Restoring asset data integrity increases uptime with 20%

As a subcontractor, MaxGrip has performed a Reliability Centered Maintenance (RCM) study for a major refinery project in Abu Dhabi. A large refinery is being expand and needs to step up production as soon as possible. MaxGrip provides rapid EAM deployment to ensure the new installations are safely fitted in and have their own maintenance program from day one.

If there is one type of asset that needs absolute data integrity, it has to be refineries. Incidents and accidents all over the world have shown that shortcuts and guesswork are out of the question. MaxGrip’s expertise in Risk Based Asset Management is widely recognized. We use RCM methodologies to provide targeted risk analysis and optimized maintenance strategies.

Case study – highlights

MaxGrip has a strategic alliance with a world leader in providing compliance, integrity and specialist risk consultancy services to the energy industry. Having joined forces to develop risk-based maintenance software, we provide oil and gas operators with the means to improve safety, equipment integrity and operational reliability, while achieving uptime gains of over 20 percent.

Expert in RCM studies

Another contractor in this project was awarded the EPC (Engineering, Procurement and Construction) contract. Part of the EPC package was an RCM study, and they needed a specialist to ensure quick completion. MaxGrip has extensive experience in the industry and a deep understanding of the business drivers. Because of our ability to simultaneously perform a large RCM study and devise the ideal maintenance plans for assets still to be built, the contractor awarded MaxGrip with the contract for the RCM study package. Uniquely, we are also able to coordinate and execute such projects from our Kuala Lumpur office with minimal client interaction.

Change

The RCM study covered more than 150,000 tags (functional locations) and maintenance strategies for all equipment. The project aimed for expansion of the overall refinery capacity. A careful study of all critical equipment is warranted by the many changes such expansions entail. Naturally these include the tie-ins and overall layout, but there are many other factors and effects to consider. Examples are new equipment from new suppliers, product differentiation and various standards and engineering methods.

Results

The EPC project ranges from the earliest design phase to the commissioning phase. MaxGrip added value from the start by using the contractors’ analyses as input for a comprehensive RCM procedure. Efficiency was also secured by MaxGrip’s familiarity with the refinery operator’s maintenance policies, allowing for speedy equipment criticality analysis. MaxGrip analyzed the risks, build an asset register, and recorded the maintenance routines for the new equipment, ultimately delivering the quality results the contractor and its client need. Uptime increase is estimated at 20% with downtime savings of around $ 600,000.