RBI

Risk Directed Mechanical

Integrity Program
(RDMIPtm)

APTECH Engineering Services

Houston, TX
www.aptechtexas.com
“There are risks and costs to a program of
action, but, they are far less than the long
range risks and costs
of comfortable inaction!
John F. Kennedy

1) Introduction
2) Standards, Codes and PSM
3) Risk Assessments and RBI
4) Organisation and Implementation
5) Software and Methodologies
7) Benefits and Compliance
8) Conclusions
 Risk Directed Mechanical Integrity
• Analyzed over 20,000 Pieces of Fixed Equipment, Piping
and Pumps
• Extensive Database of units, processes
and equipment items
• Approx. 25 plants World-Wide
– United States, South Africa,
– South Korea, Australia
• Refineries, Gas Plants, Chemical Plants
• Interaction with Regulatory
Authorities (TED, SA, Australia)
• Training, Technology Transfer,
Full Implementation
 OSHA 1910.119
•Central to both OSHA and EPA regulations is
“ The avoidance of catastrophic failure”.

•Contains requirements for the management of

hazards associated with processes using
highly hazardous chemicals (HHC’s).

•Paragraph (j) concerned with Mechanical Integrity

•Inspection and Testing - Use Industry codes and Standards
 OSHA 1910.119 (j) -
Mechanical Integrity
• Documentation of Covered Equipment

• Written Procedures and Training

• Process Maintenance

• Inspection and Testing

• Equipment Deficiencies

• Quality Assurance
Use industry codes, standards
and guidelines
 Risk Management Programs
n Process Safety Management Regulations
n EPA Risk Management Planning Rule
n API 750 - Management of Process Hazards
n CMA Responsible Care Program
n ASME Section XI
n ASME Risk Based Inspection Programs
n Reliability Centered Maintenance Programs
n API 580 and 581
API 579
n
 Related Programs
PHA - Different methods for determining and
identifying Process Hazards. One of these is:
HAZOP - Hazard and Operability analysis, emphasizes
identification of scenarios and their consequences but usually does
not look at likelihood.

RCM - a method by which operators can use its failure

data, system design redundancies, and operating experiences
to develop a flexible and cohesive maintenance system.
Does not
necessarily include consequence evaluation.

Ultra-Pipe - Inspection Planning Tools

 Causes of Large Property
Losses
Mechanical

Operations

Upsets

Natural Hazards

Design

Arson

Others

0 25 50
Percent of Losses
 Why was RBI developed?
n All pressure equipment contain flaws
n Most flaws are innocuous - Don’t cause problems
n Few flaws cause catastrophic failure
n Must find (inspect) those critical flaws in
high risk service - Cost effectively
nTypically 80% of the risk is associated with
< 20% of the pressure equipment
 Comparison With Traditional Methods
• API 570 & 510 Now Recognize
RDMIP/RBI Approach
the use of Risk Based
Inspection Technologies

•Extend internals beyond 10 years.

•Minimal or existing inspection data

can help focus initial effort

Traditional Approach
 Definition of Risk

RBI defines risk as:

The product of the likelihood that a failure will occur

and the consequence of that failure

Risk = Probability X Consequence

 Conducting a Risk Assessment

Stepwise Process

•Hazard Identification [PHA (Hazop)]

•Likelihood Assessment
•Consequence Assessment
•Evaluation and Reporting

Risk hazard = Consequence X Likelihood

 Types of RBI Analysis

• Level I - Qualitative risk analysis, simple ,

brief prioritization of equipment.

• Level II - Semi-quantitative risk analysis,

more detailed prioritization and
planning.

• Level III - Quantitative risk analysis, in

depth analysis
 Risk Assessments
Perform minimum level of analysis necessary
to provide information adequate for decision
making.
•Detailed analysis, when not necessary, does not only not
benefit the decision maker, but also inappropriately use
resources which could have been spent reducing the risk

By inappropriately using resources (time and money)

one increases the risk