Loenbro Academy: With AVH Engineering: Understanding Risk-Based Inspection

RBI programs help determine appropriate equipment inspection techniques and frequencies, minimize inspection costs, minimize costly component failures, and minimize facility unit downtime. This presentation aims to provide you with a basic understanding of the terminology, work process steps, information requirements, and program sustainment.

RBI is a well-defined engineering and management process applied to pressure equipment and piping. The performance of an RBI assessment results in determining the relative risk for each component or piping circuit and how it relates to the plant can be the basis for optimizing a plant’s inspection program. Recommended practices are available by industry that provides guidance to developing a program.

Although initially developed for the Petrochem industry, RBI has been widely used in other industries, including gas plants, power generation, pharmaceuticals, etc. The fundamental principles for RBI programs are common to any operator of pressure equipment and greatly benefit facilities that aspire to achieve the benefits of an RBI program. Benefits include:

a) An overall reduction in risk for the facilities and equipment assessed,
b) An acceptance/understanding of the current risk,
c) Reduced unexpected facility outages and downtime.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN
• Data requirements
• Risk determination (POF & COF)
• Inspection Plan development (ITP)
• Sustainment/evergreening/Management of Change
• Benefits of RBI program implementation