Oil and gas maintenance: a guide for facility managers

What happens when a pipeline suddenly fails? Even a minor breakdown can trigger safety risks and production delays. Unfortunately, this is a reality for many oil and gas companies.

But what if you could stop them before they happen?

In this guide, we’ll show you proven maintenance strategies to reduce downtime, prevent failures, and keep your operations running smoothly.

Why oil and gas maintenance is important for facilities 

Operational efficiency 

Maintaining your facilities prevents energy wastage. Simple tasks like lubricating moving parts and pipes ensure your equipment operates at peak performance.

But relying on manual inspections isn’t enough. Automated monitoring systems give you real-time insights into equipment performance. They help you detect and fix potential issues before they escalate.

Take Shell, for example. The company implemented IoT-based monitoring to predict maintenance needs and prevent breakdowns. As a result, Shell boosted refinery efficiency by 15%. Imagine what that kind of efficiency could do for your facility.

📝You may also like the 10 best preventive maintenance software 

Safety and Compliance 

Safety is a non-negotiable priority in facilities. Poor maintenance leads to tragic incidents.

Between 2015/16 and 2021/22, the UK’s fire rescue services responded to 182 gas-related fire incidents. One occurred in Nottingham, where grinding operations caused a massive explosion. A worker lost a leg, and another suffered severe injuries. Sadly, gas monitoring procedures could have prevented the accident.

OSHA and API set strict safety standards for a reason. If you don’t obey these rules, you could face legal penalties.

👨‍💻 Stay complaint: A guide to statutory compliance in facilities management 

Extended equipment lifespan

Replacing compressors, pipelines, or drilling rigs costs millions. So why risk early failure when regular maintenance can extend their lifespan?

According to the IOGP, avoidable equipment failures account for 35% of all unexpected offshore shutdowns. The Offshore Reliability Data (OREDA) project also backs this up.

When you regularly inspect, repair, and service your equipment, you save millions in replacement costs.

📌Recommended: 10 Best equipment maintenance software

Common challenges in oil & gas maintenance for facilities

Corrosion and material degradation

Corrosion is one of the biggest threats to your infrastructure. It weakens equipment and result in costly repairs.

According to the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), corrosion costs the U.S. oil and gas industry $1.372 billion annually. And the consequences are severe! Just look at BP’s Prudhoe Bay pipeline incident in 2006. Internal corrosion caused oil spill, forcing BP to shut down 8% of U.S. oil production and pay £410 million in damages.

✅ Solution

• Implement corrosion monitoring systems 
• Apply protective coatings to prevent rust
• Use corrosion-resistant materials for pipes 

Aging infrastructure and equipment failures

If you manage an oil and gas facility, you’re likely dealing with ageing equipment. Many infrastructures in the sector have been operational for decades. As a result, they are more susceptible to rust.

Take the North Sea, for example. It has over 1,500 offshore platforms, most over 25 years old. The longer they operate without proper maintenance,  the higher the safety risk involved.

✅ Solution

• Track the condition of the equipment
• Schedule maintenance at intervals

Unplanned downtime and production losses

You know how frustrating unexpected breakdowns are. Equipment failure without warning leads to massive financial losses and production delays. Unexpected downtime costs industrial manufacturers up to £39 billion each year. Oil and gas businesses are among the most affected.

Offshore platforms and refineries operate on tight schedules. So minor disruptions can result in a domino effect—missed quotas and price spikes. . 

In 2021, a temporary shutdown at the Forties Pipeline System (FPS) reduced North Sea oil output. This affected global supply and caused price fluctuations. And here’s the real kicker: every minute of downtime can cost a manufacturer around £17,000.

✅ Solution

• Monitor equipment health in real-time
• Automate alerts for potential failures

Compliance with safety rules

Being compliant means protecting lives, properties, and the environment. Strict rules enforced by the  Health and Safety Executive (HSE) help reduce environmental hazards.  

Ignoring them can cost you—big time.

Look at Ineos in 2021—they were hit with a £400,000 fine for failing to prevent a gas leak at their Grangemouth refinery. Or consider BP’s $20.8 billion penalty for the Deepwater Horizon disaster. This is the biggest environmental settlement in U.S. history. 

Non-compliance is not only expensive but devastating.

✅ Solution

• Schedule regular safety audits to identify risks before they become violations.
• Ensure proper documentation to prove compliance and avoid legal trouble.
• Train your workforce to keep them updated on industry standards.

