TÜV SÜD | Vol. 2 January 2015

E-ssentialsChemical, Oil and Gas | Technical industry e-news updates essential to your operations

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ContentsTÜV SÜD Acquires RCI Consultants 02

TÜV SÜD America Chemical, Oil and Gas Profile 03

TÜV SÜD America Offers NCCCO Training 04

Rope Access Technology Provides Safe and Cost-Effective Evaluation 05

Dates for 2015 NDT Training 06

2015 Industry Trade Shows and Events 07

TÜV SÜD E-ssent ialsVol. 2 January 2015

Page 2

Editorial TÜV SÜD Acquires RCI ConsultantsDear Reader,

Welcome to this issue of TÜV SÜD America’s Chemical, Oil

and Gas E-ssentials.

As we begin 2015, TÜV SÜD is pleased to announce the

recent acquisition of RCI Consultants. Based in Houston,

TX, RCI is a preeminent construction and project consulting

firm to the petrochemical industry, and provides clients with

assistance in the development, construction and installation

of production facilities and long-distance transportation

pipelines. Our first article “TÜV SÜD Acquires RCI Consultants”

offers additional information about this important acquisition

and its potential benefits for clients of both companies.

Brant LeBlanc, the chief executive officer of RCI Consultants,

has more than 25 years of experience in the oil and gas

industries, beginning with his very first job as an offshore

field engineer. In this issue’s Profile piece, Mr. LeBlanc shares

some of his insights regarding the state of construction in the

petrochemical industry, and the considerations facing energy

producers and distributors in a today’s highly volatile pricing

environment.

As part of our testing and inspection services, TÜV SÜD

America, Chemical, Oil and Gas personnel often rely on rope

access technologies to safely inspect and evaluate equipment

in hard to reach locations. In our article, “Rope Access

Technology Provides Safe and Cost-Effective Evaluation,”

we discuss the application and benefits of this important

technique, along with the qualifications required for rope

access technician certification.

The beginning of a new year is a good time for organizations

to revisit professional goals and objectives for all personnel,

and to identify training opportunities that can support the

development of new or improved technical skills. Once again,

TÜV SÜD has partnered with Lavender International to provide

a complete suite of nondestructive training courses during

2015. See our article “2015 Dates for NDT Training” for a

complete list of courses and dates for the first half of the year.

Finally, we’ve included in this issue details about upcoming

industry trade shows and events that may be of interest to our

readers, including the 2015 API Inspection Summit.

Thanks!

The Editors

Chemical, Oil and Gas Essentials, TÜV SÜD America

As part of its ongoing effort to meet the broad and changing needs of clients, TÜV SÜD has acquired RCI Consultants, Inc., a preeminent construction and project consulting firm to the petrochemical industry.

Based in Houston, TX, RCI Consultants assists clients in the development, construction and installation of production facilities and long-distance transportation pipelines used by the oil and natural gas industries. RCI has extensive experience in both onshore and offshore construction projects, providing a variety of project management, consulting, inspection, and health, safety and environmental services.

RCI currently operates across the U.S., as well as in North Africa, West Africa, Southeast Asia and

the Caribbean, deploying more than 100 managers, inspectors and technical personnel. The company is headed by Brant LeBlanc, a seasoned industry executive who has worked on oil and gas facility construction projects in major energy producing regions around the world for more than 25 years. RCI was named to Inc. Magazine’s annual list of the 5000 fastest growing companies in the U.S. in 2007, 2008 and 2009.

According to LeBlanc, TÜV SÜD’s acquisition of RCI “will give RCI clients access to additional services, such as nondestructive testing and risk assessments, as well as access to a broader range of expertise for construction projects regardless of their size, scope or location.” For Karsten Xander, Member of the Board of Management of TÜV SÜD AG, the RCI acquisition “serves as a door-opener to the upstream market for the exploration and production of oil and gas, and significantly expands our portfolio of services in the midstream market for long-distance transportation and refining.”

Additional information about RCI Consultants is available at www.rcigroup.us. n

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TÜV SÜD America, Chemical, Oil and Gas Profile: Brant LeBlancSupporting the needs of today’s energy industry companies depends on the ability to offer a broad portfolio of services and expertise in the major energy producing regions around the world. TÜV SÜD’s recent acquisition of Houston-based RCI Consultants expands the range and breadth of services available to both TÜV SÜD and RCI clients, especially in the area of construction and project planning and management.

