Asset Integrity & Assurance

Adequate Asset Integrity Management is crucial for companies in asset-intensive industries. Not only as their performance relies heavily on the proper function, but also because failure of these assets can have a major impact on safety and the environment. Asset Integrity Management is an integral part of a risk management program, essential for minimizing various risks and enabling informed equipment strategies. This is why many companies operate in a regulated environment and have to demonstrate compliance to the authorities to obtain and maintain their License to Operate. Even if not regulated, it is just as important for other companies. Additionally, companies have to demonstrate how they will maintain asset Integrity if they want to extend the lifetime of their assets. MaxGrip has a wealth of experience and expertise in the domain of asset integrity; from greenfield to brownfield to Asset Lifetime Extension (ALE) across sectors. We are expert in working with the Inspection departments as well as to relate this to the scope of the Maintenance and Operations departments.

Asset Integrity Management is essential for maintaining the performance, safety, and reliability of physical assets, leading to enhanced operational efficiency, resource optimization, compliance with regulations, and cost savings.

1. Safety and Compliance: Ensuring the structural integrity and safe operation of assets is paramount to protect human lives, the environment, and if applicable to comply with regulatory standards. Failure to do so can result in accidents, legal consequences, loss of reputation and also loss of production​​.
2. Operational Reliability: Proper AIM ensures that assets perform their required functions while safeguarding health, safety, and environmental aspects. This leads to fewer unplanned downtimes and interruptions, enhancing productivity and operational reliability as well as a safe place to work for the staff, for contractors and the safety of the outside world​​.
3. Cost Savings and Economic Benefits: Implementing effective AIM strategies, such as Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) and Asset Life Extension (ALE) studies, can lead to significant cost savings. For instance, the RBI revalidation in a GTL plant resulted in savings of over $1.7 million per leak, and RBI assessments have saved oil and gas producers significant amounts annually by optimizing inspection and maintenance efforts​​.
4. Asset Life Extension: AIM plays a crucial role in extending the operational life of assets beyond their original design life, ensuring they can continue to operate safely and efficiently. This shows senior management the business case and, if relevant, provides evidence to the regulator. Such scenarios also include the best way to manage Asset Integrity during the extended period. This not only defers the substantial costs associated with replacing assets but also maximizes the return on investment from existing assets​​​. Additionally, AIM integrates end-of-life strategies such as phased decommissioning, repurposing for less critical functions, or upgrading to meet new operational demands. These strategies ensure that assets continue to contribute value, align with safety standards, and adhere to environmental regulations, ultimately supporting sustainable and cost-effective operations.
5. Data and Technology Integration: Modern AIM approaches integrate data analytics, predictive maintenance, and other Industry 4.0 technologies to enhance decision-making and operational efficiency. This enables organizations to move from reactive to proactive and predictive management of asset integrity​​.
6. Sustainability and Environmental Stewardship: By ensuring the integrity and optimal performance of assets, companies can minimize the risk of environmental incidents and contribute to sustainable operational practices.

A global oil and gas industry company that carries out activities across many countries worldwide asked MaxGrip to partner up with them regarding the asset integrity system of their Asian offshore platforms. The company produces oil and gas, downstream and upstream. MaxGrip’s asset integrity team were closely working with the company to provide support and consultancy across disciplines. This includes Risk Based Inspection (RBI) assessments, inspection management and planning, Fitness for service (FFS) assessments as well as Asset Life Extension (ALE) studies.

The longer-term partnership of MaxGrip and this oil and gas company resulted in some great benefits, including:

• Integrated and improved asset integrity insights and control over data through data dashboards, incl. recommendations, cost estimations and long-term action planning;
• Total estimated cost savings of more than 10%, due to the optimization of inspection planning and the risk-based re-assessment activities.

Ensuring asset integrity involves a multifaceted approach that includes comprehensive planning, implementation of various strategies, and continuous improvement based on assessment outcomes. Here’s a breakdown of key strategies and practices drawn from the documents:

1. Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) and Revalidation: Implementing and revalidating RBI methodologies is crucial for maintaining asset integrity. For instance, in one case, RBI revalidation for a GTL plant led to significant cost savings per leak prevented, a 10% reduction in man-hours needed for preparing work packages and turnarounds, and enhanced integrity safeguarding the license to operate.
2. Maintenance and Inspection Optimization: Optimizing maintenance and inspection strategies, such as through RBI assessments, can lead to substantial cost savings, reduced man-hours for inspection and maintenance, and extended inspection intervals for a significant portion of the equipment​​.
3. Holistic and Integrated Approaches: Adopting a holistic and integrated approach across the asset lifecycle can improve asset reliability and safety while reducing costs. This involves connecting data and systems, enhancing processes, and empowering people to use insights to achieve goals. Effective asset integrity management programs address all elements, including processes, people, data, and systems, ensuring control and compliance​​.
4. Asset Life Extension Studies: Performing comprehensive asset life extension assessments can lead to extended asset lifetimes and cost savings. This involves steps like data collection, review and verification, hazards and critical barriers gap analysis, condition risk and life extension assessment, and cost-benefit analysis​​.
5. Continuous Improvement and Cost Optimization: Continuous improvement in asset integrity for multiple offshore platforms has resulted in cost savings and extended asset life. Specialized studies, data dashboarding, and integrity scorecard development are among the key activities that contribute to these outcomes​​.

