ISSUE 16 JUNE 2013

Beyond the breaker zone

offshore pipelines
 Think big.
Size does matter. ROSEN maintains the industrys most
comprehensive technology portfolio, from hardware to software, as
well as the largest tool fleet. Meaning more flexibility for you.
www.roseninspection.net

EMPOWERED BY TECHNOLOGY
The pipeline landscape is tough. Vermeer is tougher.

Vermeer is equipped to see you through from start to finish with the products and experience you need.
Choose from a range of powerful horizontal and tub grinders, and track trenchers. Break through with a full
lineup of horizontal directional drills and accessories, including maxi rigs, reclaimers and high-pressure mud pumps,
as well as the tooling you need to tackle challenging subterrain. And its all backed by unmatched Vermeer dealer
support thats onsite when you need it.
VERMEER.COM

Vermeer and the Vermeer logo are trademarks of Vermeer Manufacturing Company in the United States and/or other countries.
2013 Vermeer Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
contents

Safety to the core. The STOPPLE Plus fitting from TDW increases safety in
high pressure applications.

34 38 52

REGULARS 39 Advanced subsea pipeline inspection:

4 From the Editor an overview of field experience and
benefits of subsea pipeline scanning
18 World wrap
40 Evaluation of leak-detection
Issue 16 | JUNE 2013 20 Project briefs technologies
63 Event calendar 42 Spotlight shines on robotic system
64 Advertisers index 44 Strengthening regulations in Canada
United Kingdom 64 Coming in future issues
(Editorial and Technical) 46 A competency-based approach Engineered to most code
PO Box 21 for training pipeline professionals requirements, including ASME
around the world
Beaconsfield, Bucks HP9 1NS UK 6 Piping offshore Venezuela 48 Distance learning in pipeline integrity B31.3, B31.4 and B31.8.
Tel: +44 1494 675139 | Fax: +44 1494 670155 management holds the key
8 Energy set to head east in Canada
LOCK-O-RING Plus technology
TORONTO 10 Arrow Bowen Pipeline gains approval Risk Management eliminates through-flange penetrations,
(Editorial) 12 Gas to flow from Northern Mozambique
50 Myth busting I dont have enough increasing safety and efficiency.
Tel: +1 416 551 9113 data (Part 1)
14 Nord Stream plans expansion
52 The top 3 data management trends for
United States 16 Taq Taq to Khurmala Pipeline complete pipeline ROW management
Patent pending interlock system provides
positive indication that the LOCK-O-RING
(Sales)
16360 Park Ten Place, Suite 109,
co2 pipelines Safety Plus plug leaves are fully extended.

Houston, TX 77084 22 Measuring decompression wave speed
in CO2 mixtures by a shock tube
United States of America
Tel: +1 281 492 2728 28 Making the most of the CO2 Forum
Australia OFFSHORE review
(Sales and Subscriptions) 30 Offshore pipelines infographic
GPO Box 4967 32 Mitigating risks with subsea isolation
Melbourne, Victoria 3001 Australia
Tel: +61 3 9248 5100 | Fax: +61 3 9602 2708 projects
34 Polarled goes deep for gas
industry news
query@pipelinesinternational.com 37 Providing free solutions for the
www.pipelinesinternational.com unpiggable
38 Isolation in the Shetland Islands
54 Learning across the generations for
safe outcomes
STOPPLE Plus technology eliminates 80% of
the moving parts the remaining 20% are part of the
EventS removable completion plug and not the permanent fitting.
57 International pipeline industry
converges Down Under
58 Performance and perception in Banff
59 Join Rudi Denys for a world-renowned
event To learn more about TDW STOPPLE Plus fittings or our entire portfolio
60 Ensuring best practice in Bahrain of line intervention and temporary isolation solutions, contact your
61 Head to Colorado for GeoGathering 2013
nearest TDW representative or visit www.tdwilliamson.com.
62 Infrastructure professionals head to Oz

The publishers welcome editorial contributions from interested

parties. However, the publishers do not accept responsibility NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA: 918-447-5500
for the content of these contributions and the views contained
therein which will not necessarily be the views of the publish- EUROPE/AFRICA/MIDDLE EAST: 32-67-28-36-11
ers. The publishers do not accept responsibility for any claims ASIA/PACIFIC: 65-6364-8520
made by advertisers.
OFFSHORE SERVICES: 832-448-7200
Unless explicitly stated otherwise in writing, by providing edito-
rial material to Great Southern Press (GSP), including text and
images you are providing permission for that material to be sub-
sequently used by GSP, whole or in part, edited or unchanged,
alone or in combination with other material in any publication
or format in print or online or howsoever distributed, whether
produced by GSP and its agents and associates or another party Registered trademark of T.D. Williamson, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Trademark of T.D. Williamson, Inc. in the United States and other countries. Copyright 2013 All rights reserved. T.D. Williamson, Inc.

to whom GSP has provided permission.

2 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

from the editor

Editor-in-Chief: John Tiratsoo
Managing Editor: Lyndsie Clark
Associate Editor: Sarah Paul
Sales Manager: Tim Thompson
Senior Account Manager: David Marsh
Sales Representative: David Entringer
Creative Director: Michelle Cross
Acting Design Manager: Bianca Botter
Senior Designer: Susie Monte
USA Manager: Luke Rowohlt
Publisher: Zelda Tupicoff
The cover shows the
WAPET Landing on
issUe 16 JUne 2013
T
he theme of the recent Banff Pipeline
Workshop was performance and
perception. The biennial event was
larger than ever this year, attracting around
800 delegates, the majority of whom were from
the North American pipeline industry. The
friendly and collegiate atmosphere established
over successive editions of the workshop by the
far-sighted organisers once again allowed
delegates to discuss many issues in an open
and unthreatened manner, and continued to
make this event unique and of great value.
It was apparent in many of the discussions
that there was a degree of puzzlement about
the fact that the unmatched safety record of
the pipeline industry in safely transporting
vast quantities of energy every day was not
understood and acknowledged by the public
and the communities through which the
infrastructure passes. Regrettably, probably
the first thing any industry outsider knows
about a pipeline in their vicinity is when crude
oil starts to run down the High Street, or they
hear an explosion as the leaking gas ignites.
As all who know the industry are well aware,
these events are extremely rare; nevertheless,
although failure numbers are clearly
decreasing, their severity is increasing.
World-wide, around 97 per cent of all oil and
gas used is transported by pipeline, and oil
and gas make up around 67 per cent of all
energy used. As was eloquently pointed out,
everybody who wears clothes benefits from
pipelines. Compared to other forms of
transport, however, the pipeline threat can
appear more extreme as its impact arises from
a hidden and previously unknown source, as
throughout the workshop. It was pointed out
that managers do not necessarily have the
same view about this as operators, and that
one barrier to lifecycle integrity management
was the fact that integrity is perceived by the
project as an added cost rather than an integral
component. Another germane comment made
was that probably over half the United States
pipeline network was constructed 50 or more
years ago, long before current technical and
safety standards were introduced: this
naturally poses a considerable challenge to
regulators and operators in terms of applying
new standards to old pipelines.
So where does that leave perception of
pipelines? Regrettably, a one-word answer
will do: poorly. Its clear that emotion always
trumps rational analysis (the example was
given of the oiled duck being more emotive
than any rational statistic). Its reasonable to
say that the general public perception of a
pipeline is either an above-ground ancillary
structure or an image of refinery or industrial
plant pipework that bears no resemblance to
the large-diameter and safely buried reality.
But, of course, the pipeline industry is its own
worst enemy. While there are certainly
education projects and commendable input
from individual engineers in many local
areas, there nowhere exists a comprehensive
and planned approach to demonstrating the
safety of pipelines and their importance to the
lives of the general public. Liaising with
individual landowners about a pipeline under
their soil is all well and good; but when the
TV cameras are focusing on a burning
building following a gas leak, such initiatives

Barrow Island, Western
Australia for Chevron
Australias Gorgon LNG
Project. Turn to pages
30-31 for an overview
of offshore projects
around the world. Image
Beyond the breaker zone
courtesy of Chevron
offshore pipelines
Australia.
ISSN: 1837-1167
Follow us on
Twitter
@Pipelines
FREE Pipelines International
e-newsletter
@ The latest news, events and
job listings emailed fortnightly
SUBSCRIBE NOW
www.pipelinesinternational.com
Remember to email your news, views
and article ideas to
query@pipelinesinternational.com
opposed to danger from road or rail traffic, and
sea-tanker transport which, although far
greater, is apparently more easy to accept.
From the point of view of performance,
Chief Operating Officer of Enbridge Art Meyer
said in his workshop-opening address that
although the industry does well, we are not
where we need to be, in terms of overall
performance. Keeping in mind that the
pipeline industrys priority is the safe delivery
of the energy that millions of people rely
upon, Mr Meyer said that without question
safety should override all other interests. He
listed a number of key areas towards which
priorities should be focussed including, in
particular, people safety, pipeline integrity, and
damage prevention. Following on from these,
he said that other issues that should equally
receive attention, but which can often be
overlooked, included human factors (training),
leak detection (for which there is no silver
bullet), emergency preparedness (involving
communities), and stakeholder relations.
Unsurprisingly, maintaining and
improving pipeline integrity was a theme
are worthless. Whats needed is for the
pipeline industry to cease to be reactive in this
sense, and become proactive: whats wrong
with trying to set in place a plan for the public
(not readers of Pipelines International!) to be
educated on the industrys success?
A further point is that there is an
increasing number of examples where the
pipeline industry and its planners have been
impacted by social media, and in each case
these impacts have ranged from negative to
massively negative. Is it wrong to ask why the
industry seems unable to meet the challenges
that these media provide?
While its hard to imagine the industry as
a whole, around the world, having a unified
voice to enhance the appreciation of its
achievement, (in the words of a Banff
workshop delegate), it seems more and more
necessary that this is what needs to be done.
John Tiratsoo
Editor-in-Chief

4 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

 around the world

Piping offshore Venezuela

Saipem has signed transportation and installation contracts with Cardon IV a 50/50 joint-venture
between Eni and Repsol for the development of the Perla EP Project, in the Gulf of Venezuela, which
includes an offshore pipeline.

T
he Perla super-giant field, which pipelay barges, between the third quarter of
contains over 16.3 Tcf of gas in place, 2013 and the second quarter of 2014.
equivalent to approximately 3 Bbbl, was The project will be developed in phases,
discovered by Repsol and Eni in 2009 in the with the first phase entailing an estimated
Cardon IV block, approximately 80 km offshore investment of $US1.5 billion, including the
in 60 m of water in the Gulf of Venezuela. exploration and evaluation phase in which
Since the discovery, five gas wells have been 300 MMcf/d of gas is expected to be produced.
drilled, which will now be put into production In the next two phases, production is set to rise
using offshore platforms and underwater fourfold to 1.2 Bcf/d, which will be maintained
connections to carry the gas onshore, where it until the end of the contract in 2036.
will be processed and imported into the The supply contract, signed until 2036,
Venezuelan distribution network. with a mutual commitment to supply and
The scope of work encompasses purchase over 8 Tcf of natural gas, will be
transportation and installation of a hub one of the supply sources for the domestic
platform and two satellite platforms, a 30 inch gas demand in Venezuela, which is expected
diameter, 67 km subsea export pipeline, two to grow along with industrial, petrochemical,
14 inch diameter clad infield flowlines, and a and power-generation consumption in the
variety of infield cables, along with the coming years.
related tie-in operations. Given its large size, the field also offers
The marine activities will be mainly new opportunities for natural gas exports,
13-04-04_124_ID038_eAz_Direct
13-04-04_124_ID038_eAz_Direct
performed by the Saipem 3000
13-04-04_124_ID038_eAz_Direct and Pipe_Pipeline
Pipe_Pipeline
Castoro 7 which
Pipe_Pipeline International_185x125mm
International_185x125mm
Repsol and Eni will
International_185x125mm analyse (Satzspiegel)_4c_fo_RZ2
(Satzspiegel)_4c_fo_RZ2
with
(Satzspiegel)_4c_fo_RZ2
13-04-04_124_ID038_eAz_Direct Pipe_Pipeline International_185x125mm (Satzspiegel)_4c_fo_RZ2
Petroleos de Venezuela SA (PDVSA) and the
Venezuelan Ministry of Popular Power for Oil
and Mining.
The licence for the Cardon IV block was
awarded to Repsol and Eni at 50 per cent
each. Venezuelas state oil company, PDVSA,
will participate with a 35 per cent share in
the development of the project, with Repsol
and Enis shares at 32.5 per cent each.
The Gas Sales Agreement, signed with
PDVSA Gas SA (a subsidiary of PDVSA), will
be in place until 2036. It will provide
Venezuela with a further gas source to sustain
the growth of the domestic gas market for
power generation, refining, petrochemical,
and heavy oil upgrading projects.
The huge reserves of the Perla field also
create the opportunity for a gas export
project. A preliminary agreement has been
reached to jointly evaluate export options as
well as countries of destination.

he
h e ReR en
RRkenn kech
echntech
t t
AG AG| |ut
| ut I lut l II l
I ty tI ty
un t
nun
e lelnI e
nlGIl
nIG
n
| Gt R|A f
tfRIfAcftun
f
cI c tun enllI
n e llI e llI nG
nG
h ehR RReR
neknnkech
n t AG AG| ut I l IIty ty
t unt un
n enl l Ilnl G | t| RtARfAf I cf Ituntun
n enllI nGnG

DI DI
DIDI
RR Rect
ect
Rect ect
PI PIPe
PIPI
Pe
Pe Pe

AlWAyS
AlWAyS
AlWAyS
AlWAyS One
One
One
One SteP
SteP
SteP
SteP AhAh
Ah
Ah eAD.
eAD.
eAD.
eAD.
Whenever
Whenever
Whenever
Whenever water
water water
water pipelines
pipelines
pipelines
pipelines cross
cross cross
bodies
cross bodies
bodies
bodies of of of
of water,
water, water,
roads
water,
roads roads
roads
or or the
or orthe
the the
Direct Direct
Pipe
Direct
Direct Pipe
machine
Pipe
Pipe machine
machine
machine andand
and and
the
the the prefabricated
prefabricated
the prefabricated
prefabricated pipeline
pipeline
pipeline forward
pipeline forward
forward
forward
settlements,
settlements,
settlements, specialized
specialized
specializedproblem problem
problem solvers solvers
are
solvers are indispensable.
indispensable.
are indispensable.
settlements, specialized problem solvers are indispensable. underground. underground.
underground.
underground.
Direct Direct
Pipe
Direct
Direct Pipe
cancan
Pipe
Pipe can becan
be be be
used
used used
even
used
even eveneven
in
in in in difficult
difficult
difficult
difficult geological
geological
geological
geological condi condi Tunnelling
condi
condi Tunnelling
Tunnelling
Tunnelling specialists
specialists
specialists
specialists have
have have
already
have already
already
already completed
completed
completed
completed 15 15
15 15 reference
reference
reference
reference
tions tions
and
tions
tions andand and
at at constrained
constrained
at constrained
at constrained construction
construction
construction
construction sites. sites.
Inclines
sites.
sites. Inclines
Inclines
Inclines and and
andand projectsprojects
projects in
projects in
Italy, Italy,
the
in Italy,
in Italy, the the the
Nether Nether
lands,
Nether
Nether lands,
the
lands,
lands, the the the
USA
USAUSA USA
and
andand and
GermanyGermany
Germany
Germany using using
using
using
gradients as well as curved alignments can be safely and Herrenknecht technology, while reaching advance rates of up to to to
gradients
gradients
gradientsas well
as as
wellwell
as as as
curved curved
curved alignments
alignments
alignments can be
can canbe be
safely safely
and
safely andand Herrenknecht
Herrenknecht
Herrenknecht technology,
technology,
technology, while while
reaching
while reaching
reaching advanceadvance
advancerates rates
of
rates up
of of
to
up up
precisely
precisely
precisely
precisely mastered.
mastered.
mastered.
mastered. 10 1010
10 meters
metersmeters
per per
meters
per per
hour. hour.
In
hour.
hour. In the In
In the
the the Netherlands,
Netherlands,
Netherlands,
Netherlands, aa 48 a 48
48a inch
inch
48 inch
gas
inch
gas gas
pipeline
gas pipeline
waswas
pipeline
pipeline was was
Direct Direct
Pipe
Direct
Direct Pipe Pipe
combines
Pipe combines
combines
combines the
the the the established
established
established
established laying
laying laying
methods
laying methods
methods installed
methods installed
installed with
installed a
withwithwith
lengtha length
a length
a length of moreof more
than
of more
of more than
1,400
thanthan
1,400 1,400
meters:
1,400 meters:
a
meters:
meters: worlda world
record!
a world
a world record!
record!
record!
Micro Micro
Micro
Micro tunnelling
tunnelling andand
tunnelling
tunnelling and and
Hori
Hori Hori
zon
Hori
zon talzon
zon
tal taltal Directional
Directional
Directional
Directional Drilling.
Drilling. TheThe
Drilling.
Drilling. The The
Exca
Exca Exca
Exca
vation vation
vation
vation of of of
of soil
soil and
soil
andsoil
and
theand
the thethe
pipelinepipeline
pipeline
pipeline installation
installation
installation
installation are are
are are
carried
carried carried inout
outout
carried
out in in in
Herrenknecht
Herrenknecht Tunnelling
Tunnelling
Herrenknecht
Herrenknecht Tunnelling
USA, Tunnelling
SystemsSystems USA, Inc.
Inc. one one
single single
work work
step. step.
The The Herrenknecht
Herrenknecht Pipe Pipe
Thruster Thruster
pushes pushes
Systems
Systems USA,
1613Ave
1613 132nd
USA,
Inc.
132nd
Inc.
Ave E,200
E, Suite Suite 200
oneone single
single work work
step.step.
TheThe Herrenknecht
Herrenknecht PipePipe Thruster
Thruster pushes
pushes
16131613
132nd 132nd E,
Ave E, Suite
200 200
Sumner, WA Ave
Sumner, WASuite
98390 98390
Sumner,
Sumner, WA WA 98390
98390
Phone +1Phone
(253) +1 (253)
447 2300447 2300
Phone(253)
Phone +1 (253) 447 2300
Fax +1+1Fax +1
(253) 447
(253)
863 93762300
863 9376
Fax Fax(253)
+1 +1 (253) 863 9376
863 9376
marketing@herrenknecht.com
marketing@herrenknecht.com
marketing@herrenknecht.com
marketing@herrenknecht.com
www.herrenknecht.com
www.herrenknecht.com
www.herrenknecht.com
www.herrenknecht.com
13-04-04_124_ID038_eAz_DirectPipe_PipelineInternational_185x125_RZ2.indd
13-04-04_124_ID038_eAz_DirectPipe_PipelineInternational_185x125_RZ2.indd 1 1 14//04.04.13
14//04.04.13 17:08 17:08
13-04-04_124_ID038_eAz_DirectPipe_PipelineInternational_185x125_RZ2.indd
13-04-04_124_ID038_eAz_DirectPipe_PipelineInternational_185x125_RZ2.indd 1 1 14//04.04.13
14//04.04.13 17:08
17:08

6 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

around the world

Energy set to head east in Canada

TransCanada has proposed the Energy East Pipeline Project which will include a 4,400 km pipeline
that will run west to east in Canada and benefit economies across the country.

