R&D Program Historical Pre-2002 Awards

This verification project is to quantify the predictability of direct assessment standard processes to accurately predict coating damage, by integrating facility and historical inspection records, recent remote voltage, and current or magnetic inspections.

Development of intelligent systems for pipeline infrastructure reliability.

Research on the strain-based design of pipelines. To see the Phase II project go to Project 140.

2003 International Offshore Pipeline Workshop

The purpose of this project was to investigate MFL oriented in the circumferential direction on an ILI tool. The tool will then identify and characterize pipeline mechanical damage, the leading cause of reportable accidents in both gas and hazardous liquid pipelines.

This research and development project assessed the integrity of aging offshore pipeline systems by testing and validating the performance of "smart pigs" as tools to determine pipeline conditions on a number of abandoned offshore pipelines, field testing the pipelines to failure, and then comparing the failures with assessment models for predicting condition/failure.

The research objective was to conduct trial testing and implementation of airborne ground-penetrating radar to support monitoring of pipeline safety and performance. Specific objectives included demonstrating the capability to detect and map pipe/pipelines and to provide early detection of leaks.

[Full title is Environmental Impact and Risk Modeling of Petroleum and Gas Transmission Lines using Interferometry and High Resolution Imagery from Satellite and Airborne-Based Remote Sensing Systems]

Synthetic Aperture Radar Interferometry (InSAR) has the ability to detect and map centimeter scale deformation in petroleum and gas transmission line corridors on a system-wide basis. High resolution optical satellite imagery coupled with InSAR offer the ability to accurately characterize environmental conditions and features for hazard and risk assessments.

Co-funding of a workshop on the use of human and organizational factor disciplines in the management of safety, behavior, and environmental hazards for offshore operations and facilities.

The research was a three-fold process: (1) develop generic encroachment threat scenarios based on actual conditions in New Jersey, (2) develop an in-house workshop to identify potential threats to pipelines from changes in land usage, and to develop a consolidated, prioritized list of threats, and (3) hold a meeting between TETCO and PHMSA staff to plan a subsequent workshop involving New Jersey land-use officials.

Study was conducted to determine the need for inspections of pipeline burial depth in the Gulf of Mexico for DOT regulated pipelines.

Olympic Pipeline Co performed research for the purpose of developing and implementing a pilot program to design, install, test, evaluate and report monitoring of slope stability indicators and strain guage readings on sites limited to Western Washington State.

This research was conducted in order to examine and identify the cause and effect of pressure reversal that sometimes occurs during hydrostatic testing of pipelines. The concern is whether hydrostatic testing in some pipelines may, in fact, reduce rather than establish the integrity of a pipeline.

This report documents the findings of an evaluation of the magnetic, mechanical, chamical and metallurgical properties of 36 pipeline materials that were removed from gas-transmission service. There were three objectives of this evaluation. The first was to determine whether there were clear correlations between magnetic properties and mechanical properties. The second was to determine whether magnetic properties change significantly with the application of stresses and strains. The last was to assemble a database of both magnetic and mechanical properties for future development activities.

The purpose of this study is to review issues regarding data quality which are deficient in the current pipeline incident/accident/annual reporting system and suggest innovative solutions for improving these processes. Data quality issues reviewed include data entry errors, data reporting errors, numerical and logical inconsistencies among data fields, and lack of standard definition for describing failure circumstances. The solution developed as a result of this research is an electronic filing and data auditing system to assist operators in the report filing process, and to alert PHMSA as to data errors, inconsistencies, and deficiencies in submitted report.

This project evaluated and developed inspection technologies for mechanical damage and cracks in pipelines. Most of the project examined MFL for mechanical damage defects. Included were evaluations of existing analysis methods to establish a baseline from which today's tools can be evaluated and tomorrow's advances measured. In addition, improvements were developed and verified through pull rig and flow loop testing. Finally, an experience base and defect sets were built.

The development of a consequences database requires a description of the damages that occur in the incidents-accidents that result in fires and/or explosions. In order to determine the consequences of an incident-accident, the records of the National Transportation Safety Board ("NTSB") wer examined for relevant information (such as description of the damage) since that tyep of data does not exist in the PHMSA database. The consequences database was then used in conjunction with a sample Geographic Information System ("GIS") developed by the project team. The damage area found in the consequences database was analyzed using a GIS to determine the damages that would result if an incident were to occur at various locations along the simulated pipeline in the GIS.

The study was designed to provide information with respect to the problem and need for regulation of underground storage caverns.

The study analyzed the risks and consequences of pipelines being seriously affected by natural disasters, and proposed potential mitigation measures for such pipelines to prevent leaks or spills.

Research included experimental testing and finite element analysis to better understand the behavior of dents in pipelines.

Research was conducted to develop fracture mechanic concepts, in particular leak before rupture, to hazardous liquid and gas pipelines.

