The effective integrity management of seam weld defects in pipelines is a challenge for the pipeline operators. The current In-Line Inspection (ILI) technologies can detect linear anomalies in the seam weld but have a limited capability in discriminating different types of features, such as crack and crack-like features, hook cracks, notch-type lack of fusion (LOF) indications, and inclusions. Due to this limitation, pipeline operators have to assume ILI reported linear indications as cracks and utilize the most conservative methods for assessment. This conservatism may have led to unnecessary...
The effective integrity management of seam weld defects in pipelines is a challenge for the pipeline operators. The current In-Line Inspection (ILI) technologies can detect linear anomalies in the seam weld but have a limited capability in discriminating different types of features, such as crack and crack-like features, hook cracks, notch-type lack of fusion (LOF) indications, and inclusions. Due to this limitation, pipeline operators have to assume ILI reported linear indications as cracks and utilize the most conservative methods for assessment. This conservatism may have led to unnecessary excavations of non-severe features making it economically cost-ineffective in terms of integrity management of seam weld defects in pipelines.
This report provides an insight into the ILI and non-destructive evaluation (NDE) tool performance for seam weld anomaly detection, identification, and size characterization. Different methodologies for seam weld defect assessment are discussed and evaluated. ILI, NDE, and laboratory (lab) validation data are utilized to develop a process for integrity management of the seam weld anomalies for gas and liquid pipelines.