Abstract
Defined as the structured process that outlines locations where a pipeline is physically examined to provide assessment of internal corrosion, direct assessment is used as a method, in lieu of hydro tests or inline inspections, to ensure the integrity of a pipeline, improve reliability, and increase public safety. The Internal Corrosion Direct Assessment (ICDA) Method has been developed to assess the corrosion impact of short-term upsets of liquid water on transmission gas pipeline integrity. This process includes collection, analysis, assessment, and integration of data into a structured risk based format. The Direct Assessment method is especially useful on older pipelines, pipelines which cannot be electronically inspected, and pipelines which normally cannot be contaminated with water.
To date, no extensive field work or corroboration studies have been completed for the validation of this process. This paper focuses on the ICDA related methods and various strategies currently being implemented to improve and validate this methodology including: fluid dynamics, multiphase flow modeling, pipeline structures, product corrosivity analysis. These analysis methods collectively can advance implementation, validation, and application of the ICDA method for gas transmission pipeline systems.
