Methods for prioritizing pipeline maintenance and rehabilitation

Abstract

This report describes the use of risk assessment as a means of prioritizing segments of pipeline systems for maintenance or revalidation. The project which resulted in this report consisted of the following tasks. Review of Risk-Assessment Methods; Identification of Risk Parameters and Assessment of Their Significance; Identification of the Factors Affecting the Consequences of Accidents and Their Impact; Development of a Risk-Assessment Algorithm; Conduct a Hypothetical Calculation; and Critical Assessment of Risk Analysis as a Means of Utilizing Pipeline Monitoring Tools and Rehabilitation Techniques. With the resulting algorithm or parts thereof, a pipeline operator can prioritize segments of a pipeline system of maintenance on a rational, defensible basis. The algorithm or parts thereof can be used to rank segments in order of apparent urgency for hydrostatic retesting, in-line inspection, close-interval surveys, or rehabilitation. The ranking permits an operator to use limited maintenance funds for those segments with the greatest need first.