Integrity Management

Landslides, subsidence, and slow ground movement are among the least visible threats to pipeline integrity. Unlike corrosion or mechanical damage, which show up as measurable metal loss, ground movement builds strain on a pipe gradually, often invisibly, until a weld or wall section gives way. Conventional inspection tools were never built to catch...

Pipeline integrity has focused on defects inside the steel, leaving the buried environment; backfill quality, saturation, soil stiffness, and early stage hydrocarbon intrusion, largely unmeasured. For years, we’ve treated the buried environment as something we could only estimate, but the soil around the pipe drives strain, support, leak migration...

This work presents recent advancements in vibroacoustic technology (VT) for pipeline integrity monitoring, with a focus on enhanced flexibility and simplified deployment on existing infrastructure. The new hardware consists of externally mounted sensor blocks based on an interferometric principle, capable of sensing Vibroacoustic waves inside the...

To ensure the safe transport of natural gas through steel pipelines, structural integrity must be assessed using fitness-for-service (FFS) methodologies. These assessments (ex. ASME FFS Level 2) require accurate inputs on material properties (particularly toughness), flaw/defect geometry, and loading conditions to evaluate the safety of pipeline...

The integrity management of unpiggable pipelines continues to present a major challenge to operators, as conventional in-line inspection (ILI) technologies cannot always be applied. While customized ILI solutions are sometimes possible, alternative above-ground methodologies are required when ILI is not feasible, or when a screening assessment is...

This paper presents an advanced pipeline monitoring system designed to detect and locate leaks and third-party interference (TPI) incidents across a wide variety of pipeline geometries and transported fluids. The system leverages Vibroacoustic Technology (VT), offering real-time asset monitoring and integrity assurance. Over the years, VT has been...

There is a wide public acknowledgement that the path to Net-Zero requires the deployment of Carbon Capture, Utilization, and Storage (CCUS) at an industrial scale. Realizing a CCUS value chain requires transporting dense CO2 by pipeline over long distances to storage or users. Currently, the CO2 pipeline landscape consists of just over 7,000...

In the technical area of the energy industry, the business processes have been adapted to the issues of planning, construction and operation. The product development of information technology for Asset Management has also been supported by technologies to support construction activities and maintenance using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). In...

The progressing energy transition and a fast buildup of the hydrogen pipeline backbone will play a major role in achieving net zero targets. The conversion of existing pipelines for the transport of hydrogen will play a key role in achieving the targets, which introduces new challenges for pipeline owners and operators. Pipeline repurposing...

Pipeline operator ultimate mission is to transport hydrocarbons with the highest standards of safety, reliability, efficiency and environmental responsibility. This mission cannot be achieved without assuring integrity of valves. Failure of a valve in a hydrocarbon network may cause a reduction in availability and reliability of the entire system...

Submarine pipelines are externally concrete coated to ensure vertical and lateral stability on seabed without excessive movement. During operation and especially towards late life and beyond, concrete may be lost which must be compensated in the form of stabilization weights. The weight requirements are typically calculated based on concrete...

Pipeline operators rely on ILI and NDE to ensure system integrity, but these methods face challenges when detecting and sizing off-axis cracking. What if NDE suggests a systematic bias in ILI results? Can this data still support Integrity Management Programs (IMP)? In a Phase 1 case study, NDT Global and Phillips 66 developed a systematic method to...

In contrast to traditional oil industries, the oil sands sector experiences severe wear-related problems due to the inherently abrasive and corrosive nature of the mined oil sands. This wear affects the mining and extraction processes, causing rapid pipe wall loss in carbon steel slurry pipelines over a relatively short period. To extend service...

Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) technology has been widely used for pipeline inspection due to its reliability in detecting metal loss. However, unidirectional axial (MFL-A) and circumferential (MFL-C) tools have inherent limitations in detecting and sizing complex corrosion anomalies. These limitations often result in conservative reporting, increased...

Efficient hydrocarbon transportation depends on extensive pipeline networks requiring regular inspections for safety and efficiency. Deadlegs, parts of the system prone to corrosion, pose significant challenges. Traditional manual ultrasonic testing lacks the accuracy needed for effective corrosion assessment. Permanently installed ultrasonic...