Pipeline Integrity Management (PIM) is the cradle-to-grave approach of understanding and operating pipelines in a safe, reliable manner. PIM programs are systems managed by pipeline owner-operators that consider all stages of the pipeline life cycle, from conception, to engineering and design, construction, operation, inspection, and finally to repair/replacement when necessary.
In the United States, pipeline operators are required to abide by regulations put forth by the federal Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA), at a minimum. Among other things, these regulations require all oil & gas transmission companies to perform regular baseline evaluations of pipelines in areas where pipeline failure would have a significant impact on public safety or the environment.
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May/June 2018 Inspectioneering Journal
By Dhananjay H. Rawal at Systech Consultancy Services
This article details the experience an oil company had when using FEA to evaluate the implications of a damaged pipeline. Specifically, it presents an efficient method that combines analytical techniques with FEA to determine the pipeline’s fitness for continued service. |
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November/December 2017 Inspectioneering Journal
By Elizabeth Allen at DNV GL, and Michelle Havlock at DNV GL
This article explains the Statistically Active Corrosion Assessment, which is a tool for determining appropriate and realistic corrosion growth rates which can assist pipeline operators in optimizing the value of in-line inspection data, remediation programs and excavation costs, and determine a re‑inspection interval; all while maintaining safety. |
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July/August 2017 Inspectioneering Journal
By Buddy Powers at Clock Spring Company, and Donald McNichol at Evisive, Inc.
Composite technology developed for pipeline repair can be a cost-effective method of improving safety while keeping maintenance costs down. However, composite materials present significant challenges to conventional NDT methods. |
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November/December 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
By Michael Turnquist at Quest Integrity Group
This article exhibits how modern inspection methodologies combined with innovative computational analysis practices demonstrate the value of conducting fitness-for-service (FFS) assessments on sectional piping. |
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July/August 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
By Neil Ferguson at Hydratight
Joint integrity management remains at the top of many operators’ priority list. The discipline considers risk and drives safety to ensure we learn necessary lessons from past catastrophic failures, such as the Piper Alpha explosion in 1988, where leaking gas condensate ignited and killed 167 of the 229 people on board the offshore rig. |
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Partner Content
It is difficult to cover all inspection applications with basic inspection procedures like radiography, ultrasonics, magnetic particle testing, and dye penetrant inspection. Owner-operators are finding that advanced NDE services such as guided-wave ultrasonics, AUT corrosion mapping, and eddy current testing are essential tools to keep their facilities operating safely and efficiently. |
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May/June 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
By Gary Mulcahy at Astrodyne TDI
This is the second article of a two-part series published in Inspectioneering Journal, which is intended to provide a basis for understanding the differences between traditional tapped-transformer, fixed voltage type rectifiers, and High Frequency Switched Mode (HFSM) units, as well as highlight some opportunities for optimization provided by HFSM. |
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March/April 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
By Craig Alan Swift, P.E. at Bureau Veritas
The objective of this article is to demonstrate the inherent value of an interactive and detailed GIS landscape, emphasize the importance of industry standardization, and encourage regulatory agencies and operators to systematize and incorporate these technologies to produce a standardized basis of observation for these independently operated systems. |
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January/February 2016 Inspectioneering Journal
By Vipin Nair at GE Digital
Pipeline management remains fraught with safety risks for operators and the environment. Last year, the Ontario Energy Board determined that a $12 billion oil pipeline proposed by TransCanada Corp. would pose more risks than rewards for the province. |
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November/December 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Rick Eckert at DNV GL - North America Oil & Gas
Understanding the common factors that promote corrosion threats in the oil and gas value chain helps operators create effective inspection strategies. |
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November/December 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By David A. Hunter at Neptune Research, Inc.
