PRCI Announces its 2014 Portfolio for Energy Pipeline Research

Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI), announces its 2014 Research Portfolio as approved by the Board of Directors at its September 2013 meeting in Austin, Texas. Member contributions of over $9.6 million were allocated to programs and projects addressing pipeline operations and integrity, corrosion control, design, materials, construction, and facilities.

“As we move into 2014, PRCI continues to address the key challenges facing the energy pipeline industry. It is vital that the industry is able to use the results of PRCI’s research to enhance the safety and integrity of their pipeline systems,” stated Christophe Renier, Chair of PRCI.

Through the collaborative research model that PRCI employs, it has developed a Portfolio for 2014 that will continue to deliver on the organization's core mission of technology development in support of safer and more environmentally conscious approaches to operating and maintaining the energy pipeline infrastructure around the world. The following highlights a number of specific programs and projects that PRCI will undertake in 2014:

• Operations & Integrity – A number of substantial programs including research focused on mechanical damage inspection and characterization, and full-scale experimental validation of mechanical damage assessment models; a contract awarded by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation to develop an industry test facility and qualification processes for in-line inspection (ILI) technology evaluation and enhancements; non-destructive evaluation research to evaluate the capabilities for pipeline girth weld assessment; characterization of in-ditch methods that characterize pipe anomalies and determine repair requirements and fitness for purpose; continuing the development of the PRCI Technology Development Center in Houston to characterize and house a range of pipeline defect samples.
• Design, Materials & Construction – Develop an industry guideline for pipeline operators to evaluate existing and future composite repair systems; updates to the PRCI On-bottom Pipeline Stability Program to account for additional subsea conditions; research to develop a new weld hydrogen cracking susceptibility-prevention design approach; developing a tool that permits pipeline engineers to efficiently consider alternatives for steel pipe conveyance; research to obtain the basic properties of vintage girth welds organized into a searchable database for improved vintage girth weld structural integrity assessments; develop a methodology to improve the assessment of the structural integrity of pipes with clusters of cracks, like SCC.
• Corrosion – Monitor the effectiveness of cathodic protection systems at Horizontal Directional Drill (HDD) crossings; determine the corrosion risk of fluctuations in AC interference on pipelines buried along high voltage AC transmission corridors; minimize model driven uncertainties in current internal and external corrosion assessment criteria; examine the effect of pressure fluctuations on the growth rate of near-neutral pH stress corrosion cracking; determine the drying time of residual hydrotest water in pipe crevices, side branches and dead-legs; validate the existing models and guidelines for internal corrosion threat evaluation in dry gas transmission pipelines.
• Measurement – Research focused on emerging issues created by the increased production of shale gas and its variable gas compositions; assessing the accuracy of existing protocols for quantifying the sediment and water content in liquid products, which is especially important in heavy crude oils; assessment of the performance of ultrasonic meters in additional upstream piping configurations- with the objective of reducing the installed cost of standards-compliant meter installations; additional evaluation of the next generation ultrasonic meters in compact piping configurations; evaluating turbine and Coriolis meter diagnostics on gas streams with entrained liquids; assessing sample probe and thermowell designs for mechanical integrity and measurement accuracy; additional analysis on determining the recommended recalibration frequency of ultrasonic meters, which is also supported by additional evaluation of ultrasonic meter diagnostics.
• Compressor & Pump Station – New research to optimize engine controls for rapid changes in fuel gas composition due to shale gas production; a field evaluation of optimized power cylinder lubrication injection; developing field performance testing procedures for liquid pumps; field testing of improved gas turbine lean premixed combustion controls to enable wider load and ambient temperature operating range while maintaining engine emissions; updating test method protocols to include the use of portable emission analyzers.
• Underground Storage – Evaluation of the effects of downhole geo-mechanical stresses on the accuracy of MFL inspection tools; assess alternatives to MFL for top joint inspection and identify protocols for MFL use that may alleviate some interference effects.

Cliff Johnson, President of PRCI, commented, “When you examine the list of projects that we are undertaking this year, you will see that the industry is continuing to push towards the goal of zero leaks. The 2014 research agenda will enable the pipeline industry to address some of the more challenging issues.”