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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

23

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.