Digital twins for refinery inspection

A refinery digital twin should help an inspection team find and interpret the records behind a maintenance decision. Start with a defined asset and a reliable inspection history. The model provides context for evidence; it does not replace the examination or the engineering assessment.

Set up a usable asset structure

Bring together piping circuits, equipment tags, measurement locations and inspection history. Agree identifiers before importing files. The same location should have the same reference in the drawing, measurement table and model, so a later survey can be compared with the original record.

Preserve the source and examination limits

Attach the inspection date, method, procedure reference, units and review status to each result. Keep links to the original report and supporting files. Show inaccessible areas and incomplete coverage explicitly; an area without a result must not look like an area examined without a finding.

Separate measured condition from interpretation

Keep actual observations distinct from calculated trends and engineering recommendations. Before comparing measurements, check that location, method and measurement conditions are sufficiently consistent. A colour change in a model should have a stated basis that the reviewer can trace and understand.

Evaluate the workflow on one asset

Ask the inspector and planner to use representative records to establish which records support the proposed turnaround work. Test whether they can retrieve the source report, identify its revision and distinguish an open finding from a completed action. Record where the proposed workflow still needs manual reconciliation.

Agree ownership and acceptance

Name the people responsible for asset identifiers, data upload, technical review and closing actions. Confirm access permissions, exports, backups and how corrections are recorded. Agree any link to the existing maintenance or document system as a separate implementation scope, including data mapping and failure handling.

Digital twin services · Inspection reporting workflow · Discuss a pilot scope