The Pipeline Safety Reauthorization Act of 1988 (Public Law 100-561) required the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration to examine the need for Emergency Flow Restricting Devices (EFRDs) in existing and future hazardous liquids pipelines. A subsequent study concluded that Remote Controlled Valves (RCVs) cold not function successfully without a supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system or an independent, software-based leak detection system (LDS). This study, therefore, investigated current SCADA, LDS and EFRD systems to identify performance measures, as well as cost and feasibility of adoption of such systems.

This research identified the factors that cause pipeline failures, and the factors that effect accidents on hazardous liquid pipelines.

The report documents results from the analysis of maintenance, rehabilitation, and retrofitting policies and practices of the gas and hazardous liquids pipeline industry, and their comparison with the Federal Pipeline Safety Regulations (i.e., 49 CFR Parts 191, 192, 194, and 195) as they apply to these areas. The report also compares these regulations with counterpart regulations in Canada, Australia, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom, and in particular with respect to land use and siting of pipelines in close promiximity to urban (i.e., densely populated) and/or environmentally sensitive areas.

TBD

This research attempted to define a list of specific types or categories of environmentally sensitive areas.

An evaluation and comparison was made of the resistance to rapid crack propogation of a bainitic pipeline steel with high yield-to-ultimate strenth ratio and ferritic-pearlite pipeline steel with a lower yield-to-ultimate strength ratio.

This report addressed the issue of damage to underground facilities caused by excavation and related activities, as well as considering the efforts that have been made in recent years to limit and control such damage via laws, regulations, and damage prevention programs such as one-call systems. The emphasis and focus of this study is on outside force damage to U.S. natural gas pipelines, whose safe performance is the regulatory responsibility of the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The report assesses several proposed girth weld defect acceptance criteria as presented in industry report appendices. Critical assessments are made on each proposed girth weld defect tolerance criteria, considering both range of applicability and level of convservativism. Aspects of the criteria which require alteration are discussed, and improvements are recommended.

A method was developed to calculate stresses induced into a pipeline as the result of lowering it.

The report reviewed safety criteria for the transportation of gaseous hydrogen by pipeline. Major emphasis is placed on transmission pipelines, but distribution piping is also considered. The report concludes that under certain conditions gaseous hydrogen could pose public safety hazards that are not adequately addressed by current safety code regulations.

This two-part report discusses (1) theoretical work on the flaw evaluation as it relates to weld defects in pipelines, and (2) experimental work on corrosion fatigue in pipelines.

Research developed procedures for the use of fracture mechanics as an alternate methods of assessing the acceptability of defects in pipeline girth welds.

Determination of a means of establishing the conditions for an optimum heat fusion cycle for thermoplastic pipeline joints.

This report presents the results of research on four problems of the propogating buckle in marine pipelines.

Purpose of the research was to perform an engineering evaluation of the use of all stainless steel full circle band clamps for permanent repair to natural gas service plastic piping.

This report provides a detailed assessment of current practices employed in the design, construction, testing, operation, and maintenance of arctic pipelines. Such practices provide for the safety of the public and the protection of the environment.

Discussion of the state-of-the-art in Arctic pipeline technology is discussed, with emphasis on offhsore applications in the Beaufort Sea. Environmental conditions, physical hazards (excluding military/sabotage damage), unique requirements, modes of failure and countermeasures are described. Existing US regulations are reviewed to identify potential gaps in regulations for Arctic offshore pipelines.

The report presents a critical review of the (then) state-of-the art ultrasonic methods and procedures available for nondestructive evaluation of weldments.

Study quantitatively evaluates the current and future levels of risk associated with LNG trucking operations from Everett and to compare those risks with risks associated with other activities and with alternate transportation modes. In addition, the effects of possible risk control options were evaluated.

An analysis of data collected from surveys of gas utility companies and master meter systems owners/operators was performed to determine characteristics of master meter natural gas distribution systems, and to gain insight about the potential safety hazard of buried or exposed piping owned by customers that is beyone the utility company's responsiblity.

The investigation was conducted to determine the status of programs for prevention of damage to underground facilities of utilities, pipe-lines and other underground line systems. The study was centered on outside force/outside party damage during excavation near the underground facilities.

Study of the Properties of the Numerous Odorants and Assessment of their Effectiveness in Various Environmental Conditions to Alert People to the Presence of Natural Gas.

This study provided an overall assessment of the safety of natural gas distribution systems and the measures being promoted or in use to increase safety. This report summarizes data collected by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration and the results of PHMSA-sponsored studies/research intended to improve the safety of specific gas distribution problems.

Report reviewed the then current state-of-the-art safety information related to the design, location, construction, operation and maintenance of facilities required for liquefaction, transfer, storage, and revaporization of natural gas.

The purpose of this research was to determine the current state of the art of corrosion of ferrous pipelines.