The Andes Mountains, rich in geographical features and diversity, poses a significant threat to the integrity of oil and gas pipelines due to geohazards. Land movement and unstable soil conditions can trigger changes in the original trajectory of the pipeline resulting in undesired bending strain which can result on failure of the facility. OCENSA – Oleoducto Central S.A. from Colombia assesses the pipeline condition in geotechnical unstable places by comparison of In Line inspection results taking into account pipeline movements and bending strains changes along the zone of study. Bending strains in the pipe are compared against allowable values and emergency values which constitute the criteria to execute mitigation and/or remediation activities that must be done in order to maintain the pipe integrity. To project the pipeline behavior in time, 3D finite element models are developed, allowing the programming of future activities. This paper presents results obtained in a study case to show how pipeline is assessed and how different mitigation activities are developed. Mitigation Techniques such as stress relief procedures and EPS (Expanded Poly-Styrene) blocks incorporations are explained. These techniques are executed in order to reduce the pipe response due to soil displacements during landslide events and creeping slopes, with the final scope of assuring a safe operation.
The OCENSA pipeline system crosses a wide range of geological zones, finding different stability problems. Those problems related with landslides are stabilized with different kinds of geotechnical works within the pipeline maintenance programs, but sometimes these problems reach big dimensions making very difficult to stabilize them, so mitigation techniques are necessary in order to guarantee the pipe integrity. A mitigation technique using EPS (Expanded Poly-Styrene) blocks is being used in the OCENSA pipeline system (Colombia) in order to reduce the buried pipe response due to soil displacements during landslide events and in creeping slopes. OCENSA is the first operator in Latin America using this technique. Prior to the use of this technique, numerical modeling studies were done with the support of SOLSIN S.A.S. These studies were focused on determining the viability and effectiveness of the proposed technique. The purpose of the EPS blocks is to constitute a low-density fill with very low Young modulus reducing the soil-pipeline interaction forces. These blocks are located near the landslide limits in both, the stable and un-stable zones in order to reduce the stiffness of the materials around the pipe. These blocks allow the pipe to move beyond the landslide limits, reducing the bending strains. The extension of the EPS backfill is determined by means of the geotechnical investigation of the place in study and using the in-line inspection tools data to determine the length of the pipe affected by the soil movement. In this paper, three case studies are presented in which the proposed mitigation technique effectiveness was proved. In this part, data analyses coming from the in line inspection program was done. The inertial tool data showed that the EPS blocks had a significant effect on the pipe response, reducing the total strains compared with those obtained with a normal backfill. This technique can be used to reduce the frequency of the strain-relief excavations in unstable slopes. That means a cost reduction in the pipe maintenance activities and a more efficient integrity management program.
Industry standards (i.e. API 1160, ASME B31.4 and B31.8S-2001, CSA-Z662-2003) and regulations (i.e. US DOT 49 Parts 195-2002 and 192-2003, and NEB On-shore 99) have delineated the risk-based elements of oil and gas pipeline integrity management programs. A Fitness-For-Service Assessment is part of an overall Integrity Management Program that is implemented for the pipeline system depending on the required pipeline operational conditions, severity of integrity threats, and their impact or consequences to the public, environment and employees. This paper provides guidelines for pipeline operators of oil pipeline systems exposed to corrosive and geotechnical sensitive environments and high consequence areas to develop long term integrity plans. In this case, the pipeline integrity plans were prepared based on the integration of data and assessments such as metal loss, geometry and strain in-line inspections, product corrositivity, cathodic protection, geotechnical hazard identification, and pipe class location/high consequence areas. Guidelines for developing near-term integrity plans are herein provided based on best industry practices and regulations. In 2002, Oleoducto Central S.A. (Ocensa) and CC Technologies initiated the Phase 1 of the Fitness-for-Service assessment of 698 km of NPS 16/30 crude oil pipeline from Cupiagua to Coven˜as. Phase 1 was comprised of an internal corrosion study to assess the corrosivity of the product and its impact in the future. Corrosivity of the crude oil was determined from laboratory testing and correlated to the pipeline operational and topographical conditions. In 2003, the Phase 2 of the Fitness-for-Service assessment was comprised of a review of the near-term maintenance program and the development of the long-term maintenance program. The long-term integrity plan program for corrosion features was developed using a deterministic and probabilistic corrosion growth modeling to determine excavation/repair and re-inspection interval alternatives. The corrosion growth modeling took into account the in-line inspection tool accuracy based on the field validation program. The most cost effective alternative was identified by using a cost benefit analysis technique. This implemented approach contributed to timely schedule maintenance activities. In addition, the selected excavations confirmed with high confidence the results from the Ocensa-CC Technologies Canada predictability model. Geometry features reported by the geometry/inertial in-line inspection were initially evaluated, and correlated to the corrosion in-line inspection data, and the geotechnical hazard study to identify potential locations of slope instability, river-crossing scouring for assessing internal corrosion criticality. Strain areas were also assessed and correlated to pipe wall deformation and potential areas of land movement. Pipe class location limits were determined based on latest dwelling locations and distribution, and then correlated to the reported corrosion features for verifying minimum safety factors. The long-term maintenance program was integrated from all assessments performed on the identified integrity threats. As a result, guidelines were prepared for implementing technically sound and economically-optimized long-term inline inspection, excavation and repair plans.
Due to their length, oil and gas pipelines usually face different geotechnical problems along their routes (fast or slow, shallow or deep landslides) that impact the pipe integrity. In the current state of practice, this problems are analyzed considering the system as a beam on elastic foundation (Winkler type models), in which the loads on the pipe (e.g. internal pipe pressure and geostatic loads) are studied independently. A more realistic description of the soil-pipe interaction phenomenon that allows the prediction and explanation of the pipe failures found in the practice requires more advanced methodologies, involving the constitutive behavior of soil and pipe and the combined effect of different types of loads. In order to assess in a better way the soil-pipe interaction problem in landslides, this paper presents a 3D numerical model of the system, including the combined effect of different loads (such as landslide loads, geostatic loads and pipe internal pressure). The results obtained with the model were validated against real field measures in the OCENSA pipeline system and are expressed as soil displacement versus pipe strain relations. These relations are being used successfully in the evaluation of the behavior of the pipeline in unstable slopes, resulting in an important tool in the OCENSA pipeline integrity program.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.