Recent Results

PRCI Completes Full-scale Testing Milestone for Mechanical Damage Program

In 2008, PRCI initiated a significant program to establish a detailed experimental database to support the development and validation of improved burst and fatigue strength models for assessing the interaction of mechanical damage with secondary features (gouges, corrosion, and welds). The use of this data…

Subsea Pipeline Damage Inspection and Protocol - Guideline Development

Over the past several years, PRCI members have shown an increasing interest in subsea pipeline research projects and the Subsea Pipeline Integrity Management Program continues to grow in size and funding levels. In January 2012, PRCI completed a study on Subsea Pipeline Damage Inspection Guideline…

Improved Site-Selection Model Based on Correlating ILI Results with Op. and Geotech. Characteristics

The ability to predict where stress-corrosion cracking is likely to be most severe within a portion of a pipeline is essential to the success of SCC direct assessment and would be very useful for prioritizing exploration and validation excavations, hydrostatic testing and In-line inspection. Some…

Investigation into High Pressure Differential Pressure Transmitter Calibration

In many applications within the oil and gas industries, and in particular in the measurement of flow, differential pressure transmitters must operate with high accuracy and repeatability. The uncertainty of the measurement of flow varies proportionately to the uncertainty associated with the differential pressure measurement.…

Characterization of Compressor Engine Lube Oil Carryover

Excessive power cylinder (engine) lubrication in large bore two-stroke cycle natural gas engines can lead to increased operating costs due to high lubricating oil consumption, poisoning of catalyst elements, and potentially increased pollutant emissions of the oxidized oil base and additive package.  Catalyst poisoning and…

Preparing for 2013 - Lessons Learned from NOx RACT and SIP Call (Phase 1)

New air quality standards and modifications to existing regulations continue to be introduced. Of particular impact on compressor engines are the ozone national ambient air quality standard and the nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) one hour standard.  While all stakeholders are presently waiting for EPA to declare…

Improving Weld Quality by Use of Commercially Available Real Time Welding Monitors

Welding of High Strength Steel Pipelines

This seminal multi-year project provides foundation knowledge and tools for future research activities to improve welding in pipeline applications. This is especially important research because welding is an enabling technology that affects multiple aspects of oil and gas transmission pipeline design, construction and in-service modification…

Criteria for Determining Seam Failure Susceptibility Due to Crack Defects

This work represents a major contribution to ERW pipeline management technology by providing a state-of-the-art procedure equivalent to the highest and most accurate assessment levels contained in the fitness-for-service documents BS 7910 and API 579. Application of these assessment levels is facilitated by parametric equations…

Understanding of Pipe Material Properties Including the Stress-Strain Curve Shape on Strain Demand

Assessment of Geosynthetic Fabrics to Reduce Soil Loads on Buried Pipelines

High soil loads on buried pipelines can lead to unacceptably high pipeline strains developed in response to permanent ground displacement. Common causes of ground displacement are slope instability resulting from heavy precipitation or from ground subsidence. In addition, several permanent ground displacement hazards are related…

Evaluation & Utilization of Auto-Adjust & Self-Checking Capabilities of Dual Rotor Turbine Meters

Turbine meters are commonly used in the gas industry, in particular for the transactional metering in gas transportation and distribution. Dual rotor turbine meters represent a significant portion of the turbine meter population. In a number of abnormal flowing and meter health conditions, dual rotor…

Vintage Girth Weld Defect Assessment - Comprehensive Study

The objectives of this project included a review of what is currently known about the in-service performance and methods of assessing the integrity of vintage pipelines containing girth welds made by the shielded metal arc welding process. The scope of work included both a literature…

Development of Techniques to Assess the Long-Term Integrity of Wrinkled Pipeline Segments

The objective of this project was to develop a numerical model than may be used to predict the wrinkle formation and post formation behavior of a pipeline considering the effect of soil confinement and define the way ahead for the development of a comprehensive wrinkle…

Modernizing On-Shore Pipeline Construction

PRCI has completed CNST-2-1 Modernizing On-Shore Pipeline Construction - Research Plan Development. This research project that considered the entire on-shore pipeline construction process. The goal of the project was to identify new technologies, or new applications of existing technologies, with the potential to achieve significant…

Guidelines for Preventing Underground Facility Damage as a Result of Horizontal Directional Drilling

PRCI recently completed review and approval of a Final Report prepared by J.D. Hair & Associates that provides guidelines and Best Practices that should be used by pipeline operators when planning and preparing for horizontal directional drilling (HDD) installations.  While the focus of the guidelines…

Small Scale Waste Heat Recovery

In a project jointly funded with the Gas Machinery Research Council, options to recover waste heat from the small sources typically found at compressor stations were identified.  This was not an evaluation of the heat recovery potential at stations containing large gas turbines that match…

Lean-head End Liner NOx Retrofit for GE Frame 3 and Frame 5 Turbines

The existing fleet of General Electric Frame 3 and Frame 5 gas turbines compressor engines was evaluated to determine if improved lean-head end-liner concepts could provide cost-effective incremental NOX reductions for select sub-models.

