CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

This study makes use of maintenance concepts and concept based on the information provided

by a related idea on the maintenance management of oil field equipment in the maintenance

department of Nigeria Agip Oil Company Limited, a case study. In this chapter, a review of past

research works and publications in text books, journals, and monograph, internet and seminar

papers on maintenance management of oilfield equipment are made.

Basically, the research is targeted towards the elimination of failures on gas field equipment.

Failure of this equipment can be combated effectively with the introduction of a reliable and

effective maintenance management Strategy. Equipment failure investigation includes why

equipment fails, how equipment fails and when equipment fails. With that, one can select the

right mix of maintenance strategies to extend and maximize its service and performance.

Maintenance is any activity carried out on an asset in order to ensure that the asset continues to

perform its intended functions. According to Kahn (2006), maintenance management is the

coordination, control, planning, execution and monitoring of the right equipment maintenance

activities in manufacturing and facilities operations. In a maintenance improvement program,

the maintenance activities are analyzed to ensure that the correct blend of maintenance strategies

is utilized.

Analysis of the RAM of an O&G production facility requires historical data on the failure and

repair of plant components. Such data may be collected in the field, extracted from maintenance

reports, or extracted from databases and handbooks such as the process equipment reliability

database. Offshore Reliability Data handbook, the handbook for reliability prediction of
mechanical equipment, electrical equipment, and safety instrumented systems. (CCPS, 2016;

OREDA Participants, 2009; Center, 2011; Department of Defense, 1991; IEC, 2004; Håbrekke

et al. (2013). One of the main challenges in RAM analysis of Nigeria O&G production facilities

is the lack of adequate historical data and records that effectively reflects upon the adverse

impact of harsh operating conditions (Baradari et al. 2015). That is mainly due to the limited

experience of the O&G industries. Besides, there is a lack of a suitable reliability handbook or

database for Nigeria O&G production facilities. Spiegel et al. (2009) studied integrated oil field

maintenance incorporating both minted cutting-edged technology and already existing methods.

They found that equipment longevity was enhanced drastically as factors plaguing equipment’s

like corrosion, rust and others were reduced. Though their study was more elaborate than others,

the incorporation of both old and new makes it stand out compared to the former. The framework

for making maintenance decisions for oil and gas drilling and production equipment was

considered by Yang Tang et al. (2015). Due to deficiencies and shortcomings in conventional

methods like exorbitant cost of maintenance, surplus and insufficient maintenance, unreasonable

maintenance methods and increasing frequency of failure at work place, evaluation index and

criteria were defined to classify all oil field equipment’s so that they will subjectively quantified

using the Monte Carlo Simulation and linear weighted mathematical model were used to great

effect in this study. The study shows that, the framework for making maintenance decisions

provides reasonable and accurate methods for achieving scientific maintenance and management

for the drilling and petroleum equipment’s (DPE). Cheol-Min Chu (2009) studied maintenance

priority of power distribution system using time varying failure rate and interruption cost. This

study lays emphasis on the practical use of reliability indices and interruption cost where

reliability level was quantified and given as a cost. Using analytic methods on the historical data

of KEPCO, the result shows that, the sensibility analysis on the equipment should be prioritized

as more this has more effects on system reliability. Most recently, Afzali et al. (2017) considered
the optimal maintenance of power substation equipment’s based on cuckoo optimization

algorithm using the Lifetime efficiency index model. The study found that due to ageing and

uninterrupted daily operations, the failure rates of equipment’s increases rapidly. To stem this

rapid decline and wear of equipment’s, the maintenance strategy for the substation equipment’s

consisting of preventive and corrective measures using the Weibull distribution model, the

failure rate of the equipment’s was effectively studied. Under this model, due to rising cost of

maintenance, the strategy of maintenance was optimized for the minimum maintenance cost

under the required reliability conditions. Again, the cuckoo optimization algorithm (COA) was

used. The evaluation of the result show that the COA was capable of obtaining higher quality

solutions than the other methods for optimal maintenance. Jiangjun Shu et al. (2019) used

multilevel Borda method (MLBM) to examine the Quantitative risk evaluation model of

multilevel complex structure hierarchical system in the petrochemical industry. In this study, the

risk types, failure modes, complex structures, risk factors that poses serious threats to the

industry were evaluated in different forms under varying conditions. The study reveals that, the

quantitative risk results can clarify the risk level and distribution of the high-risk items which

provides data for the development of risk control measures. Hence the practicality and feasibility

of these methods are verified and evaluated. Zhang et al. (2018) studied the risk analysis for the

high hazard maintenance system in petroleum and petrochemical industry. In this study, the three

underlying hazards was classified into three namely, high risk, high cost and high technology.

