Development of a risk-based maintenance strategy for the multiproduct petroleum pipeline system in Kenya

Abstract

The Kenya multiproduct petroleum pipeline is a vital asset in the sustainance of the national economy. Without proper maintenance, the pipeline system may be susceptible to di erent degrees of failure, degradation and safety related incidences. Pipeline system failures are often fatal and very disastrous. The Kenya pipeline currently utilizes the routine preventive and break-and- x maintenance practices. The pipeline system experiences occasional equipment failures and safety related incidences that lead to shortages in the supply of petroleum products in the retail market and loss of human lives. In this study, a risk-based maintenance strategy for application in the maintenance of the pipeline system is developed. Failure Mode and E ects Analysis, risk matrix, Root Cause Analysis, and Analytic Hierarchy Process were applied in developing the strategy. The risk factors identi ed were equipment failure, sabotage/vandalism, human/operator error, mechanical damage, external and internal corrosion, construction/weld defect, and natural hazard. Results show that equipment failure is the most prevalent risk factor at 40% followed by sabotage/vandalism at 25% and human/operator error, mechanical damage, external corrosion, internal corrosion, construction/weld defect and natural hazard at 18%, 5%, 5%, 4%, 2% and 1%, respectively. From the analytic hierarchy process analysis, condition based maintenance was identi ed as the most prefered maintenance policy for the pipeline system, followed by time based maintenance, failure based maintenance and design out maintenance in that order. It is recommended that maintenance managers and other personnel responsible for pipeline system equipment maintenance should adopt an inspection and maintenance policy for the company based on the decision framework and risk based maintenance approach developed in this study. The risk based maintenance approach applied to the multiproduct pipeline system can lead to increased safety, reduced maintenance costs, maximized throughput, and reduced catastrophic failures.