Are Integrity Management Programs Making a Difference?

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joe Paviglianiti ◽  
Alan Murray ◽  
Tijani (TJ) Elabor
Keyword(s):  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Failure Mechanism ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Future Improvement ◽  
Making A Difference ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Pipeline Safety ◽  
Incident Rates

As a result of numerous stress corrosion cracking incidents in the 1980s and early 1990 the National Energy Board (NEB) held an Inquiry1 in 1995 on the SCC failure mechanism and how to prevent failures. One of the recommendations of the Inquiry was Companies were to develop a SCC management program to proactively identify and mitigate SCC. Based on the apparent success of the SCC programs in significantly reducing SCC failures, the NEB revised its Onshore Pipeline Regulations in 1999 (OPR-99)2 to require companies to develop an integrity management program (IMP) for all hazards. This paper discusses the evolution of integrity management program (IMP) requirements and evaluates incident rates and other performance metrics to determine if there is evidence that IMPs have contributed to the improvement of safety of pipelines. The paper highlights the challenges associated with gathering incident and IMP performance metrics and evaluating the data to determine if there is a correlation between the implementation of IMP and pipeline safety. In addition, the analysis discusses the challenges associated with comparing data between different countries and regulatory jurisdictions. Suggestions for future improvement are identified.

The Use of Hydrotesting and EMAT Inline Inspection Technology for the Integrity Management of Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) in Gas Pipelines

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro M. Hryciuk ◽  
Eduardo Carzoglio ◽  
Jose A. Minellono ◽  
Leonardo Martinetto ◽  
Pedro M. Guillen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Natural Gas ◽  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Soil Analysis ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Gas System ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Natural Gas System ◽  
Event Triggered

This paper describes the activities and stages completed as part of the Integrity Management Program for SCC in the natural gas system of Transportadora de Gas del Norte (TGN-Argentina) which started in 2000. This document focuses in a pipeline section of the system, which suffered an in-service failure in 2002 due to high pH SCC. This event triggered a series of activities, whose results are detailed in this paper. These activities involved soil analysis to determine the susceptibility to develop SCC along the system pipelines. For susceptible sections, the program included hydrostatic testing to levels of 100% and 110% of SMYS followed by replacement of degraded coating. The paper also details the experience in the use of new internal inspection tools with EMAT technology. The capability of the EMAT tool to detect and size SCC defects and the possibility of discriminating between SCC colonies that have been recoated and those that may still be active due to degraded coating is discussed. Finally, the severity of SCC cracks detected by in-line inspection is assessed using API 579 methodology, and the feasibility of using this assessment results to determine the critical SCC defect sizes for detection by ILI tools is analyzed.

Management System Audits: A Path Towards Safer Pipelines

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lawrence Ator ◽  
Minh Ho
Keyword(s):  
Management System ◽  
System Approach ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Pipeline Systems ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Pipeline Safety ◽  
Audit Program

The National Energy Board of Canada (NEB), a federal energy regulator, has implemented a management system audit program as a tool to verify compliance with its predominantly goal-oriented Onshore Pipeline Regulations, 1999 (OPR) [1]. The OPR allow individual companies to choose the most effective way to manage their pipeline systems. The audit program is based on expected elements that the NEB believes are necessary to meet the goals of the OPR. This paper will explain why these audits and expected elements are necessary and describe how goal-oriented regulations will enhance pipeline safety. The audits conducted to date have identified several challenges that the NEB and pipeline companies face in pursuit of the goal of safe pipelines; these will be described and possible solutions will be proposed. The overall objective of the paper is to explain the benefits of using a management system approach to direct a company’s pipeline integrity management program and what is required of companies to meet the expectations of the NEB.

Influence of Mooring Chain Steel Strength on Stress Corrosion Cracking

2013 ◽  
Vol 404 ◽  
pp. 32-39 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiao Ying Cheng ◽  
Hong Yuan Chen ◽  
Wen Qing Liu ◽  
Zhi Juan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Hydrogen Embrittlement ◽  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Failure Mechanism ◽  
Anodic Dissolution ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Lower Strength ◽  
Synthetic Seawater ◽  
Steel Strength ◽  
Mooring Chain

Two strength mooring chain steels were used to investigate the stress corrosion cracking (SCC) in synthetic seawater. The resistance of both strength steels to SCC was similar in neutral synthetic seawater. But the failure mechanism was different. For lower strength steel, it is mainly induced by anodic dissolution, while for higher strength steel, by hydrogen embrittlement. The reason was elucidated from their microstructures and corrosion characteristics.

