PT Notes
Managing Aging Assets in Process Plants
PT Notes is a series of topical technical notes on process safety provided periodically by Primatech for your benefit. Please feel free to provide feedback.
Many currently operating process plants, in sectors such as oil and gas, chemicals, power generation, and manufacturing, were built decades ago, including as far back as the mid-20th century, when technology, design standards, and regulations, were significantly different than they are today. These plants were typically intended for finite lifespans but have remained in service beyond their originally intended design life. Over time, pipelines, storage tanks, and other equipment deteriorate. Left unmanaged, this deterioration can lead to costly breakdowns and process safety incidents.
Process safety risks and equipment reliability are closely connected. As equipment ages, the probability of failure or reduced performance grows. Not only does this mean unplanned downtime when critical components fail, but also can result in cascading effects that trigger fires, explosions, chemical releases, or other major accidents.
Effectively managing aging assets is indispensable for process safety, operational excellence, compliance and business continuity.
Several factors exacerbate this issue:
Corrosion and Material Degradation: Over time, equipment is subject to corrosion (internal or external), fatigue, erosion, and stress cracking. Environmental conditions (e.g., humidity, temperature swings, chemical exposure) accelerate these wear-out mechanisms.
Outdated Design and Documentation: Design documents or original blueprints may be incomplete, inaccurate, or inaccessible. Knowledge gaps can arise when the engineers who originally designed the process and its systems retire or move on, taking with them many years of tacit expertise.
Increased Operational Demands: Plants now often operate at higher capacities or under more stringent regulatory constraints than when they were first built. Aging assets may not accommodate today’s higher production rates or changing process conditions without additional stress.
Regulatory and Community Scrutiny: Societal and regulatory expectations have evolved. Communities increasingly demand transparency and assurance that plants are maintained safely and responsibly, heightening the public and legal pressure to address aging assets.
Here are important strategies for managing aging assets:
Asset Integrity Management System
A comprehensive Asset Integrity Management System should be employed with policies, work processes, and tools designed to maintain and verify the integrity of critical equipment. This system ensures that each asset is inspected and assessed periodically based on its risk profile. Key elements of the system should include:
Understanding Wear-Out Mechanisms: There are many wear-out mechanisms (e.g. (corrosion, fatigue) An understanding of these mechanisms aids in the implementation of mitigation measures.
Risk-Based Inspection (RBI): RBI is used to prioritize inspection frequency and scope based on the probability of equipment failure and its potential impact. By focusing on the most critical equipment and degradation mechanisms, RBI improves asset integrity while reducing unnecessary inspection costs.
Non-Destructive Testing (NDT): Techniques such as ultrasonic testing, radiography, or magnetic flux leakage can be used to detect internal or hidden defects.
Fitness-for-Service (FFS) Assessments: Evaluations of whether equipment can safely remain in operation given current or revised process conditions.
Digital Twins and Simulation: Creating virtual models of assets to predict how they will respond to stress, corrosion, or changes in operating conditions, enabling proactive decision-making.
Preventive and Predictive Maintenance
Preventive Maintenance follows scheduled intervals (time-based or usage-based) to replace or refurbish parts before they fail. Predictive Maintenance uses real-time data from sensors, vibration analysis, thermal imaging, etc. to anticipate wear and intervene only when equipment health indicators suggest looming failure. Together, these approaches help strike a balance between cost-effectiveness and reliability.
Upgrades and Replacements
In some cases, repairing aging equipment is no longer feasible or cost-effective and the solution is to upgrade or replace legacy equipment to meet modern standards, and replace obsolete parts with modern, more robust alternatives (e.g., corrosion-resistant alloys, updated seal materials).
Management of Change (MOC)
When modifications or replacements occur, a structured MOC process ensures that changes are rigorously reviewed for potential impacts on safety, operations, and compliance. This is crucial because adding or upgrading a piece of equipment can introduce new process hazards if not properly vetted.
Knowledge Retention and Training
Large sections of the industrial workforce are retiring, taking with them deep knowledge about the quirks and history of aging systems. Actions needed to address this “brain drain” include:
Systematic Documentation: Capture key lessons learned, maintenance logs, and critical design documentation in accessible formats (e.g., digital libraries).
Mentorship and Knowledge Transfer Programs: Pair seasoned experts with newer engineers or technicians to share hands-on insights.
Ongoing Training: Provide continual education for operators and maintenance staff on the latest inspection methods, repair techniques, and safety standards.
Organizational and Cultural Elements
Achieving sustainable reliability in aging plants assets is not just a technical challenge. It also demands strong organizational alignment and culture. Leadership must champion asset integrity initiatives and allocate the necessary resources. A supportive culture encourages reporting of small issues before they escalate into major problems. Facilities that routinely celebrate near-miss reporting and operational discipline tend to have stronger resilience against unforeseen failures.
Regulatory and Stakeholder Engagement
Governments and agencies worldwide are tightening standards for asset integrity, particularly where public safety or the environment is at stake. Process plants are often subject to:
Mandatory Inspections and Audits: Regulators may require regular integrity checks and proof of compliance.
Transparency with the Public: Communicating risk reduction efforts can help build trust within communities, local governments, and investors.
Enforcement Actions: Non-compliance or major incidents can result in fines, legal action, or forced facility shutdowns.
Beyond regulators, shareholders and insurers also exert pressure. Investors increasingly factor in the reliability of operations when evaluating a company’s risk profile. Insurance providers may adjust premiums or coverage eligibility based on the operator’s track record of managing aging assets and preventing losses.
Managing aging assets is an essential aspect of process safety, operational integrity, and long-term sustainability. While the physical degradation of assets is inevitable, its associated risks can be mitigated through systematic inspections, robust maintenance strategies, strategic upgrades, and a culture that values safety and knowledge retention. By taking necessary actions, organizations can extend the lifespan of assets, protect the environment, and safeguard the people who operate and live around process plants.
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