Frequency of PSV inspection optmization using statistical data analysis

Abstract

The present paper shows how qualitative analytical methodologies can be enhanced by statistical failure data analysis of process equipment in order to select an appropriate and cost-effective maintenance policy to reduce equipment life cycle cost. As such, a case study was carried out with failure and maintenance data from a sample of pressure safety valves (PSV) of a PETROBRAS’s oil and gas production unit. Data was classified according to a failure mode and effect analysis— FMEA, and adjusted using a weibull distribution. The results show the possibility of reduction of maintenance frequency representing 29% of event reduction, without increasing risk, as well as evidencing the potential failures which must be blocked by the inspection plan.

Keywords

• Inspeção. PSV. Análise estatística de dados. FMEA. Weibull.