Petronas will save production lost due to shutdowns at its plant for inspection by the Department of Occupational Safety and Health (DOSH) with the introduction of its Online Risk-Based Inspection (PRBI) Interface software.
Petronas’ technology and engineering division vice president Dr Colin Wong said the software would be an online approval system for the issuance of certificates of fitness (CF) of DOSH-registered machinery at its plants.
“For example, our refinery plant in Melaka processes around 300,000 barrels (sweet crude oil and condensate) per day and we make around US$5 to US$10 per barrel.
“We need to have one or two shutdowns per year on average.
“We also have the IPC (Integrated Petrochemical Complex) in Kerteh (Terengganu) and Gebeng (Kuantan, Pahang), as well as plants in Bintulu (Sarawak) and Labuan, if we look at the whole country around five shutdowns a year,” he told reporters here yesterday.
He made the remarks after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Petronas and DOSH to facilitate the introduction of the software.
Wong signed on behalf of Petronas while DOSH was represented by its director-general Datuk Dr Johari Basri.
Under the terms of the MoU, DOSH would have access to Petronas PRBI software using the Online PRBI Interface, developed to enhance the efficiency of the CF issuance process to Petronas by DOSH.
Wong said with the Online PRBI Interface, DOSH would be able to ulitise and access risk-based data from remote locations and minimise mobilisation and site visits by DOSH personnel prior to the inspection process.
He said Petronas’ Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) plant in Bintulu would be the first complex to use the PRBI interface.
“Petronas developed PRBI around 10 years ago to provide a central database that facilitates the equipment risk-ranking process through a web-based platform, allowing the data to be conveniently accessed.
“The Online PRBI Interface is a much awaited add-on for PRBI.
“This will also promote the implementation of self-regulation in Malaysia’s oil and gas industry,” he said.
Meanwhile, Johari said the plant has to shut down an average of seven days for an inspection.
“Seven days means a lot of production lost for a company and Petronas’ development of this software is most welcome in making sure they minimise their production loss and help us to inspect then issue the CF for the machinery.
“We inspect around 150,000 machines a year for their CF, and the software speeds up our work.
“DOSH personel still have to go to the plant to inspect but not as often as before, and the period of inspection can also be minimised,” he said.
He also urged other industrial companies in Malaysia to develop similar software to minimise plant shutdown and lost production.
