Achieving Maximum Crack Remediation Effect from Optimized Hydrotesting

Overview

Main Objective

The project will develop a working model to allow industry to predict the overall benefits of hydrotests. Such a prediction will be made with a consideration of various characteristics of a pipeline including the type of operation, stage of cracking, environmental susceptibility, steel metallurgy, and operation history. When hydrotesting is necessary, the model will help operators select the best parameters that would generate the most effective crack remediation.

Public Abstract

Hydrotesting is one of the key techniques widely adopted for pipeline integrity management. A dilemma is created when hydrotesting is performed on pipelines experiencing stress corrosion cracking: hydrotesting eliminates defects of critical size and conditions sub-critical cracks to achieve a post-test period without operating failure; adversely it shortens remaining life because of crack growth during hydrotesting even for small SCC cracks according to the latest research findings. This research is to determine how effective hydrotesting is toward crack remediation. Specifically, efforts will be made to establish a working model that will allow the industry to predict the overall benefits of hydrotesting. When hydrotesting is necessary, the model will help pipeline operators select the hydrotesting parameters that would generate the most effective crack remediation. University of Alberta is supported in this project by TransCanada Pipelines Limited, Alberta Research Council, and Natural Science and Engineering Council of Canada. It is estimated that the optimized hydrotesting procedures may save the pipeline companies Millions per year through reduced maintenance costs and accident avoidance costs.

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