Skilled labour shortages

If you struggle to find skilled workers for your facility, you’re not alone. According to the ECITB, only 12% of the staff is under 30, while over a third is 50 or older. This imbalance creates delays in maintenance tasks and increases costs.

The reason is that young professionals see the field as an unstable career choice. This is due to the global push toward renewable energy. 

✅ Solution

• Partner with schools to attract young talent.
• Host apprenticeship programs to train the next generation.

📌Learn more on how to overcome staffing shortages in maintenance departments 

The 4 types of maintenance in oil and gas

1. Preventive maintenance (PM)

Preventive maintenance is your first defence against sudden breakdowns. Instead of waiting for a fault, you proactively schedule servicing.

Common preventive maintenance tasks are: 

• Lubricating pumps to minimise wear and tear
• Inspecting pipelines for leaks
• Calibrating sensors to maintain process accuracy
• Cleaning and replacing filters in engines
• Conducting structural checks

2. Predictive maintenance (PdM)

Why wait for machines to spoil when you can predict them before they happen? 

Predictive maintenance (PdM) uses real-time data and analytics to source early warning signals of equipment breakdown. Facility managers may use advanced monitoring systems to spot possible issues before they escalate.  

Common predictive maintenance tasks are:

• Vibration analysis to detect imbalances and misalignment
• Thermal imaging to identify overheating components in electrical and mechanical systems
• Ultrasonic testing to detect gas and fluid leaks in pipelines. 
• Oil analysis to assess lubricant condition.

📖A must-read: The role of predictive maintenance in enhancing manufacturing plant safety  

3. Corrective maintenance (CM)

Sometimes, despite the best efforts, equipment still fails—and that’s where corrective maintenance comes in. However, relying on CM can disrupt production schedules.

Common corrective maintenance tasks are:

• Replacing a failed pump motor.
• Repairing a damaged pipeline after detecting a leak.
• Fixing control system failures that stop production. 

📝 Read our guide on FRACAS— Failures reporting, analysis, and corrective action system

4. Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM)

Reliability-centered maintenance (RCM) prioritises maintenance based on criticality and risk assessment. It ensures that the most important equipment receives the necessary maintenance. As such, you can monitor low-priority assets with minimal intervention. Common reliability-centred maintenance tasks are:

• Identifying mission-critical assets.
• Analysing failure modes and consequences.
• Developing customised maintenance strategies for each asset.
• Implementing workflows that maximise reliability and efficiency.

👀You should also read:  Reliability centred maintenance vs risk-based maintenance

The role of technology in oil and gas maintenance

Internet of things   

The Internet of Things (IoT) has revolutionised predictive maintenance. Smart sensors track key parameters like temperature, pressure, vibration, and fluid levels. 

When these sensors identify inconsistencies, they quickly send a warning. It enables maintenance crews to handle issues before they escalate. This has helped oil and gas businesses save 30% on maintenance costs. (Source: Prismecs)

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML)

AI-powered maintenance systems analyse massive quantities of data to anticipate issues before they occur. Machine learning algorithms constantly adapt, refine failure predictions and optimise maintenance plans.

This helps businesses avoid costly, unexpected downtime and extends the life of essential assets. In the United Kingdom, AI-driven maintenance initiatives have reduced downtime in offshore operations by 20%. (Research Gate)

Drones and robotics

Drones and robotic systems provide high-resolution images and real-time diagnostics for refineries. Ultimately, it reduces the need for manual inspections in dangerous areas. 

In the North Sea, drone inspections reduce inspection costs by up to 50% while improving safety. (Source: Offshore Technology)

Computerised maintenance management systems (CMMS)

A computerised maintenance management system (CMMS) helps oil and gas firms schedule maintenance, track repairs, and comply with safety regulations.

One of the most advanced CMMS solutions is Infraspeak. It’s an intelligent maintenance platform that streamlines workflows and enhances asset reliability.

With Infraspeak, oil and gas companies can:

✅ Detect failures early with AI-powered predictive maintenance.

✅ Schedule and automate maintenance workflows 

✅ Integrate IoT sensors and BMS for real-time equipment monitoring, and many more!

Many leading oil and gas firms have seen a 25% boost in productivity with CMMS solutions like Infraspeak. Schedule a demo to see how it works!