Brant LeBlanc, the chief executive officer of RCI Consultants, has more than 25 years of experience in the oil and gas industries. Following his graduation from Texas A&M with an engineering degree, LeBlanc learned the business from the ground up, working as a field engineer, project engineer, project manager and estimator on offshore construction projects in the Gulf of Mexico, Southeast Asia and India. He founded RCI in 1997, and succeeded in building an industry-respected construction and project consultancy to global oil and gas companies.

LeBlanc recently spoke with TÜV SÜD E-ssentials about his career, the state of construction in the petrochemical industry, and the benefits that TÜV SÜD’s acquisition of RCI will mean for the clients of both companies.

(TÜV SÜD E-ssentials): Tell us about how you got your start in the oil and gas industry.

(Brant LeBlanc): After graduation from Texas A&M University, I applied for a position as an offshore field engineer with McDermott and relocated to south Louisiana where I began to learn the methods and processes associated with the fabrication, installation, and commissioning of offshore structures, facilities, and pipelines. During these early years, I learned that field experience was the most beneficial path to my true understanding of the project work. Working closely with those of various crafts, I was able to see and understand how the smallest of items, or a mistake in planning, can make large differences in the outcomes. These are things I would never have learned as an engineer that only occasionally visited the worksites.

(TSE): At this time (January 2015), crude oil prices are averaging around $50/barrel, a five year low. What kind of an impact, if any, are these historically low prices likely to have on construction in the energy industry?

(BL): Low oil and gas commodity prices are likely to slow down the number and size of project developments in both the onshore and offshore sectors of the industry. In addition, maintenance and remediation projects may also decline or be reduced in size or scope as clients focus on the work that “must” be accomplished, and leave preference items to another time in the future. Also, clients with large debt or that operate on a lower margin may be unable to continue to operate in this environment, and run the risk of going out of business or being acquired.

(TSE): Public safety and environmental concerns have also driven increased regulatory oversight of energy facilities and infrastructure projects. In what ways has this increased oversight affected the construction of new facilities or the upgrading of existing ones?

(BL): For the projects in which we are typically involved, increased environmental and regulatory actions require additional training and experience. On offshore projects in the Gulf of Mexico, for example, operators are now applying the criteria found in Safety & Environmental Management System (SEMS) and RP-75 to all contractors that provide services. Although this has increased costs, it has also benefited the offshore industry by increasing corporate accountability to stakeholders and employees.

(TSE): The effort to extract previously untapped oil and gas reserves has resulted in the introduction of all sorts of new technologies, in the field, in transportation and in processing facilities. How has technology changed the way you do business?

(BL): These new technologies have increased the number and size of projects in which we’re involved, allowing us to develop the infrastructure necessary to support such projects, and supporting our overall growth and experience.

(TSE): Over the course of your career, you’ve no doubt seen other changes in how energy companies plan and execute construction projects. What are some of the most important changes you’ve observed over the years?

(BL): Some of the changes that I believe have benefited the industry include:

• A significant increase in safety planning throughout the project life cycle. For example, the use of hazard identification and hazard analysis tools are now commonplace, as is the use of established processes that incorporate safety elements throughout the life cycle of the project.

• A significant increase in safety training for all project personnel. Training elements for both onshore and offshore sectors have increased to ensure that personnel enter the field with full knowledge of the hazards to which they are routinely exposed. Training typically ranges from simple items such as slips, trips and falls to more complex issues like hydrogen sulfide (H2S) gas protection and helicopter underwater evacuation training (HUET).

• The development of design engineering tools that decrease the time required to complete engineering and initiate procurement and fabrication. Increased computing power and the wide variety of design engineering and drafting software on the market have greatly improved our ability to perform a multitude of analyses in a fraction of the time it took when I first entered the industry. Three dimensional modeling software now allows for failure analysis and the identification of potential piping or structural clashes even before we begin fabrication.

• Advances in installation vessels and pipe reeling technology that now allow for pipe in excess of 18” in diameter to be reeled and installed in extremely deep ocean environments in a fraction of the time required with conventional equipment. This is simply one of the many advances in deepwater technology that now allows for projects to be installed in water depths exceeding 10,000 feet.

TÜV SÜD E-ssent ialsVol. 2 January 2015

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(TSE): Construction projects of any kind are typically fraught with challenges. What are some of the unique challenges that energy companies encounter when planning or executing a new construction projects?

