Hidden risks of pipelines: How Integrity Assessment can prevent disasters

Pipelines are fundamental to the energy industry, but they also pose significant risks to the safety of people and the environment. A pipeline failure can cause massive and costly damage, so it is crucial that companies take measures to prevent these disasters.

One of the most effective ways to prevent pipeline failures is through asset integrity assessment. This is a process of inspection and analysis used to identify potential problems in pipelines before they become critical failures.

Integrity assessment can include inspection techniques such as ultrasound, radiography, vibration analysis, and corrosion monitoring. These are applied to detect corrosion problems such as pitting, cracking, deformation, and other defects that can cause pipeline failure.

Integrity Assessment Methods

The integrity assessment methods that can be used include inline inspection (ILI), pressure testing, direct assessments, or other methodologies to detect potential leaks and other problems, leading to the implementation of preventive measures to repair the pipeline and prevent catastrophic failure.

ILI: Inline inspection and hydrostatic testing

This method involves running one or more internal inspection tools capable of locating and characterizing anomalies in the pipe. The integrity of the pipe can also be evaluated through a hydrostatic test. In this test, a pipe segment is isolated, and the product is replaced with water, pressurizing it to a pressure level above the maximum operating pressure.

External Corrosion Direct Assessment (ECDA) Methodology

The assurance of the risk of external corrosion according to the recommended practice by NACE RP0502-2002 is a structured process for evaluating the integrity of buried ferrous pipes by handling and reducing risk. This process is carried out in four steps:

1. In the first phase, pre-evaluation, historical and current data is collected to determine if ECDA is feasible, ECDA regions (external corrosion) are defined, and indirect inspection tools are selected.
2. ?The second phase, indirect inspection, covers inspections on the ground, aligns the results, and classifies them according to their severity.
3. ?In the direct examination, indirect inspection data is analyzed to select excavation sites, and the impact of corrosion is evaluated.
4. ?Finally, in the post-evaluation, the data collected in the previous three steps is analyzed to evaluate the effectiveness of the process, and reevaluation intervals are determined.

It is essential to note that integrity assessment is not a single solution to prevent pipeline failures. It is a continuous process that must be performed periodically to detect potential problems before they become emergencies.

The need for constant and reliable integrity assessments

Companies that operate pipelines must take integrity assessment seriously. It is crucial that pipelines are kept in good condition and regularly inspected to ensure they are safe and reliable. This is why companies like Vecor Pipeline Integrity, Inc. offer a range of consulting and engineering services to help pipeline operators ensure the safe operation of their pipeline networks for service reliability, energy delivery capacity, environmental protection, and public safety.

If companies do not take measures to assess the integrity of their pipelines, they may be exposing people and the environment to disastrous risks. A pipeline failure can have devastating and costly consequences, including injuries, deaths, property damage, and environmental contamination.

In conclusion, integrity assessment is a fundamental tool for preventing disasters in pipelines, and companies must seriously consider the safety of their pipelines and take preventive measures to identify potential problems before they become emergencies, to ensure that pipelines operate safely and reliably, protecting people and the environment from the hidden risks of pipelines.

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