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Gerald Taranto's experience
Testimonials for Gerald Taranto

Gerald Taranto's experience

Principle Qualifications:
1977 BSc (Hons) Physics; Imperial College, London

Professional Status:
Chartered Engineer: Member, Nuclear Institute
Member: Safety and Reliability Society
Member: Association for Consultancy and Engineering

Summary

Experience gained in over 35 years in both the Oil & Gas and Nuclear industries applying Reliability, Availability, Maintenance and Life Cycle Cost Analysis techniques constructed from a theoretical base and converted into practical solutions.

Developed strategies and implemented cost-effective analytical methods in design and operation with the aim of increasing Life Cycle Profit / reducing Life Cycle Cost.

Planned and executed Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) activities in a military environment for new and existing designs, applying the appropriate standards governing the processes.

Developed training courses and trained large numbers of engineers and managers in the implementation of the analytical maintenance methodologies and analysis techniques.

Chairman of British Standards Institute committee for Dependability (DS/1) developing and reviewing British and International (IEC and CEN) standards in this field. Recipient of IEC ‘1906 Award’ for ‘exceptional current achievements of experts’.

Principle Consultancy Assignments

 

FSubsea AS (Norway)

Assist in establishment of an API 17N compliant qualification programme for the development of the Omnirise™ all-electric boosting pump. Perform FMECA as part of the design process from early design stages and including the pump testing systems.

National Oilwell Varco / Seabox AS (Norway)

Assist in development of an API 17N compliant qualification programme in the application of new technology for subsea water treatment in depths of up to 3000 m seawater. Implemented a dependability programme which identified system design simplifications and improvements through application of FMECA and Fault Tree Analysis resulting in a very significant increase in predicted reliability. Developed initial maintenance policy and strategy based on failure analysis and simulation.

Hargreaves Ductwork Ltd

Two analyses to estimate the failure rates for electric motor driven ventilation fans for use in the Chernobyl Arch New Safe Confinement (NSC) Annular Space Recirculation system.

M.C. Air Filtration Ltd

Analyses to estimate the failure rates for a number of High Efficiency Particle Arrester (HEPA) filter housing units and dampers for use in the Chernobyl Arch New Safe Confinement (NSC) Annular Space Recirculation system.

Bluewater Energy Services BV (Netherlands)

Application of FMECA and Fault Tree Analysis to critical control systems in the Internationally funded Marine Well Containment System intended for managing Deep Water well failure emergencies in the Gulf of Mexico.  Work included assessment of system Safety Integrity Levels (SIL).

Development of a design and maintenance strategy for increased availability and reduced operating cost of sea water systems on an existing Floating Production, Storage and Offloading Vessel (FPSO) being relocated to a harsher environment. Evaluation of seawater systems reliability and operability for the vessel resulting in modification recommendations supported by Life Cycle Cost analysis.

Magnox Limited

Simulation of new waste processing plant

Simulation of a major new ILW waste management project on existing reactor site, including waste handling and conditioning.

Simulation of a new type of active waste processing plant to support detail design contracting and development of operational strategy for optimum performance. A high level FMEA was performed to identify any short-falls in the design and used to predict reliability by incorporating the data into the simulation.

VT Nuclear Services Ltd / Babcock Nuclear Ltd / Cavendish Nuclear Ltd

Existing Radioactive Waste Retrieval Plant:

Revised the planned maintenance requirements using FMECA and RCM techniques which resulted in reduced work load, 80% reduction in spares holding and structured management of safety related maintenance. Developed a computer simulation model of the plant which confirmed that the plant would not achieve its production goals due to design flaws and proposed design modifications. Performed a Life Cycle Cost analysis to evaluate modified and alternative designs resulting in a radical new plant design being pursued.

New Radioactive Waste Retrieval Plants

Development of simulation models for several new designs to verify production capability resulting in recommendations for design and operational modifications to improve throughput. Failure analysis during the detail design stages to identify design flaws and form the basis of future RCM analysis to derive the maintenance strategy. Life Cycle Cost Analysis applied to compare design options for component and plant level decision making. Development of strategies to control design development against reliability requirements and to facilitate development of effective maintenance programmes.

Simulation of new plant designs for incorporation into bids, enabling confirmation of desired throughput or identifying modifications required in order to achieve this.

Strategy Development

Developed guidance documents for Availability, Reliability, Maintainability and Maintenance Support methods to be used on all future projects. The documents are based on the specific client needs and their introduction will be supported by training targeted at management and engineering groups. This is being followed up with training of both management and engineers in the basic concepts of dependability and the application of the techniques to the design process.

Rolls-Royce Nuclear Engineering Services Ltd (UK)

Developed outline proposal for maintenance review strategy at British Energy's Torness Nuclear Power Station for the refuelling route.

Provided technical support for a bid to perform year round maintenance and maintenance optimisation at British Energy's Sizewell B Nuclear Power Station. This support consisted of writing bid sections covering the reduction of maintenance in specific systems and optimisation of maintenance / cost reduction throughout the plant.

A/S Norske Shell

Development of new and existing facilities

Failure analysis and computer simulation of the operation of a new floating oil off-loading system for an existing Norwegian North Sea platform was undertaken to establish if a need existed for duplication of the system to achieved desired availability (and hence profit) level. The analysis showed that the system had no significant reliability issues and would achieve the operational availability that was needed. This avoided the need for further multi-million pound investment. A similar analysis of utility systems required to support the development of a new well enabled optimisation of equipment and significant savings compared to a deterministic approach.

Phillips Petroleum Company, Norway (PPCoN)

Design, development and supply of custom software for review of reliability data used in maintenance analysis.

Previous Experience

Phillips Petroleum Company, Norway (PPCoN)

Provided advice on technical issues assisting implementation of dependability methods during Ekofisk II Detail Engineering Phase.

Developed custom database software for implementation of FMECA, RCM and maintenance planning methodologies for the Ekofisk II Detail Engineering Phase (around 20,000 tagged items); agreed these with certifying authorities (Norwegian Petroleum Directorate - NPD). Developed technical plans and cost estimates for PPCoN management to expand dependability methods to encompass the operating phase of the Ekofisk II project.

Rolls-Royce & Associates Ltd

Developed and implemented dependability methods for maintenance and operations optimisation on the new Ekofisk II Offshore Platform complex for Phillips Petroleum Company (Norway) resulting in major projected LCC savings and reduction in manning levels.

Performed a FMECA and RCM analysis for Shell (UK) leading to a significant cost saving in system operation and a continuing business relationship with Shell.

Wrote major section of (UK) Naval Engineering Standard for Reliability Centred Maintenance (NES45). Developed a strategy for use of ILS in the support strategy for Vanguard and Astute Class reactor plant. Developed initial strategy for 'Astute Class' submarine reactor plant Integrated Logistic Support (ILS) activities in liaison with the Prime Contractor and MoD ILS staff. Developed and delivered ILS training to company management and staff.

Project managed the design and fabrication / procurement of mechanical, electrical and electronic Support Equipment for nuclear reactor maintenance and de-fuelling (value approx. £10M).

Led and project managed a team of engineers and physicists in performing safety and reliability studies for a radioactive material processing facility for the UK MoD.

Undertook computer modelling of Nuclear reactor plant performance. Performed reactor plant safety / reliability analysis using Fault Tree and Event Tree methodologies and developed data for use in an overall Risk Model.


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