CFM 2019

Analysis of spatial dependencies of corroding pipelines based on In-line (ILI) inspections
Rafael Amaya-Gómez  1, 2@  , Mauricio Sánchez-Silva  3@  , Emilio Bastidas-Arteaga  1@  , Franck Schoefs  1@  , Felipe Muñoz  2@  
1 : Institut de Recherche en Génie Civil et Mécanique  (GeM)
Université de Nantes, CNRS : UMR6183, Université de Nantes
2 : Chemical Engineering Department, Universidad de los Andes
CRA 1E # 19A-40, BOGOTÁ -  Colombie
3 : Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering, Universidad de los Andes
CRA 1E # 19A-40, BOGOTÁ -  Colombie

Onshore pipelines usually cover extensive areas with varied soil, groundwater table, and population density. Corrosion degradation is one of the principal threats of pipelines by reducing the wall thickness, either at the inner or outer wall, which may produce a Loss of Containment (LOC). This degradation process is favored by certain soils and fluids being transported; therefore, a corroding pipeline requires space-dependent management. Generally, keep these assets as good as new is almost impossible, so local repairs or replacements are commonly preferred, which force pipeline operators to update the pipeline construction parameters (e.g., wall thickness or diameter) and protection measures (e.g., cathodic protection) to maintain a continuous operation. Pipeline operators frequently take into account information from In-Line (ILI) inspections based on magnetic (MFL) or ultrasonic (UT) tools to detect and measure metal loss at the wall thickness both at the inner and outer wall every 2 to 6 years. However, new defects can be detected from consecutive inspections given to the aggressive environment, areas affected by welding, and the presence of flaws in the pipeline protection. This paper aims to study how these spatial dependencies can be used to define a space-dependent process to generate new defects producing more accurate reliability estimations. For this purpose, two ILI inspections were analyzed considering the reported measurements, the distance between welded joints and their nearest neighbors. 


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