Greg Alvarado is an industry leader with more than 35 years of domestic and international experience in the chemical and refining industries, both with owner operators and consulting firms. He specializes in Risk-Based Inspection consulting, training and project management, and has introduced specialty RBI programs and strategies to companies worldwide.

He has been a member of the API Sub-Committee on Inspection for almost 30 years and is a working member of the API group that created the recommended practices for Risk-Based Inspection, API 580 and API 581. He was also an original member of the API team preparing certification test questions for API RP 571 (refinery damage mechanisms), and API RP 580 (risk based inspection).

Greg is responsible for business development and strategic planning for metallurgy, reliability, corrosion, inspection, and FFS consulting, services, software and technology for chemical, refining and petro-chemical facilities. Areas of technical expertise include damage mechanism identification, shutdown work scope reviews using RBI techniques, materials selection and group strategizing facilitation with a focus on strategies for aging equipment. Other areas of expertise include evaluation of NDE techniques for finding damage, mechanical integrity/fixed equipment reliability program audits, inspection benchmarking, development and maintenance of engineering standards.

He provides technical support and NDE consulting for all levels of chemical and refinery technical experts and management. Greg also has extensive experience in the preparation and delivery of training courses and technical presentations, and has taught numerous industry-related courses to practicing engineers and technicians worldwide.

Curriculum Vitae

Years of Experience: 35

Education and Licenses:

• Chemistry Studies/Major, Washington University, St. Louis, MO
• NDE, Florissant Valley Community College, Florissant, MO
• NACE Basic Corrosion
• Various professional development courses in the areas of management, marketing, sales, engineering and inspection

Areas of Specialization:

• Business development and strategic planning for all areas of fixed equipment reliability including; metallurgy, reliability, corrosion, inspection, and FFS consulting, services, software and technology for chemical, refining and petro-chemical facilities.
• Technical support and NDE consulting for all levels of chemical and refinery technical experts and management
• RBI project management, readiness reviews & gap assessments, policy and procedures
• Reliability and MI gap assessments & audits
• Knowledge management, networking & development of systems to promote learning and sharing of best practices
• Preparation and delivery of training courses for numerous industry-related courses to practicing engineers and technicians including damage mechanisms identification, RBI and NDE.

Industry Contributions:

• API Sub-Committee on Inspection – 29 years as a working member of the API group that created the methodologies for API RP 580 and API RP 581 for Risk-Based Inspection, and a former member of the API team preparing test questions for API RP 571 (Refinery Damage Mechanisms), and RP 580 (Inspector endorsements).
• Invited participant/Interviewee - RAND Study, New Forces at Work in Refining - Industry Views of Critical Business and Operations Trends (a critical look at industrial infrastructure as part of national security), Copyright 2003.

Publications

Alvarado, G., Kaley, L.C., and Valbuena, R., “Risk-Based Inspection – Demonstrating Value”, NACE Paper ISBN 99388, 1999

Alvarado, Greg, “Back to Basics - "Grass Roots" Fundamental Leadership (Management) Principles Covered as Relating to Mechanical Integrity Programs”, Inspectioneering Journal, May-June 1995 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, "So You Are Considering On-Stream Inspection Technologies.. Have You Thought it Through?" - Part I on Automated Ultrasonics, Inspectioneering Journal, July-August 1995 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Inspection of Glass Lined Equipment”, Inspectioneering Journal, September-October 1995 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Tips for Successful Contracting of NDE Services”, Inspectioneering Journal, March-April 1996 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, "Committee Reports, Recommended Practices & Standards - Benefits" Inspectioneering Journal, September-October 1996 Issue

Alvarado, Greg, “Reliability Centered/Focused Maintenance (RCM) and Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) - What’s the Connection? How Do They Affect the Inspector?",Inspectioneering Journal, March-April 1997

Alvarado, Greg, “Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) - What’s Best for You? Know Your Objectives & Look for Substance!", Inspectioneering Journal, September-October 1997 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Risk-Based Inspection - Understanding and Expectations”, Inspectioneering Journal, January-February 1998 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Inadequate Inspection Documentation Cited in 1995 Explosion”, Inspectioneering Journal, May-June 1998 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Food for Thought: Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) - Is Starting with Level 1 the Best Approach?”, Inspectioneering Journal, September-October 1998 Issue. Barringer, Paul Barringer & Associates and Alvarado, Greg, “Risk-Based Inspection and Regulatory Compliance-They Can Co-Exist”, Inspectioneering Journal, September-October 1998 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) – The Current State- Part 1”, Inspectioneering Journal, September-October 1999 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Risk-Based Inspection (RBI) – The Current State- Part 2”, Inspectioneering Journal, September-October 1999 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Profile on AGIP Refinery Inspection Department – Livorno, Italy”, Inspectioneering Journal, November-December 2000 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Evolution of the Equipment Integrity Process - The Current Benchmark - Part 1”, Inspectioneering Journal, July-August 2001

Alvarado, Greg, “Canadian Province Issues Minimum Requirements for RBI Programs and Inspection Programs for Pressure Equipment”, Inspectioneering Journal, November-December 2002 Issue Al-Marzouqi, Mahdi Adgas, Abu Dhabi, UAE and Alvarado, Greg, “Risk-Based Inspection Implementation – LNG Plant”, Inspectioneering Journal, March-April 2003 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Risk=Based Inspection (RBI) Impact of Inspection – Past, Present & Future”, Inspectioneering Journal, May-June 2003 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “More Than Low Hanging Fruit – Reaping a Greater Harvest – RBI and Step Change”, Inspectioneering Journal, July-August 2003 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Considering Buying Linked Inspection Database Management and RBI Programs?”, Inspectioneering Journal, March-April 2004 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “RBI – Eliminating Misconceptions and Misapplications”, Inspectioneering Journal, March-April 2004

Alvarado, Greg, “Staying On-Track in a Complex Environment”, Inspectioneering Journal, July-August 2004.

Alvarado, Greg, “Keeping Abreast of Industry Changes and Trending for the Future – IJ and API Inspection Industry Benchmarking and Survey Comparisons”, Inspectioneering Journal, March-April 2006.

Alvarado, Greg, “Risk-Based Inspection How Healthy is Your RBI Program?”, Inspectioneering Journal, March-April 2007

Alvarado, Greg, “Risk-Based Inspection - Utilizing Metrics and Maximizing Value”, Inspectioneering Journal, May-June 2007

Alvarado, Greg, “Where Do I Set My Risk Threshold?”, Inspectioneering Journal, September-October 2007 Issue.

Alvarado, Greg, “Risk-Based Inspection - The Regulatory Acceptance Process”, Inspectioneering Journal, November-December 2007

Alvarado, Greg, “Understanding, Measuring and Managing Uncertainty- The Role of RBI”, Mary K O’Connor Process Safety Management, 2013 International Symposium BEYOND REGULATORY COMPLIANCE, MAKING SAFETY SECOND NATURE