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8/13/2019 AIM for Dissertation Proposal
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TOPIC- RISK BASED MAINENANCE OF OIL AND GAS PIPELINES
AIM
The project aims to investigate factors affecting the failures of oil and gas pipelines
and develop of a risk based approach for pipeline management in Nigeria in order to
prioritise pipelines for effective inspection and maintenance.
BACKGROUND
Transportation of oil and gas through pipelines is a vital process in the oil and gas
industry.Oil and gas pipelines are exposed to the environment as any crack or
exposure the pipelines can cause oil/gas spill resulting in huge negative impacts on
marine lives (Dey, Ogunlana and Naksuksakul, 2004). However, the associated
complexity of oil and gas pipeline projects results in issues of safety and
environmental issues. This leads to the need for effective risk management and risk
assessment approach (Veritas, 2001). Li et al., (2013) contend that though risk
management and assessment protocols are well established in the countries of the
West, their application is relatively limited in developing countries like Nigeria.
Nigeria is well known as one of the world leaders in the production of oil with the
industry contributing over 30% of the country's GDP. The promotion of national oil
corporations across the country has resulted in the development of over 5000 km of
pipeline running through the country. Udoh and Ekanem (2011) argued that the lack
of clear risk based managed approaches has resulted in increasing pipeline ruptures
across the country. In contrast, Wright et al., (2000) report that well established
policies of risk assessment and management in countries like UK and US has
resulted in 30% reduction in accidents due to the pipeline rupture over the last fiveyears. Given this scenario, this research will compare the risk management and risk
assessment policies of UK and Nigeria in order to identify the effect of major risk
management and develop effective risk based management approach in Nigeria.
A CNN (2011) report of 200 human fatalities due to a pipeline explosion is a good
example (Udoh and Ekanem 2011). Risk based approach to maintenance of
pipelines is defined as the process of identifying the likelihood of occurrence of
negative consequences of a hazard to the pipeline and undertaking specificcontingencies to mitigate the risk (Jo and Ahn, 2005). Risk Based Methodology
8/13/2019 AIM for Dissertation Proposal
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(RBM) is a process of identifying and evaluating business risk levels, health, safety
and environmental issues of equipment and assets. These risks may be active or
impending.Maintenance and management procedures have been through a major
process of metamorphosis, from focusing on periodic overhauls to the use of
condition monitoring, reliability-centred maintenance, and expert systems. Most
recently, risk-based maintenance methodologies just started to emerge, this
methodology is comprised of four modules: identification of the scope, risk
assessment, risk evaluation, and maintenance planning. Using this methodology, the
study will try to assess risk generated by the sudden failure as a function of the
probability and the effect of failure (Krishnasamy, Khan and Haddara 2005).
Maintenance of the pipeline is estimated based on the risk analysed, which helps in
reducing the overall risk associated with the pipeline (Krishnasamy, Khan and
Haddara, 2005). Risk assessment harmonizes reliability, safety and environmental
issues and could be used as a preventive maintenance planning tool. In this
dissertation, the risk assessment, risk analysis and risk-based maintenance
methodologies will be identified and classified into suitable types. In determining the
consequences of hazardous events, the risk values will be derived from the product
of frequency of failure and results, and then be applied into pipeline integrity
maintenance decisions. The background to the proposed framework will be
discussed, so will the classes of risk affecting the quality of risk analysis be identified
and analysed (Arunraj and Maiti 2006). The applications, input data and output data
will be considered to understand their functionality and efficiency with conformity to
cost reduction acceptable risk criterion so that the maintenance decision will be
carried out transcending acceptable company and civil risk. In the end, the author
hopes to achieve that maintenance based on risk analysis prunes the probability of
system failure and reduces cost. This will hopefully aid pipeline integrity companies
and multinational oil and gas production companies to avoid cost implications for
compensations during oil spills and improve their preventive maintenance policy.
OBJECTIVES
Review relevant literature information, past and existing related with Risk-
Based-Maintenance (RBM) for oil and Gas pipelines.
Investigate and determine factors affecting failure of oil and gas pipelines in
Nigeria.
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Investigate and determine factors affecting failure of oil and gas pipelines in
the United Kingdom.
Identify the current level of pipeline risk in Nigeria
Critically evaluate the policies for Nigerian National Oil Companies (NNOC)
and International Oil Companies (IOC) in Nigeria and the United Kingdom
respectively and identify differences in risk management practices.
Formulate an effective risk based management strategy for oil and gas
pipelines for Nigerian companies
Conclusions and recommendation
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Sources of information required for this dissertation will include; Related Books,
journals articles, technical papers, company magazines, review papers, MS
excel/STATA 13 data statistical software. Data will be obtained from Pipeline
integrity companies like in the United Kingdom, DNV Aberdeen and Oilserv Limited
Nigeria.
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