Condition Based Integrity Assessment of Pipelines

The integrity of pipelines transporting hydrocarbon is critical to economy, safety and environment. One of the leading cause of pipeline failures is 3^rd party damage during excavation activities, followed by corrosion, which is becoming increasingly significant as the pipeline infrastructure ages. Current inspection techniques for corrosion monitoring may require the pipeline to be shutdown during inspection reducing overall availability and a potential loss of revenue. Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) offers the promise of a paradigm shift from schedule-driven maintenance to condition-based maintenance (CBM) of pipeline structures. Built-in sensor networks integrated with the pipeline can provide crucial information regarding the condition and damage state of the structure. Diagnostic information from sensor data can be used for prognosis of the health of the structure and facilitate informed decision processes with respect to inspection and repair, e.g., repair vs. no repair or replacement. Asset management can be performed based on the actual health and usage of structures, thereby minimizing in-service failures and maintenance costs, while maximizing reliability and readiness. This paper provides an overview on the design of a SHM system for in-situ real-time, rapid assessment of pipeline integrity using a built-in sensor network. Results of a cost-benefit study conducted for the system usage on pipeline structures will also be presented.