2/17/2019 Inspection: External visual inspection remains vital

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February 2019 (/magazine/2019/february-2019)

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Inspection: External visual inspection

remains vital
Innovations continue to evolve at a steady pace.
Anwer, A. (/authors/c/contributing-editor/anwer-a), Contributing Editor
Innovations continue to evolve at a steady pace. This is particularly true with inspection technologies in the oil and gas industries (FIG. 1).
Four decades ago, no one could have predicted that radiography inspection would be replaced by ultrasonic inspection, eddy current
testing would transform in so many directions to help identify the most dicult discontinuities, robots would start crawling over the tanks,
and remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) would be eectively replacing divers and perform subsea inspections.

(/media/8783/anwer- g-01.jpg)
FIG. 1. Evolving inspection techniques.
However, in these rapidly advancing times, the basics remain important. There will always be a reliance on the established, basic set of
practices, procedures and policies to ensure that while we move forward, we do not ignore something vital that acts as the foundation for
all our advancements. External visual inspection is one of those basic sets of practices.

It has been observed that equipment and piping onsite are well managed as far as their internal inspection and suspected damage
mechanisms are concerned. Many techniques are utilized to look for the eect of damage mechanisms on equipment health. An evaluation
is then made, recorded and referred to in the future, when required. All of this is monitored through robust systems with either separate
software for risk-based inspection (RBI), inspection management (including reporting and analysis) or all-in-one solution. Everything is
monitored, and RBI software provides overdue inspections, details of inspection techniques to be utilized, the extent of inspection and all
other relevant information to perform a detailed inspection.

Inspection engineers are now well guided, and they perform the inspections as per RBI outcome and record their ndings through an
inspection management system. However, in most cases, RBI does not identify the most basic (and perhaps most important) requirement
of an external visual inspection.

Preventing potentially threatening issues

External visual inspection is vital because it identi es small issues that could eventually grow into more serious and threatening issues. The
overall shape of the facility (FIG. 2) indicates how an external visual inspection program is implemented, practiced and followed. A plant or
facility should be visually inspected simply to determine what is obvious to the naked eye. Paint damage, insulation peeling o, corroded
structures, water ingress in supports, missing bolts, damaged foundations, water dipping over insulated or uninsulated piping, rust
formation, etc. clearly show the eectiveness of an external visual inspection.

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2/17/2019 Inspection: External visual inspection remains vital

(/media/8782/anwer- g-02.jpg)
FIG. 2. Variables in establishing an external visual inspection.
Although small in terms of their nature, these ndings have a long-term eect on the overall health of equipment. Incidents have been
reported where a pipe resting on a support began leaking from the support area simply due to the atmospheric crevice corrosion caused by
moisture accumulation. Water ingress in damaged insulation can cause corrosion under insulation and an eventual leak. Water
accumulating behind damaged reproo ng can result in skirt thickness loss and through-hole defects. Paint damage leads to rust formation
and thickness loss in structural members.

These issues result in nancial losses in terms of loss of containment, application of advanced inspection techniques, engineering analysis,
and then repair and replacement. External visual inspection performed well and on time, and the actions taken on its recommendations,
limit the losses linked to these observations.

A facility’s location plays an important role in the signi cance of external visual inspection. A site near the sea is more prone to atmospheric
corrosion. Similarly, facilities installed in places with snowfall for most of the year must be safeguarded against freezing atmospheric
conditions. Therefore, the key variables in establishing an external visual inspection program are the site location and weather conditions.

(/media/8784/anwer- g-03.jpg)
FIG. 3. Mandatory inspections during external visual inspection.
It is also important to be aware of other sources of water, moisture, steam and condensate present near the equipment and piping. For
example, the presence of a steam vent over the top of a piping network should be identi ed, as all steam would condense there and
accumulate over the insulated or uninsulated piping. Open steam/condensate drains near equipment foundations or piping supports are
other areas prone to external corrosion. Details of the asset insulation and reproo ng are also important while establishing an external
visual inspection program. Insulated assets should be treated dierently than an uninsulated asset. Similarly, equipment temperature
conditions are also important. Piping in cold services can freeze and sweat, even with the presence of insulation, and this should be noted
and recti ed.

Before an external visual inspection is performed, it is recommended that all details related to the outside boundary limit of each piece of
equipment are known, including operating temperature, insulation, reproo ng details, location of the equipment related to external
moisture resources, orientation and access. Some basic checks should be made during an external visual inspection, and separate
checklists are needed for pressure vessels, heat exchangers, tanks, piping and structure. It is recommended to have a separate scheme of
inspection for piping and structure, as these are spread across all areas of a facility. A site should be divided into dierent areas to ease
inspection of piping and structure. Some of the key areas to inspected are shown in FIG. 3.

It is vitally important that an external visual inspection plan is formulated and implemented. Any site lacking an external visual inspection
program is unwittingly allowing the external environment to slowly and detrimentally impact the health of its critical assets. HP

The Author
Anwer, A. (/authors/c/contributing-editor/anwer-a) - Contributing Editor,

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2/17/2019 Inspection: External visual inspection remains vital

Ashfaq Anwer is an Inspection Professional with 13 yr of experience in ammonia-urea complexes, petrochemical

units, and oil and gas industries. He has extensive expertise in material selection, corrosion mapping and control,
tness-for-service studies, de ning inspection framework and implementing inspection plans for old and new units.

(/authors/c/contributing-
editor/anwer-a)

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