Gas Sampling at Hydrocarbon Dew Point Conditions

This project evaluated the ability of four natural gas spot sampling methods, including two zero emissions sampling methods, to capture accurate, representative samples of gas streams at or near their hydrocarbon dew point (HDP).  Two of the sampling methods tested were variations on the GPA…

Jetting Behavior of Perforated Plate Flow Conditioners

A study was conducted to determine the presence of jetting downstream of a perforated plate flow conditioner in an 8 inch pipe flowing high pressure natural gas. This is of significance for ultrasonic meter operators following the installation guidelines of the AGA-9 Standard, and who…

Engine Emissions and Performance Calculator Tool

Advanced Engine Technologies Corp, has documented the methodology for modeling, calculating and validating reciprocating engine and emissions performance data based on the trapped equivalence ratio (Φ). This methodology has been captured in a computer based calculation tool.

Design Guideline for Small Diameter Branch Connections

Vibration of piping due to mechanical excitation is present in nearly any environment where small diameter branch connections (BCs) are used. In initial piping designs, small diameter connections are often overlooked and not considered. However, these smaller connections are just as susceptible to fatigue failures…

ECDA Techniques for Shorted and Non-shorted Cased Crossings

With outside force damage and third-party damage shielded by the casing wall, the leading cause of failures of cased pipe segments is external corrosion. Where inline inspection or pressure testing is inapplicable or impractical, external corrosion direct assessment (ECDA) methodology may be used. Due to…

Right-of-way Automated Monitoring (RAM) System Architecture and Concept of Operations

PRCI completed a comprehensive document that describes the Right-of-way Automated Monitoring (RAM) system architecture and concept of operations, or CONOPS.  It is intended to be a living document and will be updated and revised as the RAM program progresses.  Under the RAM program, technologies for…

Research on Composite Repair Systems

PRCI has considerable research underway to evaluate the capability of composite repair systems to meet the needs of the pipeline industry. The work began in 2008 with two projects that addressed initial member interests. One developed a survey of the state of the art in…

Guidelines for In-Situ Characterization of Cracks

Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC) theory postulates two mechanisms for crack growth and initiation; intergranular crack propagation associated with classical or high pH SCC and transgranular crack propagation associated with near-neutral pH SCC. Metallography is a method for distinguishing between the two forms of SCC by…

Equations of State Relevance for Supercritical CO2 with Impurities

This research project addresses the highest priority research gap that was identified through the PRCI assessment of CO₂ pipeline technology that was completed this year. At the request of several of our members, PRCI initiated a quick response JIP in June of 2010 to address…

Engine and Emissions Performance Calculator

Engine Parameter Monitoring System Guidelines developed in prior PRCI work has confirmed that five engine parameters govern engine emissions: 1) Speed, 2) Torque (fuel flow per stroke), 3) Air Manifold Pressure (AMP), 4) Air Manifold Temperature (AMT); and, 5) Ignition Timing.

Conventional methods of engine…

Guidelines for Identification of SCC Sites and Estimation of Re-inspection Intervals for SCC DA

PRCI has completed a multi-year, comprehensive research project that has established guidelines for identifying locations where external pipeline stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is most likely to exist and for estimating how frequently re-inspections should be performed. The project is largely based on a review, analysis,…

Development of a Variable Cathodic Protection Criteria

The CP criteria for buried piping systems are not consistent in different global CP standards. For instance, the standard of the International Standard Organization (ISO) and the European standard (EN) offer more specific CP criteria with respect to environmental conditions such as soil resistivity, aeration,…

Determine the Requirements for Existing Systems to Transport Ethanol Without Cracking

Pipeline companies have a keen interest in assessing the feasibility of transporting fuel grade ethanol (FGE) and ethanol blends in existing pipelines. Previous field experience and laboratory research, funded by PRCI and API, has shown that steel can suffer stress corrosion cracking (SCC) when exposed…

