It has been shown that oil and gas pipeline networks are the most economical and safest mean of transporting crude oils and they fulfill the high demand for efficiency and reliability. However, as transporting hazardous substances using miles-long pipelines has become popular across the globe in recent decades, the chance of critical accidents due to pipeline failures increases.
The energy industry operates equipment inspections and monitoring according to strict standards that primarily aim to keep equipment running with efficiency while maintaining workplace safety. It is well known that leaks in pipeline networks are one of the major causes of innumerable losses in pipeline operators and nature. Incidents of pipeline failure can result in serious ecological disasters, human casualties, and financial loss.
In order to maintain safety, ensure efficient management, and safeguard the integrity of pipelines, asset operators are applying various methods for monitoring and inspection– combing digital technologies and field operations. Regular visual NDT inspections are the backbone of efficient inspection management, devoted to early detection and anticipation of leaks and damages, leading to avoiding pipeline failure and irreversible damages which include financial losses and extreme environmental pollution, particularly when the leakage is not detected in a timely way.
In response to this situation, SIRFULL solution for Inspection management integrates the main and fundamental steps of an optimized Inspection process offering a global approach to pipeline management in a safe and cost-effective way. The intelligent, scalable, and customizable SaaS platform is used today by pipeline networks operators in France like Trapil and SPSE and internationally
SIRFULL™ Inspection is inspired by the RBI “Risk-Based Inspection” methodology and is enriched with the intelligent Measurement Points, Degradation mechanism Analysis and Strategy modules, helping the operators of the energy sector to combine different approaches and technologies, finding the most optimal strategy for the inspection management. A real “toolbox” for the inspection department, helping users to improve inspection programs, ensure regulatory compliance, analyze the degradation mechanisms and its causes, avoid leaks, implement the Inspection Strategy and reduce risks.
Pipeline inspections play an important role in asset integrity management the rules governing inspection are the pipeline safety regulations, but as well the operational conditions, identified risk factors, the degradation mechanisms, such is corrosion and its growth rates. That’s why the cornerstone of the SIRFULL™ Inspection solution is the Strategy module, allowing the Inspection departments to implement the inspection rules considering various criteria.
Execution of inspection and monitoring activities to collect information is done with the «Measuring Points” module providing an organized approach to qualitative and quantitative data collection, evaluation, documentation, and planning of visual and instrumental surveys. This module combines the collected data from all the technologies used for the inspection, including filed inspections as well as the use of robots, drones, and smart pigs. Coupled with our Geolocation module, the pipelines could be visualized as well as any information of the indications detected and recorded by an inspection robot or during the field inspection, helping the pipeline operators to take necessary measures before the damage occurs.
The Root Cause Analysis Module ( development on-going) will be an additional toll dedicated to the evaluation of the inspection and monitoring data, involving the assessment of degradation progression rates or remaining life calculations.
At last but not least Inspection Management solution can be coupled with the Simulation engine developed by SIRFULL and allowing the Inspection Management departments to evaluate different scenarios and compare different Inspection strategies before choosing the best one.
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