T
he project involves three major
components: pipeline conversion, the
construction of new pipeline sections,
and the construction of new pipeline
facilities. The Energy East Pipeline Project
will make use of an existing natural gas
pipeline and will convert the pipeline to oil
service. New sections of pipe will also need to
be constructed in Alberta, Saskatchewan,
eastern Ontario, Quebec, and New Brunswick
to link up with the newly converted pipe. In
addition, associated facilities including
pump stations, tank terminals and marine
facilities will be constructed in order to
successfully move the crude oil from Alberta
to New Brunswick and beyond.
The proposed projects involves converting
approximately 3,000 km of TransCanadas
existing natural gas Canadian Mainline to
crude oil service, and constructing
approximately 1,400 km of new pipeline.
While the exact pipeline route will only be
determined after public and regulatory The proposed route for the Energy East Pipeline Project.
reviews, the planned starting point is a new
tank terminal in Hardisty, Alberta. Three other domestic market for western Canadas oil At this point, the company says that they
new terminals will be built along the production and potentially open a new know this project is technically and
pipelines route: one in Saskatchewan, one channel for international exports in economically feasible; it reports that its
near Quebec City, and another nearby St the future. discussions with prospective shippers have been
John, New Brunswick. The Quebec City and very positive, leading it to believe that there is
St John area terminals will include facilities Open season sufficient demand for this project in the market.
for marine tanker loading. The project will TransCanada is holding a binding Following the completion of the open
also include delivery to existing refineries in season, which ends mid-June 2013, to obtain season, and subject to receipt of sufficient
Montreal and Quebec City as well as the firm long-term commitments from interested contractual commitments from shippers,
refinery in St John. parties for the project. This is the next step TransCanada intends to proceed with the
TransCanada says that the pipeline has in the process in determining the necessary regulatory applications for the
been designed and will be constructed and commercial viability of converting more of required facilities and to provide
operated to the highest industry standards, the capacity of the Canadian Mainline from transportation services. Subject to regulatory
and will meet or exceed all requirements of natural gas to crude oil service, in order to approvals, the project is expected to be in
provincial and federal legislation. The supply eastern Canadian markets with oil service to Montreal and Quebec City in 2017,
company also hopes it will create a new produced in the west. and to St John in 2018.

Tube Turns Division of Sypris Technologies Inc. offers the industrys

largest variety of quick opening closures, including T-Bolt, Threaded,
Single-Bolt Yoke, Double-Bolt Yoke, and Tool-Less closures.
Available in sizes 2 through 72, Class 150 through Class 2500.
Please contact:
Tube Turns Division of Sypris Technologies, Inc.,
2612 Howard Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40211 USA
+1 502-774-6011
www.tubeturns.com

8 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

around the world

Your Next Strategic Move

the Right One !
Arrow Bowen Pipeline gains approval
Australian company Arrow Energys proposed Bowen Pipeline, in Queensland, Australia, has been
approved by the Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection.

T
he 580 km long Arrow Bowen Pipeline ARROW BOW EN PIPELINE PRELIMINARY RO UTE (RE V D)
14740'0"E 1480'0"E 14820'0"E 14840'0"E 1490'0"E 14920'0"E 14940'0"E 1500'0"E 15020'0"E 15040'0"E 1510'0"E 15120'0"E 15140'0"E

(ABP) will transport coal seam gas (CSG) 200'0"S

200'0"S
from the Bowen Basin in central
Queensland to a proposed LNG plant on
2020'0"S

2020'0"S
Curtis Island. The pipeline will be buried at a
!(
proserpine MORANBAH !(
!( MACKAY

ROCKHAMPTON
!(
!(
minimum depth of 750 mm in a 30 m easement.
!( GLADSTONE

collinsville
2040'0"S

2040'0"S
The ABP will involve construction of a
Locality Plan
42 inch diameter gas transmission pipeline
210'0"S

210'0"S
consisting of a main line and three laterals.
!( mackay
Arrows exploration of the Bowen Gas X
AB-0
2120'0"S

2120'0"S
Project area seeks to progressively obtain a !(
glenden
1 !(
sarina
better understanding of the nature of the X
EL-0

coal seams in the Bowen Basin exploration

2140'0"S

2140'0"S
AB-50
X
!(
NEBO
acreage. The Bowen Gas Project lies adjacent 2

moranbah X
to the existing Moranbah Gas Project, one of
EL-50
220'0"S

220'0"S
!( AB-100
X

the largest CSG fields in Australia, which has

been producing gas for the domestic market
SL-0
X AB-150
2220'0"S

2220'0"S
X

since 2004. 3
DL-0
X
Queensland Minister for Environment !(
dysart X
AB-200
2240'0"S

2240'0"S
and Heritage Protection Andrew Powell says 4
AB-250

peak downs !( X

the department has completed its !( middlemount 5

230'0"S

230'0"S
AB-300

assessment of the environmental-impact

X
!(
capella 6
AB-350 !( yeppoon
statement (EIS) for the ABP Project. X

rockhampton
2320'0"S

2320'0"S
The department considered the EIS 7
!(

gracemere
!(

documentation, as well as public !(

emerald !( blackwater
AB-400
X

submissions, before deciding it was satisfied

2340'0"S

2340'0"S
8 AB-450
!( X

the environmental impacts of the pipeline duaringa X 9 !(

AB-477.265

would not be unacceptable, Mr Powell says. gladstone

240'0"S

240'0"S
The EIS was a comprehensive study of
all environmental, economic, and social
2420'0"S

2420'0"S

impacts and benefits arising from the

!(
biloela
project, and was conducted in accordance
2440'0"S

2440'0"S

with the relevant Australian federal and

state requirements. It sets in place strict
Document: I:\ENVR\Projects\EN02962\Spatial\ArcGIS\V2\Mapsheets_250k_A3.mxd Date: 23/11/2011

250'0"S

250'0"S

environmental controls to govern all Our LineExplorer fleet for

aspects of the projects operations
state-of-the-art in-line inspection tasks
2520'0"S

2520'0"S

throughout its lifetime. 14740'0"E 1480'0"E 14820'0"E 14840'0"E 1490'0"E 14920'0"E 14940'0"E 1500'0"E 15020'0"E 15040'0"E 1510'0"E 15120'0"E 15140'0"E

Mapsheet Overview - 1: 250,000

Mr Powell says that the pipeline will

Legend Data Sources:

also require an Environmental Authority (!

X
Localities
Kilometre Points
StreetPro: Localities
Digitised by SKM: Mapsheets
Data Supplied by Arrow Energy:
AB Mainline Rev D

from the department which will set out Dysart Lateral Rev D
Elphinstone Lateral Rev D
ABP Mainline RevD,
ABP Lateral RevD,
Kilometre Points
0 25 50

Kilometres

enforceable environmental performance

Saraji Lateral Rev D
Mapsheets Scale: 1:1,750,000 @ A3
Coordinate System: GCS GDA 1994

requirements during the construction and NOT FOR CONSTRUCTION

operation of the pipeline.
With the EIS process now finalised, The preliminary route of the Arrow Bowen Pipeline, located in Queensland, Australia.
Arrow Energy will need to obtain final NDT Systems & Services GmbH & Co. KG NDT Middle East FZE NDT Systems & Services LLC
approvals from Queensland Department of Friedrich-List-Str. 1 ZH-01, R/A 13, PO Box 261651 2835 Holmes Road
D-76297 Stutensee Jebel Ali Free Zone, Dubai Houston, Texas 77051
Environment and Heritage Protection and Mr Powell says the pipeline would Arrow lodged the draft EIS for the ABP Germany United Arab Emirates USA
other government agencies. This project will involve a capital investment of approxi- in December 2011. This was approved by Phone: +49 (0)72 44 7415-0 Phone: +971 4 883 77 41 Phone: +1 713 799 5400
also require Federal Government approval mately $US1 billion and generate approxi- the Queensland State Government for Fax: +49 (0)72 44 7415-97 Fax: +971 4 883 77 62 Fax: +1 713 799 5406
www.ndt-global.com www.ndt-global.com www.ndt-global.com
before construction can commence. mately 700 new jobs. public release in March 2012.
info@ndt-global.com uae@ndt-global.com usa@ndt-global.com

10 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

around the world

Deep Sea High Tech

Gas to flow from Producing large-diameter pipes for a deep sea environment is now more than ever
a task that carries great responsibility and requires a high degree of sensitivity.

Northern Mozambique
EUROPIPE combines decades of experience with technological leadership. Our pipes
withstand even the highest pressure levels and the most aggressive media.
EUROPIPE. Taking the challenge.

A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed between Gigajoule International Ltd and Empresa EUROPIPE GmbH +49 208 9760 An enterprise of the Dillinger Htte and Salzgitter Mannesmann groups www.europipe.com

Nacional de Hidrocarbonetos, the Mozambican state-owned oil and gas company, for the joint study
and if feasible the construction of a 2,100 km pipeline from Cabo Delgado to Maputo and regional
markets in Mozambique.

G
igajoule and Empresa Nacionale de
Hidrocarbonetos (ENHs) relationship
started in 2003 when they formed the
Matola Gas Co (MGC) and developed the gas
transmission and distribution network from
Ressano Garcia to Matola. This network,
which has now been in operation for nine
years, is supplying gas to more than
30 industries, gas vehicles, and now also
power stations. ENH recently started with the
construction of a gas pipelines to domestic
customers in Maputo.
Earlier, Gigajoule concluded pre-feasibility
studies, evaluating the economic and technical
feasibility of the North to South Gas Pipeline
and the supply of LNG to the major markets in
Mozambique. Based on this studies, Gigajoule
and ENH decided to proceed with the
feasibility study of the pipeline.
A large-diameter pipeline connecting the
northern gas discoveries with the energy
needs of the south would have a dramatic
impact on the economy of Mozambique and
its neighbours.
Adequate volumes of clean natural gas,
delivered to critical areas, can alleviate major
present and future power shortages in the
region with minimum impact on the
environment. Mozambican communities
along the pipeline route will benefit by having
gas available for public and agricultural
transport and power generation.
The cost of the pipeline project is estimated
at around $US3 billion, and an estimate
$US5 million would be spent to do the detailed
feasibility studies. The study should be ready
for presentation to the Mozambican
Government by mid-2014.
This venture could form the backbone for
a new industrial revolution in Mozambique
and at the same time support Southern Africa
with much-needed clean energy.

Rubber Track
Conversion Systems Trucks ATVs
Tractors UTVs
Over 100 models Trailers
available

Karlstad, MN / 877-436-7800 toll free US & Canada / 218-683-9800 / mattracks.com 13SM00000239

12 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

 Lifting the Standard
around the world

Nord Stream plans expansion

Gazprom and Gasunie have signed on to co-operate in exploring the possibilities of the Nord Stream
gas pipeline expansion.

T
he Chairman of the Gazprom
Management Committee Dr Alexey
Miller, and the Chairman of the
Executive Board and President of Gasunie Paul
Van Gelder, recently signed a document in
Amsterdam confirming their companies
interest in the expansion project, as well as
setting-up other infrastructure projects in
Europe aimed at providing uninterrupted
supplies to northwestern Europe and the UK.
The existing twin pipelines 1,224 km long
route, entirely offshore through the Baltic Sea,
passes through the Exclusive Economic Zones
of Russia, Finland, Sweden, Denmark and
Germany, and through the territorial waters of
Russia, Denmark and Germany, with landfalls
in Russia and Germany.
In an earlier feasibility study, Nord Stream
AG identified different route corridor options Map of the Finnish section of the pipeline.

for the possible extension of the gas pipeline

system through the Baltic Sea. Based upon
the feasibility report findings, the company
then obtained the approval of its
shareholders to further develop the project.
The expansion project comprises the
planning, construction and operation of up to
two additional offshore gas pipelines through
the Baltic Sea from Russia to Germany, each
with a capacity of approximately 27.5 Bcm/a,
and with similar properties to those of the
existing two Nord Stream pipelines: 48 inch
diameter steel pipes with internal flow coating,
external corrosion protection coating, and
concrete weight coating; an internal pipe
diameter of 1,153 mm; varying pipe-wall
thicknesses along the route corresponding to
decreasing design pressures in the range of
220 bar, 200 bar, and 177.5 bar; and a total
pipeline length of around 1,250 km.
Pipeline Testing & Maintenance
Based on its existing knowledge, Nord
Stream AG evaluated several route options,
including a corridor through Estonian EEZ
waters. Subsequently, the company applied
for survey permits in the corresponding
countries to commence as soon as possible,
with the further investigations for an
optimised pipeline routeing. However, in
December 2012, the Estonian government
decided not to grant the company a permit
to perform a reconnaissance survey of its
waters. The original route options therefore
had to be revised.
Other corridors from the departure landfall
in Russia run through Finnish, Swedish and
Danish waters to the landfall in Germany.
Detailed investigations will be based on
new reconnaissance and detailed surveys,
environmental surveys, basic engineering, risk
assessments, environmental and social impact
assessments and stakeholder feedback.
All this information will lead to a final
route proposal with alternatives in each
country, which will then be described in detail
in the projects environmental impact
assessment report and the country-specific
permit applications for pipeline construction
and operation.
The pipeline system is preliminarily
scheduled to be constructed from 2016
to 2018.
The shareholders of the Nord Stream
consortium are the Russian company OAO
Gazprom (51 per cent) and the four European
companies Wintershall Holding GmbH Our smallest machine is a big deal
(15.5 per cent), E.ON Ruhrgas AG (15.5 per
cent), NV Nederlandse Gasunie (9 per cent)
We have been building small pipe layers for over 20 years,
and GDF Suez (9 per cent).
and we always thought that there was nothing better in
this class. But the new LIEBHERR RL24 pipe layer proves us
wrong! It has wider tracks and the typical hinged boom

PRESSURE PUMPS STRAINERS

as standard. Its cabin with ROPS structure, heater and air
conditioning provides a safe and comfortable working
environment, and with a 24.000 kg lift capacity, this
FLOW METERS
HIGH HEAD
machine again raises the bar.

FUEL TANKS

LOW HEAD FILL PUMP

Pig Launchers and Receivers from 6 to 42 diameter.
Everything You Need - Sales Rental
AIR DRYERS

Maats Pipeline Equipment Breukersweg 4 P.O. Box 165 7470 AD Goor (Holland)
Tel.: +31 (0)547 26 00 00 Fax: +31 (0)547-26 10 00 info@maats.com www.maats.com

14 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

around the world
Taq Taq to Khurmala Pipeline complete
Genel Energy and Addax Petroleum have completed the 70 km Taq Taq to Khurmala Pipeline in the
Zagros Basin, northern Iraq.
T
he Taq Taq licence area covers
approximately 951 sq km, and has
2P reserves of 607 MMbbl. It is located
60 km northeast of the Kirkuk oil field,
adjacent to the city of Kirkiuk, 85 km
southeast of the city of Erbil and 120 km
northwest of the city of Sulaimaniyah.
Genel Energy states that there are
12 producing wells at Taq Taq, and the
current production capacity of the field is
120,000 bbl/d, with plans in place to increase
this to 200,000 bbl/d in 2014.
Front-end engineering and design
(FEED) contractor OSD said that the project
scope for the Taq Taq site included up to
1 MMbbl of oil storage in floating-roof tanks;
pump systems; meters; office and warehouse
facilities; and all utilities for the site such as
fire water, power generation, control and
SCADA systems; oily water treatment, and
diesel storage.
16 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
The Taq Taq to Khurmala Pipeline
system includes a fibre-optic cable with
redundant satellite communications,
emergency-shutdown systems, pigging
facilities, and cathodic-protection systems.
OSD said that the 24 inch oil pipeline
traverses high undulating terrain from Taq
Taq to Kirkuk, with the route influenced by
topography, river crossings and minefields.
At its peak, the route rises to approximately
800 m. As part of the FEED requirements,
OSD personnel completed field right-of-way
and facilities site surveys in the remote
Kurdistan region of Iraq.
The Taq Taq to Khurmala Pipeline,
which was constructed by local company
KAR, forms part of a larger infrastructure
plan by the Kurdistan Regional
Government, which is planning to construct
a 1 MMbbl capacity oil pipeline to export oil
from the Kurdistan region to the Turkish
... Makes Reliable
Welding Easy!!!
border. The first phase of this project is to
connect Taq Taq to the Erbil refinery and
the existing Kirkuk to Ceyhan export
infrastructure. The second phase of this
project is to link the oil fields in the
Kurdistan region directly to Fishkabur on
the Turkish border.
The plan aims to reduce the bottleneck
on oil supplies via the previous export
method. Previously oil was trucked
approximately 135 km to Khurmala or
255 km to Fishkabur, where it was metered and
pumped into the Kirkuk to Ceyhan Pipeline.
Genel Energy has now begun
construction on the second phase from
Khurmala to the Fishkabur pump station
on the border with Turkey. The pump
station will have an initial capacity of
300,000 bbl/d.
The second phase is expected to be in
operation by 2014.
P.W.T. SrL
TE
RN
ATI ON AL
PI Via Salvo dAcquisto, 1 - 26862 Guardamiglio - Lodi - Italy
P
IN
E
LI N
Phone: +39 0377 451228 - Fax: +39 0377 451094
E&
OF F
e-mail: info@pwtsrl.com - web site: www.pwtsrl.com
SH
S
R RE
CO NTR AC TO
world wrap world wrap

Bakken Expansion complete

Enbridge Energy Partners, LP and Enbridge Income Fund have
Yamal-Europe-2 pipeline in the works One-of-a-kind pipeline completed
announced that the Bakken Pipeline Expansion Project is complete and
Gazprom and EuRoPol GAZ have signed a The 880 km long, 24 inch, Lanzhou-Chengdu
in service. The project reversed and expanded an existing pipeline,
Memorandum of Understanding for the Yamal- Crude Pipeline, which extends from Chinas
running from Berthold, North Dakota, to Steelman, Saskatchewan, and
Europe-2 Gas Pipeline Project. The pipeline will Western Crude Pipeline terminal in Lanzhou,
constructed a new 16 inch pipeline from a new terminal near Steelman
have an annual throughput of no less than 15 Bcm Gansu Province, to Pengzhou terminal
to the Enbridge Pipelines Inc. mainline terminal near Cromer, Manitoba.
and will run to Slovakia and Hungary via Poland. station in Sichuan Province, running
A feasibility study for this project is expected to be through Gansu, Shaanxi and Sichuan
available within six months. Provinces, is now completed. The pipeline is
capable of delivering 10 MMt/a of crude and
has been designed with a maximum pressure
of 13.4 MPa, and a hydraulic head of 2,207 m.
MoU for TANAP
Nabucco Gas Pipeline International GmbH has
signed a Memorandum of Understanding and
Co-operation with Trans Anatolian Pipeline
(TANAP), in which the two parties formally
agree to co-operate on the development of the
southern gas corridor. The MoU states that
Nabucco and TANAP will exchange technical
and other strategic information and co-
operate in a manner that will support the
development of their respective projects.
DabholBengaluru Pipeline completed
The gas supply to the city of Bengaluru in India has commenced
with the completion of GAILs 1,000 km DabholBengaluru
Pipeline. The pipeline has a design capacity of 565 Mcf/d and
will bring natural gas to the people of Karnataka for the first
time. A gas transmission agreement between GAIL and
Karnataka Power Corporation Ltd (KPCL) provides for supply of
Gas to flow to Texas/Mexico border
74 MMcf/d of natural gas from GAILs pipeline to feed KPCLs
NET Midstream has announced that NET Phase 2 of Halfaya Project commences
power plant for 700 MW of power generation at Bidadi. The
Mexico Pipeline, a wholly owned CNPC has commenced the second phase of its
supplies are expected to start within the next 30 months.
subsidiary of NET, will build an Halfaya Project in southern Iraq, which includes
approximately 200 km, 42 inch diameter, a 272 km long pipeline. The second phase of the
natural gas pipeline system to the Texas/ project, which also includes 60 wells and a
Mexico border with associated 5 Mt/a crude processing centre, is expected to
compression. NET Mexico will be anchored be operational in the second quarter of 2014
by a long-term firm gas transportation and capable of outputting 200,000 bbl/d of
agreement, for up to 2.1 Bcf/d, with MGI crude oil. The third phase of the project, with a
Supply Ltd, an indirect wholly owned productivity target of 600,000 bbl/d, is
subsidiary of Pemex Gas y Petroqumica expected to be completed by the end of 2016.
Bsica, the Mexican state-owned gas
company. NET Mexico will transport gas
from the Agua Dulce Hub in Nueces County,
Texas, to a point near Rio Grande City in
Starr County, Texas.

