The Benefits of Outsourcing Your Inspection Scope Optimization
An Inspection Scope Optimization (ISO) for Flow Accelerated Corrosion (FAC) is a thorough review of your scope. It can eliminate premature component reinspection and ensure that new inspection locations reflect the plant’s highest risk and consequence areas. It’s a process that requires expertise and uninterrupted focus. Let’s look at why outsourcing this optimization should be considered.
Before we do, we should note that advanced component wear rate calculation techniques and up-to-date industry operating experience are used to ensure that any scope reduction does not increase the level of risk to the plant. Also, scope optimizations can be performed on a single outage basis or as a Historical Inspection Scope Optimization (HISO). A single-outage ISO focuses on every inspection scheduled for the upcoming outage. An HISO focuses solely on the remaining service life calculations for previously inspected components, but, instead of only looking at the upcoming outage, it can be scaled to include any number of previously inspected components. Typically, an HISO will include every previously inspected component in the plant or, if budget is limited, will be scaled to only look at components with reinspections scheduled before the end of plant life. Single-outage ISOs and HISOs can be combined for optimal results.
Why outsource Inspection Scope Optimization
Time savings: A thorough scope optimization can take significant time to complete and document. Efficiency is gained in this process when the engineers can isolate themselves, without distraction, to navigate and interpret the multiple sources of input data required to build and review an inspection scope. Due to the nature of the typical FAC Program Owner Position, this type of isolation and task-dedication is nearly impossible. An outsource engineer, like those on the GSE team, will have performed many FAC scope optimizations, perfecting the methodology for efficiency. With minimal distractions, they can complete the scope optimization expediently and thoroughly.
Reduced cost: Besides the increased efficiency, the scope optimization typically provides an economic benefit through inspection deferrals. The typical cost of a single outage FAC Inspection Scope Optimization is between $15k and $25k, depending on the number of inspections in the initial scope. Experiential data indicates that a scope optimization defers or eliminates 30-50 percent of scheduled reinspections. At an average cost of $10k per inspection, the savings quickly surpass the project cost, resulting in a net savings to the plant.
Increased performance and accuracy: The cost of an HISO can range between $35k and $80k per unit, depending on the number of components in the specified scope. HISOs provide benefits for years to come, and recent experience has indicated that the total cost of performing this process can be recovered in a single outage. HISO efforts are also transferred to the CHECWORKS SFA database, contributing to better recognition of model problem areas and often lowering Pass 2 predicted wear rates, negative times to Tcrit components, and saving money on new exploratory inspections.
If you are considering outsourcing your Inspection Scope Optimization, talk with the experts at GSE or visit https://gses.com/balance-of-plant-bop/.