Pre-Assessment is Key to Success for Direct Assessment in Integrity Management Programs

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Valdes ◽  
Richard McNealy
Keyword(s):  
Assessment Method ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Gas Pipeline ◽  
Assessment Process ◽  
Practical Consideration ◽  
Direct Examination ◽  
Effective Utilization ◽  
Direct Assessment ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Pipeline Safety

Direct Assessment is allowed under the new Gas Pipeline Integrity Management Rules published by the Office of Pipeline Safety as an assessment method subject to specific applicability restrictions, direct examination criteria and restrictions to re-inspection intervals. The final developed costs for implementing direct assessment is largely dependent upon the extent of direct examination that in turn is a function of the pipeline condition and actual threats discovered and validated. Effective utilization of Direct Assessment within an Integrity Management Program is dependent upon the recognition of the value inherent in the Pre-Assessment Stage of the Direct Assessment Process as defined by the Rule, in which, threats are predicted, applicability confirmed and as a result of data and risk analysis, it is possible to estimate the condition of the pipeline to determine if the use of Direct Assessment is a practical consideration as well as permitted under the Gas Pipeline Integrity Management Rule.

Development and Experiences of a Circumferential Stress Corrosion Crack Management Program

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Bates ◽  
Mark Brimacombe ◽  
Steven Polasik
Keyword(s):  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Crack Detection ◽  
Circumferential Stress ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Pipeline System ◽  
Average Growth ◽  
Proactive Management ◽  
Inspection Data

A pipeline operator set out to assess the risk of circumferential stress corrosion cracking and to develop a proactive management program, which included an in-line inspection and repair program. The first step was to screen the total pipeline inventory based on pipe properties and environmental factors to develop a susceptibility assessment. When a pipeline was found to be susceptible, an inspection plan was developed which often included ultrasonic circumferential crack detection in-line inspection and geotechnical analysis of slopes. Next, a methodology was developed to prioritize the anomalies for investigation based on the likelihood of failure using the provided in-line inspection sizing data, crack severity analysis, and correlation to potential causes of axial or bending stress, combined with a consequence assessment. Excavation programs were then developed to target the anomalies that posed the greatest threat to the pipeline system or environment. This paper summarizes the experiences to date from the operator’s circumferential stress corrosion cracking program and describes how the pipeline properties, geotechnical program, and/or in-line inspection programs were combined to determine the susceptibility of each pipeline and develop excavation programs. In-line inspection reported crack types and sizes compared to field inspection data will be summarized, as well as how the population and severity of circumferential stress corrosion cracking found compares to the susceptible slopes found in the geotechnical program completed. Finally, how the circumferential SCC time-average growth rate distributions were calculated and were used to set future geohazard inspections, in-line inspections, or repair dates will be discussed.

IMP 2.0: The Evolution of PHMSA’s Approach for Improving Pipeline Integrity

2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Wiese ◽  
Linda Daugherty
Keyword(s):  
Management Program ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Hazardous Material ◽  
The Future ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
Future Direction ◽  
Pipeline Safety

This paper discusses the original motivations and objectives of the Integrity Management Program (IMP), the lessons learned from the first decade of implementing IMP, the drivers for improving and expanding IMP (“IMP 2.0”), actions that the Department of Transportation’s Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA) is already taking under the IMP 2.0 umbrella, as well as the future direction the Office of Pipeline Safety (OPS) expects IMP 2.0 to take in the next few years.

