RICHARD B. ALLSUP, P.E.
Metallurgical Consultant

Mr. Allsup has over 28 years of experience in the petrochemical industry supporting mechanical integrity, enhancing mechanical reliability, and optimizing equipment performance. His roles included responsibilities for:

• The application of metallurgical and corrosion technology for root cause analysis of
  equipment failures and the design and implementation of corrective actions
• The specification of materials, design, fabrication, and quality control for new equipment
• The implementation of inspection technology
• The application of “recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices” to assure mechanical integrity of process equipment
• The implementation and application of risk based inspection software and technology

Mr. Allsup’s work experience in a Quality-based culture, applying a work strategy of continuous improvement, significantly polished his sensitivity to the systematic barriers that influence process safety and mechanical integrity. Mechanical integrity benefited from the industry-wide Quality movement, and Rick has embraced the tool and effectively applies it to serve his peers and customers.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Mr. Allsup worked several years in a central engineering organization supporting mechanical integrity, providing metallurgical evaluations, materials testing, and failure analysis for process equipment (pipe, pressure vessels, tanks, rotating equipment, etc.).

• He worked closely with plant resources (at all levels in the organization) to provide materials and failure analysis technology to assist in decision making in the investigation of process equipment failures.
• His responsibilities included the specification of material for new projects. His plant background proved to serve a more practical benefit. He was able to anticipate typical project QA/QC issues associated with equipment fabrication.
• He administered the development and testing of corporate welding procedures. „ He evaluated nondestructive evaluation tools specifically to support equipment remaining life assessments.

Much of Mr. Allsup’s career has been at the plant level coordinating failure analysis, assuring that resolutions were practical, cost effective, and properly implemented to prevent recurrence.

• He functionally facilitated quality control for welding fabrication in the plant, for plant resources as well as contractors.
• He provided technical support to plant maintenance activities, assuring consistent application and implementation of equipment design and fabrication Codes, Standards, and Regulatory requirements.
• He coordinated the evaluation of mechanical failures and implemented corrective action to improve reliability of specialty process equipment. The scope of work addressed a wide range of design and fabrication deficiencies to optimize system performance, and enhance mechanical reliability.
• He led plant efforts to develop and implement a pipe inspection program.
• He developed alternatives for reformer tube and pigtail replacement. He optimized replacement timing by predicting remaining useful life based on inspection, metallurgical testing information, manufacturers and industry testing data. He also developed welding procedures for maintenance repair, sensitive to metallurgical problems caused by extended operation at elevated temperatures.
• He supported the transfer of new process and mechanical design technology critical to the performance and future maintenance repair for specialty equipment.

Most recently, Mr. Allsup has focused his efforts on the development and implementation of risk based inspection technology and software at refineries and chemical plants. He has experience working with API and APTECH RDMIP software. His plant experience has proved to be a valuable asset, providing customers with a practical application of risk based inspection technology. Beyond his contribution to APTECH with risk based inspection, he continues to support customer and industry needs in mechanical integrity and failure analysis.

EDUCATION AND PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

• B.S., Metallurgical Engineering, University of Texas at El Paso (1974)
• API 653 and API 510 authorized inspector