what new

HOME COMPANY WHAT WE DO CONTACT

Pipeline Condition Assessment
Typical Bridge Crossing
For non-metallic pipe systems, for which conventional NDT techniques are not available, then pipe wall samples are required. Condition assessment involves developing an understanding of the original pipeline design, construction and current performance capability under the applied loads and in its current structural condition. The process provides remaining life, failure and risk predictions. This process also defines immediate and long-term maintenance requirements to minimise these risks and aids in the prediction of future investment requirements. The pipeline condition assessment process is a structured procedure, and outputs should be comparable regardless of the age, construction materials, design considerations and maintenance history.
Pipeline Inspection
AIA methodologies are based upon selective inspection and the first requirement is to determine where best to inspect the pipeline. Identifying the most highly stressed and operationally critical locations defines these sites. The most highly stressed locations are identified by structural modelling using details of the original pipeline design standards and construction procedures. Operational criticality is agreed with the pipeline manager and can be related to the number of customers that would be affected by a failure at a specific location, and by the recognised logistic difficulties and expense of affecting repairs. The AIA inspection tools are purpose designed and built to allow easy, rapid and safe use on the various diameters of pipeline, in difficult locations. The output from the tools provides dimensional information on pipe wall loss and an image of the levels of internal and external corrosion is also provided.
Typical Large Diameter Pipe Section Inspection
Statistical techniques are used to define the selective pipe wall inspection procedures and to verify the accuracy of the condition assessment outputs. The inspection tools are equipped with GPS location systems and ‘Blue Tooth’ communications technology to allow immediate transfer of inspection data to the AESL offices. This allows office based statistical and structural analysis to be carried out as the project proceeds and thus optimisation of the validity of the condition outputs from selective inspection.
Tool Outputs	Pipe Wall Imaging
The use of a GPS location system allows the outputs from each inspection to be compared and related to the performance of nearby pipelines, ground condition etc. It also allows an overall mapping of comparable conditions as an aid to risk assessment and defining optimum maintenance options.

Condition Assessment Outputs
The outputs provided to the customer can include:
·	Immediate identification of significant pipe wall loss and recommendations for remedial measures.
·	Numeric and visual representation of pipe wall deterioration.
·	Definition of operating factor of safety.
·	Based upon predicted failure modes, prediction of remaining life at measured deterioration rates.
·	Definition of the applicability of the local condition assessment process to other sections of the pipeline or pipe system.
Where the need for major pipe section lining or replacement activities is recognised, the process allows the criticality of these requirements to be defined and the repairs programmed. The pipeline condition assessment strategies allow the pipeline operator to understand and therefore better manage pipelines and pipe systems.