Whiteboard Discussion: The Importance of API RP 581 Inspection Effectiveness Tables

Video Description

In this latest Whiteboard Discussion, Greg Alvarado discusses the role of grading the effectiveness of inspection strategies and its importance in determining the amount of uncertainty in the Probability of Failure (POF) portion of the risk analysis. The higher the effectiveness, the higher the confidence in the knowledge of the true damage state of the equipment. The strategies should address all credible damage mechanisms that are risk drivers that require attention per the risk analysis.

In addition to the direct link between NDE techniques versus damage mechanisms and amount of coverage to achieve the proper level of effectiveness, this discussion covers how one may also consider using the tables and gradings to address other issues like the qualifications of the NDE operator. For instance, if one is looking for HIC/SOHIC with AUT and the operator has his/her ASNT certifications, internal certifications from the employer, and has passed the API QUTE exam but not taken the owner operator's internal qualification demonstration test for HIC/SOHIC and AUT, one could consider making it a policy to downgrade the effectiveness in such a case. On the other hand, the owner-operator could consider the API QUTE certification as adequate to achieve the level of effectiveness prescribed in their inspection effectiveness tables. It is up to the owner/operator to make these types of determinations and to be consistent in their application.

Watch more Whiteboard Discussion videos:

• Foundational Principles of Risk-Based Inspection
• A Fundamental RBI Metric