Case Study:

RBI and its Application to

Inspection of
DHTU Flare Knockout Drums

AS3788 Pressure equipment In-service inspection

n

Mandatory under NSW Occupational Health & Safety Regulation 2001

Mandates maximum periods between internal inspections (Table 4.1)

eg.

Notional risk increase with extended inspection date

100
Risk @ 2008
Risk @ 2006
Acceptable Risk Level (ALARP)

High
75

Risk Ranking

Medium-High

50
Medium

25
Low

1D-8

1D-7

1D-6

1D-5

1D-4

1D-3

1D-2

1D-1

1C-2

1C-1

Statutory inspection v. Risk based inspection

100

Relative Risk
Statutory Inspection Level
Optimum (Risk Based) Inspection Level

50

25

1D-8

1D-7

1D-6

1D-5

1D-4

1D-3

1D-2

1D-1

1C-2

1C-1

Relative Risk

75

Statutory inspection v. Risk based inspection

n

AS3788 advocates regular visual inspection, which may not

adequately address all deterioration modes. It does not quantify
the value of inspection techniques for mitigating risks other than
thickness loss.
eg. for Inspection Periods & Remaining Life Assessment, AS3788
is quantitative with regard to Wastage (para. 4.4.4.4,
Appendix N), but qualitative with regard to environmental
cracking & other deterioration modes (Appendix O concerns
Fitness for Service, not Remaining Life)

API581 quantifies most available inspection techniques in

terms of their effectiveness at reducing a range of
deterioration modes

Risk Based Inspection

RBI may be validly

used to modify some
of [the AS3788]
prescriptive
requirements
(AS3788 App.B)

What is Risk Based Inspection (RBI)?

n

A way to extend runlengths/save maintenance $$$

A method of using equipment history and the likely consequences

of equipment failure to determine Inspection regimes focused on
actual risks, so as to prevent unsafe incidents occurring

The RBI method is based on the API 581 base resource document
23 major oil & petrochemical companies
massive statistical analysis of petrochem facilities over a number of years
complex and best suited for use in a computerized form

Each piece of equipment is assigned a risk ranking based on the

Probability and Consequence of a failure (loss of containment)

RBI principles API 581

n Consequence
n

Flammability

Toxicity

Production loss

n Probability

(loss of containment)
Not influenced by inspection!

deterioration modes

Internal corrosion

External corrosion

Environmental cracking (eg. stress corrosion, hydrogen induced)

Can reduce by effective inspection

Typical risk matrix

Uninspectable risk
n Cannot

reduce risk to zero!

Human error
Natural disasters
External events (eg. falling objects)
Secondary effects from other nearby failures
Deliberate acts, sabotage
Fundamental limitations of inspection methods
Design errors
Previously unknown mechanisms of deterioration

Can inspection extend the life of an asset?

n Cant

inspect good condition back into equipment at

end of life! (API581 9.3.3.3d)

n Howeverwe

dont arbitrarily retire equipment at the

end of its design life

n Inspection

and recertification are crucial to maximising

the service life of equipment

45C-612 & 45C-612A inspection history

n

C-612
in service Oct 1978

C-612A
Feb 1980: visual

Feb 1980: visual

Aug 1982: visual

May 1983: visual

Jun 1985: visual

Sep 1987: visual (internally

coated)

Jan 1989: visual (internally

coated)

Sep 1991: visual

Jan 1992: visual, MPI

Sep 1995: visual

Apr 1996: visual, MPI

Feb 2002: visual

45C-612A is the vessel due for inspection based on time

45C-612A history of incidents

H2S release on attempting to open for inspection
n

Mar 2002

Sep 2003

Inspection requested to assess possibility of extending run via

external inspection techniques

45C-612 & 45C-612A base data

n

Process: flare gas water + ~2% H2S, ie. sour service

Post Weld Heat Treated (stress relieved)

Design: 350kPa & 450oC

Operating: 55kPa & ~75oC

Uninsulated

Internally coated from ~10 years into service life

Measured average general Corrosion Rate ~0.05mm/yr

Remaining Life from general corrosion (wastage) >>20yrs

Pitting Corrosion Rate ~0.5mm/yr prior to internal coating, now largely

mitigated

45C-612 & 45C-612A application of RBI

Via use of Capstone RBMI program:
n

External corrosion risk low uninsulated, external coating good

Internal corrosion risk low reflects in CR & RL calculation

For water + 20,000ppm H2S & PWHT, API 581 App.H assigns Low
susceptibility to Wet H2S cracking entered into Capstone RBMI

Low is not zero! Capstone RBMI calculates:

Medium risk of cracking for C-612A, because of MPI testing in April
1996
Medium-High risk of cracking for C-612, because it had never been
inspected for cracking

Aside effectiveness of stress relief (PWHT)

US experience (large statistical sample):

n

History of cracking in SR/PWHT vessels

Loosely specified

Inadequate QA

45C-612 & 45C-612A application of RBI

n 45C-612

is the vessel due for inspection based

on risk
n 45C-612A

is the vessel due for inspection based

on time
n Cracking,

rather than corrosion, is the highest

risk for both vessels

n Visual

inspection does not effectively address

cracking

45C-612 & 45C-612A calculated risk levels @ 2003

45C-612

45C-612A

45C-612 & 45C-612A 2003 inspection regime

n

45C-612:
external shearwave UT of 100% of welds
Highly Effective inspection for Wet H2S cracking per API 581 Table H-4C
no defects

45C-612A:
spot external thickness gauging
Fairly Effective inspection for Thinning per API 581 Table G-6A
confirms low corrosion rate

credit claimed for representative cracking inspection

AS3788 4.4.4.6 allows representative inspection of parallel equipment
Usually Effective inspection for Wet H2S cracking per API 581 Table G-6A (one
level lower than for vessel inspected)

45C-612 & 45C-612A - results

n

Reduction in OH&S risk (H2S

exposure)

Saving & deferral of

estimated $60K expenditure

Inspection period for both

vessels extended to 2011
with no significant increase in
risk
(Capstone RBMI What if?
analysis - lookahead)

45C-612 & C-612A risk @ 2011

45C-612 & 45C-612A - lessons

n Corrosion

is not the only, or even the most important,

deterioration mechanism this leads to some (initially)
surprising results

n Visual

inspection may not be the best way to mitigate all

deterioration risks can do an effective inspection
without entry

n PWHT

may not eliminate the risk of environmental

cracking!

n API

581 allows quantification & comparison of cracking

risk with other risks

45C-612 & 45C-612A - postscript

n Internal

inspection of 45C-612 & 45C-612A as part of

Kurnell Clean Fuels upgrade

n Found

cracking in 45C-612

Fabrication defects?
Missed by shearwave, or appeared since 2003?
n Justifies

requirement for crack testing

n Capstone

RBMI has an Inspection Planning tool (Last

Date, Frequency, calculated Next Date) & reporting
functions to ensure appropriate testing is done at
suitable intervals

Benefits of Risk Based Inspection

n5

year plant T&I schedule for 2004 on based on RBI

n Various

plant runlength extensions granted

n Estimated

saving