Ensuring Fitness for Purpose by Through-Life Monitoring of Pipelines

Abstract

Pipeline systems are major assets. The 3500 miles of pipelines on the UKCS transport to shore the majority of the £7 billion earned annually through the production of hydrocarbons. It is therefore important to maintain these assets Fit for Purpose. It is equally important to achieve this objective with minimum operating costs. To this end, limited preventative action is better than major repair: but preventative action can only be taken if an approach is adopted which facilitates identification, in good time, of any deterioration in condition which may impair the fitness for purpose.

This paper presents such an approach which is based upon the application of trend monitoring of the various inspection data, and discusses the potential savings to be made through optimisation of any rectification that may be required.