INDUSTRY INSIGHTS NEWSLETTER
Welcome to Equity's Industry Insights Newsletter
After tallying the numbers, three articles stood out as last year’s most popular topics! These three articles span the breadth of Equity Engineering’s expertise. Enjoy re-reading these articles that use case studies to highlight failure analysis in crude/vacuum units, root cause analysis of high vibration, and pipeline monitoring and leak detection.
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Featured Articles
Pipeline Monitoring and Leak Detection: Essential Technologies and Practices
Author: Rohan Oak, P.E., Senior Engineer II
Due to length and complexity, midstream pipelines are prone to leaks. In this article, Rohan provides a detailed overview of the technologies and practices used in pipeline monitoring and leak detection. In addition, he discusses the importance of leak detection programs for the long-term operation of pipeline infrastructure.
Case Study: Diagnosing the Root Cause for High Vibrations on a Vertical Pump
Author: Tom Calko, P.E., Group Head, Field Service Engineering, Staff Engineer II Determining the cause of a change in machinery condition can be a difficult task, and vibration analysis is
Case Studies of Failures in Crude / Vacuum Units
Authors: Raj K. Patadia, P.E., Staff Engineer I; Phillip E. Prueter, P.E., Principal Engineer II
The contaminants found within crude oil can lead to numerous types of damage mechanisms that impact the crude unit. Unfortunately, multiple damage mechanisms can be the cause of an in-service failure. In this article, two case studies discuss the need to conduct in-service failure analyses for uncovering the root causes and developing practical risk mitigation strategies.
Recently Published in the Industry Insights Newsletter
Reformer MOV Cracking FFS Case Study
Authors: Kraig S. Shipley, P.E., Piping & Fired Heaters Principal Engineer II; Anthony J. Feller, Group Head, Senior Engineer II; Seetha Ramudu Kummari, Ph.D., P.E., Consulting Engineer I
This case study explores fatigue cracking in motor-operated valves (MOVs) used to cycle flow in and out of reformer unit reactors. Surface flaws were discovered during a recent turnaround which prompted further investigation. As only a few of the MOVs were opened and inspected, the owner-user was concerned about the extent and severity of cracks in additional valves. In this article, the authors share the details of the case study and how Equity’s recommendations helped the client make informed repair decisions.
Damage Review and Risk Assessment of Midstream Amine Processing Units
Authors: Brian McNeill, Staff Engineer II; Shane Kelliher, Staff Engineer I
For those who had the opportunity to watch last week’s webinar presented by Brian and Shane, this article expands on the benefits of risk-based inspection (RBI) for amine processing units and offers a multidisciplinary approach. It begins with an overview of the process and rich/lean amine loading, identifies key damage mechanisms and areas of concern, and proposes options for corrosion mitigation.
Are Dents Really a Problem?
Authors: Kevin Haley, P.E., Consulting Engineer I; Daniel Spring, Ph.D., Consulting Researcher II & Consulting Engineer II
Pipelines are susceptible to dents. There are currently several assessment procedures available for evaluating this damage mechanism and determining whether a dent poses a viable threat to the integrity of a component. In this article, Kevin and Daniel discuss common analysis methods for the critical failure mechanisms, potential failure mechanisms such as creep, complex dent configurations, and highlight the value of using a Level 3 finite element analysis (FEA) to determine whether the dent is truly a problem.
