Holistic Risk Based Approach to Manage and Control Plant Piping Vibration Through Digital Online Database

Abstract Processing sour gas requires high care and precautions; it requires elevated levels of steam and other lethal process fluids, which can sometime be present in multi-phase and at high pressure and temperature, resulting in vibrations of different severity, and in such ultra-sour gas plant similar to Shah Plant, developing a robust piping vibration management system is a must to ensure safe operations. ADNOC Sour Gas has implemented a vibration risk-based approach in-line with Energy Institute Guidelines [1] via a web-based application, so called, Veridian, where the assessment is initiated through a desktop study that targets a review of Piping specifications, Process Fluids characteristics, and mechanical excitation sources within the piping network. Accordingly, a likelihood of failure (LOF) is established which identifies piping systems with a likelihood to vibrate in service, such are nominated for further detailed field measurements and assessment, hence forward, piping systems with actual high vibrations and stresses are shortlisted and reviewed further for solutions and mitigations. The assessment results in a list of action plans and engineering packages assigned to various responsible, all in a third-party digital database, along with all required drawings, isometrics, PIDs and action details. The system provides users with a facility to look at the details of assessment results and a holistic view of the plant piping network characteristics and vibrations. This paper will present the system developed by ADNOC Sour Gas through utilizing a digital data base designed by Wood Vibrations, Dynamics, and Noise Group. It is worth highlighting that the system has been used previously in multiple other companies and has proven its efficiency in piping vibrations management, specially that it adopts Energy Institute Guidelines.