Petroleum refineries, petrochemical, and process plants have hundreds of pieces of equipment and thousands of meters of piping that handle hazardous and corrosive fluids and operate a wide range of temperatures and pressures. Plant integrity and reliability can only be achieved if this equipment and connected piping are designed properly and they remain fit for continued service between scheduled turnarounds.
The design and fabrication of process equipment and piping systems are carried out by industry codes and standards. Fabrication and welding processes are subjected to defined examinations and inspections to ensure that any deficiencies found are resolved to meet the acceptance criteria of the respective codes.
Once the new equipment and piping are put in service, they get exposed to the process fluids and start to undergo deterioration such as corrosion at various rates depending on the materials of construction and service conditions. It is therefore essential to know their current condition and the degradation rate so that appropriate repairs and maintenance can be carried out on time to prevent failures. Effective inspection and evaluation of the inspection data are vital for this purpose. The integrity of the plant cannot be achieved without effective inspection.