Risk
Based
With increasing pressures to optimize costs, it
becomes critical that inspection and mainte-
nance efforts be streamlined for utmost effi-
ciency. Balancing inspection costs with regula-
tory compliance can only be achieved by under-
standing the risk that an asset poses to a manu-
facturing facility. Many organizations are turn-
ing to Risk Based Inspection (RBI) as an accepted
methodology which assesses the probability of
failure against consequence to optimize inspec-
tion activities based upon overall risk.
Companies need an RBI program in compliance
with API 580 that is seamlessly integrated into
inspection management.
Meridium’s Risk Based Inspection (RBI) module is part of
the Strategy Development stage of applications and an
integrated component of a complete Asset Performance
Management (APM) solution. Meridium provides a com-
plete risk based inspection work process, which allows for
the definition of corrosion circuits and potential damage
mechanisms and the quantitative analysis of overall risk
through the evaluation of the damage mechanisms, as well
as a comprehensive program to manage the implementa-
tion and execution of the inspection strategy.
The Meridium RBI application provides an integrated crit-
icality calculator, but also has standard interfaces to other
popular calculators used within industry. Meridium's RBI
module offers the key work processes to not only calculate
risk but also to drive the overall RBI program and ensure
that inspection strategies are evaluated as equipment con-
dition changes, ensuring an evergreen program.
With the Meridium RBI software, a user is empowered to:
• Rank fixed equipment based on criticality, which is cal-
culated from the probability and consequence of fail-
ure
• Develop and implement inspection plans using prede-
fined and/or customer-defined inspection strategies
Inspection
• Execute tasks and document activities identified in the
inspections plan
• Ensure compliance and manage risk at an optimum
level using predefined reports and metrics
Meridium's RBI module uses industry standards and best
practices, as well as the experience of our clients, to devel-
op a best-in-class RBI work process which includes upfront
corrosion engineering, risk assessment, development of
inspection strategies, execution and documentation of the
inspection program and inspection re-evaluation capabili-
ties.
Upfront Corrosion Engineering
As a key step of the Meridium RBI workflow, corrosion
engineering lays the foundation for an evergreen RBI
process. Steps in the upfront corrosion engineering phase
include:
• Definition of Corrosion Loops - The examination and
documentation of the manufacturing process into spe-
cific corrosion loops. Corrosion loops allow for the
grouping of equipment or equipment components
which are exposed to similar process conditions, degra-
dation mechanisms and material selection criteria.
Meridium enables the effective development and docu-
mentation of corrosion loops, which establishes the
basis for a knowledge management system by allowing:
• The systematic and elaborate documentation of
corrosion loops for effective knowledge sharing
with inspectors and other end users in the field
who may not be corrosion domain experts.
• Linkage of marked-up PFDs and schematics to the
corrosion loops for easy reference.
• A ssig nment of Potential Degradation Mechanisms -
After corrosion loops have been identified and docu-
mented, the applicable potential degradation mecha-
nisms are assigned for the loop. Meridium provides a
library of potential degradation mechanisms with the
RBI module but also allows for extensibility of the
Potential Degradation library:
 • Use of baseline quantitative and qualitative poten-
tial degradation mechanisms.
• The ability to add additional potential degradation
mechanisms as corporations accumulate and docu-
ment knowledge and experience about their manu-
facturing processes.
• Establishment of Critical Process Variables (CPVs) -
Understanding and managing processes within the estab-
lished operating envelope is an important aspect of the
RBI workflow, as process excursions could have a signifi-
cant impact on risk. Meridium RBI provides the func-
tionality for the RBI team to identify and document
process parameters that need to be monitored, along
with their associated alarm levels. As part of an integrat-
ed RBI workflow, Meridium facilitates:
• The documentation of CPVs to a corrosion loop or
asset
• Definition of multiple alarm levels for each CPV
based on anticipated impact
• Management of process excursion events from
process historians
• Alerting and triggering the RBI or inspection strate-
gy for re-evaluation when thresholds are exceeded
• Management of Equipment Design and Process Data -
Equipment design and process data are key data compo-
nents which are used as inputs for risk assessments.
