Health & Safety
Independent inspection key to oil and gas pipeline installations
The impact of the recent Deepwater Horizon oil spill will result in oil and gas pipeline installations coming under far greater scrutiny from industry regulators over the coming months and years. Dr Richard Gooch discusses how to meet these more stringent engineering, inspection and safety requirements.
El impacto del reciente derrame de petróleo de la plataforma Deepwater Horizon provocará que las instalaciones de conductos de petróleo y gas tengan que pasar por exámenes más exhaustivos por parte de las autoridades reguladoras del sector en los próximos meses y años. El Dr. Richard Gooch debate sobre cómo satisfacer estos requisitos de ingeniería, inspección y seguridad más rigurosos.
Die Auswirkung der Deepwater Horizon Ölkatastrophe wird zur Folge haben, dass Öl- und Gaspipelines in den kommenden Monaten und Jahren von den Aufsichtsbehörden viel genauer unter die Lupe genommen werden. Dr. Richard Gooch erörtert, wie diese strengeren technischen, Kontroll- und Sicherheitsanforderungen erfüllt werden können.
greater scrutiny from industry regulators over the foreseeable future. In the short term, regulators are going
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to have to consider ways of putting additional controls in place, which oil companies and their contractors will have to introduce and then be measured against, in order to determine whether they are meeting their engineering, inspection and safety obligations. Te key issue here is how the oil industry as a whole can minimise risk and ensure the safety of its personnel and the integrity of its drilling rigs and pipelines. Some of these regulations will relate to engineering specifications and inspection requirements, which are both likely to become increasingly stringent. Tis means that there should be a growing demand for services from independent inspection
he impact of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico will mean that oil and gas pipeline installations are likely to come under far
companies, who can offer the full range of pipe measurement and inspection services. So what will pipeline installation contractors require? First, using the services of a third party, independent measurement and inspection company, which has the technical prowess and track record in oil and gas pipe inspection work will become even more important. It would also be useful if that same company has experience in resolving any disputes that may arise between suppliers, installers and operators, possibly in terms of engineering and inspection specifications. Some inspection companies also have experience in providing expert testimony and preparing supporting inspection documentation for legal court cases and disputes. Te pipeline contractor is also likely to require very clear, concise and informative reports, detailing whether pipes are in or out of their manufacturing specifications, supported by photographic evidence if required. Other services required by pipeline
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www.engineerlive.com Fig. 1. Optical Metrology Services’ engineers
inspecting pipe ends.
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