Non-destructive Testing During Shutdowns

The longer the plant is shut down, the higher is the loss of production time and output. That is why the goal of asset owners and operators is to resume the production as quickly as possible. The downtime of the equipment can be minimized by optimal planning of the shutdown activities. Risk Based Inspection (RBI) approach is commonly used to optimize inspection frequencies and reduce turnaround exposure.

During an unplanned shutdown, the production is stopped unintentionally. Any system malfunctions can lead to severe health, safety and environmental (HSE) damages. A good preparation of turnaround activities, including defining the best inspection methods, will help to execute the minimum number of inspections giving the highest level of detection of the weak points and in-service defects, thus reducing the risks of incidents and unplanned shutdowns.

Performing any inspection from inside of a vessel adds significant Health and Safety risks and requires extra preparation and management costs. Performing any inspection from inside of a vessel adds significant Health and Safety risks and requires extra preparation and management costs. Performing Non Intrusive Inspection (NII) could resolve this challenge. Avoiding unnecessary draining, purging and cleaning of the vessels, which do not require maintenance, will help improving sustainability targets. Uncontrolled shutdowns may lead to a reputational damage of the corporate brand and high additional payments due to financial liability. Apart from a fear of losing the product and physical assets, the main focus is on ensuring the health of all involved employees and public (e.g. in case of explosion hazards).