Complete Integrity Assessment of a Non-Piggable Multi-Diameter Cross Country Pipeline in a Network Shared by Multiple Electrically Continuous Parallel Pipelines

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amit Mishra ◽  
Saurabh Vats ◽  
Carlos A. Palacios T. ◽  
Himanshu Joshi ◽  
Ishan Khurana
Keyword(s):  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Accurate Data ◽  
Internal Corrosion ◽  
Integrity Assessment ◽  
Direct Assessment ◽  
Integrity Management ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Cross Country ◽  
External Corrosion

Abstract A complete Pipeline Integrity Management System is the need of the hour. Apart from keeping in mind the enormous environment concerns in this rapidly dwindling era of hydrocarbons, a successful pipeline owner always strives to profitably operate their precious assets. To operate a pipeline efficiently, a plan is required to maintain its health and increase the remaining life. Various types of pipelines pose various problems which the owner needs to resolve systematically and with a well-ordered approach. A similar challenge was faced by a refinery in India. The refinery has a design capacity to process 15 MMTPA of crude per annum. The imports and exports are carried out through the local Port Trust which is one of the deepest inner harbour on the west coast. Multiple pipelines run to and from the refinery and the port trust (approximate distance — 10 km). The subject pipeline in question currently transports Mixed Xylene (MX) from refinery to port. The pipeline has a diversified operating history with various other products being transferred in the past. However, the pipeline is used very scarcely. The problem posed by the subject pipeline was similar to what many other cross-country pipelines face — the pipeline was not piggable. Five (5) other parallel pipelines share the same right-of-way, all of which are piggable and have their integrity assessment performed via Intelligent Pigging on a planned basis. There was also a concern about collecting the most accurate data since the pipeline had not undergone an integrity assessment since its commissioning in 2001. However, it was yearly pressure tested to ensure integrity of the pipeline. Parallel pipelines pose a bigger challenge for obtaining accurate data for a particular pipeline amongst them. Keeping all this in mind, a complete integrity management was planned for the MX pipeline and thus concluded on performing a turnkey Direct Assessment (DA) program. The DA program included Internal Corrosion Direct Assessment (ICDA) to assess and manage the threats of internal corrosion, External Corrosion Direct Assessment (ECDA) for external corrosion threats and Stress Corrosion Cracking Direct Assessment (SCCDA) for determining susceptibility towards the threat of stress corrosion cracking on the pipeline. Utilization of latest technologies helped in adapting and overcoming the multiple problems faced by legacy technologies especially in difficult ROW conditions and complex pipeline networks, such as the MX pipeline. This paper provides an insight into how an operator can combine latest available technologies and deploy it in unison with the complete integrity management plan.

Complex Circumferential Stress Corrosion Cracking: Identification, Sizing and Consequences for the Integrity Management Program

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brett Johnson ◽  
Bereket Tesfaye ◽  
Cory Wargacki ◽  
Thomas Hennig ◽  
Ernesto Suarez
Keyword(s):  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Service Providers ◽  
Circumferential Stress ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Pipeline System ◽  
Mountain Areas ◽  
Circumferential Welds ◽  
Circumferential Crack

Since the late 1980’s Ultrasonic tools have been used for the detection and sizing of crack like indications. ILI service providers developed inspection technologies for liquid and gas lines that are widely used nowadays. In comparison to axial cracking, circumferential cracking is not a prevalent risk to most pipelines and therefore is not as well understood. Nevertheless, pipeline Operators observe from time to time circumferentially oriented defects, often in combination with circumferential welds or local stress/strain accumulations. These are often caused by pipeline movement, which may especially occur in mountain areas. With the introduction of Ultrasonic circumferential crack inspection tools in the late 2000’s the knowledge has steadily increased over time. Extensive data collected from in-ditch NDE validations has provided NDT Global with an increased knowledge of the morphology of single cracking and stress corrosion cracking defects both in the axial and circumferential orientations. Field verifications have shown that not all features have the same morphology. Some of the challenges with circumferential cracking are for features that fall outside of the industry standard specifications. These types of features can exhibit characteristics such as being sloped, skewed or tilted. In 2016 NDT Global was approached by Plains Midstream Canada to complete inspections utilizing the 10″ Ultrasonic Circumferential crack inspection technology. The pipeline system spans 188km within Canada and consists of 2 segments. The pipeline traverses several elevation changes and crosses several creeks and roads. Circumferential cracking was identified during dig campaigns performed for other threats, therefore the need to inspect each pipeline segment with the Ultrasonic circumferential technology was identified. Plains Midstream Canada and NDT Global formed a close collaboration to assess the severity of circumferential crack features in this line. This paper will discuss integrity aspects from an Operator and Vendor perspective. Challenges identified due to the morphology of the circumferential crack like indications and derived analysis rules and interpretation methodologies to optimize characterization and sizing are presented. Finally, potential opportunities to maintain the integrity of similar assets by applying some of the findings and enhance the management and decision making process are suggested.

