Inspection and fitness-for-service study for over 100 critical assets to LNG operator

Challenge

As part of an ongoing objective for continued, safe and reliable operation of their LNG facilities, ADGAS commissioned one of the most extensive inspection and fitness for service studies of its type on more than 100 items of static mechanical plant operating in sour-gas service.
Equipment under study included pressure vessels, columns and pipework. RINA was awarded the second and third phases of this programme, a combined value of almost £2 million, with work carried out both on live plant and during planned shutdowns over approximately three years.

Approach

We provided an on-site team to project manage and provide technical direction to the non-destructive testing and collecting of data for input into subsequent engineering assessments. These assessments were performed by our technical team in the UK.

• Project management, including client and sub-contract interface
• Fitness for service assessment to API 579 for HIC and SWC cracking
• Remaining life assessment
• Re-rating support for continued, safe operation of plant
• Guidance for run, repair or replacement of assets, as required
• Future inspection and re-assessment guidance
• Risk ranking of assets using a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN)tool developed as part of the study.

Conclusion

The project was delivered on time and to budget with a comprehensive report that was presented to senior ADGAS representatives. The results of our study were used to develop and prioritise our client’s investment plans for the next 5 years ensuring that expensive capital assets and operational down time was only incurred where absolutely necessary.
Work for ADGAS was followed by two contracts for ADMA-OPCO, the first being a risk ranking exercise undertaken on more than 300 assets on its offshore and Das Island facilities, the second involving inspection and fitness for service of those items of equipment considered at elevated levels of operational risk.