(BL): One of the most common issues our industry faces today is the ability to identify and attract personnel with the necessary skills and experience to plan and execute projects. Other industries face similar problems but, for the oil and gas industry, people with the right skills typically do not wish to be separate from families and friends for the extended periods required by projects located in places far from major cities or offshore. Further, as technology has advanced in areas such as the deepwater fields, some of these advances have increased faster than our ability to train and educate our personnel, making the search for qualified people even more challenging.

(TSE): From the client’s perspective, what are the benefits of retaining an outside consultancy

like RCI to assist in the planning and execution of construction projects?

(BL): Most of our clients perform a finite number of projects each year, so the need for experienced project management and construction/installation personnel is periodic. The ability to utilize our experienced consultants is simple and cost effective, and allows our clients to keep their internal overhead lower. We also ensure that our personnel meet all of the necessary safety training requirements and daily and weekly reporting needs, and that they have access to technical managers and supporting administrative personnel as required. In this way, we provide our clients with support services tailored to meet their specific needs and requirements. Lastly, we are not simply providing personnel resumes from a database to meet our client’s needs. Having personnel that meet our expectations first ensures that our client’s needs will be met once they are on assignment.

(TSE): How will the acquisition of RCI by TÜV SÜD benefit the clients of both companies?

(BL): The combination of RCI’s experience in the upstream and offshore segments of the oil and gas industry with TÜV SÜD’s already significant capabilities will provide clients the ability to decrease the number of interfaces, bidding, and contracting steps with access to a single source for all of their project activities. As a result, TÜV SÜD can now provide services from the wellhead all the way downstream into petrochem and distribution markets. In addition, RCI clients will now have direct access to non-destructive testing services, along with welding and metallurgical engineers, through TÜV SÜD’s more than 800 locations around the world, easing the project management and inspection challenges for our clients regardless of their location. n

TÜV SÜD America, Chemical, Oil and Gas NCCCO Training

TÜV SÜD America, Chemical, Oil and Gas offers the following NCCCO training:

• Tower Crane Operator• Tower Crane Inspector• Mobile Crane Operator• Mobile Crane Inspector• Rigger I & II• Signal Person• Overhead Crane Operator• Overhead Crane Inspector

For more information on the training and to register, please visit http://www.tuv-sud-america.com/COG-nccco-training.

NATIONAL COMMISSION FOR THE CERTIFICATION OF CRANE OPERATORS (NCCCO)NCCCO was formed in January 1995 as a non-profit organization with its mission to develop effective performance standards for safe crane operation to assist all segments of general industry and construction.

By providing thorough, independent assessments of knowledge and skills, NCCCO aims to enhance lifting equipment safety, reduce workplace risk, improve performance records, stimulate training, and give due recognition to the professionals who work in, with, and around cranes. n

Vol. 2 January 2015Page 5TÜV SÜD E-ssent ials

Rope Access Technology Provides Safe and Cost-Effective EvaluationIn many inspection and testing situations, accessing equipment located at extreme heights is a challenging proposition. Temporary scaffolding has been the standard approach for accessing such locations, but fixed scaffolding is expensive and time-consuming to install, and often doesn’t provide the flexibility necessary to ensure uncompromised access and worker safety.

Rope access technology involves the application of specialized techniques to safely place workers in hard-to-reach job locations. Technicians use ropes and descend, ascend, and traverse open spaces to access equipment. As such, rope access technology represents a proactive approach to hazard identification and risk management, producing a safe and compliant system for work at any height.

Rope access has an exemplary safety record as a result of comprehensive guidelines for technique, training and supervision. The International Rope Access Trade Association (IRATA) guidelines are the recognized industry standards worldwide. As such, rope access is a legitimate access alternative in many inspection and testing scenarios.

TYPICAL ROPE ACCESS APPLICATIONSRope access technology is currently used for a wide range of inspection tasks involving hard-to-reach locations. Almost all nondestructive inspection and testing services can be conducted using rope access technology, including real-time radiography, time of flight diffraction (ToFD) , manual ultrasonic shear wave (UTSW), alternating current field measurement (ACFM) and other methods.

In addition to inspection and testing services, rope access technology can be an asset in conducting routine maintenance and repair in challenging locations, such as boiler cleaning and deslagging, applying protective coatings to vertical surfaces, and removing and/or repairing insulation.

