Integrity

Study Shows Soil Moisture Plays Big Role in Spread of NG Leaks

(P&GJ) — Soil moisture content is the main factor that controls how far and at what concentration natural gas (NG) spreads from a leaked pipeline underground, a new study has found.

Recognizing Value of Data as Pipeline Integrity Assets

(P&GJ) — Increased investment in infrastructure as a result of higher oil and gas prices, as well as growing activity in planning for future energy provision, means that many operators and utilities around the world are seeking ways to help them improve operational efficiency and access to safe and sustainable energy for the communities that they serve.

Value of Routing Studies for New Natural Gas Pipelines

(P&GJ) — When natural gas pipeline owners announce their preferred route for a new pipeline, permitting bodies and other stakeholders inevitably ask, “Why here?” By conducting a methodical routing study that produces data-driven and experience-tested route alternatives, owners obtain supporting data and documentation they can use to formulate a response and help obtain buy-in.

Supply Chain Solutions for Natural Gas Leak Detection

(P&GJ) — Now more than ever, utilities, governments and pipeline companies are incentivized to secure their supplies of natural gas from production all the way to the meter. Leak detection and emissions reduction are critical components of an optimized natural gas distribution system.

NATO, EU Launching Task Force to Protect Pipelines Following Nord Stream Attack

NATO and the EU are launching a task force to boost the protection of critical infrastructure in response to last year's attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines and