Emerging NDE and the Plant Inspector

Mark Koens, C.E.T.

Petro-Canada

IPEIA Conference - Banff 2006

Acknowledgments

Dr. Richard V. Murphy, Natural Resources Canada, NDT Certifying Agency

Dwain Teed, Petro-Canada

Overview

The problem

Where NDE was 10 years ago

Where NDE is today

How to maximize results

Where will NDE be in the future

Conclusions

Questions

Have You Ever……

received the results from an NDE inspection and found the results were inconclusive

had a job done but later discovered a better technique

found out that the chosen NDE technique wasn’t sensitive to the damage mechanism after the inspection was complete

wondered why a technique worked better at the demonstration

10 Years Ago

Datalogging was a recent development for UT

CR, RFT, TOFD, ACFM, EMAT, AUBT, Phased Array, Guided Wave and many other techniques were available but rarely used

Knowledgeable, qualified inspectors were plentiful

Techniques were fairly easily understood by the average visual inspector

Reliability and safety received lower focus

1995

Age of Canadian Certified NDT Inspectors(May 26, 2005)

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2006

Age of Canadian Certified NDT Inspectors(May 24, 2005)

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2006

NDE has realized gains from the computer and medical industries

The average inspector is 44, this is 5 years older than just 10 years ago

Inspectors are in high demand, positions remain unfilled

The drive for safe, reliable operation is key to corporate success

The pressure to perform inspections outside of turnaround windows is increasing, on-stream inspections are common

2006

NDE techniques are providing ever increasing amounts of information

NDE techniques are more skill dependant

Fewer plant inspectors are becoming NDE certified

NDE information sessions and short courses are becoming common

There is a greater understanding of damage mechanisms, RBI programs are being implemented

Visual inspectors are increasingly having to rely on vendors or third party inspectors for NDE advice

2006

NDE costs are rising quickly, up approximately 300% over a ten year period

NDE vendors have established “Advanced Groups” to apply new techniques and hired Senior Visual Inspectors

Time between turnarounds is increasing

Non-inspection requirements are increasing, meetings, HAZOPS, MOC’s, etc.

There is no end in sight, the oil industry in Alberta will spend approximately $40 Billion in 2006

Maximizing Results

Improve your computer skills

Plan jobs with the vendor well in advance

Get trained in NDE techniques, take courses, attend conferences, seminars, ask questions, know limitations

Evaluate techniques on non-critical jobs

Re-evaluate techniques as advancements are made

Don’t select a technique just because it’s new!

Confirm results using another technique wherever possible

Maximizing Results

Audit jobs while they are going on, verify qualifications, verify the written procedure

Verify minimum flaw sizes, resolution, signal to noise ratio’s, cleaning requirements

Review reports as soon as they are received, don’t accept reports which are not complete or contain errors

Provide all available information to the NDE vendor when planning the job, give any reasonable assistance

Share feedback

Maximizing Results

Be wary of “Grey Zone” applications

Understand that what you consider to be a minor variable could have a major impact on results

Automate routine tasks wherever possible

Don’t expect that a single technique will work for a variety of applications, usually a specialized technique is only effective for certain applications

Have major NDE jobs overseen by an inspector knowledgeable in the method used

Question vendors who claim to be the only company who can do something

The Results Puzzle

Pre-jobPlanning

Known Damage Mechanism

Good Written Procedure

ResultsVerified

Proper Technique

Skilled Technician

10 Years from Now

Tolerance of failures will lead to increased NDE

Safety, reliability, and the need for non-intrusive inspections will fuel the demand for emerging NDE technologies

The number of CGSB certified technicians will be at 1996 levels or lower, various groups have predicted levels 25 to 50 percent lower than what are required, The average inspector will be about 48

There will be pressure to reduce escalating inspection costs and increase the reliability of results

10 Years from Now

There will be a widened gap between visual and NDE inspectors

NDT will be a managed resource within large organizations

Researching and approving inspection techniques will likely become a central task for most organizations

The Chief Inspector will likely oversee NDE, but will rely on others to select and co-ordinate

The use of a well selected, planned, and executed NDE technique is one of the most valuable tools available to achieve safety and reliability. The use of a poorly selected, planned, or executed technique is worse than performing no inspection at all.Cost effective use of NDE technology demands knowledgeable and engaged plant personnel.

Conclusions

Questions?