This study provides valuable information for offshore pipeline operators curious about how composite repair systems could be utilized with their assets. |
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Partner Content
Offshore platforms are exposed to some of the roughest conditions on earth and require regular attention to ensure they are structurally sound and safe for continued operation. With so many components and major joints at elevated locations, it is clear why a well-trained rope access technician can be an invaluable resource for offshore operators. |
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July/August 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Gary Mulcahy at Astrodyne TDI
This is the first article of a two-part series to be published in Inspectioneering Journal and will provide a basis for understanding the differences between traditional tapped-transformer, fixed voltage type rectifiers, and High Frequency Switched Mode (HFSM) units. |
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May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Dylan Schrader at PinnacleART, Tom Pickthall at EnhanceCo Inc., and Carlos A. Palacios at CiMA-TQ
Pipeline integrity is critical to ensure maintenance and operational efficiency; however it is becoming an increasingly challenging task for the energy industry. Maintenance managers and inspectors must make sure their pipeline(s) and its associated equipment meet strict integrity requirements and comply with regulations in order to avoid unnecessary downtime and mitigate safety and environmental risks. |
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May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Mauricio Palomino at GE Oil & Gas, Measurement & Control Business
Machine-to-Machine connectivity combined with advanced computing capabilities and industry-focused software enable a wide range of new capabilities. From smart homes controlled over the internet, to smart electric grids with smart meters, sensors and controls that continually monitor the performance of electric distribution and can self-adjust to demand and outage conditions to optimize uptime across the whole network or a combination of networks, the Industrial Internet has opened the door to a new era of efficiency, productivity, and safety for the industrial world. |
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May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Ian D. Smith, P.Eng. at Quest Integrity Group, and Michael McGee at Quest Integrity Group
For traditional in-line inspection (ILI) vendors, considering 21.4 miles of a piggable 4” diesel pipeline is typically not a big deal. However, significant threats like 3rd party damage and external corrosion seem to come with the territory in nearly any pipeline territory. |
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May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Rhett Dotson, P.E. at Stress Engineering Services
Historically, regulations regarding dent severity have been governed by one of two metrics: dent depth or strain. In the case of the former, plain dents with a depth up to 6% of the nominal diameter are permitted in both gas and liquid pipelines. However, many operators typically set stricter limits on dent depth targeting those above a depth of 2% for evaluation. |
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May/June 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Vibha Zaman, P.E. at Asset Optimization Consultants, and Peter Dsouza at LyondellBasell
Direct assessment is often seen as the best option to verify pipeline integrity. But, it's particularly challenging due to the difficulty of pipeline access, as well as the limitations in available technology to perform subsea wall thickness inspections. Addressing these challenges requires action rather than reaction. |
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January/February 2015 Inspectioneering Journal
By Layne Tucker at EchoRFID, Jim Anspach at Cardno, Inc., and Steve Slusarenko at ProStar Geocorp, Inc.
In the Oil & Gas business we have hundreds of event process chains, each of which bears a cost and contains certain elements of risk. So what can we do to reduce our burden and improve our business? Let’s take a look at the current state of affairs and then have a look at some new technologies that may offer us an opportunity to improve our lot. |
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Online Article
Jim Svetgoff, Corrosion Advisor at Devon Energy recently interviewed with American Business Conferences for the Crude Pipeline Asset Integrity Congress 2014. |
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September/October 2014 Inspectioneering Journal
By Layne Tucker at EchoRFID, and Peter Forster at ProStar
Recently developed RFID best practices provide an opportunity for pipeline businesses to transform their asset management and pipeline integrity management processes away from traditional paper-based systems to more efficient, highly-integrated electronic data solutions. |
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September/October 2014 Inspectioneering Journal
By John Tiratsoo at Pipelines International
The pigging industry has developed a tremendous range of techniques and technologies, and it is probably fair to say that there are few pipelines in the world that cannot be cleaned and inspected, although the success of such operations will often depend on the available budget. |
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May/June 2014 Inspectioneering Journal
By Sergio Oliva at Wild Well Control
An adequate characterization of the Keystone XL special conditions from the perspective of pipeline integrity and risk would be advantageous from the system onset for identifying latent flaws in the system spill prevention plans. |
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November/December 2013 Inspectioneering Journal
By Tyler Alvarado at Inspectioneering
Inspectioneering recently had the privilege of speaking with Tom Wanzeck, Vice President of Integrity Services with Willbros Group, Inc. Tom spent more than 20 years managing assets on the owner-operator side before making the leap to the service industry, in which he now manages and facilitates world-class asset and pipeline integrity management programs for clients. |
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September/October 2013 Inspectioneering Journal
By Joe Pikas at Technical Toolboxes
Even though oil and gas pipelines and their related facilities are generally safer for people and the environment compared to other means of transportation, occasional leaks and failures due to corrosion and other defects have become an issue in maintaining pipeline integrity. |
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September/October 2013 Inspectioneering Journal
By Rex Schrunk P.E. at Willbros Engineers
Now, more than ever, pipeline owners and operators are under intense scrutiny to ensure safe and dependable pipeline systems. |
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September/October 2010 Inspectioneering Journal
As the oil and gas industry matured regulators and the public have become more and more aware of the risks inherent in the business and increasingly require pipeline owners to demonstrate and document the safe and environmentally acceptable operation of their facilities. |
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November/December 2009 Inspectioneering Journal
By Stefan Papenfuss at Quest Integrity Group
Pipeline integrity management programs are largely driven by regulatory compliance and are typically budgeted years in advance. Operators of all sizes are looking for ways to reduce expenditures related to operational efficiency and safety in order to maintain optimal profitability while sustaining safety and compliance. |
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July/August 2007 Inspectioneering Journal
By Paul Jackson at Plant Integrity Ltd., and Tat-Hean Gan at TWI Ltd.
