Production • Processing • Handling


Can teamwork help promote zero pipeline failures?


Jeff Sutherland discusses how key industry stakeholders are working together to share research, industry trends and best practice to further improve pipeline integrity.


Jeff Sutherland analiza cómo los actores clave de la industria están trabajando juntos para compartir la investigación, tendencias de la industria y las mejores prácticas para mejorar aún más la integridad de tuberías.


Jeff Sutherland erklärt, wie die wichtigsten Interessengruppen der Branche zusammenarbeiten und Forschungsergebnisse, Branchentrends und bewährte Verfahren miteinander teilen, um die Störungsfreiheit von Pipelines weiter zu verbessern.


P


ipelines are part of most nations’ infrastructure and the irreplaceable backbone of how energy is supplied around the world. Te product carried


in many pipelines is, by its very nature, potentially damaging should it escape into the atmosphere or the adjacent environment. Understandably, there is often concern raised by the general public when they realise their proximity to an existing pipeline, or when new construction is proposed. Consequently, there are two discreet elements in delivering pipeline integrity. Te first is having access to both the technology, customer service and other functionalities that are required to deliver a high probability of reliable, repeatable inspections. Tis is an area where PII excels with its cutting edge in-line inspection (ILI) products and services. Te second, far broader element is engaging with all the relevant stakeholders in order to convey how seriously pipeline integrity is being addressed. Liaison between the operators themselves, the


wider industry and the regulators is fundamental in ensuring that positive messages are delivered through the value chain and into public perception. Education is a key element of this, explaining to stakeholders how the best technology and expertise available is being used to maximise safety. Regulation and governance of pipeline safety is often overseen by government departments or other agencies which are typically in charge of the energy practices of a given nation or jurisdiction. As inspection technology evolved in the late 1970s and 1980s, regulation evolved in parallel, based on the type of testing that was available at the time. Te regulators and the industry as a whole took a holistic view of safety based on a set of threats associated with the safe operation of the pipeline.


Inline inspection


As inline inspection technology has evolved over time, there have been significant improvements in precision, resolution and in articulating what the data indicates. Rather than a binary result of there is a defect / there is no defect, contemporary testing can not only identify defects, but also estimate with some certainty what their effect will be. In most jurisdictions the operator’s mandate is still to ensure that they not only have plans in place that help to mitigate any threats, but that the plans are then effectively carried out. Rather than the regulator setting a prescriptive benchmark on pipeline integrity for the industry to comply with, industry leaders are setting far higher standards, often driven by the


Fig. 1. MagnaScan brings together critical aspects of metal loss inspection and analysis – including highly accurate detection and sizing, precise data alignment, GPS location and feature prioritisation for verification and planning.


Image: PII Pipeline Solutions. www.engineerlive.com 53


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