Meridium RBI provides several capabilities to ensure all
detailed data needed for quantitative RBI evaluation is
available through:
• The equipment definitions maintained in the
Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) system to
Corrosion loops can have both baseline and client-specific potential degradation mechanisms. CPVs may have multiple upper
and lower alarm levels and be aggregated as operating envelopes.
eliminate any potential discrepancies between EAM
and RBI/inspection management systems.
• The creation and management of multiple RBI
components for the same equipment item, which
accommodates different degradation mechanism
profiles that may exist within the same equipment.
• The ability to assign RBI components to a corrosion
loop, allowing a "top-down" approach to manage-
ment of the quantitative analyis and RBI strategy.
Potential degradation mechanisms and CPV infor-
mation which is gathered and documented for the
corrosion loop are passed down to the individual
RBI components assigned within that loop.
Risk Assessment
A key component of the overall RBI process is the quantita-
tive and qualitative assessment of risk. To properly calculate
overall risk, many data elements should be leveraged to pro-
vide the most complete analysis possible. With the
Meridium RBI module, the risk assessment process can
leverage data from the corrosion engineering process, the
current results of the inspection and the thickness monitor-
ing program, as well as other data from process historians
and EAM systems. Common data elements which are avail-
able for the Risk Assessment step include:
• Potential degradation mechanisms
• Equipment and corrosion loop design and process data
• CPVs and associated alarm levels
• Regulatory inspection history
• Thickness monitoring and corrosion history
• Maintenance history
As part of the Risk Assessment stage, a quantitative evalu-
ation is performed on the potential degradation mecha-
nisms identified for the RBI component, along with the
associated consequences. Meridium RBI provides quantita-
tive methodologies for evaluating:
• Flammable, toxic, product leak (tube bundles), environ-
mental cleanup (tank bottoms), and consequences,
with an associated ranking on a scale of A-E.
• Internal corrosion, external corrosion (including CUI),
and environmental cracking degradation mechanisms,
with an associated probability ranking on a scale of 1-5.
In addition to the quantitative methodologies, Meridium
also provides a library of qualitative degradation mecha-
nisms and consequences. Meridium RBI provides options
for extensibility by allowing clients to incorporate any spe-
cific degradation mechanisms or consequences that are not
provided out of the box.
Once the risk is calculated, inspection priorities are defined
for each degradation mechanism and then rolled up to
derive an overall inspection priority and risk ranking for
the RBI component that has been analyzed.
For Meridium RBI users that have standardized on the API
RBI quantitative risk analysis approach, Meridium provides
a connector to the API RBI Calculator which allows you
to leverage Meridium for the overall RBI workflow but
leverage API-sanctioned quantitative risk analysis calcula-
tions within the API RBI Calculator.
Inspection Strategy Development
and Implementation
Using the Meridium RBI module, clients can define and
manage inspection strategy rule sets which allow for com-
mon evaluation logic of risk assessment results. Utilizing
the logic built into the strategy rule sets, users are able to
automatically generate RBI recommendations which detail
the overall inspection plan through the definition of
inspection tasks, scope and frequency derived from the
Inspection priorities calculated from the individual degra-
dation mechanisms.
The Meridium RBI module provides the ability to centrally
manage all RBI recommendations for equipment so they
can be evaluated and merged with the overall executable
inspection plan. RBI recommendations can be consolidat-
ed, reconciled and approved for integration with existing
inspection plans.
Strategy Execution and
Inspection Documentation
Meridium provides integrated Inspection Management and
Thickness Monitoring solutions which are designed to
work with the Meridium RBI module. RBI inspection
strategies can be implemented and managed within the
Meridium inspection solutions. In addition, the results of
the documented inspections, findings and corrosion rates
can be further leveraged within the Meridium RBI module
to ensure that an evergreen process is implemented.
Utilizing the integrated inspection solutions within
Meridium, users can:
• Document the results of qualitative inspections using
Meridium Inspection Management functionality and
drive those findings back into the RBI work process.
• Document thickness measurements captured during
UT/RT Inspections, perform corrosion rate calculations
using Meridium Thickness Monitoring and utilize that
quantitative data to ensure the RBI work process is kept
evergreen.
• Utilize the Meridium recommendation management sys-
tem to centrally manage and implement all inspection
recommendations and track them to closure.
