The situation
Five operating terminals had developed their own inspection
histories, local priorities and ways of interpreting tank condition. The
issue was not a lack of inspection. The issue was that inspection
effort, maintenance attention and capital were not always being compared
through one consistent integrity logic across the portfolio.
The objective was therefore not to reduce inspections or to extend
intervals as a cost-saving exercise. The objective was to direct
technical attention and expenditure toward the tanks, degradation
mechanisms and uncertainties that mattered most to continued
integrity.
What changed
A common RBI framework was implemented across the five terminals.
Existing inspection information, condition data, credible degradation
mechanisms and consequence were brought into a consistent decision
structure so that different tanks and different sites could be compared
on the same technical basis.
The practical change was in prioritisation. Inspection became one
source of evidence within a broader integrity process. Where the
evidence supported low risk and high confidence, resources did not need
to be consumed merely because a calendar milestone had been reached.
Where uncertainty, degradation or consequence was higher, the same
process could justify earlier inspection, more advanced examination,
repair or capital intervention.
The implementation also created a common language between terminal
operations, inspection, maintenance, engineering and management.
Decisions could be explained in terms of risk and integrity rather than
local habit or the historic inspection calendar.
Outcome
The five terminals moved toward a consistent risk-based integrity
approach, improving the basis for inspection planning and
portfolio-level capital prioritisation. The value was not measured by
the number of inspections avoided. It was measured by the organisation’s
ability to spend inspection and maintenance resources where loss of
integrity would matter most.
The principle: RBI is not about inspection. It is
about integrity. Inspection is only useful when it improves the
integrity decision.
This case study describes the application and outcome. For the underlying method, see the relevant RBI or RCM Whitepaper.
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