Also, the study show, any subsystem failures results in varying degrees and poses damaging

consequences which in turn will give rise to production losses, safety accidents, economic cost,

unexpected downtime and environmental pollution. Thus, the risk analysis technique employed

HHMS wherein Fuzzy set theory was employed to address the uncertain risk for the occurrence

of probability. Secondly, the calculation was done using Fuzzy fault tree analysis (FFTA) and a

Fuzzy event tree analysis (FETA). Thirdly, the Fuzzy bow-tie model (FBTM) was established to
obtain the quantitative risk assessment result for the analysis of FFTA and FETA. Finally, the

feasibility and practically of the methods were verified using a reciprocating pump system. The

optimization of test and maintenance of ageing components consisting of multiple items and

addressing effectiveness has been studied by Pablo Martorell et al. (2016). They found that, the

components present different failure and cause modes and behavior, they also undertake complex

test and maintenance activities depending on the items involved. The results of the case study

show the optimization algorithm provide the best solutions using the RAM model because it

ensures full flexibility, implementation and testing of maintenance activity.

Animah and Shafiee (2015) used a risk base analysis technique (RBM) to study interval decision

making model to support life extension of subsea oil and gas facilities. The study shows that, the

cost of failure for a subsea facility is significant and will have an adverse effect on the

company’s financial projection for a fiscal year. They opined that since the equipment’s

operating the Oil and gas sectors have different operational modes, failure modes, failure

distribution, maintenance cost, risk reliability and safety requirements. without increasing

operational cost, the regular and periodic check up of all facilities using the risk analysis

technique is needed to forestall disaster of colossal proposal proportion. Emelia Sari (2017)

considered sustainable maintenance performance measurement system for automotive industry.

The study aimed at aligning operational level and cooperate sustainability by defining key

performance indicators at various levels in companies. This study bridged the gap between by

developing a balanced hierarchical framework (SMP). This framework consists of 78 indicators

with 21 indicators at the cooperate level and 43 indicators at the functional level. The study

found that cooperate sustainability can be seamlessly incorporated into maintenance management

and vice versa. Wei Shanguan et al. (2019) examined identification of maintenance significant

items in reliability centered maintenance for trained control system. This study employed a two-

level analysis method for the identification of MSI. Firstly, discernibility matrix was constructed
for pre-screening. Secondly, failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA) were employed to

determine the MSI of the train system. The study found that the cost maintenance management

and efficiency can be greatly reduced with the effective utilization of the model. Khairul Osman

et al. (2019) studied maintenance management of aging oil and gas facilities. The study shows

that Aging factors do not only involve hardware but also human and organizational factors.

Factors include corrosion, erosion, fatigue, equipment obsolescence, normalization of deviance

(accepting degraded conditions as being normal), changes in codes and standards and lack of

data to forecast future risks. TQM-based equipment maintenance in oil field service industries

was considered by Jaleel Ben Hamida et al. (2013). The study opined that equipment’s should be

specific for specific purposes and not be applied to all oil field jobs. Equally, equipment’s after

use should be washed, dry and polished after use in order to enhance longevity. Lastly, the study

suggested that by short cutting the maintenance requirements, equipment’s availability increases

but equipment reliability decreases. Specifically, the study suggested that a total quality

management (TQM) program be put in place that focuses on employee empowerment and

structured communication channel can reduce equipment failure and downtime. To implement

the TQM concept, various TQM tools are suggested with the maintenance issues identified in the

management level. Hyde Muriel et al. (2019) used the Monte Carlo simulation to theoretically

consider the systems and methods for assessing stand off capabilities in-service power line

insulators. The study was restricted only the core factors inhibiting the life span of oil field

equipment’s both in downtime and in offshore. It was found that, a n electrical power

transmission system includes electrical insulators arranged to electrically isolate live power lines.

Measurement devices are physically incorporated or integrated in the insulator structures. The

measurement devices measure and report insulator properties during live wire conditions. A

method includes deploying a measurement device in physical contact with an insulator in use to

electrically isolate a power transmission line. This method also includes measuring properties of
the insulator in use with the measurement device at substantially within time intervals

corresponding to voltage zero crossings in the power transmission line. Carl Bjomson (2002)

developed apparatus and method for monitoring and maintaining plant equipment. This study

evolved data indicating the current state of the equipment is gathered and verified prior to a

failure occurring so that accurate information is available. After a failure or problem occurs, data

about the problem or failure are methodically gathered to aid in the determination of the root

cause of the failure. In particular, visual images of failure modes are provided to the user to

ensure that proper and accurate data are obtained. A user also is directed to gather other data

about the failure and the system. After data relating to the problem or failure has been gathered,

the data are synthesized and an analysis is performed to determine the root cause of the failure or

problem. These various methods and apparatus allow a non-specialist to properly identify and

diagnose a failure or problem associated with a mechanical seal and pump. After the analysis has

determined the root cause of the problem or failure in the system, the system suggests corrective

actions and plans for implementing a corrective action. Installation instructions, training and

safety information can be provided to the user to ensure proper execution of the selected

corrective action. A plant reliability manager also may monitor the progress and verify that

installation, maintenance and failure correction are performed correctly. The plant reliability

manager also may track problems or failures by each individual or department to determine if

additional training is needed. Richard Curran and Thomas Omondi (2017) designed a value

operations methodology data driven predictive maintenance strategy. The study suggested that

more data need to be collected before and after daily operations. This allow for more

comprehensive detail information about passenger biography and back up dossier in case of air

disaster. Though several researchers have published extensively on this area, our study will

focus solely on equipment maintenance in oil and gas field with Nigeria Agip Oil and gas

company (NAOC) as case study.