Development of Corrosion/Erosion Threat Assessment Methodologies and Enriched Preventive and Mitigative Measures to Promote Safety of Gas Gathering Pipelines

Overview

Main Objective

This study is to develop and implement a probabilistic corrosion/erosion assessment method and enriched preventive and mitigative measures to promote safety of gas gathering pipelines, and nurture US next-generation workforce and raise public awareness to our pipeline safety and integrity assessment

Public Abstract

Gathering pipelines are prone to corrosion, erosion, and even interacting erosion-corrosion threats. Despite great improvements and advances, current assessment methods and measures fall short in meeting the needs. this study aims to, through integrated novel experimental, high-fidelity numerical, and analytical methods, develop a unified assessment method to assess likelihood and severity of corrosion/erosion damage, and provide enriched preventive and mitigative measures for corrosion/erosion prevention and mitigation.

Potential Impact on Safety: By providing an improved and more accurate assessment of corrosion and erosion threats and mitigation strategies, the project can help prevent pipeline failures caused by these issues and will allow pipeline operators to take a more proactive approach to managing pipeline health and safety.

Summary and Conclusions

Erosion-corrosion in pipelines presents significant challenges due to the complex interactions of solid, liquid, gas, and particulate flows under varying operational conditions. Despite advancements, critical gaps persist, particularly in high-quality datasets and predictive models. Current datasets are often fragmented or context-specific, limiting the development of reliable, generalized tools for predicting and mitigating pipeline damage. Existing assessment methods, primarily rule-based frameworks, lack flexibility and often result in inaccurate or overly conservative predictions.

This project has successfully addressed these challenges through three primary objectives:

Comprehensive Dataset Development: A robust dataset was created to understand the correlations between flow dynamics, particle size, and pipeline geometry, which are key factors influencing erosion-corrosion behavior. This data serves as the foundation for more accurate predictive models.

Refined Risk Assessment Methodologies: Advanced analytical techniques, including nonlinear kernel-based support vector regression (SVR) and Bayesian probabilistic models, were developed to predict erosion rates and assess risk under varying conditions. These models account for uncertainty and variability, providing more reliable predictions than traditional methods.

Evaluation of Mitigation Strategies: A range of preventive measures, including coatings, liners, and composites, was evaluated for effectiveness through experimental testing. Additionally, a novel passive mitigation strategy was tested, which optimizes fluid dynamics within pipelines to reduce erosion. Results demonstrate significant potential for improving operational lifespan and efficiency.

The project's findings also expanded the understanding of the synergistic effects of corrosion and erosion, revealing how these processes amplify damage under complex flow conditions. Through a combination of lab-scale experiments, simulations, and advanced analytical methods, the research has contributed valuable insights to improve both predictive tools and practical mitigation strategies for pipeline integrity management.

Furthermore, the project has had a strong educational impact, involving over 100 students at various academic levels and fostering greater awareness of the critical issues surrounding erosion and corrosion in pipelines.

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