What is Pipeline Integrity?
Credit to Author: Sonali Priya| Date: Wed, 25 Sep 2019 12:47:14 +0000
Pipeline Integrity safeguards the pipeline, ensuring all its components are working properly and no harmful chemicals are released from the pipeline. This means, from designing to operating pipelines, everything is reliable, efficient and safe. The pipeline integration can be divided into three parts: Prevention, Detection and Mitigation.
Prevention is the first layer of protection against leakage of commodities (raw natural gas, crude oil). It involves actions and solutions to stop the release in the first place. Design and Construction, Operation and Maintenance, Training and Education are the three stages of this layer.
First stage (Design & Construction): Stating or identifying the technical requirements of piping. During pipeline design and construction, here are some of the things to consider:
- Keeping away geo-hazards along the pipeline route
- Proper sizing of the pump or compressor
- Prevention against pipeline corrosion
Using pipeline simulation tools, operators can handle the various factors involved in design and construction.
Second stage (Operation & Maintenance): Constant monitoring of operations and structural conditions are crucial to evade any hazardous release of commodities. Here are some vital factors to consider when it comes to monitoring the pipeline health:
- Monitor the maximum allowed operating pressure
- Inspect internal and external integrity of the pipeline
- Check for excavation in proximate areas, monitor ground temperature for any abnormality
- Assessing the depth of cover
Third stage (Training & Education): Through proper training or certification courses, pipeline operators can adhere to the best practices of leakage prevention and learn the conditions that can lead to commodity release.
To learn more about the three phases of pipeline integrity, download this whitepaper.
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