Geohazard Management Approach Within Safety Case

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dario Zapata ◽  
Ingrid Pederson ◽  
Sean Keane
Keyword(s):  
Case Report ◽  
Performance Metrics ◽  
Maintenance Phase ◽  
Management Program ◽  
Management Approach ◽  
Pipeline System ◽  
Independent Evidence ◽  
System Integrity ◽  
Safety Case ◽  
Integrity Management

Safety case is utilized within the Enbridge Pipeline Integrity Management Program as a means to provide evidence that the risks affecting the system have been effectively mitigated (LeBlanc, et al. 2016). The safety case is an independent, evidence-based assessment based on system integrity management processes applied across all pipelines. This paper describes the process in which safety case methodology was implemented to manage geohazard threats. The benefits of assessing geohazard and other integrity threats will also be discussed. The safety case report documents the opportunities to address the identified problems in addition to the relationship between hazards, implemented controls, and associated susceptibility. To demonstrate that adequate safety controls for geohazard threats have been incorporated into the operational and maintenance phase of the pipeline system, the geohazard management component of the safety case was assessed using a bowtie diagram. The results gave visibility to the geohazard program and its effectiveness. Predefined safety performance metrics with probabilistic and deterministic criteria are evaluated to confirm the geohazard program’s continued effectiveness. Results from the safety case assessment identify opportunities for improvement and provide a basis for revision to maintenance, assurance and verification programs. Ultimately the assessment demonstrates that geohazard threats in the pipeline system are being recognized and assessed. The assessment provides evidence that adequate resources and efforts are allocated to mitigate the risk and identifies continuous improvement activities where needed. The safety case report generated as the final portion of an integrity management framework demonstrates risk is as low as reasonably practicable (ALARP).

A New Probabilistic Model for High-pH Stress Corrosion Cracking

2006 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Francis ◽  
Chas Jandu
Keyword(s):  
Stress Corrosion ◽  
Stress Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Probabilistic Model ◽  
Corrosion Cracking ◽  
Time Dependent ◽  
Management Tool ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
General Corrosion ◽  
High Ph ◽  
Integrity Management

Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) poses a threat to integrity of buried pipelines in many parts of the world. In North America there is now a requirement that integrity management plans should address SCC and a direct assessment methodology, SCCDA, for managing the threat due to SCC, is now becoming established. Like general corrosion or fatigue, SCC is a time dependent deterioration process that leads to progressive weakness of the pipe wall eventually causing failure as a leak or rupture, if not managed. There are indeed two known forms of SCC; High-pH and near neutral-pH SCC. The focus of this paper is on High-pH SCC. High-pH SCC involves a number of phases including incubation, initiation, anodic growth, coalescence, mechanical growth and final failure. Factors affecting these processes include temperature, static and cyclic stress, soil conditions, type of coating and level of Cathodic Protection. Some of these factors may vary seasonally. The temporal development of SCC damage is thus both complex and subject to significant uncertainty. The purpose of this paper is to describe a detailed probabilistic model that addresses the various phases of High-pH SCC taking account of uncertainty in the relevant influencing factors. The model determines the likely times to coalescence and to grow to a critical size thus providing a time dependent probability of failure. The model gives a clear indication of which parameters should be managed in order to reduce the likelihood of failure to an acceptable level. The model provides the basis of a powerful decision making tool for the purpose of managing High pH SCC. Consequently, the model can be used in conjunction with relevant in-line inspection data and/or above ground survey data to provide an effective SCC integrity management tool. The model is illustrated through a numerical example and the use of the model as an integrity management tool is clearly demonstrated.

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