Risk Based Inspection Engineering
Prevention is always better
CANEIL houses a strong team of multidisciplinary Integrity Professionals with backgrounds in Mechanical, Structural, Chemical, and Materials Engineering who are also knowledgeable in Non-Destructive Examination techniques, RBI methodology and asset management tools such as GE APM Meridium. This knowledge has been key for our clients, as our team has been able to identify and propose more efficient mitigation strategies by optimizing the methods of inspection, resulting in a more cost-efficient program while maintaining the reliability and integrity of the equipment.
Benefits of RBI
The Risk Based Inspection (RBI) program characterizes risk and uses this information to determine an optimal inspection strategy that improves the allocation of inspection resources and guarantees a safe and reliable operation. Properly implemented, RBI can reduce the incidence of equipment failures while lowering inspection costs. Such outcomes require assessments to be based on sound engineering principles and be in compliance with relevant codes, jurisdictional requirements, and industry practices.
Our goal at CANEIL is to help develop RBI programs that eliminate unnecessary inspections while ensuring we meet our commitment to health and safety.
Key Elements
The cornerstone of any RBI program is risk analysis: the combination of the probability of failure and the consequence of that failure. Risk is assessed by identifying credible damage mechanisms and failure modes in order to determine the probability of a loss of containment, and define the potential consequences of that failure event.
Consequences are characterized in terms of how people, property, and the surrounding environment are likely to be impacted as a result of a loss of containment. The POF (Probability of Failure) and COF (Consequence of Failure) are combined in a risk matrix to help to compare and prioritize inspection planning and risk mitigation.
To demonstrate how CANEIL uses RBI Engineering in it’s projects, below is a chart with brief descriptions of what can be a characteristic component for each risk level:
HIGH
Any equipment exposed to a large amount of external factors such as harmful chemicals, extreme weather conditions or corrosion can be considered at a high risk. Ideally these kinds of equipment have their inspection intervals greatly increased and there are many precautions put in place to reduce the risk as much as possible.
MEDIUM-HIGH
A pressure equipment will be considered at a medium-high risk when generally the combination of CoF and PoF results in a non-extreme outcome. For example, the probability of a failure happening is high but its consequence is very minimal or the Consequence is extreme but it is very unlikely that the event might take place.
MEDIUM
A pressure equipment will be considered at a medium risk when it is exposed to hazardous conditions but not to the extent of requiring very high inspection intervals, and the consequences of failure would not be as catastrophic, but caution is still required.
LOW
Ideally all pressure equipment risk level should be in the low region. This ensures that the vessel can continue to function under the normal conditions as designed, and if needed, the inspection interval can even be increased to save downtime and in turn, reduce costs.
The CANEIL Difference
CANEIL relies on the experience of its inspectors and engineers to perform RBI assessments. As part of the RBI program, CANEIL identifies effective examination techniques for detecting specific damage mechanisms that will provide insight into the integrity status of the assets.
Our company plays an important role in risk management by developing complete mitigation plans that include inspection, maintenance, and replacement activities that avoid excessive inspection and unnecessary shutdowns.
