Definition(s)
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) means a systematic analysis of systems and sub-systems to a level of detail that identifies all potential failure modes down to the appropriate sub-system level and their consequences.
Source: IMO MSC.1/Circ.1580, GUIDELINES FOR VESSELS AND UNITS WITH DYNAMIC POSITIONING (DP) SYSTEMS, 16 June 2017, International Maritime Organization. Regulatory Guidance
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
A systematic analysis of systems and sub-systems to a level of detail that identifies all potential failure modes down to the appropriate sub-system level and their consequences.
Source: ISO 16530-1:2017, Petroleum and natural gas industries — Well integrity – Part 1: Life cycle governance, First Edition, March 2017. Global Standards
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
FMEA is a methodology developed during the 1940s by the U.S. armed forces. It was later used in aerospace. It was applied to hazard analysis and critical control point during the race to the Moon. It was introduced to the automotive industry in the 1970s. The oil and gas sector started using FMEA in the late 1990s. The FMEA methodology is currently an accepted practice used by the many oil and gas companies and suppliers as part of their toolkit in various areas of operations and design.
The FMEA is designed to identify failure modes and hazards affecting a focus item (focus items can be a component, a subsystem, or a system). The main goal is to come up with solutions to prevent the failure from happening, hence, improving the reliability of the focus item. It is preferably applied at as many levels as feasible of the system in question to include more specific solutions. The narrower the focus of the FMEA, the more specific the solution to the problem. FMEA has been used extensively in other industries, and it is becoming an integral part of the development process in the upstream oil and gas industry.
The FMEA table follows the validation process discussed in the main document and presented in Figure C.1.
Source: API TR 1PER15K-1, Protocol for Verification and Validation of High-pressure High-temperature Equipment, First Edition, March 2013. Global Standards
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
A hazard identification technique in which known failure modes of components or features of a system are considered and undesired outcomes are noted. FMEA is related to Fault Tree and Event Tree Analyses.
Source: International Association of Drilling Contractors, Appendix 2 to Health, Safety and Environment Case Guidelines for Offshore Drilling Contractors, Issue 3.3.2, February 2010. IADC Guidelines
Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a tabulation of each item of equipment, its failure modes, and the effects on a system of any such failure. The FMEA technique concentrates on the cause and effect of failure of individual components or systems.
Source: Approved Code of Practice for Managing Hazards to Prevent Major Industrial Accidents, Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Department of Labour, New Zealand, July 1994. Regulatory Guidance