To stay informed on this news and more, subscribe to the Pipelines International Update www.pipelinesinternational.com

18 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 19

Project briefs

Held under the Patronage of His Excellency Shaikh Ahmed bin Mohamed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance,
Minister in Charge of Oil and Gas Affairs, Chairman of National Oil & Gas Authority, Kingdom of Bahrain

Cactus Pipeline
Promoter: Plains All American Pipeline (PAA), 5900 Cherry Ave, Long Beach, CA 90805, USA. Tel: +1 562 728 2800
Scope: The 499 km, 20 inch crude oil pipeline will run from McCamey to Gardendale, Texas. The pipeline is expected to transport both sweet
and sour crude oil from the Permian Basin to the PAA/Enterprise Products Partners Eagle Ford Joint Venture (Eagle Ford JV) Pipeline. The Eagle
Ford JV Pipeline directly serves the Three Rivers and Corpus Christi markets and can supply the Houston-area market through a connection to
the Enterprise South Texas Crude Oil Pipeline. Crude oil delivered through Cactus will have access to rail loading at PAAs Gardendale station
and access to the Eagle Ford JV barge dock in the Corpus Christi area.
Project update: The Partnership has entered into a letter of intent with a third party regarding a long-term commitment for the majority of
the pipelines capacity and is in discussions with several potential shippers for the remaining capacity. The total project investment is expected
to range from $US350 million to $US375 million.

2023 October 2013, Bahrain

Pipeline length: 499 km
Pipeline capacity: 200,000 bbl/d of capacity, which can be increased as demand warrants
Expected completion date: First quarter of 2015

GULF CONVENTION CENTRE, BAHRAIN

Power of Siberia ORGANIZERS
Promoter: Gazprom 16 Nametkina St, Moscow, Russia
Tel: +7 495 719 3001; Fax: +7 495 719 8333 Global
W
Scope: The Power of Siberia pipeline will become a unified gas Webb
transmission system (GTS) for the Irkutsk and Yakutia gas Bluegrass Pipeline

production centres and convey gas from these centres to

Promoter: Williams, One Williams Center, Tulsa, OK 74172, US
Vladivostok via Khabarovsk. The approximately 4,000 km,
Tel: +1 800 945 5426 SILVER SPONSORS
56 inch, Yakutia Khabarovsk Vladivostok gas trunkline will
Scope: The 1,770 km long pipeline will transport natural gas PLATINUM ELITE SPONSOR
be constructed in the projects first stage, and in the second
liquids from the infrastructure-constrained Marcellus and
stage the Irkutsk centre will be connected to the Yakutia centre
Utica shale plays to the rapidly expanding petrochemical and
by the pipeline. The GTS route will run in parallel with the
export complex on the US Gulf Coast, as well as the developing
currently operating Eastern Siberia Pacific Ocean oil
petrochemical market in the northeast US. As proposed, the
pipeline, thus enabling streamlining of the infrastructure and
Bluegrass Pipeline would include: a newly constructed section
power supply costs. The GTS route will pass through swampy,
from producing areas in West Virginia and Ohio to an
mountainous, and seismically hazardous areas.
interconnect with Boardwalks Texas Gas Transmission, LLC
Project update: Gazprom and Chinas CNPC have signed a
system, converting a portion of the TGT Loop Line from natural
Memorandum of Understanding to transport gas to China as part
gas service to NGL service, and constructing a new large-scale Join leaders in the international pipeline industry as they converge for the Best Practice in Pipeline
of the Power of Siberia Project. Operations and Integrity Management Conference and Exhibition in Bahrain.
fractionation plant and expanding natural gas liquids storage
Pipeline length: 4,000 km
facilities in Louisiana and a new pipeline connecting these
Pipeline capacity: 61 Bcm/a
facilities to the converted TGT Loop Line.
Expected completion date: Late 2017
Project update: Williams and Boardwalk Pipeline
CONFERENCE EXHIBITION
Partners, LP have executed a letter of intent to form a joint Technical streams presented by industry leaders covering a wide A comprehensive exhibition will be part of the event, allowing
venture to develop the pipeline. range of subjects will run over the two and a half day event. companies from around the world to showcase their products and
Pipeline length: 1,770 km Some of the subjects to be discussed; services. Visit our website to book your space.
Pipeline capacity: 200,000 bbl/d up to 400,000 bbl/d Planning, design, construction and materials
Expected completion date: 2015 Operations and maintenance NETWORKING
Asset integrity management Throughout the event there will be ample opportunities to network
Inspection and cathodic protection with participants to further your business relationships. Meet with
Repair and rehabilitation industry leaders from around the world.
Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) Automation and control
Promoter: Trans Adriatic Pipeline AG, Lindenstrasse 2, 6340 Baar, Switzerland. Tel: +41 41 747 3400; Fax: +41 41 747 3401 Leak detection
Scope: TAP is a natural gas pipeline project that will transport gas from the Caspian region via Greece and Albania and across the Adriatic Sea Paper abstracts are now being accepted.
to southern Italy and further into western Europe. The approximate length of the sections through each country are 478 km in Greece, 204 km in
Albania, 105 km offshore in the Adriatic Sea, and 4 km in Italy. TAP AG comprises Switzerlands EGL (42.5 per cent interest), Norways Statoil

T E R N OW
REGIS
(42.5 per cent interest) and Germanys E.ON Ruhrgas (15 per cent interest).
Project update: The Albanian Ministry of Economy, Trade and Energy and the TAP project have signed a Host Government Agreement
(HGA), formally agreeing the terms of engagement for the Southern Gas Corridor pipelines future delivery. The HGA sets out the regulations by
which the project will be implemented and operated on Albanian territory. This includes processes on land easement and acquisition, the
implementation of technical, safety, environmental, and social standards and permitting regulations. Upon ratification by the national
parliament in the coming weeks, the HGA will become a fully binding law.
Pipeline length: Over 800 km
Pipeline capacity: 1020 Bcm/a
Expected completion date: 2017/2018

www.pipelineconf.com
20 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
co2 pipelines

IN ASSOCIATION WITH HOSTED BY

Measuring decompression wave

speed in CO2 mixtures by a shock tube SUPPORTED BY

By Kamal K. Botros, NOVA Research and Technology Centre, Calgary, AB, Canada, and Eduardo Hippert Jr and
Pedro Craidy, Petrobras/CENPES/PDP/TMEC, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS) is one of the proposed technologies to reduce emissions of

Pipeline
CO2 to the atmosphere. CCS will require the transportation of the CO2 from the capture locations to
the storage locations via large-scale pipeline projects with one of the key requirements for the design
and operation of pipelines in all jurisdictions being fracture control.

I
n the supercritical state, CO2 is a
particularly challenging fluid because its
thermodynamic characteristics are such
that a very high driving force for fracture can
be sustained for a long time. With materials
specified appropriately for the prevention of
brittle failure, the key element is the control
of propagating ductile (or tearing) fracture.
The determination of the required toughness
for the arrest of ductile fracture requires
knowledge of the decompression behaviour
of the contained fluid.
This article presents an example of
accurate measurements of the
decompression wave speed obtained from a
specialised shock-tube test conducted on a
binary mixture of CO2 and methane (CH4).
This mixture represents off-gas (residue gas)
from an offshore oil and gas production
operation. This gas is transported back to the
reservoir location from the processing
facilities via dedicated high-pressure
Pipeline Leak Detection that Works
Figure 1: Schematic of the shock tube set-up.
pipelines to be re-injected into the reservoir.
A specialised high-pressure shock tube
(42 m long, and 1.5 inch (38.1 mm) internal
diameter) has been designed and
constructed at TCPL Gas Dynamics Test
Facility in Didsbury, Alberta, Canada for this
purpose (for details see ref [1]). Figures 1
Investments in Technologies for Gas Network Expansion
Gastech 2014s Pipeline Infrastructure focus will offer an invaluable opportunity for:
and 2 show a schematic and a photo of the
facility, respectively. At the front part of the
tube, and close to the rupture location, is a
highly-instrumented spool with several
high-frequency response dynamic-pressure
transducers to capture the pressure-decay
profiles with a high degree of accuracy. The
Continued on page 24
Infrastructure
Global connections in a regional setting opening doors and linking international
contractors with global suppliers
Pipeline contractors and providers to meet with national and international City
Gas Operators looking to invest and develop their pipeline infrastructure
Infrastructure investors to uncover manufacturers and providers to partner on
upcoming and existing upstream projects
Call Glen Miller on +44 (0)203 615 2859
or email pipeinfra@gastechkorea.com
Book
your
For more information on Pipeline
Infrastructure at Gastech visit stand
www.gastechkorea.com/pipeinfra today!

Detects small leaks in seconds

Better Performance in all
metrics: leak size, time to Explore the other Gastech 2014 focus areas
detect, & leak location all
proven upon commissioning
Cost Efficient, and easy
installation

contact@asel-tech.com Offshore & Natural Gas LNG & Gas Gas Unconventional
Power
www.asel-tech.com Subsea Vehicles Carrier HSSE Liquefaction Monetisation Gas Investor
Generation
Technology (NGV) Shipbuilding NGL/GTL Zone
Cell: +1 -281-794-3854
Phone: +1-832-437-1578 Find out more at: www.gastechkorea.com/exhibition

22 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

co2 pipelines
Continued FROM page 22
Figure 2. Photo of the NPS 2 shock tube.
tube is honed to an extremely smooth
surface finish, in order to minimise frictional
effects and better simulate the behaviour of
larger-diameter pipelines. The shock tube is
connected to an auxiliary system inside a
heated building close to the tube. The
auxiliary system includes a vacuum pump,
and a charge compressor which transfers base
gas from a mixing station containing gas
cylinders into the shock tube rig to make up
the desired mixture composition for the test.
A rupture disc is placed at the front end
of the tube which, upon rupturing, causes a
decompression wave to propagate up the
42 m pressurised shock tube. The rupture
discs used are commercial Fike SCRD BT FSR
discs, along with Fikes SRX rupture-disc
holder. These discs are circumferentially
scored, which disengages the entire middle
part upon rupture, as shown in Figure 3. The
disc holder is made out of carbon steel and is
designed to achieve a tight metal-to-metal
seal while maintaining tight rupture
tolerances. Once the disc is ruptured, choked
flow conditions will be established at the front
surface of the front flange on the shock tube.
Figure 3: Discs used in the present work (before and
after rupture).
The experimentally determined
decompression wave speed is obtained from
the slope of the distance-time linear fit of
the time of arrival of the decompression
wave at a given pressure at all the front four
or five locations of the pressure transducers.
24 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
Figure 4: Pressure-time traces following rupture (27.4 per cent CH4 and 72.6 per cent CO2 ).
The slope of the linear fit to these data
represents the decompression wave speed
at this pressure.
The procedure is repeated for the full
pressure range, from the initial pressure to
the minimum pressure attained by the
furthest transducer from the set used in the
linear fit. Apparent kinks in the pressure-
time profiles are indicative of the
decompression wave isentrope crossing the
phase envelope into the two-phase region
corresponding to the tested gas mixture. It
is known that, at a phase-boundary
crossing, a sharp drop in the speed of sound
occurs due to the dramatic drop in the
thermodynamic derivative.
Test results
An example of the test results is presented,
corresponding to a mixture composition of
27.4 per cent CH4 and 72.6 per cent CO2 (by
mole). The initial pressure and temperature are
28.568 MPa/a and 40.5 oC, respectively. Figure 4
shows the pressure-time profiles recorded by
the pressure transducers along spool No. 1 of
the shock tube. Note that apparent plateaus in
these profiles occur at around 9 MPa/a.
Figure 5 shows the experimentally
determined decompression wave speed
profiles vs pressure. The experimentally
determined decompression wave speed
profiles shown are those based on the
pressure-time profiles of the first five pressure
transducers (i.e. PT1, PT1A, PT1B, PT2, and
PT3). The prediction of decompression wave
speed from the same initial pressure and
Figure 5: Experimental determination of decompression
wave speed and comparison with prediction based on
GERG-2008 (27.4 per cent CH4 and 72.6 per cent CO2 ).
temperature using the GERG-2008 equation
of state [2] is also shown in Figure 5, for
comparison. It is shown that prediction by
GERG-2008 closely follows the experimentally
determined profile in the part of the curve
above the plateau pressure. The plateau
represents a phase transition as the isentrope
along the decompression wave as it crosses
the equilibrium phase envelope (in this case
the bubble-point line) of the mixture. There is
other information in Figure 5 which will be
discussed later.
Figure 6 shows the isentropes as predicted
by GERG-2008 on a pressure-temperature
diagram. Note the intercept of the isentrope
with the bubble-point curve of phase
envelope of the respective mixtures showing
the phase-boundary crossing pressures and
their correspondence to the respective plateau
in Figure 6.
Continued on page 26
co2 pipelines
Continued FROM page 24
Figure 6: Pressure-temperature isentropes based on
GERG-2008 (27.4 per cent CH4 and 72.6 per cent CO2 ).
At the initial pressure and temperature,
the experimentally determined speed of
sound at the initial condition is determined
to be 514 m/s, as shown. The corresponding
speed of sound predicted by GERG-2008 at
the same initial condition is 516 m/s, which
is in very good agreement. Figure 6 also
shows that the measured plateau pressure is
at a slightly higher pressure than that
predicted using the GERG-2008 equation of
state (EOS). This is an important aspect when
it comes to the determination of the required
fracture toughness to arrest ductile fracture
in the design of a specific pipeline, as will be
discussed below.
Do we still need full-scale
rupture tests?
The quick answer is yes. Let us discuss
this aspect. Arrest toughness is typically
calculated using the Battelle Two-Curve
method (TCM), which was developed in the
1970s for fracture arrest in natural gas
pressurised pipelines [3]. It is applied here
for the present CO2+CH4 mixture for brevity.
The pipe fracture speed vs gas pressure
(often called the J-curve) is applied
iteratively by varying fracture resistance
expressed as the Charpy upper-shelf energy
(CVN in joules) to establish tangency
between curves expressing the variation of
fracture speed and decompression wave
speed as a function of pressure. As shown in
Figure 5, the decompression curve for the
present test condition exhibits a very long,
constant-pressure, plateau (from 8 to 140 m/s).
The implication of these characteristics on
the TCM procedure is that tangency between
the fracture propagation speed curve and the
decompression wave speed curve occurs
along the pressure plateau. Figure 5 shows an
example of these tangency conditions for a
24 inch diameter, grade 480 (X70), pipeline
with 19.1 mm wall thickness, operating at
28.568 MPa-a. The corresponding CVNs for
ductile fracture arrest are 115 J if the
experimentally determined decompression
26 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
Based on Shock
Tube Measurements
TCM
After applying Leis Correction
After applying
Wilkowskis Correction
After applying Eibers
Correction (for X80)
Table 1: CVN using various correction factors for X70 grade steel for the present example.
wave speed is used, and 84 J if the GERG-2008
prediction is used.
Now, assuming that the correction
factors for using the X70 grade pipe
developed by Leis [4], Wolkowski et al. [5],
and Eiber [6, 7] for natural gas pipeline can
be applied here, the above CVN of 115 J based
on the shock-tube measurement of the
decompression wave speed shall be
corrected to the values given in Table 1. Note
that these three correction factors are
applied only if CVN value predicted by the
TCM is greater than 94 J. Based on this,
clearly if one relies only on the GERG-2008
prediction, the required CVN value to arrest
ductile fracture will be very low (84 J), while
if a shock-tube test is conducted, the
required CVN with a correction factor for X70
grade steel would be as high as 160 J. Clearly,
the shock-tube test was very important to
bring about a more accurate determination
of the required CVN value, but is this
enough?
The TCM and the associated correction
factors by Leis (2000), Wilkowski (2006), and
Eiber (2008) all were initially developed and
applied to high-pressure natural gas
mixtures. In these mixtures, the extent of the
plateau in the decompression wave speed
curve varies from being relatively short to
medium, depending on the richness of the
gas mixture, but not as the plateau exhibited
in the CO2 mixtures such as the one shown in
Figure 5 which even extends to close to the
zero speed. Furthermore, the applied forces
on the pipe wall flap at the crack-tip opening
is not fully understood or known compared
to the natural gas cases where a sufficient
number of full-scale burst tests have been
conducted in the past four to five decades.
Therefore, it is important at the present
state of knowledge of pipeline ductile
fracture of CO2 mixtures with impurities, to
conduct at least one or two full-scale burst
tests for each design case to validate the
application of the TCM method. There might
be a need to develop a different set of
Required CVN
Based on
GERG 2008 EOS
115 84
126 84
160 84
142 84
correction factors for these mixtures
depending on outcome of these burst tests,
which hopefully will be conducted in the
near future as CO2 pipeline projects develop.
References
1. Botros, K.K., Geerligs, J.,and Eiber, R.J.,
2010. Measurement of decompression
wave speeds in rich gas mixtures at high
pressures (370 bar) using specialized
rupture tube. ASME Journal of Pressure C
Vessel Technology, 132, pp 051303-1, M
October.
Y
2. Kunz, O., Klimeck, R., Wagner, W., and
Jaeschke, M., 2007. The GERG-2004 CM
wide-range equation of state for natural MY
gases and other mixtures. Groupe
CY
Europen de Recherches Gazires
(GERG), Technical Monograph, GERG CMY
TM15. K
3. Eiber, R., Bubenik, T., and Maxey, W.A.,
1993. Fracture control technology for
natural gas pipelines. NG-18 Report 208,
AGA Catalogue No. L51691.
4. Leis, B.N., 2000. Predicting fracture
arrest based on a relationship Between
Charpy V-Notch toughness and dynamic
crack-propagation resistance. Pipeline
Technology, Vol .1. Proc. 3rd International
Pipeline Technology Conference, Ed. R.
Denys, Brugge, Belgium, 21-24, May, pp
407-420.
5. Wilkowski, G., Rudland, D., Xu, H., and
Sanderson, N., 2006. Effect of grade on
ductile fracture arrest criteria for gas
pipelines. Proc. IPC 2006 International
Pipeline Conference, American Society of
Mechanical Engineers, Calgary, Alberta,
Canada, September.
6. Eiber, R. J., 2008. Fracture propagation
1: Fracture-arrest prediction requires
correction factors. Oil & Gas Journal,
106, 39, 20 October.
7. Eiber, R. J., 2008. Fracture propagation
Conclusion: Prediction steel grade
dependent. Oil & Gas Journal, 106, 40,
27 October.
co2 pipelines

Making the most

of the CO2 Forum
The Fourth International Forum on CO2 Transportation by
Pipeline will be held from 1920 June 2013 in Newcastle, UK.

