Application and Implementation of RBI at a Petrochemical Plant
Nieminen, Niko (2022)
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202204084802
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-202204084802
Tiivistelmä
The aim of this thesis was to participate in the application and implementation of Risk Based Inspection (RBI) in the olefin production plant at the Borealis Porvoo site. The pressure equipment and piping, which were included in RBI implementation, are installed and operating in the hot end distillation process of the ethylene unit.
The main objective of this thesis was to conduct the equipment criticality classification (risk assessment). Considering the individual pressure equipment and piping, the criticality was assessed based on the risk they represent associated to safety, health, environment, economics, and company reputation. The objective of this thesis also included examining the means to improve risk management by inspection activities and a study of degradation mechanisms, which were identified to be present or to initiate in corrosion loops that were assessed. The pressure equipment and piping of the hot end distillation process have been clustered into corrosion loops with the help of a corrosion study, conducted by an external party.
The corrosion study´s results were reviewed, and the corrosion loops were validated and configured in the Integrity Management System (IMS). During the RBI implementation process, the Borealis Group´s specifications and guidelines were applied. The equipment criticality classification was managed in the IMS and conducted by using the integrated Pressure Equipment Integrity (PEI) module in the IMS. During the criticality classification process, a condition, inspection and in-service history study was conducted on the considered pressure equipment and piping. Essential and valuable experience was achieved of the RBI process at the Porvoo site. Important observations and conclusions were acquired from the conducted semi-quantitative RBI assessment associated with improvements of the criticality classification, the corrosion study as well as the utilization of the IMS PEI module. The conducted project shows that risk management at the olefin production plant can be optimized and improved by applying and implementing RBI on the related pressure equipment and piping. Essential factors regarding the improvement of risk management by inspection activities, were gathered in a table based on the theory studied in this thesis.
The main objective of this thesis was to conduct the equipment criticality classification (risk assessment). Considering the individual pressure equipment and piping, the criticality was assessed based on the risk they represent associated to safety, health, environment, economics, and company reputation. The objective of this thesis also included examining the means to improve risk management by inspection activities and a study of degradation mechanisms, which were identified to be present or to initiate in corrosion loops that were assessed. The pressure equipment and piping of the hot end distillation process have been clustered into corrosion loops with the help of a corrosion study, conducted by an external party.
The corrosion study´s results were reviewed, and the corrosion loops were validated and configured in the Integrity Management System (IMS). During the RBI implementation process, the Borealis Group´s specifications and guidelines were applied. The equipment criticality classification was managed in the IMS and conducted by using the integrated Pressure Equipment Integrity (PEI) module in the IMS. During the criticality classification process, a condition, inspection and in-service history study was conducted on the considered pressure equipment and piping. Essential and valuable experience was achieved of the RBI process at the Porvoo site. Important observations and conclusions were acquired from the conducted semi-quantitative RBI assessment associated with improvements of the criticality classification, the corrosion study as well as the utilization of the IMS PEI module. The conducted project shows that risk management at the olefin production plant can be optimized and improved by applying and implementing RBI on the related pressure equipment and piping. Essential factors regarding the improvement of risk management by inspection activities, were gathered in a table based on the theory studied in this thesis.