Failure of Pressure Systems: Lessons to be Learned

Name: Failure of Pressure Systems: Lessons to be Learned
Start: 2015-10-14T08:30:00
Location: Institution of Mechanical Engineers

Institution of Mechanical Engineers, London

14 October 2015
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Key speakers include:
• Ian Chapman, HM Specialist Inspector Mechanical Engineering, HSE
• Neil Henry, Principal Materials Consultant, ABB Consulting
• Alex Wildish, Dr J H Burgoyne & Partners LLP

Overview

How can industry prevent future pressure system failures?

Failure analysis provides valuable opportunities to identify causes and prevent similar events occurring. This seminar will explore how to do this and the lessons for design and operation of pressure systems.

There have been a number of high profile failures in recent years and these need to be addressed. From pipeline failures through to poor inspection processes, the cause of any potential failure must be diminished.

This seminar will discuss the consequences of failures from a pressure systems perspective and highlight areas of improvement to ensure that the chance of future failures are reduced.

Benefits of attendance:
• Be updated on your responsibilities under the law
• Recognise the consequences of failures
• Understand the methods to investigate failures
• Examine real failures and identify improvement opportunities
• Network with industry leaders

Day 1

08:30 - REGISTRATION AND REFRESHMENTS

09:00 - CHAIR’S OPENING REMARKS

Paul Smith, Chair, Pressure Systems Group, Institution of Mechanical Engineers

09:10 - HSE CASE STUDY: PREVIOUS CONSTRUCTION ACTIVITIES LEADING TO “UNFORESEEN” FUTURE FAILURE MECHANISMS

Ian Chapman, HM Specialist Inspector Mechanical Engineering, HSE

• Foreseeability of degradation/failure mechanisms induced during the construction phase
• Control and supervision of construction activities
• Proportionality and application of NDE

09:40 - VIDEO ONE: TESORO H/E EXPLOSION

Watch video footage of the explosion at the Tesoro refinery which was caused by High Temperature Hydrogen Attack (HTHA). Then discuss with Neil Henry from ABB how published guidance was found deficient in this particular incident.

10:10 - AVOIDING FAILURE OF PRESSURE EQUIPMENT

Neil Henry, Principal Materials Consultant, ABB Consulting
• A description of the most common failure mechanisms
• Discussion of why these failures occur and have for many years
• A brief case study example
• A summary of practical steps to avoid equipment failure

10:40 - NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK

11:00 - AN OVERVIEW OF LEGISLATION AND GUIDANCE

Richard Stoddart, Principal Inspector, Legal Liaison, Office of Nuclear Regulations
• Do you know the legislation requirements and guidance available?
• How do you implement legislation and guidance into design, maintenance and inspections?
• A brief comparison with how nuclear safety is managed

11:30 - VIDEO 2: NDK CRYSTAL COLUMN FAILURE

Watch footage of the failure of the NDK crystal column failure and how rigorous inspection procedures were not followed. Then discuss with Paul Smith, Chair, Pressure Systems Group how inspection processes need to be upheld to reduce risk of failures and disasters.

11:50 - MANUFACTURERS: LISTENING, RESPONDING, LEADING

Charles Byrne, Technical Director, Graham Hart (Process Technology) Limited and Ron Black, Quality Validation Manager, Pfaudler Process Solutions Group UK Ltd. Both individuals represent the PVMf (Pressure Vessel Manufacturers forum)
• How manufactures are dealing with the issue of fraudulent faulty materials that are entering the supply chain
• A case study showing how a faulty forging entered the supply chain and was discovered when it failed a pressure test
• How you can guard yourself against CFSI (Counterfeit, Fraudulent and Suspect Items) and the action other bodies can (and cannot) take
• Issues that have been encountered by a major vessel manufacturer

12:30 - NETWORKING LUNCH

13:30 - AFTERNOON CHAIR’S OPENING REMARKS

Paul Jackson, Member, Pressure Systems Group, Institution of Mechanical Engineers

13:40 - INSULATION AND COATINGS: SETTING OUT WITH THE RIGHT WAY DOESN’T ALWAYS WORK

Stuart Paul Tilley, Inspection Services Manager & Senior Inspection Engineer, Sabic Europe
• Do you know what you are paying for?
• Influence of poor design on lifecycle costing
• What went wrong and how do you get it right?

