It is an evaluation method the uses risk as the base to prioritize and manage the inspection program efforts. In a plant, a high percentage of risk is associated with a small number of equipment. RBI allows a change in the maintenance resources inspection to foster a higher level of coverage on high risk equipment and an appropriate effort on low risk equipment.
One of the benefits from a RBI program is the increase of operative times, and at the same time the risk level is improved or at least kept the same.

The Risk Based Inspection method consists basically of combining the assessment of:
- Failure probability: it is obtained by the analysis of all degradation forms that can be reasonably expected and that affect a vessel in a particular service.
- Failure consequence: it has to consider the potential incidents that may occur as a result of fluids losses, explosions, fire, toxic exposure, environmental impact and effects on health derived from equipment failure.

The objectives of the RBI program are summarized as follows:
To analyze operative units in a plant to identify high risk areas
To estimate the risk value associated with the operation of every machine in a plant based on a consistent methodology.
To give priority to target machine based on the risk measured.
To design an appropriate inspection program.

RBI includes a qualitative analysis that allows giving quick priority to certain units for the analysis of additional risks. The result of the qualitative analysis introduces the unit into a 5 x 5 matrix that classifies the unit or piece of equipment from lesser to greater risk.

What are the benefits of implementing the RBI?
To determine the most appropriate inspection methods
To determine the appropriate frequencies for internal, external and in service inspection
To take the prevention and mitigation actions to reduce the probability and the consequences of equipment failure attaining:

Higher efficiency

Increase in productivity

Higher profitability

Inspection Policy
The fundamental objective of the Inspection Department is to facilitate the attainability of the maximum degree of availability and reliability in the operation of static equipment, controlling at the same time the fulfillment of applicable industrial standards. The Inspection Department has to identify the objectives on which the Maintenance Department has to operate, being the latter responsible for the technical support, and to help control the quality of such operations, focused on the double objective of increasing availability, reliability and safety of static equipment and of attaining the longest useful life of such, but taking into account the costs involved in such actions.

Inspection Department Functions
The basic functions of the Inspection Department are multiple and are guided to render a specialized technical assistance service in the areas of welding and materials to the Company in general and to the Departments of Materials, Engineering and Maintenance in particular.

Main Functions
To develop and draft the Inspections Manual which will contain, at least, the description of the organization functions, quantity and professional qualifications of the personnel working at the department, inspection procedures and standards and inspection schedule.

Reports and communications: to keep Management and the different departments involved in the Company informed about equipment conditions, recommending when it is necessary to put equipment or systems out of production whenever a non compliance of required safety is detected.

As a result of inspections carried out, the Inspection department issues the corresponding reports and/or communications, indicating equipment condition and the recommendations for the Maintenance department, that can be of two types:

Those where a repair is necessary to correct a defect that may affect equipment safety or expected operation.

Those where it is not necessary to perform any repair, such as watching, advancing of future inspections, modification of process conditions, anticipating materials supply, etc.

To keep an updated historical file of every piece of equipment where all actions are reported.

Technical and special studies, performance of root reason analysis and statistics of repairs: repetitions of failures, average time between failures, type of failures and corrective actions. At the same time, to analyze technical feasibility of new projects, procedures and work standards. To carry out the study of relevant cases, such as modifications in design, changes in materials and other special surveys.

To carry out the study and control of different types of materials used in equipment and production lines of the Company, as well as to investigate on new materials when design and operation conditions deem it necessary.

Quality control of welding jobs

Analysis of technological developments

Reduction in the number of equipment to inspect when they are out of operation: this does not mean that jobs may not be fulfilled, but it means that most of these jobs have to be moved to the time when the unit is in operation.
To this effect, the Inspection department, with enough anticipation, will submit a listing with all the jobs to be carried out.
This list will be divided into two parts:
    - Inspection Works to be performed when the unit is in operation.
    - Inspection Works to be performed when the unit is not in operation.
These jobs will be dealt with the Production area and these two lists will be agreed upon.

Reduction of unexpected tasks that may appear during inspection.

Technical assistance by the Inspection Department to other Departments

Technical Assistance to Materials

Analysis and inspection at Materials reception area.

Technical Assistance to Maintenance Department.

Technical Assistance to Project/Engineering Department.