Facilities Integrity

Canadian Natural’s Asset Integrity Group has developed and implemented a detailed Pressure Equipment Integrity Management System (PEIMS) that is supported by Canadian Natural’s Management, Operations, Engineering, Integrity and Safety groups. The PEIMS ensures that asset integrity requirements are fulfilled at all stages of the pressure equipment life cycle: engineering design, construction, installation, operation, maintenance, and decommissioning.

Inspection intervals are determined by risk-based evaluations of pressure equipment integrity history, operating conditions, anticipated degradation mechanisms, and likelihood and consequence of loss of containment. Via this risk-based approach, Canadian Natural safely maintains one of the largest inventories of upstream process equipment in Canada.
 

We continue to see value from our preventive measures and proactive inspections. In 2010, 69% of repairs were done during planned inspections, versus 31% of repairs were necessitated by in-service failures.

Our Horizon Oil Sands facility is located in northeastern Alberta where temperatures can range from -40 to +40 degrees Celsius. These weather conditions provide for harsh operating conditions and equipment must be continuously monitored to ensure operating integrity is maintained.

The Asset Integrity team at Horizon is responsible for the Pressure Equipment Integrity Management System program for static pressure equipment. The team structure mirrors that of other Canadian Natural operations to provide consistency in function, structure, processes and reporting.

Asset Integrity provides the following three key services through the following individual groups, comprised of Canadian Natural Horizon staff with additional support provided by other business operations or contractors:

Asset Integrity Engineering
This group provides the focal point for static equipment, working with a number of functional teams including Maintenance, Operations, In-service Inspection, Non-destructive Examination and Engineering, to ensure asset integrity throughout the equipment lifecycle;

Non-destructive Examination (NDE)
Our certified NDE technicians identify effective techniques to assess material degradation, monitor degradation locations and educate the business units as to the strengths and weaknesses of NDE techniques.

In-service Inspection
Certified staff performs routine in-service visual examinations of equipment to determine equipment condition. The group works directly with third party Quality Control Inspectors to monitor necessary repairs to equipment, and also with the Asset Integrity Engineering and NDE groups to develop effective and efficient inspection plans.

Learn more about our Horizon In-Service inspection team.
 

The North Sea oil and gas reserves are located in one of the harshest environments in the world. Subject to intense waves, highly corrosive elements and extreme operating conditions, it presents significant challenges to managing infrastructure integrity on mature assets.

To maintain asset integrity while safeguarding lives and the environment, CNR International operates a robust Integrity Management System. This system helps us keep current processes and resources that are fit for purpose over the lifetime of our assets.

The UK's goal-setting legislative regime is one of the most stringent in the world. Our risk management approach incorporates key performance indicators into all aspects of our business to ensure that our performance is measurable and continuously improved upon.

Our ‘Framework for Successful Integrity Management’ follows best practices and lessons learned within the international oil and gas industry by adopting the following management model:

Clear Policies and Objectives
Effective policies and strategies set a clear direction for the company to follow in the elimination of safety related risk and improvement of operational reliability, including standards for measuring performance.

Organizational Structure and Responsibilities
Effective management structure and integrity management practices are required to deliver the policy and strategy. The establishment of a positive 'integrity culture' means less risk to individuals and less damage to the integrity of a facility.

Corrosion Risk Assessment and Planning
To identify integrity threats and rank the risks they present and then plan appropriately for their effective avoidance or mitigation.

Implementation and analysis.
To ensure effective implementation of the plans and analysis of the implementation and monitoring data leading to timely corrective action where necessary.

Monitoring and measuring performance
Performance measured against agreed standards to reveal when and where improvement is needed.

Review system performance
The organization can learn from all relevant experience, apply the lessons and achieve continuous improvement.

Independent audit
To provide an independent and objective comparison between the integrity management system requirements and the system as implemented to enable corrective actions and improvement.