Data Acquisition & RBI Analysis for AGRP

Project Overview

Client: Qatar Energy
Location: Dukhan Fields, western coast of Qatar Acid Gas Removal Plant (AGRP) at Arab-D Reservoir.
Assets Covered: Fixed equipment, in-plant piping, relief devices, corrosion coupons and probes in AGRP
Services Delivered: Data acquisition, Piping circuitization, Corrosion and damage mechanism study, CML identification, baseline NDE, RBI data loading into GE APMS Mechanical Integrity (MI) software
Project Duration: 12 months

Wide view of an Acid Gas Removal Plant (AGRP) with spherical vessels, pipelines, vertical columns, and flare stack, representing industrial asset integrity operations

Client & Asset Context – Dukhan Fields and AGRP

Qatar’s Dukhan Fields extend roughly 80 km x 8 km, hosting more than 700 oil, gas and water injection wells and over 4,000 km of pipelines connected through a complex network of main stations, satellite stations and inter-field pipelines.

The new Acid Gas Removal Plant (AGRP) at Arab-D treats Khuff Gas to produce sweet fuel gas for industrial customers across Qatar. In parallel, Dukhan facilities integrate:

Gas lift re-injection and power water injection systems
Crude export to Mesaieed through subsea pipelines
Khuff gas Wellhead Treatment Plants feeding the National Gas Distribution Grid

As a result, any unplanned downtime or loss of containment in AGRP equipment can significantly impact reliability, safety and export commitments.

Business Challenge – Turning a New AGRP into a Data-Driven Integrity Asset

With a new AGRP coming online, the operator needed:

A complete, high-quality dataset for all static equipment and piping connected to AGRP
Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) implementation aligned with API 580 & API 581 so that inspection intervals and methods would be driven by risk, not just fixed time intervals
Integration of all inspection and corrosion data into GE Asset Performance Management, Mechanical Integrity (APMS MI) to support long-term Asset Integrity Management (AIM)

The main challenge: building the RBI foundation from scratch for new equipment ensuring circuitization, CML placement, baseline thickness readings and damage mechanisms were all correctly defined from day one.

Project Objectives

iFluids Engineering was engaged to:

Perform comprehensive data acquisition across fixed equipment, piping and associated integrity elements in AGRP.
Develop piping circuits and corrosion loops that reflect similar damage mechanisms and corrosion rates.
Identify and tag Condition Monitoring Locations (CMLs) and dead legs on drawings and in the field.
Conduct baseline Non-Destructive Examination (NDE) and capture initial thickness readings for RBI and remaining life calculations.
Populate and validate RBI and thickness data loaders for GE APMS MI, creating a robust starting point for risk-based inspection planning.

Our Approach – Step-by-Step RBI Foundation for AGRP

1. Piping Circuit Development & Corrosion Looping

iFluids started by reviewing process flows, materials of construction, operating envelopes and environmental conditions for all AGRP piping. Piping circuits were grouped into damage circuits each representing lines expected to see similar corrosion mechanisms and rates.

This circuitization step is critical for RBI implementation, because it:

Ensures consistent risk assessment for similar lines
Streamlines CML placement and NDE planning
Provides a logical structure for APMS MI asset hierarchies

2. Corrosion Study & Damage Mechanism Identification

For each circuit and equipment item, the team carried out a corrosion study to identify active and potential damage mechanisms (internal and external corrosion, environmental cracking and others).

The identified mechanisms were:

Documented in structured MS Excel sheets
Aligned with RBI methodology based on API 580/581
Prepared for integration into APMS MI to drive Probability of Failure (PoF) calculations

3. SAP Asset Register & Tagging for Piping

We then developed a SAP-compatible asset register for piping tags, including:

Circuit IDs
Line numbers
Materials and design attributes

These were populated into the APMS MI spreadsheets to ensure synchronized asset definitions between SAP and the RBI platform.

4. Dead Leg Identification & Register Preparation

All potential dead legs were:

Identified from PFDs and P&IDs
Marked up on the drawings
Assigned special identification/tag numbers for traceability and focused inspection.

