Lloyd’s Register informed that it has released Guidance Notes on Risk Based Inspection for Classification and Hull Integrity Management.
A well-structured risk-based inspection scheme will help operators reduce downtime and facilitate continuous operation by focusing inspection and resource on critical risk elements, the classification society informed in a statement.
The new Guidance Notes on Risk Based Inspection for Classification and Hull Integrity Management provide operators of floating units, such as FPSO and FLNG units, with information on how to develop a risk-based inspection plan which can replace the traditional prescriptive approach to inspection planning and will minimise downtime, reduce risk and mitigate unplanned dry-docking due to non-conformance with Class Rules.
The guidance note, created in consultation with industry partners who form Lloyd’s Register’s Offshore Technical Committee, “allow operators to prioritise and plan inspections based on risk, rather than by using traditional time-based inspection plans,” says Tim Walsh, Chief Operating Officer, Assurance .
Compared to a time-based approach, risk-based inspection allows operators to prioritise and optimise inspection and maintenance regimes by estimating the likelihood of failures and consequences, identifying high risk components and allocating resource accordingly.
This guidance note is designed to guide the industry in how to implement risk-based inspection schemes on units classed by Lloyd’s Register. It is intended to be used alongside LR’s Rules for Offshore Units as part of classification, but can also be used when an asset is not classed by Lloyd’s Register.
The new guidance note focuses on RBI of hull structures, however the scope of the service offered also extends to topside static equipment for fixed and floating installations and facilities, both on and offshore.
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