is growing by leaps and bounds. I, for one, have seen many forms of what various organizations refer to as RBI. Remember that there...
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March/April 1997 Inspectioneering Journal
The API Commitment on Refinery Equipment (CRE) has chartered a task group to develop an API recommended practice (RP 580), which will detail all the vital aspects of Risk-Based Inspection. This standard will not detail or propose any one specific...
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March/April 1997 Inspectioneering JournalBy Greg Alvarado at Inspectioneering Journal
Our business paradigm is going through tremendous changes, as most of our readers can attest to. Look at the mega-mergers looming and happening in the petroleum business along with the tight margins most of them operate on.
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November/December 1996 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
Three levels of risk based inspection have been developed by the API sponsor group. Level 1: Qualitative RBI which utilizes a step-by-step workbook to rank entire process units or process systems into a 5 x 5 risk matrix...
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September/October 1996 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
In the January 1995 issue, I introduced the concept of Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) being developed by an API (American Petroleum Institute) project. This article is an update and status report on that project, which now has 20 sponsor companies,...
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March/April 1995 Inspectioneering JournalBy John Reynolds at Intertek
Many promising advances are being made in inspection technologies, today. Some are going to provide opportunities for companies to maintain and increase equipment mechanical integrity, quite possibly at lower costs.
PK Technology is a full-service inspection contractor, as well as, an in-house software development company specializing in the Oil and Gas industry. PK Technology is the creator of intelliSPEC, the worlds first Digital Data Management System (DDMS) which is a robust and intelligent solution designed to digitize, analyze and realize all vital data.
PK Technology is a full-service inspection contractor, as well as, an in-house software development company specializing in the Oil and Gas industry. PK Technology is the creator of intelliSPEC, the worlds first Digital Data Management System (DDMS) which is a robust and intelligent solution designed to digitize, analyze and realize all vital data.
Quest Integrity Group is a global leader in the development and delivery of asset integrity management and asset reliability solutions for our clients in the refining and chemical, pipeline, syngas and power industries. Our services include furnace tube inspection for the refining and chemical industries, in-line inspection for the pipeline industry, steam reformer tube inspection for the syngas industry, as well as fitness-for-service assessment, remaining life assessment, structural integrity, failure analysis and materials consulting for various industries including the power industry. We specialize in condition assessment for fired heater coils, unpiggable pipelines, steam reformer tubes, storage tanks, gas turbines and other assets.
Quest Integrity Group is a global leader in the development and delivery of asset integrity management and asset reliability solutions for our clients in the refining and chemical, pipeline, syngas and power industries. Our services include furnace tube inspection for the refining and chemical industries, in-line inspection for the pipeline industry, steam reformer tube inspection for the syngas industry, as well as fitness-for-service assessment, remaining life assessment, structural integrity, failure analysis and materials consulting for various industries including the power industry. We specialize in condition assessment for fired heater coils, unpiggable pipelines, steam reformer tubes, storage tanks, gas turbines and other assets.
E²G, an employee-owned engineering firm specializing in consulting services for new and aging infrastructure in refining, petrochemical, chemical and other industries. E²G helps clients improve profitability with consulting strategies and software tools that manage risk & control inspection costs throughout the life-cycle of a facility’s equipment.
E²G, an employee-owned engineering firm specializing in consulting services for new and aging infrastructure in refining, petrochemical, chemical and other industries. E²G helps clients improve profitability with consulting strategies and software tools that manage risk & control inspection costs throughout the life-cycle of a facility’s equipment.
PinnacleART builds and runs programs that empower facilities to make value-based decisions on how to manage risk, resulting in safe and profitable operations. We have gathered, organized, and analyzed more mechanical integrity and reliability data than any other company in the world.
PinnacleART builds and runs programs that empower facilities to make value-based decisions on how to manage risk, resulting in safe and profitable operations. We have gathered, organized, and analyzed more mechanical integrity and reliability data than any other company in the world.
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Published on June 19, 2019In this Whiteboard Discussion, Chief Editor Greg Alvarado discusses the concept of "Scalable Accuracy," a term used to describe the varying levels of detail necessary to consider when planning and conducting a Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) assessment
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Published on April 24, 2017Greg Alvarado explains the inspection effectiveness tables found in API RP 581, the importance of them, and how they should be used.
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Published on March 24, 2017Greg Alvarado discusses the concept of "risk in square feet per year", a powerful metric found in the API RP 581 Risk Based Inspection methodology. Understanding metrics such as this one will allow you to begin trending your risks, identifying best...
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Published on February 17, 2017Greg Alvarado explains the concept of RBI risk thresholds: "How much confidence do I need to have in what I believe to be the true damage state of the equipment?"
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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...
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