W
ith many new developments Two-day short course
surrounding carbon capture A two-day training course, presented by
storage (CCS), you will not want to Dr Kamal K. Botros and Brian Rothwell, will

1920 June 2013

miss out on any of the informative papers
that the Forum on CO2 Transportation by
Pipeline has to offer.
The event, organised by Tiratsoo
Technical (a division of Great Southern
Press), Houston-based Clarion Technical
Conferences, and supported by the
precede the Forum. The course will cover the
entire spectrum of technical issues and
requirements for the design, construction,
operation, maintenance, and risk and
integrity assessment, of pipelines carrying
Hilton Hotel, Newcastle, UK
impure CO2.
This course is intended for professionals

University of Newcastle, UK, is in its fourth
year and remains the only dedicated event
annually organised to update the industry on
the issues of transporting anthropogenic CO2.
The subject of CO2 transportation by
pipeline is of widespread and increasing
importance as many governments and
communities world-wide come to terms
with the issues of ccs for the mitigation of
climate change.
The transportation aspect is often looked
upon as the missing link in a concept that is
being widely embraced. The Forum
programme from 1920 June will come at the
issues from a number of viewpoints:
technical, regulatory, practical and social.
Full details of the programme, and abstracts
of the 24 papers being presented, are at
www.clarion.org
who require in-depth background and
technical requirements of transport systems
for impure CO2, including pipeline engineers
and designers, regulators, and health, safety,
and environmental specialists.
The course will be fully documented,
with all slides and related documents
provided as an Acrobat PDF document, and
this will be available on a CD at the
registration desk. For this reason, make sure
to bring a tablet or laptop to the course.
The course will run from 9:00 am5:00 pm
on 17 and 18 June.
To register your attendance, visit
www.clarion.org
A packed programme
Kicking off at 8:45am on Wednesday
19 June, the Forum will be opened by
Matthew Billson, Head of Technology
Development, Office of CCS, Department of
Energy and Climate Change, London, UK.
The Forums following sessions will feature a
wide range of presentations and perspectives
on the opportunities and challenges faced by
regulators, engineers, and operators of
pipelines used for CO2 transportation.
The Forum programme will be divided
into the following topics:
Standards and guidance for CO2
transportation
Research project updates
Fracture propagation
Material degradation and cracking
Design and operations
Leak and dispersion testing
modelling
The Forum will close at approximately
4:00pm on Thursday, 20 June.
A grand old Tyne
Following what has become a tradition,
after a day of packing-in knowledge, make
sure not to miss out on the annual river trip on
Wednesday evening. Departing at 6:00 pm,
the river cruise will take delegates along the
River Tyne, travelling under the Millennium
footbridge, and provide the chance to catch
up with old friends and colleagues, and
network with new acquaintances. Drinks
and a light buffet will be provided.
Make sure not to miss out. For
conference programme details and to
register visit www.clarion.org
REGISTER NOW
ORGANIZERS
Join the industry in Newcastle, UK, to take the challenges of CO2
transportation by pipeline head on.
As governments around the world search for answers to mitigate climate change through
carbon capture and storage, the pipeline industry will be meeting in Newcastle, UK, to
develop the missing link: CO2 pipelines.
Forum programme
Over two days industry experts will meet to address the challenges presented by the
transportation of anthropogenic CO2 by pipeline including:
The economics of pipeline transportation;
The materials to be used;
Regulations and risk assessment;
Hydraulic modelling; and,
Operations and maintenance.
Know where the pipeline market is heading make sure you register for the
International Forum on the Transportation of CO2 for CCS.
For more information visit www.clarion.org
1718 JUNE 2013 1920 JUNE 2013
TRAINING COURSE CONFERENCE

28 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

offshore review offshore review

Offshore pipelines Nord Stream expansion

Baltic Sea Balticonnector Project
Offshore Finland
Shah Deniz field Stage 2
Caspian Sea

Pipelines International looks at the offshore development
around the world with major pipeline projects.
Aasta Hansteen Field
for Polarled Project
In the Aasta Hansteen Field, Statoil
has proposed the 482 km long
Polarled Pipeline. The 36 inch
depth (m)
Plans for the Shah Deniz field Stage 2 are being prepared for implementation.
The Balticonnector Project aims to link the Finnish,
The twin 1,224 km long, 48 inch diameter pipelines were Estonian and Lativan natural gas grids via an 80 km long Two pipeline projects are being considered for its development: the 800 km,
completed in 2012 and are currently being evaluated for subsea pipeline between Finland and Estonia. To be 36 inch and 48 inch diameter, Trans Adriatic Pipeline, and the 1,300 km,
expansion. At the time of writing Gazprom and Gasunie have operated by Gasum and partly funded by the EU TEN-E 48 inch diameter
agreed to co-operate in exploring the possibilities of the expansion programme, the pipeline will have a 20 inch outside Nabucco West Project.
Norwegian Sea which will include a new approximately 1,250 km long, 48 inch
diameter and is still under permit evaluation. 800 km 1,300 km
diameter pipeline. Route selection is still being considered but it is
1,500 scheduled to be constructed between 20162018.
1,265
1,250 Offshore
48 inch Black Sea Saudi Arabia
1,000 South Stream Gas Pipeline Wasit Gas Programme

diameter pipeline will be laid to a 1,250 km Wasit Gas Programme encompasses the development of the
750 Gazproms 900 km, 32 inch diameter South Stream Gas
maximum depth of 1,265 m. Many Pipeline is expected to commence construction in Arabiyah and Hasbah offshore gas fields. Saipem will install a
500
contracts have been awarded for its Bulgaria in 2013. The project will include the offshore 36 inch diameter, 260 km long, export pipeline to bring the gas
construction. Turn to page 36 for a 250 onshore to the central processing facility.
gas pipeline section to run under the Black Sea from
full profile on the project. 0 the Russkaya compressor station on the Russian coast Karan Gasfield Project
to the Bulgarian coast.
Saudi Aramcos Karan gasfield project came online in 2012. The
raw gas is transported through a 110 km long, 36 inch diameter,
Gulf of Mexico subsea pipeline to
SECKO Oil Pipeline Offshore
Cameroon Cameroon the Khursaniyah Gas 36 inch
The 240 km, 18 inch diameter LNG Project Plant for processing. 110 km
18 inch
SEKCO Oil Pipeline will be The Cameroon LNG Project consist of a
constructed and owned by 240 km production plant located 30 km south of offshore Oman
Southeast Keathley Canyon Pipeline Co LLC, a Kribi on the southern coastline of
Musandam Gas Plant Project
50/50 joint venture between Enterprise and Genesis. Cameroon and will be supplied by a The Musandam Gas Plant (MGP) Project is located on the west coast of Musandam Province in the Sultanate
270 km long gas pipeline connecting gas of Oman. The MGP project is being developed by Oman Oil Co Exploration and Production to process well
resources. The liquefaction plant will fluids from the existing West Bukha platform located close by in Omani waters. Well fluids will be
Offshore have a production capacity of up to transported from the platform to the MGP through a new 23 km long subsea pipeline. The plant will produce
Perla EP Project Venezuela
3.5 MMt/a of LNG for the first train. Foster sales quality gas, oil, LPG, and sulphur, and will treat effluents to minimise environmental impact. The
Saipem signed Repsol Wheeler was contracted to do the FEED. project is expected to be online in 2014.
transport and (50%)
installation
contracts with
50/50 270 km Wheatstone Project Offshore Western Australia
Joint-venture
Cardon IV, a 50/50 The Wheatsone Project include a 225 km pipeline to transport gas from Offshore
The project is a partnership between GDF Papua New
joint-venture Eni
(50%) Suez Group and Socit Nationale des the platform to the onshore facilities at Ashburton North. The project, Guinea (PNG)
between Eni and Hydrocarbures (SHN) and has completed which is a joint venture between Australian subsidiaries, is expected to
Repsol, for the development of the Perla EP its preliminary ESIA covering both the be completed in 2016.
Project. The project includes a 67 km, pipeline and onshore facilities.
PE Wheatstone PNG LNG Project
Kyushu Electric Power Co (1.46%) Pty Ltd
30 inch diameter offshore export pipeline. PNG LNG Project is made
(part owned by
Shell (6.4%) TEPCO, 8%) up from the Hides,
Kuwait Foreign Petroleum Project Angore, and Juha gas
Offshore Brazil Exploration Co (KUFPEC, 7%) interests
fields, and the Agogo,
Santos Basin Chevron
Apache (13%) (64.14%) Gobe, and Moran oil
(pre-salt development) Offshore Angola
Angola LNG Project fields, and incorporates a 407 km long offshore pipeline.
In the Santos Basin field Eni
Gorgon LNG Project The pipeline commences at the Omati River landfall and
where Petrobras is undergoing The Angola LNG Project will (13.6%) Sonangol
follows the river for approximately 24 km past Goaribari
The Gorgon LNG Project includes a 65 km pipeline that will run from
develop previously discovered (22.8 %)
pre-salt development, Sapiem the field to shore, as well as a 180 km pipeline running from the Jansz-lo Island to the open sea. The pipeline then crosses the
non-associated gas fields in BP
holds the contract to construct (13.6%) field to shore. The project is operated by Chevron Australia Pty Ltd, Gulf of Papua to the Caution Bay landfall at the LNG
the 19 km, 18 inch Lula NE Currently, pre-salt Blocks 1 and 2. According to plant site near Port Moresby.
and is owned by a joint venture; operation is planned for early 2015.
Cernambi gas export production is taking Angola Today an approximately Project
interests Osaka Gas (1.25%) Construction of the offshore pipeline was undertaken by
place in eight different 500 km pipeline will deliver gas to Tokyo Gas (1%)
pipeline. The pipeline will
the plant from four offshore sites. Italian company Saipem, and overseen by a multi-
connect the Cernambi Field platforms, four of which Shell (25%) Chubu Electric
The project will deliver 1 Bcf/d of Total Project disciplinary Esso Highlands Ltd project team. It was
to a central manifold in the produce exclusively from Australian Company (0.75%)
(13.6%) interests completed in July 2012 with pre-commissioning taking
the pre-salt. natural gas for domestic and Chevron subsidiaries
Lula Field. (36.4%) Chevron Australia
international markets. of ExxonMobil place in November 2012.
(approximately 47%)
(25%)

30 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 31

OFFSHORE review
TDW executed a fast, efficient isolation so that the
hydrostatic strength test on a 40 inch trunk line terminal
refurbishment project could be carried out safely.
Mitigating risks with subsea isolation
TDW Offshore Services has completed two key pipeline interventions in Australia for a major operator
helping to mitigate risk of damage.
T
he two operations were carried out using the SmartPlug
pressure isolation tool for distinctly different purposes. The
technology makes it possible to isolate pipeline pressure in a
designated section of pipeline for hours, to create a safe environment
during construction works or while repairs are made.
Protection from falling objects
The first intervention, which took place during installation of a
substructure on part of a major construction project, was carried out
to protect a live gas infield flow line from falling objects. The line runs
between two platforms offshore Australia.
During construction, piles can be dropped and topple over onto
a pipeline, causing damage that could result in a catastrophic event.
To limit the negative consequences that could flow from a dropped
object, TDW isolated the operating facility from the surrounding
impact zone. It was the first time that TDW used its SmartPlug
system to mitigate the risk of damage to a pipeline during a
construction operation.
TDW isolated the pressure in a 30 inch subsea flow line. First, a
dual-module SmartPlug isolation tool was launched from the
platform and pigged to the set location, and set. The pressure was
then bled off from that point back to the platform.
For the next six months, the SmartPlug tool remained in the line
while construction activities took place. During this period, TDW
used its remotely-operated SmartTrack tracking and pressure-
monitoring system to continuously monitor the location of the
SmartPlug tool and pressure in the line.
As a result of the intervention, it was only necessary to bleed
down the affected section of the pipeline, which extends
approximately 330 m from the platform, as opposed to the entire
system, Regional Business Development Manager Asia Pacific for
32 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
By using the SmartPlug tool, we were able
to provide this valued customer with a fast,
efficient isolation so that the hydrostatic
strength test could be carried out safely.
Rolf Gunnar Lie, TDW Regional Business
Development Manager Asia Pacific
TDW Rolf Gunnar Lie said. It also meant that they were able to
install the new structure, while taking precautionary steps to reduce
the potential impact of a dropped object. The benefits that this
operator realized are considerable.
Isolating onshore
The second pipeline intervention took place on a section of a
40 inch gas export pipeline that extends from an offshore platform
to an onshore terminal. The intervention was required to complete a
hydrotest on a 40 inch pipeline terminal refurbishment project
involving multiple valve replacements.
After a beach valve and pig receiver valves were replaced, a
hydrostatic strength test was required. To ensure that this test was
safely executed, the affected line was isolated by TDW with the
SmartPlug tool. The tool was then pigged from the receiver to the set
location using water. After the hydrotest was completed, the plug
was pigged efficiently back to the launcher using nitrogen within
the scheduled timeframe.
offshore review
TORQUEGUN.COM
the
torque gun
TM tm
company
THE WORLDS FIRST IMPACT & TORQUE GUN
PUSH the shifter handle forward, engage the 4,000 rpm
high speed impact at low noise and vibration for a quick,
corrosion-overcoming pre-torque or run-up.
OF THE
PULL the shifter handle back, engage the continuous UCT YE
OD
rotation precision (+5%) torque mode for make-up and 2013
AR
PR
break-out, free of reaction arm, finger pinching and TM
destructible side load. PATENTS RECEIvED & PENDING
As a result of the intervention, it was
only necessary to bleed down the affected
section of the pipeline, which extends
approximately 330 m from the platform,
as opposed to the entire system.
Rolf Gunnar Lie, TDW Regional Business
Development Manager Asia Pacific
By using the SmartPlug tool, we were able to provide this valued
customer with a fast, efficient isolation so that the hydrostatic
strength test could be carried out safely, Mr Lie said. In addition
to the enhanced safety benefits, associated maintenance costs were For the first time, TDW used its SmartPlug pressure isolation tool to protect a live
reduced because the pipeline was isolated without reducing subsea pipeline from falling objects during construction works.
pipeline pressure or displacing pipeline inventory.
For more information visit www.tdwilliamson.com
Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 33
projects
An illustration of the Aasta Hansteen Spar. Image copyright Statoil.
Polarled goes
deep for gas
Statoil will be tapping into the rich resources in the Norwegian continental shelf and transporting the
gas via a 480 km subsea gas pipeline to the shore of Norway, in the worlds deepest laying operation
for the size of pipe.
T
he new Polarled Pipeline will run from
Aasta Hansteen to Nyhamna, north of
Bergen in southern Norway. The
pipeline will facilitate the development of
Aasta Hansteen and other fields in the
Norwegian Sea.
The Polarled Pipeline Project will include
the expansion of the Shell-operated gas
plant at Nyhamna. A separate pipeline
between Polarled and the Kristin platform
will connect the new infrastructure to the
existing infrastructure on Haltenbanken (the
origin of the sgard transportation system).
In addition, preparations will be made for
the tie-in of existing and future discoveries
in the area.
The Aasta Hansteen Field will be run
from Harstad, Statoils new northern
operations base. The supply base will be
located in Sandnessjen and the helicopter
base in Brnnysund.
The planned field development includes
a spar platform, which will be the first such
installation on the Norwegian Continental
Shelf (NCS). The spar is a floating installation
34 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
consisting of a vertical column moored to the
seabed, and includes conventional topsides
with processing facilities. The risers from
the seabed to the platform and further to
Polarled will be steel catenaries, the first of
their kind on the NCS. The spars hull will be
fitted with storage for condensate, which will
be loaded to shuttle tankers at the field.
Contracts awarded
In late February, 2013, Statoil awarded
Marubeni Itochu/JFE the fabrication contract
for linepipe, Wasco the coating contract, and
Allseas the pipe-laying contract for the project.
The contracts will provide ripple effects in
northern Norway with the total contract value
estimated at $US402.5 million.
As part of its contract, Wasco will
establish a new concrete coating plant at
Mo i Rana, in northern Norway.
Experienced local companies will
provide services to Polarled, including
buildings, port services, construction,
maintenance, logistics, and raw materials for
the production process. A requirement has
been estimated for about 50 employees
locally in Mo i Rana during the production
period between now and 2015, says Statoils
Chief Procurement Officer Jon Arnt Jacobsen.
The order for steel, valued at
approximately $US350.8 million, includes
pipes, bends, and buckle arrestors.
Pipelaying is planned for 2015, and will
involve around 325,000 tons of steel for the
482 km long, 36 inch diameter pipeline. The
line will be laid to a maximum depth of 1,265 m,
which will be the worlds deepest laying
operation for this size of pipe.
The pipes will be shipped from the
supplier in Japan to Malaysia, where internal
flow coating and external anti-corrosion
coating will be applied, following which the
pipes will be shipped to Mo i Rana for the
application of the protective external
concrete weight coating, before they are
stored until installation in 2015.
Preliminary engineering work has
already started for the pipelaying contract. It
is planned that the pipeline installation will
commence by pulling-in the pipe at the
Brnnysund, Norway.
Aasta Hansteen will contribute significantly to Statoils
equity production when the field is on stream. This field will
be the first deepwater development in the Norwegian Sea
and will also open for tie-in of existing and new discoveries.
landfall at Nyhamna in March, 2015, and will
be completed with lay-down at Aasta
Hansteen in the third quarter of 2015.
Aasta Hansteen will contribute
significantly to Statoils equity production
when the field is on stream. This field will be
the first deepwater development in the
Norwegian Sea and will also open for tie-in of
existing and new discoveries, Statoils Head of
Field Development on the NCS Ivar Aasheim
says. With these contract awards we will also
see the first steel-catenary risers and the
installation of mechanically lined pipe by
reeling in the Norwegian Sea.
This work will be performed by Subsea 7,
who has been awarded contracts worth an
estimated $US382.3 million for the subsea lines
and marine operations including towing to
the field and mooring the floating production
storage and offloading (FPSO) unit. Subsea 7s
work will include the engineering,
procurement, commissioning and installations
(EPCI) of flowlines and the steel-catenary
risers, and procurement of linepipe for the
flowline part of the EPCI contract.
Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 35
Subsea 7 is planning to establish a
permanent presence in northern Norway due
to this contract award. They also plan to use
local suppliers from northern Norway. The
complex pipeline production activity for the
steel-catenary risers and flowlines will take
place at Subsea 7s spoolbase at Vigra, Norway.
Deep Ocean has been awarded the
contract for supply and installation of the 140
km fibre-optic cable connecting the Aasta
Hansteen Field to the existing infrastructure
near Norne. This is also an EPCI contract
worth an estimated $US28.8 million. Deep
Ocean will also consider using local suppliers
in northern Norway for their services under
this contract.
We are pleased to have secured capacity
with these experienced subsea contractors,
Statoils Chief Procurement Officer Jon Arnt
Jacobsen says.
As we have said earlier the development
of Aasta Hansteen may generate substantial
ripple effects in the north. We are pleased to
see that contracts with Statoil lead to
establishments in northern Norway and
projects
Fast facts about Polarled
Gas transportation pipeline,
including expansion of the
Nyhamna processing plant
Starting point of the Aasta
Hansteen Field, 1,300 m below
sea level, 300 km offshore Bod
482 km long, ending at Nyhamna
processing plant in Mre og
Romsdal county
36 inches in diameter
The capacity will be up to
70 million cum/d in to the
Nyhamna plant
Branch pipeline 30 km long and
18 inches to the Kristin platform
connecting Polarled to sgard
Transport
Preparations for possible tie-in of
Linnorm (via Draugen), Zidane
(via Heidrun) and, possibly,
branch pipelines 60 and 173 km
south of Aasta Hansteen
Expansion and modification of
the Nyhamna processing plant
Expected to be ready for start-up
towards the end of 2016
Polarled Joint Venture ownership
shares: Statoil (50.331%),
Petoro (11.946%), OMV
(9.073%), Shell (9.019%), TOTAL
(5.110%), RWE Dea (4.791%),
ConocoPhillips (4.452%), Edison
(2.396%), Maersk Oil (2.396)
and GDF SUEZ (0.486%)
Kristin Gas export Joint Venture
ownership shares: Statoil (53.4),
Petoro (35.6) and GDF Suez (11.0)
Polarled Joint Venture and Kristin
Gas export Joint Venture are the
two ownership constellations
that the scope of the Polarled
Development Project consists of
Gassco will assume the
operatorship for Polarled in the
operating phase.
utilisation of local suppliers. Most ripple
effects, however, will take place in the
operations phase, when the field is
on stream.
The contracts are call-offs on framework
agreements for pipelaying and subsea
installations. The assignments will commence
immediately, with installation seasons in
2014, 2015, and 2016, and completion is
scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2016.
The contracts awarded are subject to
regulatory approval of the project, which is
expected in the first half of 2013.
Continued on page 36
projects industry news

