An Integrated Reliability-Based Maintenance Framework for Centrifugal Pumps in Upstream Oil Production: Combining FMEA, Weibull Analysis, RCM, and Economic Evaluation

Centrifugal pumps; Reliability analysis; FMEA; Weibull distribution; Reliability-centered maintenance.

Authors

  • Muthuraman Subbiah Department of Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Muscat, Oman
  • Ahad Hamed Ali Al Wahibi Department of Engineering, College of Engineering and Technology, University of Technology and Applied Sciences, Muscat, Oman
April 27, 2026
April 28, 2026

Downloads

Centrifugal pump failures impose substantial economic and operational penalties in upstream oil production, yet the established reliability methodologies — Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Weibull probabilistic modelling, and Reliability-Centered Maintenance (RCM) are predominantly applied in isolation, limiting their collective diagnostic and prescriptive value. This study proposes an integrated five-stage reliability-based maintenance framework that establishes explicit quantitative linkages among these methods, extended to Life Cycle Cost (LCC) and Net Present Value (NPV) evaluation. Three novel integration mechanisms are introduced: Weibull-derived failure frequencies recalibrate the FMEA Occurrence rating to eliminate subjective bias; the Weibull shape parameter β directly determines the RCM maintenance strategy type and the B10 life defines the maintenance interval; and the expected number of failures E[N(t)] from the Weibull renewal function is embedded in the LCC failure cost term, establishing a quantitative probabilistic–economic coupling. Applied to API 610-compliant centrifugal pumps in upstream oil production facilities in Oman, the framework provides a replicable, data-driven methodology for reducing unplanned downtime, optimizing maintenance expenditure, and supporting evidence-based asset management decisions.