Ultrasonic pipeline inspection and data analysis services supplier NDT Global (Dublin, Ireland) recently received the DNV GL (Oslo, Norway) quality system certification for its first run success rate and on-time reporting figures management.
NDT Global is the first and only supplier of pipeline inspection and data analysis services to have its first run success rate and on-time reporting key performance indicators (KPI) independently verified, the company says, noting that operators look to KPIs such as these as indicators of a company’s ability to perform as part of an integrity program.
“Data transparency helps the industry to plan their integrity programs based on accurate performance data and enables organizations to advance the safety and sustainability of their business,” says Holger Bender, sales and project manager for DNV GL’s product certification business.
The inline inspection (ILI) first run success rate is a KPI used to measure overall ILI operational performance. A success rate of 91% provides a baseline confidence in the operational execution of ultrasonic inspections, according to the company. Meanwhile, the importance of a high success rate from an operator’s perspective is that it significantly reduces the operational risks of delays in obtaining integrity data.
Elsewhere, the 98% figure achieved for on-time reporting underlines the company’s commitment to delivering the best information to operators on time, thereby enhancing the efficiency of integrity management programs. Delivering reports predictably and on time enables operators to manage internal timelines with confidence and deliver data to regulators as needed, the company explains.
Using appropriate methods, DNV GL independently assessed NDT Global’s KPI values for compliance with the requirements of its specifications.
The assessment included validation of historical data provided by NDT Global through spot checking, with a minimum control rate of 15%; an assessment of KPI determination processes applied on actual data; and an independent determination of KPI values based on the provided historical data.