Providing free
Continued FROM page 35

solutions for the

The Norwegian Sea is an exciting area on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Polarled
underpins this. Establishing new infrastructure increases the opportunities for the unpiggable
discoveries already made, and at the same time paves the way for further exploration
and the development of future discoveries.
Rune Bjrnso, Statoil Head of Natural Gas

Developing the Norwegian gas

industry
In late 2012 Statoil, together with the
other partners in Polarled, submitted the
plan for the pipelines installation and
operation to the Ministry of Petroleum and
Energy. The investment for the Polarled
development is estimated at $US4.38 billion.
The Norwegian Sea is an exciting area
on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Polarled
underpins this. Establishing new
As the need for integrity management increases within the oil and gas industry so does the knowledge of
infrastructure increases the opportunities for effective solutions for pipelines that are deemed unpiggable. Maintaining an asset is important for both
the discoveries already made, and at the lifetime and safety, and Pipelines International has an exclusive guide with answers on how to do this.

F
same time paves the way for further
exploration and the development of future inding adequate inspection solutions for As the official media partner of the Matrix of tools
discoveries, Statoils Head of Natural Gas unpiggable pipelines is fast becoming an recently held Unpiggiable Pipeline Solutions Company profiles
Rune Bjrnson said recently. industry priority. Forum, held in Houston, Texas, we know Frequently asked questions
The decision to bring Skrugard oil Approximately three quarters of gas that there are many industry professionals A checklist to help you ensure you
ashore at Veidnes is a key element of the pipelines in the United States were not built constantly working on improvements and choose the right tool for the job.
further development of the Norwegian oil with in-line inspection (ILI) in mind, and researching new developments for ILI. We This resource is now available for
and gas industry. considerable preplanning and capital expense have gathered this information, with help download via the Pipelines International
Executive Vice President for would be required to alter the pipeline from our sponsors, to give you the Ultimate online shop.
Development and Production Norway infrastructure. These issues include those Guide to Unpiggable Pipelines.
ystein Michelsen says This is part of the relating to access, low pressure or low flow, A thank you to our sponsors
ambition of making northern Norway the multi-diameter pipelines, and physical barriers. About the guide Pipelines International would like to
countrys next big petroleum region. We are If not adequately inspected, these pipelines can The Ultimate Guide to Unpiggable Pipelines acknowledge and thank our sponsors
pleased to have selected a good concept and be a threat to the population. ensures you are able to make an educated who helped make this e-guide possible
hope that this may form the basis for a It is for this reason that Pipelines choice when tackling unpiggable A. Hak and Rosen.
valuable partnership with local authorities International has produced a free review of problems. We would also like to extend our
and industry also in the future. unpiggable solutions which is now available to The resource covers a number of topics gratitude to Keith Leewis for his
In 2011 and 2012 Statoil and its partners help maintain pipeline integrity. including: guidance in ensuring accurate
discovered Skrugard and Havis, which are Advances and best practice in integrity and Why it is important pipelines are information, and for the tool matrix.
two independent structures within the same maintenance methods for unpiggable pipelines maintained?
licence and represent the Skrugard field are being made, and it is important that Why type of pipelines are deemed
development. pipeline owners and operators are aware of the unpiggable?
The partners involved in the project are: methods to suit their situation. Case studies
Statoil operator (50 per cent), ENI (30 per cent),
An illustration of the route map for the pipeline. Image copyright Statoil.
and Petoro (20 per cent).
To download the e-guide visit www.pipelinesinternational.com/shop

36 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 37

Industry news industry news

Advanced subsea pipeline inspection:

an overview of field experience and
benefits of subsea pipeline scanning
By Andreas Boenisch, Innospection Ltd, Aberdeen, UK

The requirement for the condition assessment of subsea pipelines and structures has increased in the
recent years due to general integrity reasons and the analysis of fitness-for-service of aging assets.

T
he main focus of subsea inspection is thicknesses up to 15 mm, and through Monel

Isolation in the Shetland Islands

no longer just the visual inspection of
local areas by conventional non-
destructive testing (NDT) approaches. More
details about the conditions of the subsea
STATS Group successfully completed an isolation project on BPs 147 km long Brent Pipeline at Sullom assets are demanded, which consequently
require a wider range of inspection,
Voe terminal in the Shetland Islands, UK.
particularly advanced NDT technologies.
However, not all advanced NDT technologies
proven for the topside and onshore inspection
cladding with thicknesses up to 4 mm.
The new range of magnetic eddy current
(MEC) ROV-deployable subsea inspection
tools not only provide the benefits of the
SLOFEC technique but also incorporate
ultrasonic and pulsed eddy current to allow
relative and absolute inspection data to be
achieved for the provision of a matrix
reporting the data. This matrix information

B
P was required to undertake a valve
refurbishment operation on the 36 inch
Brent Pipeline pig receiver while the
pipeline remained in normal operation.
STATS was approached to provide a
double-block isolation to facilitate the valve
works and proposed the use of a 36 inch
Tecno Plug, controlled using composite
umbilical hydraulic lines, to allow the valve
change-out to be undertaken safely.
The compact design of the single-module
Tecno Plug allowed it to be set in the short
section of pipework upstream of the
production tee, enabling export from the
Brent Pipeline to continue.
To allow deployment of the tethered plug,
a temporary receiver door was used with a
stuffing box arrangement allowing the
umbilical to pass through the system while at
pressure. Once a leak test was performed on
the receiver, temporary door and stuffing box,
the isolation plug was pigged with water to the
set location. Accurate plug location was
determined by umbilical markings with
additional positional verification confirmed by
an ultrasonic signaller from outside of the pipe.
The plug was set at location using a
hydraulic system via the umbilical, and an
annulus test was performed to verify the
integrity of the primary and secondary seals.
Both seals were independently tested with
full pipeline pressure and monitored for
12 hours; once the verification period was
completed, the isolation certificate was
issued. The STATS field team consisted of
four isolation technicians as part of the
Above and top: 3D image of the Techno Plug tethered isolation.
workscope to provide constant monitoring of
the plug during the isolation.
With the receiver and valves
depressurised and the plug providing a
verified isolation against the pipeline
pressure, the receiver was removed, allowing
the main umbilical to be disconnected.
Temporary control umbilicals were attached
to ensure constant communication with the
Tecno Plug, while the main umbilical was
removed through the valve. On completion of
the valve maintenance, further umbilical
management was carried out to allow the
valve to be repositioned.
STATS Group CEO Pete Duguid said The
project ran like clockwork with all parties
working seamlessly together. STATS isolation
are suitable or easily deployed in the
underwater environment.
This market demand for detailed
condition assessment has led Innospection
Ltd to develop new remotely operated
underwater vehicle (ROV) deployable subsea
inspection tools which combine the
advantages of the saturation low-frequency
eddy-current (SLOFEC) technique with add-on
techniques such as ultrasonic testing and
pulsed eddy current to provide a thorough
assessment of the subsea asset.
SLOFEC is a non-couplant-based
electromagnetic technique used originally by
Innospection for topside inspection to assess
pipelines, storage tanks and vessels. The
technique combines a magnetic field with an
eddy-current field to allow the detection of
general corrosion and the smallest wall loss
defects, both internally and externally, while
services allowed valve maintenance activities
scanning at a relatively high speed. The
to take place efficiently and prevented
ability to inspect lower and heavy-wall
shutting-down the entire pipeline. This would
components without the removal of their
have resulted in a loss of time and revenue,
coating is a key advantage. The easy
potentially costing millions of pounds in lost
deployment of the SLOFEC technique and its
production per day.
adaptability to different structures provides
After reassembling the valve, a
enormous benefits for subsea inspection
reinstatement service test was performed on
applications.
the valve to confirm its integrity at pipeline
operating pressure and the plug was unset and
The marinised SLOFEC scanners, in use
since 2006, have already been shown in the
repositioned in the minor barrel of the receiver,
field to be effective in the identification and
while the full in-situ test was performed on the
assessment of typical defects such as
valve. On completion of the full valve test, the
corrosion or cracks in risers and caissons. The
plug was unset and recovered fully into the
scanners are also capable of performing
receiver. With the valves closed, the receiver
external and internal inspection, not only
was isolated to allow recovery of the plug and
through the splash zone into the subsea area
replacement of the receiver door.
but also through Neoprene coatings with
enables the generation of defined wall-
thickness data which integrity engineers can
use for fitness-for-service calculations and, to
some extent, finite-element analysis.
MEC-combi crawler
The MEC-combi is a self-crawling subsea
scanner developed to support the inspection
and lifetime assessment of subsea structures
ranging in size and complexity from
small-diameter risers through caissons and
pipelines, to platform legs and flat surfaces
such as ships hulls.
Deployed either by diver or ROV, the combi
enables the inspection of subsea structures
where access from the topside is impossible.
Powered by a hydraulic drive unit, the
buoyancy and its magnetic force allow the
scanner to crawl up the subsea structure at an
approximate speed of 20 m/min, including
through the splash zone, while performing the
inspection. Information on internal and
external defects in terms of size, severity of
wall loss, and location are achieved. The
capabilities of this tool have been proved in
several subsea structure inspection jobs that
have been carried out in the North Sea, UK.
MEC-hug
The MEC-hug is another sophisticated
self-crawling inspection system wholly
developed and built by Innospection for the
inspection of flexible risers following years of
research and development and qualifications.
The first flexible riser inspection in the North
Sea using MEC-hug was successfully
completed in February, 2013.
The MEC-hug riser-inspection system in operation
on a flexible riser in the North Sea.
Deployed from the platform and brought
into position above the splash zone by
rope-access personnel, the inspection tool
(as the name implies) embraces and moves
along the riser through the splash zone to
perform the inspection.
The inspection system has successfully
demonstrated sensitivity in the detection of
cracks and wall loss in the first and second
tensile armour layer and, to some extent,
damage and interlocking failures in the third
layer (the pressure-armour layer). Due to the
tools technology capability, it is also
possible to determine the wire layer from
which the indications are reflected.
Innospection Ltd is an Associate
Member of Pigging Products &
Services Association.
For more information visit
www.innospection.com or email
info@innospection.com

38 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 39

Industry news industry news

Evaluation of however, testing must be done on a large

scale to accurately recreate representative

leak-detection technologies
field conditions such as soil properties,
thermal gradients and leak dynamics.
C-Fer is currently developing a test
programme to evaluate the capabilities of the
By Qishi Chen and Tony Kateryniuk, C-Fer Technologies, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada four ELDS above. This evaluation includes
creating a large-diameter pipeline segment in
numerous simulated right of way conditions,
In order to detect small leaks, external leak-detection systems generally require the installation of
and carefully recreating and controlling all
supplementary hardware placed alongside the pipeline. variables that will affect the ELDS
performance. To accurately recreate leak

F
or the purpose of detecting large leaks
from liquid pipelines, internal leak-
detection systems use sophisticated
algorithms that rely on measurements such as
pressure, temperature and flow to detect and
locate leaks. Such data are typically gathered
by the existing SCADA system from field
instrumentation. Four examples of external
leak-detection systems (ELDS) that have been
developed include the following:
Distributed temperature sensing (DTS):
leaks are detected by optical fibres.
Successful leak detection requires a
sufficient change in temperature when the
leaked product contacts the sensing cable
buried near the pipeline.
Distributed acoustic sensing (DAS):
noise caused by the leaking product is
detected using optical fibres.
Successful leak detection requires a
sufficient and localised increase in this
noise to be distinguishable from the
background noise.
Hydrocarbon-sensing cables (HSC):
leaks are detected by electrical
conductors encased in a material that
swells in the presence of hydrocarbons,
which causes a measureable change in
the electrical properties of the
conductor. Successful leak detection
requires direct contact of this material
with hydrocarbon liquids or vapours.
Vapour-sensing tubes (VST): leaks are
detected by small-diameter, hydrocarbon
permeable tubes used to gather and
transport vapours to a sampling station.
Successful leak detection requires that
measurable levels of hydrocarbon vapour
enter the tube.
The majority of ELDS for liquid pipelines
have yet to be thoroughly evaluated. Field
evaluation presents major challenges due to
the interference with normal pipeline
operation, significant installation
difficulties, and the obvious problems that
arise from intentionally leaking liquids into
the environment. Laboratory testing can
consider and control multiple variables;
dynamics and to provide the physical
phenomenon required for the ELDS to work,
actual liquid hydrocarbon will be used in the
test programme.
In addition to performance
requirements in terms of reliability, Tony Kateryniuk. Qishi Chen.
sensitivity, accuracy, and robustness,
infrastructure requirements for power and
equipment housing, construction There are likely to be challenges to the Additional future work in this area includes
feasibility, and system maintenance and successful implementation of ELDS in plans to evaluate ELDS that are currently
reliability also need to be considered in the heavily saturated soils, as well as in carried on manned aircraft. The objective is to
evaluation and selection process. stagnant and flowing water conditions. determine which of these technologies will
When the test programme is completed, Therefore, future work is planned to work under field conditions, with the ultimate
participants will have the required evaluate technologies that can detect objective being the miniaturisation of these
information to decide if these ELDS will meet liquid hydrocarbon leaks in these technologies such that they could be carried by
their performance needs. conditions. small scale autonomous aircraft.

40 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 41

Industry news

Spotlight shines on robotic system

ShawCor has been awarded an Offshore Technology Conference Spotlight on New Technology award
for Bredero Shaws mobile robotic cutback system.

T technical
he system uses an innovative
approach for end machining insulated
pipe. It is designed to replace manual
processes for forming the cutback, which
traditionally include wire brushing, grinding
and scraping.
Compared to alternative systems, the

JOURNAL OF
mobile robotic cutback system is designed to be
safer, quieter, require less labour, and produce

PIPELINE
consistent high-quality cutback profiles while
generating recyclable waste, all of which
provide significant benefits to the industry.
The Offshore Technology Conference
(OTC) 2013 award recognises innovative new

ENGINEERING
technologies that are capable of
revolutionising the offshore exploration and
production industry. The 2013 award won by
the mobile robotic cutback system highlight
ShawCors commitment to innovation, and
builds on the companys Thermotite
thermal-insulation coating and its simulated
service vessel, which won OTC awards in
2010 and 2012.

ShawCor Ltd is a growth-oriented,

global energy services company that
operates through eight divisions
which focus on technology-based
products and services for the pipeline If you are a pipeline engineer,
and pipe services market and the The Journal of Pipeline Engineering
petrochemical and industrial market is a vital tool that will keep you
with manufacturing and service up-to-date on the latest technical
facilities located in over 15 countries research around the world.
around the world.
For more information visit Published four times a year, it stands
www.shawcor.com alone as the premier technical
The mobile robotic cutback system in action. publication for the pipeline industry.

As a peer-reviewed journal it provides

quality information to keep you at the
Pipeline forefront of industry developments.

Geohazard Subscription is just $US350 per year

Managing your pipeline Management
and also includes access to the
electronic archive.

integrity needs Visit the website to subscribe today.

