Maintainability Analysis of Remotely Operated LNG Marine Loading Arms Based on UNE 151001 Standard

Abstract

The operation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) marine loading arms plays a pivotal role in the efficient transfer of LNG from maritime vessels to downstream facilities, underpinning the global LNG supply chain. Despite their criticality, these systems frequently encounter operational challenges, notably slow coupling speeds and increased downtimes driven by maintenance demands. Addressing these challenges, Physical Asset Management principles advocate for maximizing process availability by minimizing both planned and unplanned outages. Recognizing maintainability as a key equipment attribute, this document proposes a procedure that extends the use of the UNE 151001 standard to evaluate the maintainability of physical assets. This proposal incorporates into traditional RCM a step for the selection of maintenance levels proposed in the standard, as well as the use of the AHP technique for selecting the weights used during the analysis process. Finally, an aggregated maintainability indicator is presented, which will allow for better evaluation, comparison, and monitoring of this characteristic in one or more industrial assets. To demonstrate its feasibility and utility, the proposed procedure is applied to a set of LNG marine unloading arms. This study identifies pivotal areas for improvement and devises strategic action plans aimed at enhancing asset’s maintainability. The outcomes of this analysis not only provide a roadmap for augmenting operational efficiency but also furnish empirical justification for the requisite investments in maintainability enhancements, thereby contributing to the resilience and sustainability of LNG logistics infrastructure.

Keywords

• remotely controlled loading arm
• LNG
• maintainability