As equipment and infrastructure age, degradation leads to reduced performance and increased maintenance costs. That’s why a robust Degradation Management plan is essential to identify and address issues early, optimize inspections, and prevent costly failures. This proactive approach ensures asset longevity and operational efficiency. This blog post provides a sneak peek into our white paper Ensuring Mechanical Integrity with a Robust Degradation Management Methodology, learn more about managing Degradation and the Corrosion Management Framework (CMF) and don’t forget to fill out the form below to access the full document.
Managing Degradation
As equipment and infrastructure age, degradation becomes inevitable, leading to reduced performance and potential failures. This creates unexpected challenges and drives up inspection and maintenance costs. A robust degradation management plan is essential to identify and address these issues early, optimize inspections, and prevent costly failures. By actively monitoring barriers and safeguards, potential problems can be mitigated before they escalate, ensuring the longevity of assets. This proactive approach reduces resource spending, safeguards investments, and ensures long-term reliability and efficiency.
The Corrosion Management Framework (CMF)
The Corrosion Management Framework (CMF) began as a specialized tool for optimizing inspection strategies and managing mechanical integrity, primarily focused on corrosion in equipment and piping. Over time, it has evolved into a comprehensive methodology that addresses all forms of degradation mechanisms (DMs). The CMF emphasizes a systematic approach to managing degradation factors that impact equipment integrity.
At the heart of the CMF is the concept of Degradation Management, which involves identifying specific DMs and introducing controls known as Barriers (or Mechanical Safeguards) to maintain integrity. This process includes continuous Integrity Verification, with routine inspections for Hardware Barriers and monitoring of Integrity Operating Windows (IOWs) for Process & Chemical Barriers. These verifications ensure the effectiveness of the Barriers, guiding subsequent inspection and monitoring efforts. The CMF’s cyclic approach, which includes inspections, data analysis, follow-up actions, and proactive maintenance, effectively closes the loop and initiates a new cycle of degradation management. Its adaptability is highlighted in its application to various challenges, such as managing Corrosion Under Insulation (CUI), demonstrating its effectiveness across a range of degradation scenarios.
The Evolution of Degradation Management
The history of corrosion management dates back to the early days of industrialization when metal structures and equipment faced significant challenges due to corrosion. As industries grew, so did the need for systematic approaches to combat corrosion-related issues. This led to the development of corrosion science and the creation of corrosion-resistant materials and protective coatings.
With industrialization, the need for more robust corrosion management strategies became apparent. Recognizing the financial losses and risks to infrastructure posed by corrosion, experts developed comprehensive methodologies to better understand corrosion mechanisms, identify risks, and implement effective interventions.
As the CMF evolved, it expanded to address various degradation mechanisms beyond corrosion, including erosion, fatigue, abrasion, and chemical degradation. This broader framework acknowledges that while corrosion remains a significant concern, other degradation processes also pose risks to infrastructure integrity.
Download the full White Paper
Want to learn more about ensuring mechanical integrity with a robust degradation management methodology? Fill out the form below to access the full white paper, where we explore strategies like the Corrosion Management Framework (CMF), a globally recognized methodology developed by industry experts and widely adopted by leading companies in the Oil and Gas and Petrochemical sectors.