14:10 - ENFORCEMENT: UNDERSTANDING THE FACTS

Richard Stoddart, Principal Inspector, Legal Liaison, Office of Nuclear Regulations
• Understanding the basic tools of enforcement
• What will happen if you suffer a failure?
• Examples of enforcement following a failure

14:40 - NETWORKING REFRESHMENT BREAK

15:10 - FAILURE INVESTIGATIONS IN ANTICIPATION OF LITIGATION

Alex Wildish, Dr J H Burgoyne & Partners LLP
• Methods of forensic investigation
• Case study 1 – Personal injury involving a compressed air system
• Case study 2 – Escape of water due to an excess in system pressure

15:40 - LEARNING FROM PREVIOUS FAILURE

Peter Batty, Principal Engineer, LMP Technical Services
• An overview of boiler defects
• Interpretation of the defects
• Changing examination details and frequencies

16:10 - VIDEO 3: CHEVRON RICHMOND PIPEWORK FAILURE

Watch the footage of how the pipework at the Richmond refinery failed and understand the causes of this particular failure. Then discuss with Paul Jackson the importance of acting as soon as possible and the detrimental effects that can occur when actions are not followed.

16:30 - QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION

An opportunity to ask any questions regarding the presentations or to make any comments to the Chair and presenters.

16:40 - CHAIR’S CLOSING REMARKS

16:50 - END OF SEMINAR

Paul Smith: Chair, Pressure Systems Group, Institution of Mechanical Engineers ?

Paul Smith is the Head of Profession for Structural Integrity and Materials and, reporting to the Chief Engineer, leads the development of the AMEC Foster Wheeler structural integrity profession, representing the interests of the profession both internally and externally. Paul has a background in stress analysis, previously working in the AMEC Foster Wheeler Structural Integrity Team, where he was responsible for the design and analysis of engineering structures, systems and components, production of design justification reports, and presentation of results to clients. This also involved experience of bidding for, and working on, large complex multidisciplinary projects. Paul participates and chairs national and international committees for nuclear pressure equipment and regularly publishes work on comparisons of international codes, standards and working practices for nuclear pressure equipment.

Paul Jackson: Institution of Mechanical Engineers ?, Member of the Pressure Systems Group

Paul Jackson started his engineering career at Compair Reavell in Ipswich as an apprentice fitter and graduated six years later with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from Loughborough University. He then joined the National Nuclear Centre and worked for nine years on the steam generators for Hartlepool and Heysham nuclear power stations. When these were commissioned Paul joined Imperial Chemical Industries (ICI) in 1986 to lead the North West vessels team. He now works for ABB Consulting who purchased the engineering department of ICI in 2001. Paul is now Function Leader of Inspection at ABB Consulting, a UKAS accredited pressure systems inspection service, and leads ABB's Integrity Management team of consultants in the North West.

Ian Chapman: HM Specialist Inspector Mechanical Engineering, HSE

Ian Chapman works within the Hazardous Installations Directorate Health and Safety Executive, where he is employed as a Specialist Mechanical Inspector. Ian has been in this role since August 2009. Previously Ian worked within related process industries since 1988 within the industrial gases sector, working on many occasions at petrochemical, chemical and pharmaceutical sites as a design and project engineer both within the UK and abroad. Ian started his career as a mechanical engineering apprentice with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) at the National Gas Turbine Establishment Pyestock. He is currently a member of the Institute of Mechanical Engineers and registered with the Engineering Council as a Chartered Engineer.?