To ensure asset integrity effectively, it’s essential to implement a comprehensive strategy that encompasses risk assessment, optimization of maintenance and inspection processes, holistic management approaches, continuous improvement practices, and customized solutions tailored to specific needs and regional requirements. These strategies should be aimed at improving reliability, extending asset life, optimizing costs, and ensuring safety and regulatory compliance throughout.

Asset reliability and asset integrity are critical for asset management. In practice, asset reliability and integrity are intertwined; ensuring the integrity of an asset contributes to its reliability, and a reliable asset is often one that is also integral. Both are crucial for the sustainable and safe operation of facilities and for protecting the company’s bottom line, reputation, and compliance with regulations.

Asset reliability refers to the ability of an asset to perform its required function under stated conditions for a specified period. It’s primarily concerned with ensuring that assets are available to operate as expected when needed, without unexpected failures or unplanned downtime. Reliability focuses on the performance and efficiency of assets, aiming to minimize downtime and ensure that operations run smoothly. It involves practices like predictive maintenance, reliability-centered maintenance (RCM), and condition-based monitoring to predict and prevent failures before they occur.

Asset integrity relates to the ability of an asset to operate effectively and safely, ensuring that it does not pose any risk to health, safety, or the environment. It encompasses the systems, advanced technologies processes, and measures put in place to ensure assets are designed, constructed, operated, and decommissioned in a manner that guarantees structural and functional integrity throughout their lifecycle. Asset integrity management (AIM) involves regular inspections, risk assessments, and adherence to regulatory standards to prevent accidents, leaks, explosions, and other hazardous incidents that could result from the failure of an asset.

Both asset reliability and integrity are aimed at reduced costs and ensuring that assets perform their required functions effectively and as long as required.

Asset integrity encompasses various elements aimed at ensuring assets are designed, operated, and maintained safely and effectively throughout their lifecycle. The key elements of asset integrity include:

1. Design and Materials Selection: Ensuring asset integrity begins with the proper design and selection of materials that are suitable for the intended operational conditions and the environment in which the asset will operate. This involves using standards, best practices, and engineering principles to ensure that assets are built to last and can withstand operational stresses.
2. Construction and Installation: The construction and installation processes must adhere to design specifications and industry standards. Quality assurance and quality control (QA/QC) measures are crucial during this phase to ensure that assets are constructed and installed correctly, eliminating potential integrity issues from the outset.
3. Operational Excellence: Operational procedures should ensure that assets are used within their designed operating parameters. This includes proper training for operators, adherence to operating procedures, and the implementation of best practices to minimize wear and tear and avoid operational errors that could compromise asset integrity.
4. Maintenance and Inspection: Regular maintenance and inspection are crucial to identify and rectify potential issues before they lead to failure. This involves scheduled maintenance, condition monitoring, and predictive maintenance strategies to address wear, corrosion, fatigue, and other degradation mechanisms.
5. Risk Management and Compliance: Identifying, assessing, and managing risks associated with asset operations are fundamental to maintaining integrity. This includes compliance with relevant industry standards, regulations, and laws to ensure safety, environmental protection, and operational efficiency.
6. Management Systems: Effective management systems, such as an Asset Integrity Management System (AIMS), provide the framework for integrating all aspects of asset integrity. These systems encompass policies, procedures, documentation, and responsibilities to ensure consistent and effective management of asset integrity.
7. Change Management: As operations evolve and assets age, managing changes in processes, technologies, and operational conditions is vital to maintaining integrity. Change management processes ensure that all modifications are assessed, approved, and documented to prevent unintended consequences.
8. Emergency Response and Contingency Planning: Preparing for potential emergencies through robust response plans and contingency measures is an essential element of asset integrity. This ensures that, in the event of an asset failure or other incidents, impacts are minimized, and normal operations can be restored safely and promptly.
9. Decommissioning and Disposal: Finally, the end-of-life phase of an asset must be managed to ensure that decommissioning and disposal do not pose undue risks to health, safety, or the environment. This involves planning for the safe shutdown, dismantling, and disposal or recycling of assets in compliance with regulatory requirements and environmental standards.

Together, these elements form a comprehensive approach to maintaining the structural and functional integrity of assets, ensuring they operate safely, reliably, and efficiently throughout the design phase of their lifecycle, while minimizing risks to personnel, the environment, and the business.