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.

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.

Decision makers are being asked to reduce cost while maintaining reliable operations. While it can be difficult to easily identify areas to reduce budget and resources, there are a variety of cost reduction opportunities available.

Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS) platforms are a great way to structure, standardize, and streamline maintenance management. But how can you make sure you get a CMMS that effectively delivers on exactly what you need?

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...

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.

This article presents seven considerations that should serve as a guideline for your next mechanical integrity or inspection software investment and help position you well as the Asset Performance Management software market continues to evolve.

This article discusses how drone data can impact asset integrity management (AIM) programs, the challenges associated with drone data management, and where the technology is heading.

Corporations now have the flexibility to choose RBI software from vendors offering a variety of tools and features to keep track of calculations, records, and data. This infographic shows 11 things you should consider when selecting an RBI software.

This article discusses how a technology coupled with API 1177 allows construction crews, inspectors, and pipeline integrity engineers to quickly analyze inspection, NDT, and commissioning data in near real-time, as well as problem solve in the field.

LOTIS utilizes laser profilometry to conduct internal steam reformer tube inspections. The data captured by LOTIS is exceptionally powerful when combined with our LifeQuest™ remaining life assessment capabilities, providing an integrated...

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.

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...

Whether implementing a comprehensive AIM strategy for the first time or looking for ways to create overlap between AIM activities and documents that historically have acted as information silos, consider utilizing CCDs. They serve as a useful...

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.

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.

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

Advancements in technology offer organizations huge opportunities for improvement. However, adoption of new tools can change the way an organization functions. If not properly managed, these changes can lead to wasted time and money and ultimately,...

This article discusses Asset Performance Management (APM) software implementation strategies and the challenges owners face when upgrading their software to the newest version.

Software implementation, including RBI, comes with a lot of ad-hoc challenges and pitfalls. There are numerous options for RBI software currently available, and they may differ by design, purpose, function, scope and capabilities. This article...

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 today's chemical and refining industries, sustained long term reliability of facilities is critical to profitability and competitiveness. In fact, history shows that differences in operating expenses between best-in-class refineries, and poor...

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...

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

Last November, Inspectioneering and PinnacleART hosted a roundtable discussion for a select group of leading mechanical integrity experts. This forum explored how the MI field will have to prepare for the impending loss of knowledge resulting from...

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...

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...

APM implementation is anything but a pain-free process. Blame tends to fall on vendors, but there are oftentimes activities that do not get completed that tend to have a larger effect on the success of implementation. This article addresses some of...

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.

This article highlights the evolution of corrosion monitoring from conventional ultrasonic to ultrasonic phased array manual and automated solutions and their use for both general purposes and complex applications.

The objective of this article is to demonstrate the inherent value of an interactive and detailed GIS landscape, emphasize the importance of industry standardization, and encourage regulatory agencies and operators to systematize and incorporate...

How is reliability affecting your bottom line? Download our Economics of Reliability report, where Pinnacle analysts take data from the oil refining industry and dive into how that key sector is being affected by reliability today.

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.

Pipeline management remains fraught with safety risks for operators and the environment. Last year, the Ontario Energy Board determined that a $12 billion oil pipeline proposed by TransCanada Corp. would pose more risks than rewards for the province.

We at Inspectioneering would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our subscribers, followers, clients, and industry partners for a great 2015, and wish every member of the Inspectioneering community a happy and healthy 2016!

Offshore platforms pipelines, terminals and downstream facilities, are costly to build, operate and maintain, so it’s imperative that operators keep tight control over the total life-cycle cost of all associated equipment.

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...

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...

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...

With the advancements in today’s technology and improvements to Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) systems and Computerized Maintenance Management Systems (CMMS), if we deploy them properly and in line with best practices, it is possible to reach...

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...

Now that the stage has been set (via parts 1 and 2 of this series), let’s see what we can do to improve the efficiencies and effectiveness of the work execution processes through situation awareness. Who knows? Maybe even cut a few days off 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...

Antea delivers highly flexible risk-based asset integrity software with 3D Digital Twin integration to optimize maintenance, reduce risk, and improve mechanical integrity for oil and gas, power generation, and chemical plants and facilities. Whether...

This blog post is the second in a series about situation awareness (SA). The first part of this series introduced SA (defined as the gathering and utilization of data in real time and using it to improve work processes) and introduced an example of...

After spending decades in plants and assisting operators in developing mechanical integrity programs, something has become very apparent to me; owner-operators face serious challenges with situation awareness (SA). What do I mean by SA?

Several catastrophic spills over the past few years have sparked significant interest in oil spill prevention across the industry. Not only do facilities with large amounts of oil want to prevent environmental damage, loss of product, and civil...

Is it possible to develop an internal RBI program without depending on third-party/commercial software?

This article is Part 3 of a 3-Part series. The articles in this series provide a step-by-step example of utilization of API RP 581 and build off of each other. This article (Part 3) will cover the final risk analysis, inspection planning, provide a...

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...

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...

Many engineers are still performing their inspection and service activities and daily tasks using manual, paper-based forms. However, applying appropriate technology and providing simple-to-use automation tools can increase productivity, improve...

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...

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...