Background Image
Table of Contents Table of Contents
Previous Page  26 / 32 Next Page
Information
Show Menu
Previous Page 26 / 32 Next Page
Page Background

I N N O V AT I O N S • V O L . V I I , N O. 2 • 2 0 1 5

24

First, operators use

the data to identify high

consequence areas (HCAs)

along the pipeline’s path.

The criteria for HCAs

differs between natural gas

and hazardous liquid lines

due to the severity of the

potential consequences.

HCAs for natural gas

transmission pipelines

focus solely on populated

areas – environmental and

ecological consequences are usually minimal for

releases involving natural gas. For hazardous liquid

pipelines, HCA identification focuses on populated

areas, drinking water sources, and unusually

sensitive ecological resources.

With these tasks completed, the

operator moves on to integrity

assessment. This could

involve hydrostatic

testing, inline inspection, or non-destructive

evaluation (NDE), all processes that reveal the

current condition of the pipeline system. Once

the operator knows the condition of the pipeline,

it is possible to make decisions about what should

be done – and when – to restore and maintain the

pipeline’s integrity.

From there, the operator develops its

management of change and quality control

processes. All of this information helps the

operator decide if changes to the PIMS – things

like additional training or different ways of

performing inspections – are needed to better

protect the pipeline and promote optimal

function.

The remaining processes comprise

communicating any changes the operator

implements both within the company and among

community members, and establishing some kind

of performance measurement system. The final

step usually involves setting reassessment intervals

and establishing preventive and mitigation

measures, such as reducing corrosion to achieve

zero failures.

It’s a complicated, multistep process,

and Kirkwood admits that it can be a bit

daunting for operators, but the payoffs in

terms of safety, efficiency, and financial

return are well worth the learning curve.

A Constantly

Evolving Technology

Rather than focusing on the complexities

of PIMS, it can be helpful for operators

to look at it as an ongoing process of collecting

as much relevant information as possible

about their pipelines, sharing that information

with stakeholders – such as employees and

the communities – and using it to guide their

decisions about pipeline maintenance and repairs.

“It’s all about gathering data, storing data,

and managing information within an architecture

which is easy to use, easy to access, and available

to those who need it,” Kirkwood says.

That architecture should ideally take the form

of a software system, which not only makes the

A mobile-based PIMSS program

might even allow you to ask the system

to evaluate a new data set while you’re

on the way to the office.