{"id":1146,"date":"2025-02-14T19:28:03","date_gmt":"2025-02-14T19:28:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hydrocarbon.sbs\/?p=1146"},"modified":"2026-03-24T23:29:18","modified_gmt":"2026-03-24T23:29:18","slug":"written-schemes-development-management","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/petrostreet.com\/main\/written-schemes-development-management\/","title":{"rendered":"Written Schemes Development & Management"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Inspection written schemes are the documents which if containing all the up-to-date information on a well understood format in an organized manner would ensure rightful inspection data collection, facilitate inspection reporting and support all the stakeholders. Written schemes if reflected with all the required information in a graphical format depicting the equipment in a three dimensional figure with the potentially problematic areas, previous inspection findings, repairs and replacements along with the recommended inspection techniques would help inspector visualize the whole equipment before making an actual inspection at site. There are three major areas which are of vital importance when the written schemes are developed and then managed for the rest of the asset lifecycle. The format not missing any information which is required to be there in a written scheme, organized in a way which can be well understood by the inspectors performing the inspection and everything there on the written scheme should be up-to-date.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The recommended format of a written scheme should be the one developed by the in-house resources of the inspection organization. References can be taken from the available ones as the best practices however the one to be implemented should be the format suiting the requirement and understanding of all the inspectors and inspection engineers. Systems implemented directly as a replica of others in practice with other organizations do not contain all that necessary details which would support the organization taking the step forward. Minimum information in a written scheme of particular equipment should be the following:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  1. Function (process description)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Process parameters (pressure, temperature as a minimum)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Chemistry (necessary process information)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Materials<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  5. External, assembly and internals drawings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  6. Date commissioned<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  7. Credible damage mechanisms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  8. Condition monitoring locations (CMLs)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  9. Inspection techniques<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  10. Inspection frequency<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  11. Repair and replacement details with dates (along with reasons)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  12. Key historical inspection findings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  13. Any RCA conducted on this particular equipment<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  14. Reported process upsets<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Information related to the points till number 10 is normally available in all written schemes however the remaining four are the ones not made part of them. Inspectors are required to consult the previous inspection reports in order to fetch that information. Inspection reports are subjective most of the times and may or may not recommend a particular inspection to be made during the next inspection. Making these four points the part of the written schemes of inspection could potentially mandate the inspector involved to cover the recommended areas for inspection once the inspection commences. If written schemes are being regularly updated, condition monitoring location, point 8 would certainly be containing all the required information which would result as a part of outcome from points 11 to 14 however there can be cases where there is no recommendation added to point 8 during the update and the information against 11 to 14 still support the current inspection.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    It has also been noted that only in few cases the actual process chemistry is shared with Inspection team and is made part of written scheme as well. This is the reason why inspectors and the inspection engineers when not very well versed with the process chemistry just applies the recommended inspection techniques on the locations as mentioned in the written scheme but do not think beyond especially when unexpected loss of containment or other failure occurs. Understanding of process chemistry helps in comprehending the integrity operating windows which are normally limited to pressure and temperature only and that is not enough. Process contents, their conductivity, pH and other such parameters if defined for the process as integrity parameters should also be closely reviewed by inspection engineers to make sure that the process chemistry stays what is actually the equipment is designed for. Point 14 is connected to all this review. Upon getting any report of process upset, where a breach has been reported in integrity windows, written scheme should get an immediate update with the necessary information so that during next inspection, specific techniques should be employed on specific locations potentially carrying the damage. This is then connected to the root cause analysis studies. No integrity window breach with any unknown cause should go unnoticed and without any RCA study. RCA once conducted and concluded should have the actions implemented and anything particularly related to inspection should make an entry to the written scheme. Many a times, during normal practices, an action agreed during an RCA stays in the report and not get implemented. Inclusion in written scheme would ensure necessary implementation and picking up the finding, if any.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Repair and replacements are part of an asset lifecycle. Any repair, minor or major should be reflected in the written scheme and in the best way possible. Written schemes if displayed in graphical format with the equipment as a 3D model having all the potentially problematic areas highlighted in colors for their inspection findings, repairs and replacements would help inspector understand the particular inspection requirements before the inspection is started. All the repairs and replacements with their causes and other necessary details are made of inspection reports however having them depicted on the equipment in the written scheme separates all such equipment with the rest. Such classification helps in a big way when planning and allotting the inspection resources during time bound shutdown. Same is applicable to the key historical inspection findings. They carry a lot of value even when there is no repair or replacement made. Again the inspection report can be summarized a little for the key inspection findings. One way of making sure that the key inspection findings are entered in the written scheme is to have one field of \u201cWritten scheme recommendation\u201d field in the inspection report. Inspection engineer entering something here should be taken as is to the written scheme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Change management system is not normally connected to the management of written schemes. Similarly, process studies taking place as new or being revalidated also generate recommendations which in a way or other impact the existing inspection practices. Both these systems when generating the recommendations and if related to inspection should get an entry to the written schemes. The best way to manage this is to route the change review for inspection engineers enabling them to study the change, reviewing it for any impact on existing inspection being performed and to add anything after having a discussion with risk based inspection engineer. Process studies revalidation report review should also include an inspection engineer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Written schemes are for the most of the cases developed and maintained for static equipment that too the pressure vessels, heat exchangers and storage tanks. Piping, pressure safety valve inspections are missed out and there are no such documents available to assist inspectors. This is mainly because, piping inspection and pressure safety valve inspections do not involve detailed internal inspection however provision of a less detailed sheet summarized from past inspections & maintenance would support the inspectors. To facilitate availability of such information for piping inspection, it is recommended to identify all the critical piping loops and written schemes are developed for them. Inclusion of master process & material data along with past inspection history, deadlegs information, repairs and replacements etc. would be providing the starting point before an actual inspection would be performed. Problematic piping loops and pressure safety valves would be easier to be picked up so that further review and analysis may them be performed on them based upon the collected inspection data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Written scheme document should be developed smart and stay relevant before any inspection is performed. A fresh round of review should take place when any inspection activity related to specific equipment is expected. Updates to all the entries are to be validated. This validation exercise of written schemes before shutdowns can help in a great way where external resources are also involved to assist plant inspection & maintenance activities. Information in written schemes not updated and revalidated can result in missing out the desired inspection, associated data collection and the correct analysis to ensure asset integrity over the asset lifecycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Inspection written schemes are the documents which if containing all the up-to-date information on a well understood format in an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2179,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_uag_custom_page_level_css":"","_ppp_document_settings_meta":"{\"product_ids\":[{\"label\":\"Written Schemes Development & Management - 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