RoW www.j-pipe-eng.com
www.via-plus.net
Encroachment
Follow us on twitter at @viaintegrity Monitoring

42 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

Industry news
Strengthening regulations in Canada
Canadas National Energy Board has published amendments to its regulations for onshore pipelines,
helping ensure safety across the nation.
I The regulations make it
n April 2013, the National Energy Boards
(NEB) published a revised edition of
Regulations Amending the Onshore
Pipeline Regulations, 1999 was published in
the Canada Gazette, Part II.
The regulations clarify requirements for
federally regulated pipelines regarding
management systems for the purpose of
protecting the public, workers and the
environment.
The NEB requires pipeline companies to
anticipate, prevent, manage, and mitigate
potentially dangerous conditions associated
with their pipelines. When implemented,
these requirements can effectively manage
risk and promote safe pipeline operation.
NEB Chair Gatan Caron says For the
NEB, these regulations are part of a
commitment to continual improvement in
terms of safety and environmental outcomes.
The Board believes that with proper
management, pipeline incidents are
preventable. It is on that critical foundation
that we have developed a proactive approach
that targets the prevention of incidents before
they occur.
The regulations make it clear that
management systems must apply to the key
44 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
clear that management
systems must apply to the
key company programmes
for safety, pipeline integrity,
security, environmental
protection, and emergency
management.
company programmes for safety, pipeline
integrity, security, environmental protection,
and emergency management. Also, the
regulations require that management systems
must be in place throughout each phase of the
lifecycle of the pipeline from design,
materials, construction, and operation, all the
way through to abandonment.
They also include provisions that focus
on a companys senior leadership for
accountability of its management systems,
the companys safety culture, and the
achievement of outcomes related to safety of
the public and environmental protection.
Furthermore, companies must have an
internal reporting policy that will encourage
employees to bring forward, without fear of
reprisal, the hazards and risks that they may
encounter during their work activities.
Houston, February 1013, 2014
.
The regulations have been renamed
.
from the Onshore Pipeline Regulations, 1999
s es C on f er en ce Exhibition
to the National Energy Board Onshore
Cour
Pipeline Regulations.
The NEB believes that one way to
enhance pipeline safety is through sharing
information. To that end, it will be hosting a
Safety Forum from 56 June 2013 in Calgary
its 26 year, the PPIM Conference is recogniz
th
to discuss management systems, safety Now entering ed as
culture, and means of measuring
re m o s t in t e r n a tional forum for sharing and learning ab
the fo out best
performance with industry.
e s in l if e t im e m aintenance and condition-monitoring te
The NEB is an independent Federal practic chnology
regulator of several parts of Canadas for natural gas, crude oil and product pipelines.
energy industry, with the safety of
Canadians and protection of the www.clarion.org
environment as its top priority. Its purpose
is to regulate pipelines, energy development
and trade in the Canadian public interest.
To find out more about the NEB visit
www.neb-one.gc.ca
The international gathering of the global pigging industry!
Organized by
Industry news industry news

A competency-based approach Parameter Traditional approach (e.g. qualification)

More cost effective due to high student
Competency based approach
Requires larger investment due to increased need for curriculum

for training pipeline professionals

Cost to develop to instructor ratios
Lower reliance on curriculum design.
Evaluation methods more established
By Reena Sahney and Damian Flegel, PBOK Technical Training Ltd, Calgary, Alberta, Canada assessments based primarily on
Evaluation theoretical concepts covered in course
methods material.
Human capital is a critical factor for determining long-term success in any industry. In todays pipeline
industry, human capital resources are being strained as the demand for qualified technical personnel
outstrips supply. Learner flexibility in customising content
and pace of learning is limited (dictated
by needs of overall cohort)
design and comprehensive knowledge structure to provide for
individual learning streams.
Evaluation is more complex
Likely to be a combination of assessing theory and ability to
apply learning
Testing/verification of experience component is more difficult
to assess
Consistent evaluation of all students.
Learner has higher degree of flexibility to focus on content as
needed (ability to maximise relevance to industry, individual
and actual role); pace is usually self directed

G
oing forward, this problem will
worsen with the impending
retirement of baby-boomers, and
this growing manpower issue is one of the
biggest challenges facing the pipeline
industry today. Ultimately, the inability to
access qualified technical personnel with
proven pipeline skill sets can lead to
increased corporate risk through a range of
mechanisms such as inefficient operations,
poor technical decision making, project
delays, cost overruns and increases in
incidents.
While there is no single solution to
solving the skills shortage in the industry,
the advent of the digital age has presented
corporations with an opportunity to look
beyond the traditional training model of
classroom-based delivery towards a
self-directed competency model. With a
competency-based approach, the
educational experience is directed towards
the outcome of the training: that is,
establishing the specific skills, abilities,
and understanding that students are to
obtain from the course.
Using this philosophy, students must
obtain not only a minimum standard in the
level of knowledge retained, but also
demonstrate the application of the
knowledge in all of the course material
presented. This differs significantly from
traditional industry training models
where, if assessments are used at all, the
emphasis is almost entirely on general
knowledge retention. In a traditional
model, an individual can obtain credit for
the training by achieving a general
understanding of the material presented,
even if they have not gained a sufficient
understanding of any single concept
presented to use and apply their
knowledge in the workplace.
Table 1 provides a description of how
the two approaches differ based on four
parameters: delivery, curriculum,
instruction and evaluation.
Parameter Traditional approach
Focus on learning process
Tends to be cohort (group)
based
Delivery Tends to be face-to-face
delivery.
Cohort progresses through the
material at the same rate
Degree of integration of theory
and practice highly variable
and dependent on specific
situation
Based on hours of curriculum
Curriculum
assuming knowledge will be
transferred in timeframe
No oppportunity to retake
specific course elements
without having to take entire
course.
Instructor must teach at a level
that represents lowest
common denominator as there
is limited ability to customise
Often a high degree of reliance
on technical experts with little/
Instruction
no background in educational
theory
Professional expertise
restricted to instructors
knowledge.
Traditionally limited to
evaluations that are easily
graded
Typically, greater emphasis on
theory than practice
Evaluation
Successful completion only
indicates completion of course
not knowledge of all material
presented.
Competency-based approach and traditional approach differences.
Competency based approach
Focus on achievement of
knowledge/skills
Tends to be delivered on
individual basis (based on
delivery of modules where
one module maps to one skill
or topic).
Pace is set by individual
learner
Curriculum design is more
extensive and mapping of
individual skills, to a larger
programme of training,
becomes more critical
Greater integration of theory and
practice (application of concepts
more readily tied to specific
theory due to the limited content
within each module)
Ability to revisit un-achieved
competencies.
More opportunity to customise
to individual learner needs
since scope of topic within a
given module is limited
Delivery on individual basis
provides greater opportunity to
meet needs of individual
learners with available
instructional resources
Professional expertise based
on anyone part of the
development process.
Individual delivery and limited
content within modules allows
for more targetted assessments
Usually involves both a
theoretical and practical
component (greater emphasis
on experience)
Successful completion indicates
standard of achievement
obtained.
Practical application of theoretical Learning includes practical application not limited to
Value to learner
concepts is usually limited theoretical concepts
Well suited to advanced advanced/ Clear and understandable path to achieve competencies
complex topics. Provides shortest route for results especially for foundational
knowledge.
Tends to be more cost effective Maximise relevance to industry and actual job functions
Ability to leverage standard industry Allows the ability to access a larger pool of individuals for various
based courses. roles (i.e. may not have formal education but have in depth
Organisational experience)
value Provides mechanism for communicating corporate strategy and
direction
Creates clear, consistent and transparent justification for pay,
promotion and hiring of personnel.
Straightforward implementation Implementation can be more complicated
Implementation Standardisation is straightforward. Standardisation of competencies requires greater investment
Evaluation of competencies can be more difficult.
Table 2: Summary of benefits/disadvantages of traditional vs competency-based learning.
One of the key benefits of competency- better prepare personnel for the application self-directed modular on-line competency-
based training is that it can be structured in a of specific knowledge obtained in real based training should be investigated as an
modular fashion, making it ideal for online, workplace situations. effective and efficient complementing option
self-directed learning. Developing individual Table 2 outlines the advantages and for both training and verifying knowledge
modules associated with specific pipeline disadvantages of the two approaches, for transfer of technical personnel.
skills or competencies allows for the tailoring implementation in a corporate setting, based
of the overall training programme for both on five key parameters: cost to develop,
companies as well as individuals. evaluation methods, value to the student/ About the authors
This provides significant advantages in personnel, value to the organisation and Damian Flegel, PEng, and Reena Sahney,
PEng, collectively bring over 40 years
establishing a minimum level of foundational implementation considerations.
of experience in the pipeline industry to
knowledge across larger groups of
PBOK Technical Training Ltd, an
employees. For the company, it provides an Flexible and cost-effective
opportunity to better communicate messages training independent technical training organisa-
tion focused on providing high-quality,
on corporate strategy and direction through Self-directed modular online
cost-effective, and modular online
the design of specific competencies that competency-based training in a corporate
technical pipeline training to the pipeline
generate better organisational performance. environment can provide significant training
industry worldwide. The companys goal
For personnel, the flexibility and clearly advantages by providing a flexible and
is to train not only technical personnel
defined competency structure provides for cost-effective learning path that is relevant to
within pipeline companies and service
the development of personalised learning both the company as well as the individuals.
providers, but also non-technical support
paths that meet the needs and interests of the Further, it emphasises the practical
personnel, so as to ensure its clients
personnel, and ultimately the company. application of knowledge as a means of
personnel, at all levels and across all
The most significant advantage of ensuring that individuals meet a minimum
departments, can work together more
competency-based training over traditional skill level, thus providing companies with a effectively and efficiently.
training is that it promotes best practices by practical tool to help bridge the skills gap in
defining performance standards for those the industry.
best practices and the necessary work While there will always be a place for For more information on PBOK, visit
activities needed to demonstrate them. As a traditional classroom-based training courses www.pbok.ca
result, competency-based training tends to for more advanced and complex topics,

