A Hybrid Topside Structural Approach to the Management of Aging Fleet

Abstract

\n The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the best practices of Topside Structural Integrity Management for an aging fleet of more than 200 platforms with about 60% of which has exceeded the design life. PETRONAS as the operator, has established a Topside Structural Integrity Management (SIM) strategy to demonstrate fitness of the offshore topside structures through a hybrid philosophy of time-based inspection with risk-based maintenance, which is in compliance to API RP2SIM (2014) inspection requirements. This paper shares the data management, methodology, challenges and value creation of this strategy.\n The SIM process adopted in this work is in compliance with industry standards API RP2SIM, focusing on Data-Evaluation-Strategy-Program processes. The operator HSE Risk Matrix is adopted in risk ranking of the topside structures. The main elements considered in developing the risk ranking of the topside structures are the design and assessment compliance, inspection compliance and maintenance compliance.\n Effective methodology to register asset and inspection data capture was developed to expedite the readiness of Topside SIM for a large aging fleet. The Topside SIM is being codified in the operator web-based tool, Structural Integrity Compliance System (SICS).\n Identifying major hazards for topside structures were primarily achieved via data trending post implementation of Topside SIM. It was then concluded that metal loss as the major threat. Further study on effect of metal loss provides a strong basis to move from time-based maintenance towards risk-based maintenance. Risk ranking of the assets allow the operator to prioritize resources while managing the risk within ALARP level.\n Current technologies such as drone and mobile inspection tools are deployed to expedite inspection findings and reporting processes. The data from the mobile inspection tool is directly fed into the web based SICS to allow reclassification of asset risk and anomalies management.