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GL Noble Denton:
Asset Optimisation: Applying RAM Modelling techniques to complex operations
A key to boosting the reliability, availability and maintainability (RAM) of complex process systems in the oil and gas industry is understanding and managing short, medium and long term failure rates, repair rates and impacts of plant configuration. Jonathan Minnitt, Senior Process engineer with GL Noble Denton explained how this can be done through simulation during his presentation at the recent ERTC Asset Maximisation conference in Budapest.
“RAM studies are typically used to assess production capabilities under stable conditions, such as constant failure rates, continuous operation, with failure data often excluding severe events” said Minnitt. So-called “early life failures” and failures causing severe damage to the item of equipment should be considered as well, he argued, as they affect reliability and availability calculations. GL Noble Denton has developed the reliability and availability simulator OPTAGON to model technical and financial parameters at equipment, unit and total asset
levels.
The probability and effects of encountering early life failures depends, among other aspects, on the complexity, age of the technology and location of the installation. “From a reliability, safety, failure management and commercial point of view, it is important to identify and deal with these possible early life challenges to availability, as the consequences of incurring such failures are likely to be far reaching”, Minnitt
said.
Severe failures need to be considered as they may lead to either costly repairs or major overhaul work that would take excessive periods of time. Most typically, these are equipment items that are very expensive in the first place or have a very long lead times for replacement.
Case study: Underground gas storage facility
GL Noble Denton was commissioned to use its OPTAGON software to carry out a RAM study for an underground gas storage facility. “The cyclical nature of operations for gas injection and withdrawal systems needed to be captured in the simulation. Additionally, the consideration of low frequency but high impact failure rates, in this case the compressor failure, was key to the study” Minnitt
explained.
A number of scenarios showed that a good spares holding philosophy would enable the operator to limit exposure to unavailability due to compressor failure. The operator was therefore able to better quantify the benefits of sparing certain components with minimum capital expenditure. In addition, the RAM study identified critical production items and the potential benefit of holding spares to shorten repair
delays.
Field experience and ongoing software development has evolved so that RAM tools allow asset owners and design contractors to assess and more accurately predict what is and what will happen during any particular
process.
OPTAGON uses information technology to enable effective reliability management, while managing the impact that these issues have on effective asset utilisation. “This is a keenly watched sector and area of dynamic growth and a key area of convergence in the oil and petrochemical sectors”, said Minnitt. It is well suited to large, complex processes found in the oil and gas refining sector and similar process-driven industries including water and chemicals.
GL Noble Denton uses OPTAGON directly with end users, maintaining a direct link with the customer. “We use our own consultants to manage contracts,” said Minnitt. “It is important for us to ensure that the client has direct contact with us to minimise time delays and to have fast access to direct
experience.
The presentation and the full paper are available on the GL Noble Denton website
http://www.gl-nobledenton.com/news/news_18947.php.
Posted July 5, 2010
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sample copies please contact
wilhelms@pennwell.com
www.sicking.de
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