46 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 47

Industry news
Distance learning in pipeline
integrity management holds the key
Approximately 3,500,000 km of large diameter, high-pressure pipelines transport most of the worlds
oil and gas, but many of these pipelines are at, or nearing, the end of their design lives.
M
any are over 40 years old, and even the best-designed and
maintained pipelines will become defective as they progress
through their design life. Hence, the integrity (safety and
security of supply) of pipelines is a major consideration for operators.
PDA and OPE Level 1
The pipeline defect assessment (PDA) course and the onshore
pipeline engineering (OPE) course are well-established and
popular training courses that introduce engineers and scientists to
pipeline-engineering topics, methods of defect assessment, and
principles of pipeline integrity. These courses have been presented
by Dr Phil Hopkins (Penspen Ltd, UK) and Dr Roger King (Corrosion
Services, UK) to more than 2,000 students over the last 12 years.
The PDA and OPE courses are classroom-based and have been
held in many locations world-wide and at a variety of times during
each year. Increasingly, however, attendees are asking to move onto
the next level in order to obtain a more detailed understanding of
pipeline integrity and its practice.
Penspen, in partnership with Tiratsoo Technical (a division of
Great Southern Press) and Houston-based Clarion, are now offering
the first of what will be a series of higher-level courses in a non-
classroom distance-learning format. The courses will all be contained
on memory sticks (or keys), and users will follow their chosen
course on their PC at their convenience. The first of this series, which
has now been introduced, covers pipeline defect assessment.
Level-2 PDA course
Penspen has pioneered internet-based distance learning courses
in pipeline engineering up to Masters level at Northumbria
University in the UK (see www.penspen.com/pcpim). The material
created for this pipeline engineering MSc has been used to form the
basis of the new Level-2 PDA course, and has been carefully designed
using the latest distance-learning approach and philosophy to enable
students to complete the new course in their choice of location: a
work-based environment or at home.
Content
The Level-2 PDA course covers the same overall content as the
Level-1 PDA course, but goes into wider and deeper detail. Typically, the
Level-2 PDA course (the first to become available) includes:
Methods available to assess the significance of defects detected in
on- and offshore pipelines (corrosion, dents, gouges, cracks, and
weld defects). Note that the classes presented in Level-2 courses go
into much greater detail than the classes in Level-1.
Worked examples in defect assessment.
Extensive classes on fracture mechanics and fatigue. Note that these
are advanced classes, and will require extensive study: for example,
the fracture mechanics class is 600 slides, and 70,000 words.
Quizzes where students will calculate the significance of defects
in pipelines and set intelligent pig inspection levels.
48 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
The new Level-2 PDA course is presented in four parts,
comprised of a number of classes. The whole suite can be
purchase as a single unit, or any part can be purchased
separately:
Part 1: Introduction classes 1-5
Introduction
Introduction to oil and gas pipelines
Basics of pipeline design
Testing pipelines
Why pipelines fail
Part 2: Core knowledge classes 6-8
Introduction to fracture mechanics
Introduction to fatigue
Fundamentals of pipeline defect failure
Part 3: Defect-assessment classes 9-14
How to assess corrosion
How to assess gouges
How to assess dents
How to assess weld defects
How to assess cracks
Crack propagation and arrest in pipelines
Part 4: Inspection, repair, and risk classes 15-17
Pipeline inspection using intelligent pigs
Pipeline repair methods
Risk analysis and management
On completion of the course, the student will have the relevant
skills to deal with the many problems facing pipelines, as well as
achieving a holistic view of pipeline integrity. This will ensure that
the student understands the history, theory, and foundations of the
technologies involved.
Delivery
Delivery is through the use of the class material on the USB key
together with accompanying online content. This approach to
distance learning is the preferred form of delivery to allow flexible
learning, which means that students training and education will be
based around their own timetables, lifestyles, and jobs. Added
value is gained as travel costs, and time away from home and the
office, are eliminated. Students can participate from wherever in the
world they live, work, or travel to, via the secure USB key and a
basic internet connection no specialist software is required.
The Level-2 course online distance-learning-enhanced classes
include case studies and fully interactive quizzes, which are used as
a self-evaluation tool.
industry news
Figure 1: Typical screenshot from one of the classes. Figure 2: Typical screenshot from one of the classes.
Course registration and costs
Students will continue to have the opportunity to take the
standard (Level-1) classroom-based courses (for the current
timetable, see www.clarion.org). Enrolment in the Level-2 courses
offers a more intensive understanding of the subjects, and
completion of the Level-1 courses is a recommended prerequisite.
For details of costs and implementation of the Level-2
pipeline defect-assessment course, please contact
John Tiratsoo at Tiratsoo Technical (jtiratsoo@gs-press.com), or
BJ Lowe at Clarion Technical Conferences (bjlowe@clarion.org).
Figure 3: Typical screenshot from one of quizzes.
GeoGathering
GIS for Gathering and Production Lines
August 21-22, 2013 Developing a Data Strategy
Colorado Springs, CO Data collection and sharing
GeoGathering will take place in beautiful Colorado
Springs at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort on
August 21-22, 2013. This years theme focuses on
how operators collect and share information about
their assets to increase operational safety and improve
pipeline decision-making.
Register today:
www.geogathering.com
Questions: info@geogathering.com
P
De rofe
ve ss
l io
Ho opm nal
ur en
s t
www.geogathering.com
Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 49
Risk management
Myth busting I
dont have enough
data (Part 1)
By W. Kent Muhlbauer, WKM Consultancy, LLC,
Houston, Texas, US
There are myths associated with performing a risk assessment and some use these as an excuse for
not having a credible assessment. Lets examine some of these myths beginning with how to use the
data you have to ensure a meaningful risk assessment is made.
I dont have enough data to quantify
risk.
I hear this often and have concluded that
it is actually a shorthand phrase reflecting
two possible beliefs:
I dont understand how to use the data I
do have
I think that quantifying risk assessment
means that I need large datasets of
historical event frequencies.
The truth is, you can perform a credible
risk assessment even with only a very limited
amount of information. If you only know a
product being transported, pressure,
diameter, and general location, you could
make plausible estimates very coarse, but
at least reasonable.
This reminds me of a lesson learned
during a courtroom proceeding:
Attorney to expert witness, asking a slightly
off-topic question: Mr Expert, how often
might there be a vehicle collision at this
intersection each year?
50 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
Expert: I have no idea. I dont have any data
for that.
Attorney, while winking to jury: OK, since
you have no idea, then we can speculate that
it can happen 1,000 times per year.
Expert, surprised: Oh no, it wouldnt
happen that often.
Attorney: Ah, so you DO have some idea. OK
then, lets say it happens 500 times per year.
Expert, beginning to see the hole he has
fallen into: Oh no, that also is way too high.
Attorney: How about 100 times a year?
Expert, now somewhat apologetic: Well,
even that is too high because....
This went on until the attorney had
obtained, for the court record, the experts
high and low estimates, even when the
expert claimed insufficient data and
knowledge to speculate. The attorney knew
that it is a simple reasoning exercise to
know that if, say, two to three vehicle
incidents happen every day at the same
place, it would not be long tolerated. Even
one to two per month would probably
prompt action. This illustrates that, even in
the absence of hard data, reasoning can at
least bound an estimate.
Direct reasoning is often overlooked as a
source of data. When it comes to probability
and risk, we sometimes forget that we have a
strong, physics-based understanding of
real-world phenomena. Instead of using that
understanding in our risk estimates, we tend
to simply delegate the risk problem to the
statisticians. The statisticians use event
frequencies in their work so they base their
estimates on historical events. They tell us
low data meaning low historical event
frequencies equate to low predictive
power. True enough, especially from a
statistics perspective.
We can estimate the numbers needed to calculate these things often with great
accuracy. We dont have to rely on historical events to tell us how often a thing can
happen. While we are certainly remiss if we ignore history it must definitely be used
in our analyses whenever it is availablewe are also remiss if we ascribe too much
relevance to the past or, at the other extreme, claim we are helpless without that history.
But we forget that we still have the
underlying physics. Physics tells us how
much metal loss can be tolerated before a
leak or rupture occurs, how much voltage is
needed to halt corrosion, how much backhoe
bucket force can be applied until the pipe
breaks, how much landslide a length of pipe
can withstand before yielding.
We can estimate the numbers needed to
calculate these things often with great
accuracy. We dont have to rely on historical
events to tell us how often a thing can
happen. While we are certainly remiss if we
ignore history it must definitely be used in
our analyses whenever it is availablewe
are also remiss if we ascribe too much
relevance to the past or, at the other extreme,
claim we are helpless without that history.
Low data availability
Lets discuss low data availability
when were performing a physics-based
risk assessment. It is sometimes not
apparent just how much information is
readily available.
Lets say you know something simple
about the soil type where its rocky and
where its mostly clay. Some of the
risk factors that can be strongly
influenced by just this simple piece of
information include:
Potential soil moisture content,
impacting corrosivity estimate
Likelihood of past coating damages
during installation
Propensity of future coating damages
to occur
Dispersion of liquid spills infiltration
vs surface flow
Amount of potential harm to certain
receptors (for example, aquifers vs
surface flow)
Exposure to third-party excavation
damage
Exposure to certain geotechnical
phenomena (such as subsidence,
shrink/swell, landslide, etc.).
Perhaps you can think of more. The
Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 51
point is that you may have more
information than you first thought. In this
example, a single piece of information a
simple soil characteristic: rock vs clay has
influenced seven different risk variables.
There are many other examples of how
simple knowledge of surroundings leads to
relevant and important risk information.
This also emphasises why dynamic
segmentation the creation of a risk profile
is essential. We would not understand
changes in risk along a pipeline route if we
failed to take note of changing soil
conditions and integrated the implications
of those changes.
The second part of the I dont have
enough data statement emerges from
beliefs about how risk can be quantified.
When the underlying belief is something
like we cant quantify risk because we
dont have the data, what is often implied
is that databases full of incident
frequencies how often each pipeline
component has failed by each failure
mechanism are needed before risk can
be quantified.
Thats simply not correct. To quantify
how often a pipeline segment will fail from
a certain threat, we dont necessarily have
to have numbers telling us how often
similar pipelines have failed in the past
from that threat. This myth is often a
carryover from the old lets say classical
practice of quantitative risk assessment.
That practice can be an almost purely
statistical exercise: it relies heavily on data
of past events as predictors of future
events, as is standard practice in statistical
analyses.
While historical event frequencies are
helpful, they should not be the sole driver
of risk assessment. When such data are
used, they must be used carefully. The
historical numbers are often not very
relevant to the future how often do
conditions and reactions to previous
incidents remain so static that this history
can accurately predict the future?
Risk management
With or without comparable data from
history, the best way to predict future
events is to understand and properly
model the mechanisms that lead to the
events. A robust risk-assessment
methodology forces subject matter experts
(SMEs) to make careful and informed
estimates based on their experience and
judgment. With only minimal effort, a
group of SMEs, in a properly facilitated
meeting, can generate credible, defensible,
estimates of all manner of damage and
failure potential along pipelines they
know. From these estimates reasonable
risk estimates emerge, to be confirmed or
updated as actual events are tracked.
In Part 2 of this myth-busting which will
appear in the September issue of the
magazine, well look at an example of the
statistics-only approach to risk
quantification compared to the physics-
based approach. Well also offer an
approach to address the dilemma of serious
information gaps.
Future column topics
The troubles with weightings
Damage vs failure an important
distinction
Measuring damage potential
what is attacking? how effective
are defences?
Consequences of failure ID the
scenarios
The perfect storm chain of
events
How do I assess non-pipe
components?
Getting info from SMEs
facilitation!
PL risk assessment
is it helping me?
Monetisation of risk a
controversial common
denominator
How safe is safe enough?
Risk management
The top 3 data management trends
for pipeline ROW management
By Ken Schneider, Adapx, Greater Seattle, US
Planning, securing, and managing right-of-way data for pipeline construction generates large amounts
of paperwork and data management needs.
T
o manage the data, pipeline planning
teams rely on a variety of off-the-shelf
and home-grown project-
management, turnover, and document-
management systems. While systems have
evolved, many basic processes such as
capturing data on paper and then scanning
or data entry into home-grown systems
havent changed very much in recent years.
Some emerging data-management
trends, however, are poised to shake-up
pipeline planning and right-of-way (ROW)
data management in the next few years.
1
Automating ROW data
capture in the field
Increasingly, tablets are being used at
work sites instead of handhelds. Tablets
have the potential to transform many parts
of the ROW data-collection process that has
traditionally been captured using paper
forms. Since tablets can also capture
signatures, they can also be used to
automate other paper-form based ROW
processes that require approvals.
Of course, teams in the field have a lot
of experience in harsh and variable
environments, which can be a challenge to
52 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
using tablets. These include limitations in
battery life, visibility in sunlight or rain,
weight and durability. In these cases, many
ROW teams are automating data capture
using digital-pen-based solutions with
landowners and multi-part paper forms, for
example, when physical pieces of signed
paper need to be left with different
stakeholders.
Whether its a tablet or a digital pen, the
key benefits of automating ROW field data
capture are the same: faster data
processing, reducing the risk of missing
data, and eliminating the need for scanning
or transcription.
As teams look to these new mobile
devices, they need to keep some important
considerations in mind to ensure successful
deployments. ROW field teams are
frequently out of the range of networks, for
example, so teams need to ensure that their
tablet-based solutions can be used while
devices are both on- and offline. Since
developing custom tablet applications
(apps) for offline use can be expensive
(especially if forms or processes change
frequently), teams should look for solutions
that can be set-up and managed using
While systems have
evolved, many basic
processes such as
capturing data on paper
and then scanning or data
entry into home-grown
systems havent changed
very much in recent years.
familiar tools, such as Microsoft Office.
Some mobile form solutions can also be
used on- or offline in a tablet browser,
without having to build a new app.
Teams considering digital pens should
look for solutions that also have tablet
options, which enable different field team
members to select the tool that best fits
their workflow.
Preparing for the Cloud
Reducing IT costs and improving
collaboration have been key factors driving
Cloud adoption in general.
While the Cloud is changing many
data-sharing and IT-related processes and
systems, most pipeline planning and ROW
teams are yet to feel the impact. Many
pipeline systems are late to the Cloud
because theyve been heavily customised
and hardcoded over the years.
A more likely entry point for the Cloud
into the pipeline world is through
document-management systems, such as
Documentum. Document-management
systems are connected to many pipeline
planning and ROW systems storing a range
of files including survey documents,
contracts, and easement-related documents.
They are a natural initial candidate for
moving to the Cloud because of the large
amounts of files, the need for offsite
back-up, and infrequent access to many of
these files.
The other driver of the Cloud for the
pipeline industry is apt to be around easing
partner collaboration. For example, in
pipeline construction trailers individuals
from contractors, owners, and future
operators sit beside each other looking at the
same field data. They end up duplicating the
data entry, processing and tracking in their
own corporate systems, which are accessible
only on separate, corporate network silos
and VPNs creating different project status
views, and leading to mistakes and incorrect
assumptions.
Many projects have moved to the Cloud
for a common view and tracking tool;
without duplicative data entry, teams can
also get data into their own internal systems
through web services or a range of other
data-interchange methods.
As planning and ROW teams think
about the Cloud, they need to understand
why they might move to the Cloud and the
workflows for which it makes sense.
If moving to the Cloud, then it also
might be time to evaluate workflows and
consider new vendors if:
There is a need for a new way to
manage legal records, royalty
payments, etc.
The existing internal project
software cant support tablets.
The existing system cannot be run
in the Cloud.
Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 53
Field operator using digital pen to collect data and send it to the cloud for review.
Design a data architecture
to ease future operations
A large part of the ROW data-
management process is centred on
identifying and securing ROW during the
initial pipeline construction phase. As a
result, many organisations focus their
handling of survey, easement, and contract
documents using a one-off project
management-style approach.
At a macro level, teams identify routes
and work through all of the documentation
to secure the ROWs. At a micro level,
securing each individual ROW is also a
project, often with stacks of documents
accumulating in travelling packs and
including surveys, ownership documents,
offers and contracts. In both cases, theres
often a line-them-up-and-knock-them-
down project management approach
which is important to keeping projects
on track.
A challenge that many operational
teams encounter after commissioning,
however, is poorly organised ROW data that
can be difficult to access and manage
during later operations. Changes in ROW
happen during construction, as routes are
modified, and after construction, as
ownership of land changes hands.
Well-organised data is critical to facilitate
inspection documentation and the ability,
for example, to quickly respond to inquiries
from regulators and landowners, and to
document compliance.
The best time to think about how
operational teams will later use ROW data
is at the point of the initial ROW data
collection.
Risk management
Teams should create a data architecture
that reflects an understanding of how
documents will be used throughout a
pipelines lifetime. The right data taxonomy
should be created and document tagging
implemented to reflect payments, ownership
changes, incidents, and compliance
requirements.
Teams should consider the following:
How should survey data be tracked and
associated with projects, owners, and
payment records?
As changes arise during construction,
and rights-of-way adjusted, how are
engineering documents updated and
tracked?
How are land surveys updated and
tracked?
Thinking early provides downstream
operational teams with the chance to receive
a logical, structured, and accessible set of
ROW documents, instead of a disorganised
collection of scanned files turned over to
them after commissioning.
Many pipeline-planning teams have
already encountered some of these ROW
data-management trends; others will
encounter these trends very soon. Either
way, its important for teams to understand
these trends and to begin thinking about
how changes in devices, the Cloud, and the
use of ROW data can create opportunities to
streamline and improve operations rather
than disrupt them.
For more information visit:
www.adapx.com/solutions/oil-gas
Safety
Learning across the
generations for safe outcomes
by Dr Sarah Maslen, Research Fellow, School of Sociology, Australia National University, Canberra, Australia
There has been building concern in the pipeline industry about the aging workforce and the retirement
of key experts. This aging workforce brings with it many challenges, but the recruitment and retention
of skilled professionals has been first in many minds.
S
enior industry professionals have
raised concerns about the limited
expertise of new people to the
industry, particularly when it comes to a
holistic appreciation of the decisions that
need to be made. These concerns, in part,
stem from an acknowledgement that the
very strong public safety record of the
Australian pipeline industry is due to the
safety values and expertise of its
professional staff as much as anything else.
These issues raise key questions, including:
how do young engineers joining the
pipeline industry understand safety and
their role in its maintenance? How is that
safety knowledge being built? And more
generally, how is professional expertise
most effectively built in the contemporary
pipeline industry context?
These are questions that drove recent
research through the Australian National
University as part of the Energy Pipelines
Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) research
programme. Over 30 pipeline industry
professionals were interviewed, including
young engineers, their managers, and
technical experts. The focus of this research
was understandings of safety, learning
methods that were proving effective, and the
actions of companies and industry that
affected these outcomes. The purpose of this
research was to give a preliminary assessment
of how generational change is impacting on
safety practices, as well as taking a step
towards identifying effective methods for
building dispositions towards safety and the
necessary expertise to ensure it.
Learnings from safety research
An initial finding of this research was
that the young engineers interviewed had a
strong value of safety; however, there was
significant variation in how safety was
defined. For many engineers, safety was
primarily defined in terms of personal safety
54 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
(the so-called slips and trips), not
prevention of major accidents. Given this
emphasis, when some participants were
asked about their understanding of safety in
a pipeline context, and their roles and
responsibilities in maintaining it,
requirements like safety boots, high-visibility
gear, and safe working conditions were
given. Some participants also demonstrated
an understanding of safety as including the
goal of preventing major accidents, an
awareness that was demonstrated through
linking their professional decisions, say in a
design office, to major accidents they had
heard of, such as the 1998 Esso Longford
gas explosion and the 2010 San Bruno
pipeline explosion.
So why was there this variation?
Understandings of safety tended to be
influenced by the workplaces and roles of
young engineers. Young engineers who
worked in pipeline construction,
maintenance, and operation, even when
their work was primarily in an office context,
were most concerned with the personal
safety of their staff and, in some cases, the
personal safety of members of the public.
This was in keeping with the most direct
challenges that they were confronted with on
a daily basis. Young design engineers, by
contrast, were more focused on preventing
major accidents. This understanding of
safety and their role in it was primarily
fostered in the workplace through the stories
and values of colleagues and mentors. A
minority had been involved in near-misses,
such as an excavator making contact with a
live pipe. Such experiences were reported as
powerful lessons about how quickly things
could go wrong, and fundamentally changed
their decision-making processes.
A common theme about learning here is
the central role of experience and
mentoring. When we think about
knowledge and professional work, the
Dr Sarah Maslen.
wealth of theory associated with a
discipline and the significant formal
education required can most readily come
to mind. In engineering, these formalised
and theoretical elements are vital, and
programmes such as the Pipeline Engineer
Training Programme, are working towards
enhancing learning opportunities in this
area. Experience-based practical
knowledge, and tacit knowledge, are also
highly valuable in a pipeline-engineering
context, and work to inform accurate and
safe decisions in a way that formalised and
theoretical knowledge cannot. This broader
appreciation of knowledge is well-
supported by the social-science literature
on learning and expertise, and was
supported by the dominant knowledge
sources reported by engineers interviewed
as part of this research.
Ultimately, engineering expertise and
prevention of major accidents in the pipeline
industry requires that a diversity of
knowledge types and knowledge sources are
actively fostered.
The role of companies
This broader appreciation of the sources
of knowledge requires consideration of how
learning can be most effectively supported. A
factor that was found to significantly
influence learning outcomes was the
organisational context. Engineers were
employed in diverse organisational contexts
that dedicated varying resources to building
knowledge in the workplace, and put varying
emphasis on safety outcomes.
In some interviews, the pressures that
were identified to potentially make safety a
second or third priority were schedule and
cost. While such pressures (or their absence)
could work to shape how young engineers
understood safety and their role in it, in the
same way, time and money also influenced
learning both in terms of safety knowledge
and expertise more generally.
Resources, and particularly time, were a
primary factor that facilitated or inhibited
development of safety knowledge and
expertise in the sense that they are a
necessary ingredient for experience and
informal mentoring, and could compromise
safe decisions. In one company context,
there were significant resources dedicated to
safety outcomes and staff development. A
striking feature of this approach was the
open-door policy that the company actively
engendered among its staff. One engineer
said that, as a member of this company, it
was important to be clearly available so
particularly young engineers felt
comfortable asking questions. Equally, staff
called on to answer questions saw this as a
part of their role, and a legitimate use of
time. Unfortunately, this was not the case in
Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 55
all companies. Resource pressures could
lead to resistance to dedicating time and
money to extended mentoring arrangements,
with the potential for a rapid loss of
expertise in companies.
In addition to resources, structural
factors in a company particularly the
physical proximity of young engineers to
their mentors had a significant influence
on knowledge sharing and safety practices.
In some cases, engineers were grouped by
discipline; in others, they were grouped by
work function. In practice, these structural
factors influenced the knowledge and
experiences that were available to young
engineers. For engineers grouped by
discipline, this typically meant that there
was a wealth of discipline-specific
knowledge that they could draw from their
mentors. In cases where young engineers
immediate neighbours were not engineers,
or were engineers from another discipline,
this work structure could inhibit the
exchange of relevant engineering knowledge.
This issue of proximity to relevant expertise
also extended to office and off-site work
arrangements, which could either support a
free flow of information, or inhibit it.
SAFETY
An organisations response to safety
incidents was also a major knowledge source
in terms of how young engineers understood
their companys value of safety, how
supported they felt to make challenging
professional judgements, and how much
they could learn from incidents. Particularly
for young engineers, managing conflict over
safety actions whether on site or in an
office context was often a concern and a
personal stressor. Some young engineers felt
their safety values were congruent with their
organisations safety actions, felt supported,
and reported opportunities for building
safety knowledge through incidences and
near misses. For others, there were cases
where they had observed what they
perceived to be a disconnection between
safety values and practices. In these cases,
young engineers tended to feel they could
not always make decisions that they believed
where best for safety, and their learnings
about safe practices were not being
maximised. Young engineers interviewed
hoped that their decisions to-date would not
cause accidents, but this difficult situation
was considered cause for concern.
Continued on page 56
Safety
Continued FROM page 55
The role of industry
While companies had a very strong
influence on understandings of safety and
learning opportunities, industry-wide
networks and standards also played a role.
Associations such as the Australian Pipeline
Industry Association (APIA) and the Young
Pipeliners Forum offer opportunities for
building mentoring relationships and
getting other opportunities for building
knowledge such as research involvement,
conference attendance and site visits. The
size of the industry was one of the reasons
that mentoring at this scale was thought to
be effective. There was a general sentiment
that the industry had a unique
camaraderie and willingness to share.
Standards, and in particular Australian
Standards (AS) 2885, were another way that
knowledge and safety outcomes were
managed at an industry level. All young
engineers interviewed used AS 2885 to some
degree, and most had attended some formal
training on this standard. However, it was
still thought that for those with less
56 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
Experience-based practical knowledge, and tacit
knowledge, are also highly valuable in a pipeline-engineering
context, and work to inform accurate and safe decisions in
a way that formalised and theoretical knowledge cannot.
experience, use of the standard was
dependent on the guidance of experts. In
other words, standards provide a very
useful guide, and collate the most up-to-
date knowledge, but safe decisions still
require expertise.
What next?
As a first stage of research, this project
has aimed to identify themes that deserve
further attention in the interests of
addressing the potential knowledge loss
that could imminently take place, and
the long-term maintenance of safety. It
raises questions that individual engineers
and companies can ask that will hopefully
facilitate productive discussions
about what is happening in pipeline
companies and industry to ensure safety
knowledge and professional expertise
is being fostered.
There is still much that we can learn
about building safety knowledge and
professional expertise in the pipeline
industry.
The Energy Pipelines CRC will be
looking to conduct further research in
partnership with industry and APIA to
examine more in-depth questions about
professionalism and expertise that arose
out of this work such as social factors
that impact on engineers capacity to make
safe decisions, and strategies to support
experience and mentoring in the pipeline
industry context.
This work was funded by the Energy
Pipelines CRC, supported through the
Australian Federal Governments CRCs
Programme. The cash and in-kind support
from the APIA Research and Standards
Committee is gratefully acknowledged.
Thank you to the research participants
who gave up their time for interviews and
made many thoughtful comments about
their professional lives and activities.
Questions to consider in your
workplace
Is safety understood to include
the prevention of major
accidents?
How are young engineers being
supported in their daily
activities? Are opportunities for
experience made available? Are
they contributing to work they
are responsible for? Have they
visited site? On site, do they
have the support of a more
experienced engineer? Are the
potentially serious
consequences of getting things
wrong well understood by young
engineers and are these
consequences specifically linked
to their day-to-day
responsibilities?
Are there senior engineers with
the time available for young
engineers to ask questions? Are
these engineers approachable?
Are they in the same discipline?
Do young engineers also have
access to expertise in other
disciplines as needed?
Are incidents responded to in an
open way? Have staff been
pressured to make decisions due
to schedule and cost
considerations? Do staff feel
confident to make decisions for
safety reasons?
Is information about incidents
openly disseminated at an
industry level?
Are there steps that industry can
take to encourage informal
mentoring?
Are there steps that industry can
take to facilitate experience
across companies?
events
International pipeline
industry converges Down Under
The pipeline industrys three top research associations, representing members operating over five
continents, converged in Sydney, Australia, to address the challenges confronting the pipeline
industry at a global level.
H
osted by the Australian Pipeline
Industry Association (APIA), the
19th Biennial Joint Technical Meeting
(JTM) on Pipeline Research was held from
28 April to 3 May 2013, in Sydney, Australia.
The JTM reflects one of the most
significant collaborations in pipeline
research formed by the tripartite partnership
of APIA, the European Pipeline Research
Group (EPRG), and the Pipeline Research
Council International (PRCI).
The technical programme for the JTM
consisted of 36 papers representing the latest
and best research being completed through
the co-operative programmes of PRCI, EPRG
and APIA. Topics discussed were:
Safety and risk in design
Design
Fracture control EPRG Secretary General Dr Gerhard Knauf, APIA Research and Standards Committee Chairman Stephen Ohl, and
PRCI President Cliff Johnson.
Stress-corrosion cracking
Corrosion
Mechanical damage
Materials and welding, including
high-strength pipelines.
In addition to the presentation of papers,
the programme included workshop sessions
designed to identify areas of most importance
to the pipeline community, and focus topics
for future research.
APIAs Research and Standards
Committee Chairman Stephen Ohl says It is
also important for members of the three
organisations to attend and to actively
participate to discuss future directions for
co-operative research within the worldwide
The programme included presentations, panel discussions and workshops to encourage collaboration.
pipeline industry, and to better define how held at the Taronga Park Zoo, with attendees
the talents of our three organisations might enjoying entertainment from a local
be combined in more productive and comedian, magician and shadow artist.
innovative ways. The event was sponsored by APA Group,
In addition to the technical programme, Baosteel, Rosen, CBMM, Jemena, Marubeni
attendees were treated to the sights of Sydney Itochu Steel, McConnell Dowell, Sea Gas,
with a Welcome Reception held at the and the Energy Pipeline CRC.
Sydney Opera House, overlooking the Sydney The next JTM will be hosted by the EPRG
JTM attendees, Rosens Bryce Brown and Chris Yoxall.
Harbour Bridge. The Conference Dinner was in 2015.
Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 57
EVENTs
Performance and perception in Banff
By Bill Santos, Workshop Chair, on behalf of the Banff/2013 Workshop Steering Committee, Calgary, AB, Canada
The Banff 2013 Pipeline Workshop, the 12th in a series of pipeline integrity workshops held in Banff,
Alberta, Canada from 711 April 2013, marked 20 years of pipeline industry workshops.
T
he first such event was held in 1993
with a total of 70 delegates. This year,
the Calgary Technical Chapter of
Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering
(OMAE) along with ASME-IPTI Pipeline
Systems Division partnered with
CanmetMATERIALS to deliver the Banff 2013
Pipeline Workshop under the theme
performance and perception. Over
800 delegates attended and enjoyed a newly
expanded exhibition hall where many of our
sponsors were on display.
The workshop provided an interactive
forum where the management of integrity,
safety, and risk of pipeline infrastructure
could be discussed. It was also an
opportunity to focus on state-of-the-art
technologies and past experiences related to
the design, construction, operation, testing,
inspection, maintenance, performance, and
abandonment of pipelines. This forum is
built upon facilitating and promoting the
sharing and exchange of information and the
development of pipeline industry
communication networks, by encouraging the
development and operation of working groups
and task forces to address the future challenges
associated with pipelines.
Delegates joined working groups to
discuss issues in pre-established areas and
to define priorities that need to be addressed
to advance the management of pipeline
integrity. The workshop format engages
delegates in discussions in which activities
are prioritised and decisions are made. The
delegates take ownership of the discussions
and the decisions, unlike a conference, where
one person talks and everyone else listens.
The introduction of a new mobile
application in 2013 facilitated the verbal
discussion in our sessions by increasing
participation. The workshop began with one
full day of tutorials which were designed to
complement pipeline integrity topics
discussed during working group sessions that
took place during the balance of the week.
The workshop allowed delegates to
network with people from varying parts of
the pipeline industry, form friendships,
58 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
develop research ideas and business
alliances. This is one of the valuable benefits
afforded to those who take a few days away
from the workplace to attend the Banff
Pipeline Workshop. Another outcome that is
strived for is that all delegates ultimately use
the information discussed during the
workshop and apply it to their day-to-day
working lives.
Closing the gap
One discussion that took place over the
week related to the workshop theme of
performance and perception, and challenged
pipeline industry members to close the gap
between pipeline performance and public
perception. It was evident that improvement
is needed to better educate the general
public about activities taking place in the
pipeline industry and is essential in order to
properly translate pipeline performance.
The Banff/2015 Pipeline Workshop will
take place from 1216 April 2015.
View from the Banff centre.
events
Join Rudi Denys for a
world-renowned event
Following on its success in 2009, the 6th annual Pipeline Technology Conference will be held from
79 October 2013 at the Thermae Palace Hotel in Ostend, Belgium, bringing together top industry
professionals from around the world.
O
rganised by the University of Gents Lab. Soete, Tiratsoo The 5th Pipeline Technology Conference (held in Ostend in 2009)
Technical (a division of Great Southern Press), and Houston- included an outstanding programme of 125 papers written by technical
based Clarion Technical Conferences, the conference is the experts from industry, academia and government, and contributing
pipeline industrys premier high-level scientific and technical event. authors came from 27 countries. In 2013, we hope to make the
The conference will again cover the latest research and its conference just as valuable to delegates with around 120 papers.
application to all aspects of pipeline design, materials, and welding. In addition, this year a topical workshop will also be run during
The topics covered in the 6th annual world-renowned multi-track event the conference on the numerical simulation of pipeline fracture
have been expanded to include materials for CO2 transportation, the behaviour using damage models.
achievements of the pipeline industry in China, and pipeline-
inspection technologies. Sponsor and exhibit
The full list of programme topics will include: The Pipeline Technology 2013 Exhibition will attract top
Pipeline steels decision-makers from the industry, providing a direct opportunity to
Pipeline design and construction discuss and showcase your products and services while raising your
Toughness and residual stresses company profile.
Strain-based design The receptions and all morning and afternoon breaks will be
ECA and validation testing held in the Exhibition area, ensuring exhibitors get high-quality
Sour service traffic from the anticipated 250300 delegates.
Ductile failure and crack arrest Sponsorship opportunities are also available for companies
Pipeline welding wishing to raise their profile in the pipeline industry. For updates on
Pipeline steel for CO2 transportation the latest Conference and Exhibition information, see the events
Chinas achievements website at www.pipelinetechnology2013.com. Alternatively email
Inspection technologies. Tim Thompson at tthompson@gs-press.com.au
Enjoy the Belgian coastline
The Thermae Palace is a unique hotel located along the Belgian coastline. The hotel is situated on the beach promenade, and in
walking distance from the city centre of Ostend and the famous Kursaal Casino.
Delegates in the workshops. For more information visit www.pipelinetechnology2013.com
Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 59
EVENTs
Delegates at the 2012 Plenary session.
Ensuring best practice in Bahrain
Head to Bahrain in October and get involved in the 2013 International Conference and Exhibition on
Best Practices in Pipeline Operations & Integrity Management.
O T
rganised by Tiratsoo Technical (a
division of Great Southern Press) and
Houston-based Clarion Technical
Conferences together with Global Energy
Consultants, the 2013 event will again be held
at Bahrains prestigious Gulf Convention
Centre, from 2023 October.
The major multi-track conference will
bring together experts from within and outside
the region to discuss some of the latest
technologies and concepts for maintaining
and operating oil and gas pipelines in the
most efficient, cost-effective, and professional
manner, while taking into account the
environmental and other concerns of the
communities through which they pass.
The event will be held under the patronage
of His Excellency Shaikh Ahmed Bin
Mohamed Al Khalifa, Minister of Finance,
Minister in Charge of Oil and Gas Affairs, and
Chairman of the National Oil & Gas Authority,
in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
Dont miss out on exhibiting and
sponsorship
This prestigious event is a great
opportunity for your company to show its
industry support while giving you unparalleled
access to decision-makers from around the
world. Top decision-makers will be in
attendance from highly regarded global
companies and from the Middle Eastern
pipeline industry.
The 2012 event featured over 65 companies
who showcased the latest in pipeline
60 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013
technology, equipment and services. With over
540 attendees from 26 different countries, the
exhibitors were able to expose their services to
a truly global client list and had the
opportunity to expand their operations.
A range of sponsorship opportunities
are still available that will expand your
companys exposure while showing your
support for the industry.
An in-depth conference
programme
The two-and-a-half day conference will
be opened and closed with plenary
sessions, and be accompanied by the major
exhibition reflecting the widest interests of
the pipeline industry. The simultaneous
tracks for the technical programme of the
event will include:
Planning
Operations and maintenance
Asset integrity management
Automation and control.
A Technical Committee has been
established under the chairmanship of John
Tiratsoo of Tiratsoo Technical to develop
the programme and to ensure the highest
quality of presentations, and offers of
papers are now being solicited.
New business opportunities
The conference will bring leaders of the
pipeline industry together in Bahrain,
offering excellent opportunities for
networking, developing new links, and
sharing knowledge. A number of
networking events will be held to establish
new connections.
Saudi Aramcos General Manager of the
Pipelines Department, Abdulhakim
Al-Gouhi, says We look forward to seeing
you again in Bahrain, hoping for more
participation from pipeline operators. Lets
gather to unleash the power of sharing best
practices in proactive pipelines integrity
management and technologies.
To secure your sponsorship, contact:
BJ Lowe (bjlowe@clarion.org or
+ 1 713 521 5929) for North or South
America
Tim Thompson (tthompson@gs-press.
com.au or +61 3 9248 5100) for middle
east, Europe, Asia, Africa
For more information visit
www.pipelineconf.com
Head to Colorado for
GeoGathering 2013
This years GeoGathering Conference, to be held from 2122 August 2013, in Colorado Springs,
Colorado, US, will focus on helping companies develop an effective data strategy.
oday, acquisitions and fast growth in
the oil and gas-gathering industry are
forcing operators to develop a data
strategy and look deeper at all aspects of
their pipeline asset data from how it is
collected to making it available to decision
makers. Currently, gathering systems are
unregulated but trends in the industry show
this is likely to change in the future.
Preparing for this impending change is
crucial, hence the theme of the conference.
With the theme Developing a data
strategy: data collection and sharing, the
goal of the GeoGathering Conference is to
provide valuable information to gathering
system and upstream operators who want to
create efficient, accurate, and collaborative
data strategies that work for their
organisations. Presenters will demonstrate
how GIS technology allows collection and
sharing of data between the field and the
office, enabling organisations to make
well-informed decisions.
A diverse programme
The versatile agenda focuses on
real-world experiences everything from
integrity management and data requirements
to data security and making GIS technology
more accessible to stakeholders.
To kick off the conference Keynote
Speaker, President and Motivational Safety
Speaker of Safety Awareness Solutions Eric
Giguere will be presenting his paper The
buried truth uncovered. A former
Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 61
construction worker, Mr Giguere shares his
story of how he was buried alive while
working in a trench. He explains how he is
an average guy and a series of extraordinary
events left him with an unbelievable story to
tell.
In addition, delegates will be able to
attend sessions that include:
PHMSA MAOP strategies
Collection methods to meet requirements
Data sharing: GIS as an enterprise
Organising data for decision-makers
MAOP and collecting the right data
Acquisitions and validating the data
Environmental permitting: collection and
management of the data
Data security and the Cloud
Field and office data strategies
Collecting and sharing information to
help enhance pipeline safety
Data gathering: integrating the old with
the new
Data models and how they fit into a data
strategy
Web-enabled data sharing technologies
and portals
Enterprise GIS/database development
with data sharing in mind
GIS for business development
professionals.
Networking and a think-tank
This year delegates will experience a
new, audience-focused format that offers two
simultaneous tracks giving attendees the
events
chance to tailor their own conference
schedule. Plus, two of the biggest
improvements by far are the addition of
structured networking sessions and a GIS
think-tank.
When attendees leave the structured
networking session, they will have a solid list
of new business contacts and possibly some
new friends for meals and socialising. The
networking sessions are strategically placed
at the beginning of the conference to help
new relationships to be built over the
duration of the event.
The GIS think-tank session is also a
unique addition to the agenda. It will feature
five to seven GIS managers from a variety of
gathering operators around the country. This
is not a typical Q&A panel session; instead it
will allow the participating GIS managers to
converse among themselves as the audience
listens in.
This years conference boasts a strong
seven-person steering committee with a solid
gathering-pipeline background. Members
include Trisha Menasco of DCP Midstream,
Tom Coolidge of Esri, Ellen Nodwell of Hess,
Cameron Collins of Williams, Rob McElroy of
McElroy Consulting, Ron Brush of New
Century Software, and Victoria Skogman of
New Century Software.
To find out more or to register visit
www.geogathering.com
EVENTs events