A dedicated Dead Leg Register was created to ensure these locations received appropriate inspection coverage within the RBI program.

5. Inspection Isometric Drawings

Using AutoCAD construction isometrics, iFluids produced inspection isometric drawings for each piping circuit, embedding:

Piping tags and line numbers
CML positions
Dead legs and other critical features.

These drawings serve as field-ready inspection maps, making it easy for NDT teams and plant inspectors to perform repeatable measurements.

6. Condition Monitoring Location (CML) Selection

Condition Monitoring Locations were carefully selected at high-risk areas:

Expected corrosion hotspots (e.g., low points, elbows, injection points)
Interfaces prone to external corrosion or coating breakdown

Each CML and its associated test location was clearly indicated on the inspection isometrics and recorded in the data loaders.

7. Baseline Non-Destructive Examination (NDE)

For insulated AGRP assets, iFluids coordinated with QP’s qualified NDT technicians to perform a Baseline NDE Survey:

Ultrasonic thickness (UT) readings at each selected CML.
Visual checks and supporting inspection data

All results were captured in structured spreadsheets, forming the baseline wall thickness database that future RBI updates will compare against.

8. RBI & Thickness Module Data Loaders

Finally, all validated data including circuits, CMLs, corrosion mechanisms, UT readings and inspection metadata were prepared into RBI and thickness data loaders for import into GE APMS MI.

This ensured that when RBI analysis is performed, the software already has:

Verified asset hierarchy and tags.
Accurate baseline thickness data.
Fully mapped damage mechanisms and inspection points.

To know more about our expertise in Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) Services, Click on the link below

Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) Services | API 580, API 581 Compliance Experts

Illustration of an engineer reviewing the inspection data at the industrial facility, surrounded by Condition Monitoring Location (CML) tags, and inspection drawings, representing data-driven RBI implementation — Digital integrity management in action — RBI specialist reviews corrosion and inspection data at Condition Monitoring Locations (CMLs), enabling data-backed risk assessment for safe and efficient plant operations.

Standards and Compliance Framework

The project adhered to a suite of international codes and standards, including

API 510 – Pressure Vessel Inspection
API 653 – Aboveground Storage Tank Inspection
API 570 – Piping Inspection Code
API 580 & API 581 – Risk-Based Inspection and Technology
ASME B31.3, B31.4, B31.8 – Process and Pipeline Piping
ASME Boiler & Pressure Vessel Code (BPVC)

This combination provided the operator with regulatory confidence and alignment with best-practice RBI methodologies, especially for sour service and high-pressure gas systems.

Project Duration & Execution

The full program covering data acquisition, circuitization, corrosion study, CML mapping, baseline NDE and APMS MI data loading was completed within 12 months, matching the client’s planned implementation schedule for the new AGRP.

Key Outcomes & Client Benefits

By the end of the engagement, Dukhan’s AGRP achieved:

A clean, structured asset integrity dataset for all new fixed equipment and piping
An RBI-ready asset base, with circuits, damage mechanisms, CMLs and baseline thickness data prepared in GE APMS MI
Improved inspection planning capability, enabling future inspection intervals to be set on a risk basis rather than traditional time-based rules
Strong alignment with API 580/581 RBI practices, giving assurance to internal stakeholders and regulators
A reusable template for future RBI roll-outs in other facilities and fields

Why iFluids Engineering for RBI and Data Acquisition in Gas Processing Plants?

Deep experience in Asset Integrity Management and RBI implementation for Gas plants, AGRPs and Midstream assets
Ability to integrate field data acquisition, corrosion study, circuitization and software implementation into a single, end-to-end scope
Proven familiarity with GE APMS MI and similar RBI platforms
Strong alignment with API, ASME and NACE standards, backed by multiple case studies across the Middle East

To know more about our expertise in Asset Integrity Management, Click on the Link below

Asset Integrity Management & Corrosion Study Services | iFluids

Click the following link to learn more about our proficiency in Corrosion Study and Damage Mechanism Review Corrosion Study and Damage Mechanisms Review (DMR)