Neil Henry: Principal Materials Consultant, ABB Consulting

Neil Henry is Functional Head of Materials Engineering and a Principal Consultant at ABB Global Consulting with over 35 years of experience in failure analysis, materials selection and ageing equipment management. Neil is a “hands-on” practitioner in technical problem solving, specialising in failure investigation and managing deterioration of aged process equipment. He works with a range of customers, industrial associations and regulatory authorities in many industry sectors. He has prepared and presented papers on equipment failure at numerous speakers’ international conferences. Neil is a Fellow of the Institute of Materials, Minerals and Mining and a Chartered Engineer.

Charles Byrne: Technical Director, Graham Hart Ltd

Charles Byrne has been involved in the pressure equipment industry for more than 27 years in a range of different capacities. His current role is Technical Director for all disciplines and design teams involved with the design and fabrication of high integrity pressure equipment. His experience focuses on shell and tube heat exchangers and pressure vessels for many different industries including oil and gas, nuclear etc. Charles sits on the Board of the Pressure Systems Group and is also a member of the Pressure Vessel Manufacturers forum – a recognised body for the UK pressure vessel manufacturing industry.

Stuart Paul Tilley: Inspection Services Manager & Senior Inspection Engineer, Sabic Europe

Stuart Paul Tilley is a Mechanical Engineer with over 30 years of experience in the petrochemical and polymers business. He has a background in manufacturing, design, projects and latterly in-service inspection. Stuart has been fortunate enough to be the Senior Engineering Manager on the design and build of the world’s largest low density polyethylene plant.

Richard Stoddart: Principal Inspector, Legal Liaison, Office for Nuclear Regulation

Richard Stoddart is currently the Principal Inspector at the Office for Nuclear Regulation (ONR). He joined the Health and Safety Executive in 1993 and during that time performed numerous regulatory roles, from inspecting agriculture to managing the regulation of deliberate work with human and animal pathogens. For a number of years he was HSE’s legal liaison, sorting legal problems that his colleagues faced whilst considering enforcement. During this time he wrote the Health and Safety Executive’s Enforcement Management Model, and brought in the Working Time Regulations. He transferred to the ONR whilst it was still part of the Health and Safety Executive, a week after the incident at the nuclear power plants at Fukushima. Since then he has been ONR’s legal liaison – sorting legal issues on behalf of ONR and also training new inspectors in matters of law and conventional health and safety.

Alex Wildish: -, Dr J H Burgoyne & Partners LLP

Alex Wildish was awarded his Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Brunel University in 2005 and then went to work for the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Alex specialised in the delivery of Urgent Operational Requirements and also worked on providing overseas aid and the delivery of Counter Improvised Explosive Device (C-IED) training programmes. Leaving in 2008, Alex joined the Metropolitan Police Service and qualified as a Detective working in the Serious Acquisitive Crime Unit and the Violent Crime Unit. He has investigated numerous cases ranging from blackmail to attempted murder. Alex joined Dr J H Burgoyne & Partners LLP in 2013 and specialises in the investigation of mechanical failures, escape of water incidents, personal injuries and burglaries. His engineering investigations have included pipework failures, joint failures, pumping station failures and the detachment of structural elements such as exterior cladding panels and shop signs.

Peter Batty: Principal Engineer, LmP Technical Services

Peter Batty has been working in industry since 1978 and has been actively engaged in pressure vessel inspection and certification since 1986. Peter started in the Nuclear Industry working for British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL) and the Atomic Energy Authority as a research engineer. In 1990 he moved to become an Engineer Surveyor with National Vulcan, progressing through to Head Office Engineer within the post commissioning team looking at repairs and modifications to many industrial plants. In 2003 Peter joined LmP, an independent engineering consultancy business, with close ties to the inspection companies, like Allianz Engineering. Peter is the Principal Engineer for LmP and is responsible for the engineering activities of the company. He works in many fields of pressure plant from small engineering workshops through to large pharmaceutical sites.

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