The American Petroleum Institute holds its Inspector Summit every two years in Galveston, Texas, USA providing a platform for inspectors to learn about new and existing industry codes and standards, to hear about emerging trends from experts and to discuss new issues. It is also the only networking event for inspectors in the industry.
SGS, the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, was pleased to take an active part in this four-day Summit and presented five papers on a variety of topics.
In an introductory session on Coatings and Linings, SGS expert Billy Musgrave presented a general overview of how coatings and linings are selected and applied, typical problems discovered upon inspection, and how to remediate the observed problems in order to maintain the durability of capital goods in industrial plants. SGS offers Coating Failure Analyses as part of its Asset Integrity Management program.
SGS Industrial Services also presented some basic techniques used in performing Positive Material Identification (PMI). With this Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) method, the alloy composition of materials can be determined. The improvement of Positive Material Identification data analyzing, in light of the operating parameters and goals, affects the reliability of the data collected and can substantially reduce the cost of remediating discovered discrepancies.
As a result of mechanical integrity inspection on a modern major process plant, massive quantities of data are collected. SGS Mechanical Integrity Management Systems (MIMS) services focus on effective management, tracking and utilizing this data effectively to enable clients to easily manage inspections, prioritize the findings, and plan the resulting maintenance. Paul Schubert presented an excellent paper on SGS’s MIMS Solutions.
Under the title The Role of Inspection in Capital Projects: Optimizing Cost and Performance by Getting It Right from the Start, the SGS AIM principle was discussed. It holds that establishing and implementing Asset Integrity Management procedures during capital projects improves the cost effectiveness of the inspection program, increases the reliability of subsequent inspections, and is required for compliance with U.S. government Process Safety Management regulations.
The last topic presented by SGS at the Summit was the career path available for API certified inspectors. Having served as a technician, contract inspector, owner-operator’s inspector, owner of an inspection business, and inspection program manager, the SGS expert Bob Brewer shared his insights into the positives and negatives of all of these roles, and how to be effective in any of them.
In addition to the formal papers, SGS sponsored the opening day luncheon. During the luncheon the brief SGS speech emphasized the critical role that the inspector fills in protecting the health and safety of both the public and plant personnel and expressed appreciation to the assembled inspectors for their commitment and for making a difference in the world.
SGS has implemented hundreds of Asset Integrity Management programs worldwide, including nearly two hundred Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) programs. SGS offers a large range of Industrial Services such as customized solutions at any level of the development and implementation process, like program development, management and implementation, as well as program gap analyses.