Safety and reliability analysis for butterfly valves in the offshore oil and gas industry

Abstract Valve systems are essential components in piping systems in a variety of industries, including oil and gas to stop and start the flow of fluid, regulate and control fluids, prevent backflows, and provide safety. The safety and reliability of industrial valves is an increasingly critical issue that has been addressed in previous studies. In case of valve failure due to mechanical failure, material corrosion, poor manufacturing and testing, there can be negative consequences including loss of assets, leakage into the environment, and other issues. The objective of this study is to develop a method for measuring the safety and reliability of safety critical butterfly valves by combining safety integrity level (SIL) and failure mode and effect analysis (FMEA). On the basis of operational data, butterfly valve failure rates are estimated. Safe failure fraction (SFF) are calculated at approximately 89% for the valves and converted into SIL2 that meets the end-user requirements.