PR-302-133606-R01 Improving the Performance of the ECDA Methodology

This study evaluated the effectiveness of ECDA as an inspection methodology and integrity assessment process. This was performed through a series of steps including the following:

•     Developing and sending out questionnaires to a broad array of pipeline companies. The questionnaire looked for successes and failures with the ECDA process, correlation with other assessment methodologies and issues/gaps with processes and standards.
•    Conducting interviews with various pipeline companies’ integrity management and corrosion control personnel to ascertain ECDA performance and usefulness among other attributes based on the results of the questionnaires.
•    Performing a literature search for ECDA write-ups on the use, effectiveness and limitations of ECDA as a process and practice.
•    Performing procedure reviews of leading pipeline companies ECDA process and related corrosion control procedures. Procedures were compared to industry standards and leading practices in order to help determine overall effectiveness of the ECDA processes.

This report has a related webinar.