BENEFITS OF ROPE ACCESS TECHNOLOGIESConducting plant and facility inspections using rope access technology offers a number of important advantages, including the following benefits:

• Cost-effective –Using rope access technology can eliminate the need to erect expensive scaffolding;

• Efficient—Rope access systems can be installed and removed quickly, and typically require fewer personnel;

• Versatile—Custom rope-access solutions can be easily designed to meet the needs of unique inspection environments;

• Minimal downtime—Rapid deployment of rope access technology minimizes disruption of normal operations and attendant downtime;

• Increased safety—Rope access technology has an exemplary safety record, with no fatalities and few lost-time incidents.

ROPE ACCESS TECHNICIAN CERTIFICATIONIRATA is a professional organization involved in the development of industrial rope access standards that are applicable around the world. IRATA has also established a technician

certification program, and offers three levels of certification, as follows:

• Level 1: IRATA Level 1 certified rope access technicians are capable of performing a specified range of rope access tasks, under the supervision of a Level 3 technician.

• Level 2: Level 2 certified technicians have demonstrated Level 1 skills as well as more complex rigging, rescue and rope access skills. Level 2 technicians must work under the supervision of a Level 3 technician.

• Level 3: IRATA Level 3 certified rope access technicians are capable of assuming overall responsibility for rope access safety on work projects, including the supervision of Level 1 and Level 2 technicians.

Additional details about the requirements for IRATA certification are available at IRATA’s Training and Certification Scheme webpage at www.irata.org/training_certification_scheme.php.

CONCLUSIONRope access technology offers significant advantages over conventional access methods when conducting inspection and testing of hard-to-reach plant facilities and system components. Rope access is an efficient and versatile approach that ensures effective inspection and testing, even in the most demanding circumstances. And rope access technician certification programs support the safety goals of both industry and inspection organizations. n

Image real-time radiography (RTR) Manual ultrasonic shear wave (UTSW) testing Insulation removal and repair

TÜV SÜD E-ssent ialsVol. 2 January 2015

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2015 NDT Training Schedule

The Chemical, Oil and Gas division of TÜV SÜD America is once again partnering with Lavender International Non-Destructive Testing to provide an extensive set of training and certification options for non-destructive testing (NDT) operators.

Tim Armitt, Technical Director of Lavender International, and a Level 3 instructor and consultant, will conduct these training courses. With nearly 25 years of NDT experience, Tim

specializes in ultrasonic testing, and has developed a wide range of training programs covering NDT in the petrochemical industry. Tim has obtained ANSI Level 3 qualifications in UT, MT, PT, ET and VT, and is also a PCN Level 3 in eight separate categories. The following courses will be held in Houston, TX (near TÜV SÜD America’s Pasadena headquarters) during the first half of 2015.

Course pricing and additional information about TÜV SÜD Chemical, Oil and Gas 2014 training program is available at http://lavender-ndt.co.uk/locations-usa.htm. For questions about the program, or to register, contact Michelle Chapman, at 281-913-9064 or at michelle@lavender-ndt.com. n

MANUAL ULTRASONIC TESTING (UT) (FEBRUARY 23-MARCH 11; MAY 4-19)This course provides the requisite training for Level II UT certification for those with a minimum of 12 months documented work experience. The course follows the PCN manual UT syllabus; covering UT theory, calibration, sensitivity, equipment checks, plate lamination and corrosion scanning, weld scanning, defect detection, and characterization and sizing.

TIME OF FLIGHT DIFFRACTION (TOFD) UT (MARCH 16-27; MAY 26-JUNE 5)This Level 2 course is designed to meet the general requirements for Level 2 training and certification to the ISO 9712 and SNT-TC-1A certification schemes. A comprehensive course syllabus is available upon request. Prospective students must hold a relevant Level 2 manual UT certification for weld testing.

PHASED-ARRAY (PA) UT (FEBRUARY 2-14; APRIL 13-25; JUNE 8-20; JULY 13-25)This Level 2 course is designed to teach the basics of PA ultrasonic testing, and meets the general requirements for Level 2 training and certification to the ISO 9712 and SNT-TC-1A certification schemes. A comprehensive course syllabus is available upon request. Prospective students must hold a relevant Level 2 manual UT certification for weld testing.

ADVANCED PHASED-ARRAY UT (ARPIL 27-MAY 1)The advanced phased-array course is designed to address more complex inspections requiring greater attention to detail in equipment set-up, calibration and data analysis. The course is intended for operators who already hold Phased-Array Level 2 certification, as well as those holding Level 3 certification who are responsible for procedures covering advanced applications.