Determine Effect of Ethanol on Pump Station Facilities

Ethanol is widely used as both an oxygenate additive and as a fuel substitute for gasoline. Legislation mandates a significant increase in ethanol usage as fuel over the next twenty years. The widespread use of ethanol will require efficient and reliable transportation from widely dispersed…

Assess the Performance of Dirty or Worn Flow Conditioners

A large portion of current natural gas metering technology requires a fully-developed velocity profile for accurate flow measurement results. Two methods can be used to obtain a fully-developed velocity profile in natural gas pipelines: long lengths of straight pipe, or shorter pipe lengths in combination…

Meter Station Design Tool

The Meter Station Design Tool (MSDT) is a software application that leads engineers, step-by-step, through the design process for a natural gas orifice flow meter station. The MSDT helps ensure new meter stations being designed from scratch or existing stations being modified incorporate the latest…

LNG Measurement Uncertainty Analysis

Current practice for LNG measurement at terminals was characterized to identify potential sources of uncertainty.  When an LNG tanker arrives at a terminal, the quantity of LNG transferred to the terminal is determined by measuring the changes in static volume within the ship’s tanks. The…

Extended Low Flow Range Metering

Natural gas meters are often used to measure flows below their minimum design flow rate, resulting in significant errors. The objectives of this project were to examine parameters that contribute to measurement error at flow rates below 10% of a meter’s capacity, determine the expected…

Field Test of Non-Selective Catalyst Reduction Systems for Rich-Burn Engine NOx Reduction

A field test has been initiated with Spectra Energy at their Thomaston, TX compressor station on two large Ingersoll-Rand KVG rich-burn engines in mainline compression service. The objective is to evaluate the field performance of integrated and non-integrated NSCR systems that operate in compliance with…

Salt Caverns in Gas Storage Service

In a project cofounded with the Gas Storage Technology Consortium, RESPEC Engineering (Rapid City, SD) is examining the issues surrounding the use of brine string tubing temperature log anomalies as a possible mechanical integrity test (MIT) for salt caverns in gas storage service. Current MIT…

Research on Composite Repair Systems

PRCI has considerable research underway to evaluate the capability of composite repair systems to meet the needs of the pipeline industry. The work for PRCI began in 2008 with two projects that addressed initial member interests.

Development of Guidelines for Identification of SCC Sites and Estimation of Re-inspection Intervals

PRCI has completed a multi-year, comprehensive research project that has established guidelines for identifying locations where external pipeline stress corrosion cracking (SCC) is most likely to exist and for estimating how frequently re-inspections should be performed.

Safe Inspection Repair for Dent and Gouge Damage

This report addresses the important safety issue of the appropriate level of pressure reduction for operating pipelines when making repairs in the field with only in-line inspection data to rely on.

Variable Cathodic Protection Criteria

This is a very important document with regard to the CP criteria for the pipeline industry and the continuing efforts by PRCI to coordinate our research results with NACE on the revisions to Standard Practice 0169. The results of the research were shared with NACE…

The Development of Guidelines for Using Strain-Based Design for Offshore Hydrocarbon Pipelines

PRCI has sponsored significant research to advance strain-based design methodology for a wide range of oil and gas pipeline applications. This project developed a supplementary document to describe how strain-based design approaches may be used for offshore applications in connection with the API Recommended Practice…

Performance Characteristics of Current ILI Technologies for Mechanical Damage Detection

PRCI and our research partners Blade Energy Partners and PHMSA recently completed a comprehensive assessment of the performance capabilities of current in-line inspection (ILI) technologies to detect and characterize Mechanical Damage to operating pipeline systems.  The project provided a comprehensive and in-depth review of the…

The Development of Criteria/Guidelines for Welding onto In-Service Chemical Pipelines

PRCI has sponsored significant research to support maintenance and in-service repair welding, including hot-tap welding. The knowledge gained in this research provided the point of departure for the application of this time and cost saving approach to the chemical pipeline industry. Safe and efficient in-service…

Exhaust NO2/NOx Ratios from Lean-Burn Natural Gas Engines

Of the many obscure phenomena that can affect compressor station operators, one of the least examined is the NO₂/NOx ratio from reciprocating engines.  This matters because of the manner in which NOx emissions are determined by conventional emissions testing equipment, and because of existing and…

Commercial Introduction of Turbocharger Monitoring System – “TurboShield”

Exterran Holdings, owner of the largest fleet of compression equipment in North America, has announced the availability of TURBOSHIELD™, a turbocharger management system for pipeline and gathering system engines. TURBOSHIELD™ is the result of a 2006 PRCI project conducted by Kansas State University to develop…

