Pigging & In-line Inspection

December 6-7, 2010
Calgary

 

Course schedule
December 6-7 8am-5pm

The use of in-line tools for inspection and cleaning is accepted as essential for the safe and profitable operation of all pipelines. Now, Regulations require internal inspections using geometry pigs for detecting changes in circumference and MFL or ultrasonic pigs for determining wall anomalies, or wall loss due to corrosion in onshore pipelines in the US. Offshore, pipeline operators wage a constant battle for flow assurance against paraffin, hydrate, and asphaltene formation in deepwater lines, and pigging technology combined with chemical treatment is their primary weapon. The course content will be fully illustrated, with actual pigs and models being used to aid understanding and help overcome any language difficulties.

Course Objectives

This course is designed to provide a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of utility and in-line inspection pigging. Led by four of the most experienced, independent experts in this field today, the course will be conducted as a workshop, and attendees will be actively encouraged to participate.

Course Notes

Included with the course fee is a detailed set of lecture notes and the reference handbook Pipeline Pigging & Integrity Technology, 3rd Edition, by J.N.H. Tiratsoo (600pp hardcover - a $125 value) providing invaluable reference documents after the course.

  

Who should attend

The course is especially designed for

  • project managers,
  • engineers,
  • maintenance and technical personnel responsible for pipeline integrity assurance, flow assurance, corrosion control, and safety.

Continuing Education Units

Upon completion of the course, participants will be eligible to receive 1.2 Continuing Education Units (CEUs).

Lecturers

Dr. Tom Bubenik is Director of Integrity Solutions at DNV Columbus (formerly CC Technologies). He has more than 20 years of experience in pipeline integrity assessments, in-line inspection tools and their capabilities, direct assessment techniques and methodologies, field data collection, and the impact of defects and inspection on pipeline operations and maintenance. Dr. Bubenik's research experience covers inspection technologies for pipelines, analysis tools for corroded and damaged pipelines, and repair techniques for pipelines. He also has extensive experience related to in-line inspection of natural gas pipelines including design and operation of inspection vehicles and analysis and interpretation of inspection data.

Alasdair Clyne is a consultant with DNV Energy (formerly CC Technologies) in Calgary. He is mainly involved in work associated with in-line inspection and integrity issues for clients based primarily in Canada and Latin America. Alasdair worked for British Gas R&D from 1980 through 1994, when he joined Pipeline Integrity International. He joined DNV/CCT after working in the UK, Argentina and Houston. Alasdair graduated in metallurgy from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne, and is a Senior Member of The Welding Institute and a UK Chartered engineer and a registered APEGGA engineer within Alberta.

Jeff Fleming is an ILI Coordinator with TransCanada Pipelines. He is responsible for the execution of ILI projects which encompass all aspects of pigging from utility tools to smart tools. Prior to joining TransCanada Jeff spent five years with BJ Pipeline Inspection Services heading up the group responsible for the fitness-for-purpose evaluation of ILI tool data.

George Williamson has over 22 years of Operations, maintenance and Integrity Management experience. He is a registered professional engineer, NACE certified corrosion and cathodic protection specialist, and certified pipeline integrity specialist.

Course Outline

Day 1

Pigging for Operation and Maintenance

  • Pigging during construction
  • Pigging during operation
  • Utility Pigs
  • Cleaning pigs
  • Sealing pigs
  • Gauging pigs
  • Dual diameter pigs
  • Magnetic cleaning pigs
  • Designing a Pipeline for Pigging
  • Pig traps and pigging stations
  • Location and tracking devices
In-line Inspection (ILI) Tools - Theory, Performance, and Detection Limits
  • Metal loss In-line Inspection
  • Other In-Line Inspection Tools
  • Crack detection pigs
  • Mapping
  • Geometry and bend-detection pigs
  • Wax deposition measurement
  • Spanning pigs
  • Semi-intelligent pigs
  

Day 2

Designing and Implementing an In-line Inspection (ILI) Program

  • Selecting an ILI Tool
  • Specific Design Considerations for Running ILI Tools
  • Launch and Receive trap design
  • Bends, tees, and valves
  • Issuing an Inquiry
  • Schedule requirements
Preparation for ILI
  • Controlling Operational Parameters During the Inspection Run
  • Strategy for Contract Development and Negotiations
  • Developing a good specification
  • Contingency Planning for a Stuck Pig
  • Offshore risers
  • Onshore flowlines, gathering system main sections or laterals
Post In-line Inspection Issues

Quality Assurance Check of the Data
Development of Protocols for Response
Prioritization of the Dig Plan
  • US regulatory requirements
  • Criteria for corrosion-caused metal loss
  • Criteria for dents
Validation of Results:
  • Planning and preparation for field NDE
  • Comparison between ILI, field NDE and actual:
    • Corrosion
    • Dents - effects of re-rounding
  • Establish level of confidence
Fitness for Purpose: Assessment
  • Assessment of defects
  • Establish long-term integrity management program
  • Incorporation of results in risk programs
  • Potential Repair Consideration
Organized by:

Clarion Technical Conferences

Tiratsoo Technical
Supported by: PIPE Pipelines International The Journal of Pipeline Engineering