Bearing Failure Analysis and Reliability Improvement of Centrifugal Pumps in Nigeria’s Oil and Gas Processing Facilities

Abstract

Bearing-related issues continue to be a significant cause of downtime for centrifugal pumps in oil and gas processing plants, especially in developing countries where harsh operating conditions, aging equipment, and mainly reactive maintenance strategies prevail. This research provides a thorough analysis of bearing failures and reliability evaluation for centrifugal pumps in selected oil and gas facilities in Nigeria. A mixed-method strategy was employed, which combined the analysis of historical maintenance data, physical examination of failed bearings, Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA), Root Cause Analysis (RCA), and reliability modeling through Weibull distribution and Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF). The findings suggest that the main causes of unplanned pump failures are lubrication degradation, contamination ingress, and shaft misalignment, which together make up many of these outages. Reliability analysis shows that the mean time between failures (MTBF) is considerably less than what the manufacturer anticipates, while Weibull shape parameters reveal a prevalence of early-life and random failure patterns. Considering these results, a practical framework for improving reliability is proposed, which includes condition-based monitoring, structured lubrication management, better installation practices, and reliability-centered maintenance (RCM). This study offers component-level insights tailored to specific contexts to improve the reliability and availability of centrifugal pumps in Nigerian and similar oil and gas processing settings.