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Australian Energy Producers Journal Australian Energy Producers Journal Society
Journal of Australian Energy Producers
RESEARCH ARTICLE (Non peer reviewed)

The hardy perennials of maintenance

Neil Clegg
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Upstream Production Solutions, 1101 Hay Street, Perth, WA 6005, Australia. Email: neil.clegg@upstreamps.com

The APPEA Journal 59(2) 539-541 https://doi.org/10.1071/AJ18062
Accepted: 18 April 2019   Published: 17 June 2019

Abstract

This paper is about the maintenance of safety critical elements on oil and gas facilities. Different approaches can be applied to design the appropriate maintenance plans that will ensure the availability of safety critical barriers. The challenge and opportunity for maintenance engineers today is to apply their knowledge and experience to improve the issues that are already known to exist with the current approaches for maintaining safety critical elements. Additionally, collaboration is required between operators, regulators and the standard-setting authorities to ensure that the appropriate application of risk-based approaches to maintenance are being endorsed. The two examples considered in the paper are the maintenance and testing of firefighting water-deluge systems and lifeboats (TEMPSC). Overall, improvements using risk-based approaches to maintenance will lead to safer operations, more consistency in maintenance plans, greater alignment between standards and practice, and reduced costs.

Keywords: ALARP, deluge testing, lifeboat maintenance, operational context, reliability, risk-based maintenance, safety critical element, standards.

Neil Clegg is a Chartered Mechanical Engineer (IMechE) and technical authority for maintenance and reliability in the oil and gas industry. During his 29 years of experience, Neil has worked in onshore and offshore maintenance, operations, LNG and project engineering internationally, involving some of the largest global projects in the oil and gas industry. As General Manger Technical for Upstream PS, Neil achieves operational excellence through developing and coaching teams to maintain high technical standards and pioneer leading ways of working.


References

Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) (2014). Marine Order 25 Equipment – lifesaving (AMSA.)

International Maritime Safety Organisation (IMO) (1996). ‘International Life-Saving Appliance Code adopted by IMO Resolution MSC.48 (66).’ (IMO.)

International Maritime Safety Organisation (IMO) (2009). ‘Circular MSC.1/Circ.1206/Rev.1 Measures to Prevent Accidents with Lifeboats.’ (IMO.)

National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) (2015). ‘Guidance Note N-04300-GN0166, ALARP Revision 6.’ (NOPSEMA.)

National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (NOPSEMA) (2017). NOPSEMA thinks wet testing is best practice. In ‘The Regulator Issue 1’. (NOPSEMA.)

Robson, J. K. (2007). ‘UK HSE Overview of TEMPSC Performance Standards (UK HSE.’) Available at http://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr599.pdf [verified 3 May 2019].

The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) (2008). ‘July 2008, Chapter III. Life-saving Appliances and Arrangements. Regulation 20. Operational Readiness, Maintenance and Inspections.’ (SOLAS.)