20 / 32
18
I N N O V AT I O N S • V O L . V I I , N O. 1 • 2 0 1 5
Strength
is determined by the ability to
withstand pressure
STRENGTH
PRESSURES
DEFECTS
Defects
can alter both
strength and load
Pressures
above system
limits can cause defects
to grow
There are three interdependent attributes of
positive materials identification
(PMI) technology. A lack of knowledge
about any attribute can upset the overall equilibrium.
PMI
And while the PHMSA ruling only applies
in the United States, similar benefits could
accrue for Middle Eastern and Russian natural
gas transmission and the Canadian oil sands. In
addition, verifying higher operating pressures
is considered essential for the safe operation of
pipeline reversals and conversions, two activities
that are now occurring worldwide.
NDE Techniques Can Save Time and Money
In engineering, project management, and other
disciplines, the triangle is used to represent the
interdependent nature of certain attributes, like
time, cost, and scope. The triangle is also useful
when it comes to considering positive material
identification.
In PMI, one side of the triangle represents
material strength, another is the load or pressure,
and the last side symbolizes defects. In order to
keep the triangle from collapsing, all three have to
relate to one another appropriately.
For example, strength is determined by the
ability to withstand pressure. Defects can alter both
strength and load. And pressures above system
limits can cause defects to grow.
However, a lack of knowledge about any
side can upset the overall equilibrium. With
appropriate information, operators can keep their
triangle in balance.
For generations operators have had to rely on
destructive techniques to identify pipeline materials
and MAOP, utilizing a time-consuming, costly
procedure that involved cutting out a coupon and
sending the piece away to be lab-tested.
But not any longer.
That’s because the positive material
identification process offered by global pipeline
integrity services provider T.D. Williamson
(TDW) utilizes multiple non-destructive
technologies that eliminate the need for cutting
into the pipeline and can be completed while
product continues to flow. TDW’s patent-pending
PMI can provide a high level of accuracy with less
effort, lower total cost, and shorter turnaround.
And beyond that, says Chuck Harris,
Commercialization Manager for Pipeline Integrity
Technology at TDW, the predictive nature of
TDW’s PMI techniques mean they can reduce the
potential for costly field failures when part of a
comprehensive integrity verification program.
Preliminary Results Are Nearly Instant
TDW’s PMI solution includes multiple NDE
methods (see The A-B-Cs of PMI table on the
opposite page).
The process begins by
establishing an area to inspect,
followed by determination
of yield and tensile values,
plus chemical composition
DOWNLOAD THE IVP E-BOOK