Training courses in

Infrastructure professionals head to Oz

Houston, TX, US
JUNE 2013 www.clarion.org JULy 2013
S M T W T F S S M T W T F S
In September 2013, the Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre in Australia will play host to an 1 1 2 3 4 5 6
international trenchless event, No Dig-Down Under. The wide-ranging industry event will provide over a
thousand delegates from around the world with insights into innovative and new trenchless techniques. 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
*
9 10 11 12 13 14 15 14 15 16 17 18 19 20

N
o-Dig Down Under 2013 is the 31st cover case studies, new and emerging
international conference and technologies, challenging projects and 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 21 22 23 24 25 26 27
exhibition of the International Society environments, industry skills and training, *
for Trenchless Technology (ISTT). The ISTT, risk management, and more. Delegates will 23 24 25 26 27International
28 29Forum on28Transportation
29 30 31
which has 28 Affiliated Societies around the learn how to enhance their products and of CO2 by Pipeline
world, was established to advance the science services by learning about the role trenchless 30
CO2 pipeline training Newcastle, UK
and practice of trenchless technology for the technology plays in reducing carbon course, Newcastle, UK www.clarion.org
public benefit and to promote education, emissions, reducing occupational health and
www.clarion.org
training, study and research in this field. safety risks, and protecting the environment
The ISTT hosts its annual event with one and existing infrastructure, among many
August 2013 September 2013
The No-Dig Down Under 2013 social programme
of its Affiliated Societies every year. This year,
the Australasian Society for Trenchless
other benefits.
The programme will be supported by an
includes a cruise on beautiful Sydney Harbour. S M T W T F S S M T W T F S
Technology (ASTT), in conjunction with the Exhibition Hall extending over 5,000 sq m, Delegates will also be offered an extensive 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
ISTT, will host the international No-Dig Event featuring booths of varying sizes and range of social and networking opportunities,
from 14 September. international pavilions, where contractors including the Exhibition Opening, Sydney 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 9 10 11 12 13 15
The technical programme will include and suppliers from around the world can Harbour Cruise, and Gala Dinner and Awards
international speakers from 18 countries showcase their services and equipment of Evening. This prestigious occasion will be the 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 16 17 18 19 20 21 22
presenting their papers. These papers will all shapes and sizes. trenchless industrys main event for the year. *
18 19 20 21 22 23 24 23 24 25 26 27 28 29
Practical pigging
For more information go to www.nodigdownunder.com 25 26
GeoGathering Conference, 27 30 Training course,
Colorado, US Rio Pipeline
Rio de Janerio, Brazil
www.geogathering.com Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
www.clarion.org
www.ibp.org.br

DONT MISS AN ISSUE!

Training courses
Rudis Pipeline Technology October 2013 in Houston, TX, US November 2013
Conference www.clarion.org
Ostend, Belgium S M T W T F S S M T W T F S
www.pipelinetechnology2013.com

SUBSCRIBE TODAY
1 2 3 4 5 1 2
*
6 7 8 9 10 11 12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
13 14 15 16 17 18 19 10 11 12 13 14 15 16Training course in
Houston, TX, US
*
20 21 22 23 24 25 26 17 18 19 20 21 22 23www.clarion.org
*
Australian Pipeline27 28
Industry 29 30Best 31
Practices in Pipeline
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Operation and Integrity
Association Convention
Management 10 ASCOPE Conference and Exhibition
TH
Adelaide, South Australia
Manama, Bahrain Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam,
www.apia.net.au www.pipelineconf.com www.ascope-2013.com

*Selected pipeline training courses are available on these dates. Visit www.clarion.org or www.tiratsootechnical.com for more information.

Dont forget theSE events for 2014:

Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management Conference and Exhibition, Houston, TX, USA, 10 14 February 2014
Purchase your Pipelines International subscription online at
pipelinesinternational.com/subscribe Gastech Conference & Exhibition, KINTEX1, Korea 24 27 March 2014
For more information about Clarion and Tiratsoo Technicals training courses and events visit
www.clarion.org or www.tiratsootechnical.com

62 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013 63

advertisers' index

ADVERTISERS INDEX
Allu UK Ltd 5
ASCOPE Conference and Exhibition 27

DONT MISS
Asel-Tech 22
Best Practices in Pipelines Operation
& Integrity Management 21
C-FER Technology 40,41

AN ISSUE!
Det Norske Veritas As IBC
Enduro Pipeline Services OBC
Europipe 13
Gastech Conference & Exhibition 23

SUBSCRIBE TODAY
GeoGathering Conference 49
Herrenknecht AG 6
HYTORC 33
Journal of Pipeline Engineering 43
Maats B.V. 15
Mattracks 12
Michels Corporation 16
NDT Systems and Services GmbH
& Co. KG 11
Ozzies Pipeline Padders Inc 7
Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Management
Conference and Exhibition 45
Pipeline Technology Conference 25
Power Associates International Inc 14
PWT srl 17
Romstar Sdn Bhd 9
Rosen Group IFC
Sypris Technologies 8
TD Williamson, Inc. 3
The International Forum on Purchase your Pipelines International subscription online at
Transportation of CO2 by Pipeline 29 pipelinesinternational.com/subscribe
Vermeer 1
Via Plus 42

Coming in future issues

SEPTEMBER 2013 DECEMBER 2013 MARCH 2014 JUNE 2014

Region Review Middle East South America Sub-Saharan Africa Australia

Coatings
Pigging Bending machines Compressors
Rehabilitation and repair
Features Pipelayers and sidebooms Safety Offshore
Trenchers and earthmoving
Land issues and mapping Trenchless technology Machinery and equipment
equipment

Terrain Review Forest Arctic Desert Offshore

DEADLINE 19 July 2013 1 November 2013 1 February 2014 2 May 2014

64 Pipelines International | JUNE 2013

 Safeguarding life,
property and
the environment

Synergi As the focus on pipeline safety increases, stricter regulations

demand better solutions for integrity management.

Pipeline
Do you have control?

In addition to full compliance, operators are also seeing the benefits of

Responsible and systems that increase efficiency and extend the lifetime of ageing assets.

efficient integrity Synergi Pipeline is a company-wide risk and integrity management system
that improves pipeline safety and reliability, maximises availability and

management extends operational lifetime. It features support for international codes,

extensive risk assessment capabilities, coupled with tools to support the
entire integrity and risk management process.

Learn how you can benefit from using Synergi Pipeline.

Watch the video from our latest Webinar on
www.dnvsoftware.com/PI

Complete solutions Most user friendly Most value for money Professional service
 25 Years of Innovation

Dual/Multiple Diameter
Enduro has developed a slotted cup and slotted disc designed for pigging dual diameter and multiple
diameter pipelines. The special sized cups and disc have proven to minimize by-pass and provide a near
constant seal in dual diameter and multiple diameter pipelines. Specially designed pigs can be
manufactured to accommodate brushes and/or magnets for pipelines as small as 3" X 4" with 1.5D bends.

800-752-1628 918-446-1934
www.enduropls.com info@enduropls.com