The integrity of pipelines is a natural concern for pipeline operators, and so the ability to detect corrosion, erosion and mechanical damage in pipes is therefore of significant interest. Traditional methods of detection, such as pigging and crawlers, have been used for many years to inspect pipelines with great success. |
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January/February 2007 Inspectioneering Journal
NACE International has approved two highly anticipated standards dedicated to the control of internal pipeline corrosion. |
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September/October 2006 Inspectioneering Journal
By F Egan at Zadco, D G Jones at PII Pipeline Solutions business of GE Oil & Gas, and J Healy at Macaw Engineering Ltd
Active corrosion in onshore and offshore pipelines is an increasing problem. Consequently, pipeline operators regularly use intelligent inspection pigs to detect and size corrosion. Inspection data can be combined with probability based “Fitness-For-Purpose” assessment methods, to determine the effect of corrosion on the immediate and future integrity of the pipeline. |
Effective pipeline integrity management has been problematic for a large number of pipelines that were not designed for in-line inspection. Quest Integrity understands the complexities involved with this challenging segment and offers a comprehensive pipeline integrity management solution.
InVista Subsea, an advanced ultrasonic ILI tool from Quest Integrity, provides a solution for challenging and difficult-to-inspect subsea pipelines.
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News
Clarion Technical Conferences, June 28, 2018
The 31st annual Pipeline Pigging and Integrity Management (PPIM) Conference and Exhibition is now accepting papers for the 2019 event. |
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News
Reuters, April 5, 2018
Indonesia’s state oil company Pertamina said on Wednesday a cracked underwater pipeline was the cause of an oil spill off the coast of a port city on Borneo island that has prompted a major clean-up operation in the area. |
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Partner Content
LOTIS utilizes laser profilometry to conduct internal steam reformer tube inspections. The data captured by LOTIS is exceptionally powerful when combined with our LifeQuest™ remaining life assessment capabilities, providing an integrated solution set for the process and syngas industries. |
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News
Albuquerque Journal, December 7, 2017
A pipeline exploded in southeastern New Mexico’s oil patch, closing two highways but causing no reported injuries. |
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News
Southwest Research Institute, November 30, 2017
Southwest Research Institute has developed a Smart Leak Detection system to autonomously monitor pipelines for hazardous chemical spills. |
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News
Reuters, July 6, 2017
At least 5 were killed and 89 injured in a gas pipeline explosion in northeastern China, the second deadly incident of its kind this week. |
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News
Reuters, July 4, 2017
At least eight people died and another 35 were injured in a natural gas pipeline explosion in southwest China's Guizhou Province on Sunday. |
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News
June 15, 2017
"Unpiggable" pipelines are a thing of the past. With Quest Integrity's suite of in-line inspection tools, you can be confident in the state of your pipeline, no matter what. |
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Partner Content
InVista is a lightweight, hand-held ultrasonic in-line inspection tool (intelligent pig) capable of detecting pipeline wall loss and corrosion in unpiggable or difficult-to-inspect pipelines. The pipeline geometry inspection data captured by the InVista tool is exceptionally powerful when combined with the LifeQuest™ Pipeline fitness-for-service capabilities, providing an integrated solution set for the pipeline industry. |
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Partner Content
It is difficult to cover all inspection applications with basic inspection procedures like radiography, ultrasonics, magnetic particle testing, and dye penetrant inspection. Owner-operators are finding that advanced NDE services such as guided-wave ultrasonics, AUT corrosion mapping, and eddy current testing are essential tools to keep their facilities operating safely and efficiently. |
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Partner Content
Industrial Rope Access is a proven method of achieving a safe work position at elevated heights or areas that are difficult to access. When combined with advanced NDE technologies, rope access technicians can substantially reduce the cost of inspections and maintenance activities by virtually eliminating the need for fixed scaffolding. |
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News
KY3 News, January 17, 2017
A 22-inch crude pipeline owned by Enbridge leaked more than 15,000 gallons of oil outside of Everton, Missouri this week. |
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News
ABC 7 Chicago, November 17, 2016
A natural gas line explosion rocked downtown Canton, Illinois Wednesday evening, killing one utility worker and injuring several others. |
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News
Reuters, July 27, 2016
Peru's oil pipeline will likely remain closed for at least another six months following two spills that first halted its daily transport of 12,000 barrels in early February, state energy agency Perupetro said Tuesday. A third oil spill in June prompted Peru to dismiss the head of state-owned energy company Petroperu, the owner of the 1,106-kilometer (687-mile) pipeline... |
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News
Reuters, July 22, 2016
A pipeline owned and operated by Husky Energy has ruptured and leaked approximately 1,500 barrels of heavy crude oil into the North Sakatchewan River according to Canadian officials. |
