Abstract:
The Kenya multiproduct petroleum pipeline is a vital asset in the sustainance of the
national economy. Without proper maintenance, the pipeline system may be susceptible
to di erent degrees of failure, degradation and safety related incidences. Pipeline
system failures are often fatal and very disastrous. The Kenya pipeline currently utilizes
the routine preventive and break-and- x maintenance practices. The pipeline
system experiences occasional equipment failures and safety related incidences that
lead to shortages in the supply of petroleum products in the retail market and loss of
human lives. In this study, a risk-based maintenance strategy for application in the
maintenance of the pipeline system is developed. Failure Mode and E ects Analysis,
risk matrix, Root Cause Analysis, and Analytic Hierarchy Process were applied in
developing the strategy. The risk factors identi ed were equipment failure, sabotage/vandalism,
human/operator error, mechanical damage, external and internal corrosion,
construction/weld defect, and natural hazard. Results show that equipment failure is
the most prevalent risk factor at 40% followed by sabotage/vandalism at 25% and
human/operator error, mechanical damage, external corrosion, internal corrosion, construction/weld
defect and natural hazard at 18%, 5%, 5%, 4%, 2% and 1%, respectively.
From the analytic hierarchy process analysis, condition based maintenance was identi ed
as the most prefered maintenance policy for the pipeline system, followed by time
based maintenance, failure based maintenance and design out maintenance in that order.
It is recommended that maintenance managers and other personnel responsible for
pipeline system equipment maintenance should adopt an inspection and maintenance
policy for the company based on the decision framework and risk based maintenance
approach developed in this study. The risk based maintenance approach applied to the
multiproduct pipeline system can lead to increased safety, reduced maintenance costs,
maximized throughput, and reduced catastrophic failures.