Assessment of Orifice Meter Flow Measurements with Low Differential Pressures

Natural gas meters sometimes operate with differential pressures (DPs) at the minimum acceptable level for proper measurement. In production applications and at production receipt points, depleted reservoirs can produce low DPs across custody transfer orifice meters, resulting in increased measurement uncertainty. A key component is…

Quantification of the Effect of Dirty Upstream Pipe on Ultrasonic Meter Performance

It is not uncommon for pipelines that transport clean, dry, natural gas to also carry some level of compressor oil, glycols, black powder, and other potential contaminants. The presence of these contaminants at a metering station can affect the measurement accuracy of any of the…

Hydrocarbon Dew Point Analyzers

The well-established Bureau of Mines chilled mirror method to determine the temperature at which hydrocarbons condense out of a gas stream is both labor intensive and subject to operator variability.  In recent years, equipment has been introduced to automate this process.  However, the equipment has…

Understanding Magnetic Flux Leakage Signals from Mechanical Damage in Pipelines

In-line inspection using the Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) technique is sensitive both to pipe wall geometry and pipe wall stresses.  Therefore, MFL inspection tools have the potential to locate and characterize mechanical damage in pipelines.  However, the combined influence of stress and geometry make MFL…

A Review of Methods for Assessing the Remaining Strength of Corroded Pipelines

When corrosion features in pipelines are detected by in-line inspection (ILI), a decision to replace, repair, or accept and monitor each feature must be made. This decision is based on the prediction of the failure pressure of the corroded pipe and must be accurate without…

Investigate Fundamentals and Performance Improvements of Current ILI Technologies for MD Detection

Detecting, characterizing, and assessing mechanical damage (MD) to operating energy pipeline systems is an important component of an operator’s Integrity Management Plan (IMP). In the process of selecting ILI technologies that are best suited for detecting and sizing the types of mechanical damage (MD) that…

Acceptance Criteria for Mild Ripples in Pipeline Field Bends

Field bends in large diameter pipe are routinely used in the construction of oil and gas pipelines. Mild ripples are often unavoidable where such bends have a high D/t or high yield strength. Present regulations and industry standards differ in their treatment of mild ripples,…

Meter Station Uncertainty Analysis Tool

Through a literature search and review of the uncertainty tool requirements, it became apparent there were deficiencies in the tools and techniques available to measurement station designers, and that an uncertainty tool would be applicable to both the design of new meter stations and to…

Human Factors Analysis of Pipeline Monitoring and Control Operations

The monitoring and controlling of pipeline operations from a remote control room is similar to system operations in several other complex process control industries, such as nuclear power, petroleum refinery, and air transportation. The operators are required to maintain awareness of the status of a…

Evaluation of Clamp-On Ultrasonic Meters as In-Situ Meter Verification Tools

A variety of meter types is used by the natural gas industry to measure the volume of gas transported through pipelines. To ensure accurate measurement and avoid costs associated with lost-and-unaccounted-for gas, these meters must be verified (or proved) periodically. Field proving of a meter,…

Survey and Interpretive Review of Operator Practices for Damage Prevention

Damage to pipelines from mechanical excavating equipment is the leading cause of pipeline release incidents and amounted to 22% of total reported incidents from 1995 to 2003. There is little or no evidence that incidents are on the decline as the result of various measures…

Evaluation of the Need for Loading Specifications for Highway Transport of Line Pipe

The ability to accurately predict static load stresses at the bearing strips on line pipe in transportation has been relied on through the application of the American Petroleum Institute (API) Recommended Practice (RP) 5L1 for rail and API RP 5LW for water borne transport.  No…

Development of Accurate Methods for Predicting Hydrocarbon Dew Points

Hydrocarbon dew points (HDPs) can indicate the quality of a natural gas stream. They can also be used to assess compliance with transportation tariffs. Accurate hydrocarbon dew points are crucial in accommodating the future introduction of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and marginal gas supplies into…

Evaluation of the Interaction of Mechanical Damage on Welds

The United States Department of Transportation has indicated that 20 to 40 percent of the serious pipeline incidents in any given year are related to mechanical damage. This damage is due to third party activities, mishandling during construction, pipeline bedding material consolidation, or ground movement.

Pipeline Design for Mechanical Damage

The leading cause of pipeline failures in North America and Europe is mechanical damage caused by third-party excavation. Current pipeline design standards have taken into account the pipeline’s ability to resist internal pressure, but current standards do not address mechanical damage such as that caused…