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Partner Content
Offshore platforms are exposed to some of the roughest conditions on earth and require regular attention to ensure they are structurally sound and safe for continued operation. With so many components and major joints at elevated locations, it is clear why a well-trained rope access technician can be an invaluable resource for offshore operators. |
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News
Reuters, July 20, 2016
The U.S. Justice Department, Environmental Protection Agency, and U.S. units of Enbridge Inc. have reached a settlement under which the pipeline company will pay $177 million after a 2010 oil spill that released crude oil in Michigan and Illinois. |
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News
Reuters, June 27, 2016
Last week, a California pipeline operated by Crimson Pipeline LLC leaked an estimated 700 barrels of crude in Ventura County. Fortunately, the spilled oil settled in a dry creek bed and did not make its way into the Pacific Ocean. |
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Partner Content
Our proprietary furnace tube inspection system, FTIS™, is an ultrasonic inspection technology capable of rapid, automated fired heater coil inspection in refinery fired heaters. The data captured by our furnace tube inspection system is exceptionally powerful when combined with our LifeQuest™ remaining life assessment capabilities, providing an integrated solution set for refinery fired heaters in the refining and chemical industries. |
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News
Hydratight, June 10, 2016
Joint integrity specialist Hydratight has completed an upgrade project on a section of subsea pipeline on the North West Shelf of Western Australia. |
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News
The Associated Press, May 27, 2016
An underground pipeline owned by Shell Oil Co. ruptured on Tuesday in Northern California, leaking up to 21,000 gallons of crude. Officials from Shell stated that the pipeline was shut... |
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News
U.S. Department of Transportation, May 19, 2016
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) announced today that it has completed its investigation of the May 19, 2015, Plains All-American pipeline release in Santa Barbara County, California. |
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News
Los Angeles Daily News, May 18, 2016
Southern California Gas Co. (SoCalGas) has been fine $2.25 million by the California Public Utilities Commission (PUC) for failure to adequately maintain equipment in its natural gas transmission system that underlies a large portion of Los Angeles. |
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News
Southwest Research Institute, November 20, 2015
Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) recently announced they have developed a CAsed Pipeline COrrosion Model (CAPCOM) that allows engineers to evaluate corrosion conditions of cased pipeline sections, where product-carrying pipes are encased within an outer shell of protective piping. |
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News
U.S. Pipeline and Hazardouse Materials Safety Administration, July 6, 2015
The U.S. Department of Transportation's Pipeline and Hazardouse Materials Safety Administration has proposed new requirements to strengthen Federal pipeline safety regulations related to pipeline accident and incident notification. The Operator Qualification, Cost Recovery and Accident Notification proposed rule would also allow PHMSA to recover costs for pipeline design reviews... |
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News
National Transportation Safety Board, January 27, 2015
The National Transportation Safety Board today adopted a safety study on integrity management of gas transmission pipelines in high consequence areas. Integrity management is the process by which pipeline operators and inspectors find and address potential problems before they result in accidents. |
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News
Pipeline Research Council International, July 9, 2014
On July 7th, Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) broke ground on a new Technology Development Center (TDC) in Houston, Texas. |
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Press Release
Quest Integrity Group, March 14, 2014
Quest Integrity Group, a global leader in the development and delivery of advanced inspection and engineering assessment services and software products, announces Pacifica™, a new software solution to perform pressure cycle fatigue analysis on seam crack flaws in pipelines. |
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Press Release
AOPL, January 20, 2014
WASHINGTON, DC – Today, the Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL) and American Petroleum Institute (API) launched the Pipeline Safety Excellence initiative, an industry-wide program to improve liquid pipeline safety performance. "Pipelines are the safest way to transport the energy our nation needs and this new Pipeline Safety Excellence initiative reflects the commitment of pipeline operators to make them even safer," said Andy Black, President and CEO of AOPL. "Our members strive for zero... |
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Press Release
American Petroleum Institute, January 15, 2014
Pipelines are extremely safe and efficient for transporting energy across the United States, the industry’s continual efforts to improve the safety of the nation’s network of crude and petroleum product pipelines have reduced pipeline incidents by 62 percent from 2001-2012, according to a new report by API and the Association of Oil Pipe Lines. |
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Press Release
Willbros, September 24, 2013
Based in Houston, Young will be responsible for working with Willbros Regional Construction and the Professional Services' Integrity group to increase Willbros' share of the U.S. Integrity Construction market. |