RBI Strategy Re-Evaluation
Utilizing standard Meridium condition alert functionality,
RBI managers and inspection supervisors can define auto-
mated alerts that facilitate condition-based re-evaluation of
risk assessments and updates to inspection strategies as new
inspection, corrosion and excursion histories are identified
by Meridium. In addition to customer-defined condition
alerts, Meridium also provides time-based re-evaluation of
Inspection priorities and risk rankings are rolled up from individual degrada-
tion mechanisms.
inspection strategies for inspection intervals greater than ten
years based on API 580 guidelines, at approximately the
half-life of the major inspection interval.
Additional RBI Capabilities
• Standard integration with existing business systems -
Many companies already have EAM systems in place to
handle asset and work management. Meridium provides
standard interfaces with these systems, which eliminates
the need to maintain data between the two systems man-
ually. Interfaces to EAM systems also allow for seamless
work-process integration between Maintenance,
Operations, Engineering, and Inspection organizations.
• Integrated within a comprehensive APM system - All
Meridium products share a common database, and the
work processes are fully integrated.
• Microsoft Office® integration Meridium Solution Best Practices are
- Reports, plots, and data can developed and maintained to align with,
be easily exported to support and continuously improve all
Microsoft Office applications Meridium APM software modules.
such as Word, PowerPoint, Meridium Packaged Solutions
and Excel, as well as Adobe
PDF formats. The Risk Based Inspection module is a
• E-mail capabilities - Links to part of the Meridium RBI Packaged
calibration results and Solution. Meridium Packaged Solutions
plots/trends (as well as any are fixed-price, fixed-scope, low-risk
data in APM) can be sent via implementation packages that provide a
e-mail, facilitating collabora- standard path to APM value through the
tion within and between var- alignment and deployment of our
ious sites. Solution Best Practices, software, training
• Print capabilities - Provides and services expertise. Meridium
the ability to print various Packaged Solutions help you focus on
reports, plots, and data. quick value delivery rather than technical
Meridium RBI provides a best- details by lowering your implementation
in-class application for docu- risks, providing fixed-price deployment
menting corrosion loops, poten- options, and accelerating time-to-benefit.
tial degradation mechanisms and __________________
operating envelopes in a system-
atic and consistent manner Meridium enables industry-proven work
which allows Meridium cus- processes to maximize physical asset per-
tomers to preserve corporate formance, mitigate risk, and optimize cost
knowledge and retain informa- across the business enterprise. Meridium
tion from domain experts and achieves this through effective asset
field personnel. The Meridium strategies based on best practices, rigorous
RBI software offers: analytics and plant history. Meridium
• Integration with a robust APM software also aligns key perform-
inspection management sys- ance indicators with corporate goals and
tem, offering transparency provides critical analyses to decision mak-
and an audit trail as RBI analysis results are translated ers about their production assets on an enterprise, plant, sys-
to executable plans. tem, equipment, and component level.
• An enterprise system with a centralized database and a
robust IT architecture, allowing companies to standard-
ize RBI best practices and workflows across multiple
sites and disciplines.
• A flexible inspection strategy framework, enabling
clients to tailor inspection strategies based on company
policies or site-specific jurisdictional requirements.
• Robust querying, reporting and graphing functionality,
offering users enhanced abilities to mine data and
develop client-specific reports. Corporate Headquarters
Roanoke, Virginia, USA +1.540.344.9205
Meridium Solution Best Practices Regional Office
As part of the Strategy Development stage and an integrat- Houston, Texas, USA +1.281.920.9616
ed component of Meridium APM software, Risk Based Europe
Inspection is supported by the Meridium Solution Best Walldorf, Germany +49.6227.7.33890
Practices, which are recommended methodologies to Middle East, Africa
enable industry-proven APM Work Processes. Solution Dubai, United Arab Emirates +971.4.365.4808
Best Practices are comprehensive, role based workflows
Asia Pacific
that illustrate how to use each solution method and tool.
This ensures that the methodology and software tools are Perth, Australia +61.08.9278.2663
used in a consistent and standard way to deliver value
based on their intended purpose. They represent the cul- www.meridium.com
mination of Meridium’s extensive experience with our info@meridium.com
clients to practically apply APM solutions in the field.