Development of a Simplified Software Scheme for Fitness for Service (ffs) of Process Equipment (vessels & Pipelines)

This project focuses on the development of a software scheme for Fitness-for-Service (FFS) assessment of process equipment. Ensuring the continued reliability of pressure vessels, piping systems, and static equipment is a major concern across industries. However, existing FFS software is often complex, expensive, and tailored to large corporations, leaving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), schools, and public institutions at a disadvantage. By designing an Excel-based assessment tool, this research seeks to bridge the accessibility gap, providing a cost-effective solution that integrates industry standards such as API RP 579, BS 7910, and ASME guidelines. The methodology combined a literature review of FFS standards with field insights from the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme (SIWES) at Nigeria Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG), Bonny Island. Data on corrosion, crack-like flaws, and surface defects were incorporated into Excel models that integrate Level 1 and selected Level 2 assessments. The Failure Assessment Diagram (FAD) was used to evaluate toughness ratios against load ratios, while validation was performed by comparing the developed scheme with the SHELL-92 spreadsheet and results from commercial FFS software. The results demonstrate that the developed tool is capable of accurately predicting acceptable and unacceptable flaw regions for common defects such as through-wall and embedded flaws. The software reduces computational errors, shortens assessment time, and provides clear visual outputs such as FAD plots and defect trend charts. Its lightweight design ensures usability even for non-specialists, while comparison with existing tools showed close alignment of results, confirming the reliability of the approach. In conclusion, the project successfully proves that Excel can serve as an effective platform for simplified FFS analysis, lowering barriers to adoption for smaller organizations and training institutions. Beyond meeting its objectives, the tool establishes a foundation for future extensions such as Python integration, mobile/cloud deployment, and advanced Level 3 fracture and fatigue assessments. By democratizing access to FFS evaluations, this work contributes to safer, more efficient, and more sustainable equipment management across diverse sectors.