Comprehensive Crack Management solutions

SCC and other manufacturing-related cracks have led to many pipeline failures in North America, Russia, Australia, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Confirmed SCC colonies are being identified in a wide range of situations. Regulators require all operators (liquid and gas) to evaluate the crack threat as it often leads to large-scale ruptures. In response, GE has developed a set of comprehensive crack management solutions.

These versatile and highly effective procedures cover operator needs in situations where a crack threat is confirmed, due to a failure or discovery during excavation, and also in situations where a potential SCC threat needs to be confirmed and addressed.

The different solutions and their interrelations are shown schematically below:

Susceptibility Evaluation

• Designed to identify and prioritize pipeline segments within the operator’s network that fail the susceptibility criteria
• Susceptibility criteria based on ASME B31.8S and correlations and trends confirmed using GE’s extensive crack database

SCC Validation

• Upon confirmation of susceptibility, this service selects the most appropriate and cost-effective assessment technique that will allow the SCC threat to be identified or disqualified
• ILI data (USCD/DUO for liquid lines or MFL/TFI comparison for gas lines) can be reliably screened for the actual presence of SCC colonies
• In-field confirmation is also incorporated

Assessment Optimization

• Documents the appropriateness of the chosen assessment method to detect critical crack sizes and provides a reasonable re-inspection interval
• Checks and documents the feasibility, reliability and cost effectiveness of the assessment in comparison with other available assessment methods
• Selects tools with regard to operator needs and tool specifications

Integrity Assessment

• Proceeding with the appropriate in-line inspection or hydrostatic testing service

Crack Evaluation

• Identifies critical defects not acceptable at the Maximum Operating Pressure
• Establishes remaining life for sub-critical defects
• Develops mitigation schedule
• Determines optimum crack tool re-run interval

SCCScreen™

This is a three-phase approach that offers Susceptibility Evaluation, SCC Validation and Crack Evaluation in three progressive steps on an as-needed basis. It is an economical yet reliable alternative to hydrostatic testing or SCCDA in order to confirm the presence or absence of SCC with only the necessary actions taken to confirm the threat.

Pipeline Integrity Crack Assessment (PICA)

This process combines Assessment Optimization, Integrity Assessment, and Crack Evaluation to reliably and appropriately mitigate a confirmed crack threat.

Crack Evaluation utilizes an API 579 FAD Level-II or Level-III assessment to determine the acceptability of detected crack fields. The API 579 methodology provides significant benefits over other crack assessment techniques such as the Log Secant (NG-18) approach which is under-conservative for shallow cracks in pipe with low fracture toughness and over-conservative for deep cracks in pipe with high fracture toughness. Endorsement by ASME and widespread use of the API 579 methodology (which is based on the British Standard BS 7910 developed by TWI in the UK over the last 25 years) in other engineering industries gives credence to GE’s selection of the technique at the core of its methodology.

We believe that these solutions can provide significant benefits to pipeline operators who want to evaluate their pipeline systems for the threat of SCC, including:

• Reduces workload
• Shortens turn-around time
• Increases cost efficiency because only necessary actions are executed
• Enables more cost-effective dig program due to accurate assessment
• Assures short and long term safety – using latest developments in validated fracture mechanics techniques and most reliable assessment methods available
• Provides infield action plan – remediation plan
• Documents discovery management
• Provides compliance to regulations

To download the SCCScreen fact sheet, click here.

 

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