MAGNETIC PARTICLE TESTING (MT) (FEBRUARY 16-20)This course covers principles of MT for pre and in-services inspection, types of inspection equipment, magnetic fields, directional properties, classification of materials, residual fields, technique selection, magnetic ink types, UVA inspection, measurement of light, current flow, magnetic flow and coil techniques, as well as applicable codes and standards.

Vol. 2 January 2015Page 7TÜV SÜD E-ssent ials

DISCLAIMERAll reasonable measures have been taken to ensure the quality, reliability, and accuracy of the information in this newsletter. However, TÜV SÜD is not responsible for the third-party content contained in this newsletter. TÜV SÜD makes no warranties or representations, expressed or implied, as to the accuracy or completeness of information contained in this newsletter. This newsletter is intended to provide general information on a particular subject or subjects and is not an exhaustive treatment of such subject (s). Accordingly, the information in this newsletter is not intended to constitute consulting or professional advice or services. If you are seeking advice on any matters relating to information in this newsletter, you should – where appropriate – contact us directly with your specific query or seek advice from qualified professional people. The information contained in this newsletter may not be copied, quoted or referred to in any other publication or materials without the prior written consent of TÜV SÜD. All rights reserved © 2014 TÜV SÜD America Inc.

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2015 Industry Trade Shows and Events

2015 API INSPECTION SUMMIT, GALVESTON, TX, JANUARY 26-29, 2015 - VIST US AT BOOTH #406The annual API Inspection Summit is the premiere venue for petroleum industry inspection and reliability professionals and examiners. The 2015 Summit will offer more than 100 individual technical program sessions, covering topics in inspection and non-destructive testing, metallurgy and corrosion, and engineering and analysis. For more information, go to www.api.org/events-and-training/calendar-of-events/2015/inspection-summit.

ASTN 24THANNUAL RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM 2015, ANAHEIM, CA, MARCH 16-19, 2015Sponsored by the American Society for Non-Destructive Testing (ASNT), this annual symposium provides a forum for the exchange of theoretical and scientific information on non-destructive testing between researchers, engineers, inspectors and equipment manufacturers in the chemical and petrochemical industries. For more information, go to www.asnt.org/MajorSiteSections/Events-and-Publications/Upcoming-Events/24th_Research_Symposium.aspx.

ASME PLANT MAINTENANCE, INSPECTION AND ENGINEERING SOCIETY TRADE SHOW, PASADENA, TX, APRIL 16, 2015The American Society for Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Technical Chapter will host its eleventh annual trade show, dealing with all aspects of engineering, inspection and maintenance of refinery and petrochemical fixed and rotating equipment. Proceeds from the show will help fund ASME’s South Texas Section university scholarship program. For more information, go to www.asmepem.org/trade-show.html.

NISTM 17TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL ABOVEGROUND STORAGE TANK CONFERENCE AND TRADE SHOW, ORLANDO, FL APRIL 27-29, 2015Sponsored by the National Institute for Storage Tank Management (NISTM), the 15th Annual Conference and Trade Show will feature more than 50 technical sessions on aboveground storage tank (AST) operations, AST integrity management and AST environmental issues, and will also cover a number of specialty topics such as aviation fuel storage. For additional details, go to www.nistm.org.

ILTA, 35TH ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL OPERATING CONFERENCE & TRADE SHOW, HOUSTON, TX, JUNE 1-3, 2015The annual conference and trade show of the International Liquid Terminals Association (ILTA) is for professionals in the petroleum and chemical industries, including environmental and safety managers and engineers. For further information, go to www.ilta.org/CalendarofEvents/AOCTS/2015/2015info.htm.

31ST ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL FUEL ETHANOL WORKSHOP & EXPO, MINNEAPOLIS, MN JUNE 1-4, 2015Since 1985, the International Fuel Ethanol Workshop & Expo has delivered essential and timely presentations on every aspect of commercial-scale ethanol production, including production yield management, quality control and regulatory compliance. For more details, go to http://www.fuelethanolworkshop.com.

For professionals in the petrochemical, refining and power generation industries, attendance at industry conventions, conferences and trade shows is an effective and efficient way to stay

current with the latest industry trends. Below a list of the some of the major industry shows in 2015. Representatives from the Chemical, Oil and Gas division of TÜV SÜD America, will be

exhibiting and/or presenting at many of these events. Stop by our exhibit booth and learn more about how we can help you address your specific challenges.