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I N N O V AT I O N S • V O L . V I I , N O. 2 • 2 0 1 5
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F E AT U R E S T O R Y
One of the most powerful means of creating
or driving efficiencies is right at the operators'
fingertips: By analyzing the wealth of information
collected through pipeline integrity management
systems, operators can better project the need for
repairs, as well as control costs.
It’s true that protecting pipeline integrity is
often a government-mandated, standard part of
the job for operators. But the process of detecting,
correcting, and preventing pipeline leaks and
failures is much more than a simple set of to-do
items on operators’ checklists.
Done properly, pipeline integrity management
is a tremendous opportunity for companies to
cultivate
critical data –
accurate, aligned
data that will allow
them to make the best
decisions possible to
safeguard the public,
protect their assets, and
control costs. And thanks to recent developments
with the tongue-twisting acronyms of PIMS,
PIMSS, and IMPS, there are more tools and
resources available to operators than ever before.
PIMS, PIMSS, and IMPS: The
Foundations of Pipeline Integrity
Even experienced operators tend to get confused
about the difference between programs for
keeping pipelines running optimally – pipeline
integrity management systems (PIMS) – and the
similar-sounding pipeline integrity management
system software (PIMSS) that is available to
augment the PIMS process.
“The PIMS management system is a process,
and it is performed by actual people – operators,
or employees, or individuals – working to make
sure a pipeline system is able to perform its
intended function for its design or useful life,”
says Mike Kirkwood, Ph.D., a transmission
market expert for global pipeline services provider
T.D. Williamson (TDW).
“PIMSS is a software program that supports
PIMS; it is really a digitization of the pipeline
integrity management process, and it helps operators
maintain compliance with that process,” he adds.
But Kirkwood is quick to point out that
pipeline integrity management system software
depends entirely on the implementation of
a thorough, well-planned pipeline integrity
management system. You simply can’t have PIMSS
without PIMS.
So what does a thorough PIMS look like? In
the United States, PIMS often takes the form
of what operators call an integrity management
plan (IMP). The process of developing an IMP
begins with gathering all available pipeline system
information: Materials, diameters, inline inspection
run records, active corrosion prevention measures,
and more. After the operator has collected and
entered all of the data, the information can be used
to help predict potential problems.
Done properly, pipeline integrity management is a tremendous
opportunity for companies to cultivate critical data – accurate, aligned
data that will allow them to make the best decisions possible to
safeguard the public, protect their assets,
and
control costs.