by Michael Hurley, 3/11/2026
Tags: API 580 API 581 Asset Performance Management Consequence Corrosion CUI Damage Mechanisms Data Collection Data Management Data Validation HSE Inspection Integrity Operating Windows Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Regulation Reliability Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management System Implementation Technology Work Process
This document presents a practical framework for implementing Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) and Mechanical Integrity (MI) programs for U.S. oil and gas production, gathering, and midstream facilities. It outlines lifecycle asset management practices aligned with API 510/570/653, API 580/581, PHMSA pipeline safety rules, and OSHA PSM to prevent loss of containment, detect degradation early, and maintain safe, reliable operations.by Michael Hurley, 2/25/2026
Tags: API 580 API 581 Asset Performance Management Consequence Corrosion CUI Damage Mechanisms Data Analysis Data Management HSE Inspection Integrity Operating Windows Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management Risk Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Safe Operating Limits System Implementation Value Work Process
Reliability improves when priorities are truly enforced: safety first, environmental protection second, production third.by Michael Hurley, 2/17/2026
Tags: API 580 API 581 Corrosion CUI Damage Mechanisms Data Analysis Data Collection Data Management Data Migration Data Validation Inspection Integrity Operating Windows Mechanical Integrity Probability Process Safety Management Regulation Risk Risk Analysis Risk Based Inspection Risk Management Skills Validation System Implementation Technology Training Value Work Process
Is your RBI contractor truly qualified or just proficient with software?by Michael Hurley, 2/8/2026
Tags: API 580 API 581 Asset Performance Management Data Management HSE Human Factors Mechanical Integrity Process Safety Management RBMI Reliability Risk Risk Management Technology Training Value Work Process
In the refining industry, "culture" is often only analyzed after a failure occurs. However, a robust culture is defined by observable, repeatable behaviors and daily decisions made under pressure. This article outlines the seven practical attributes of high-performing refining organizations and demonstrates how alignment between leadership values and technical integrity creates a safer, more profitable operation.
by Stephen Elmer, 10/27/2025
Tags: API 580 API 581 Data Analysis Data Collection Data Management Data Migration Data Validation Risk Based Inspection Technology Value
Data collection is an RBI project bottleneck, often taking a very significant percentage of total effort due to manual interpretation of old, varied engineering documents. AOC developed AI-driven tooling to automatically extract, classify, and normalize this data, achieving a very high accuracy and significantly streamlining the process for faster, more reliable RBI implementation.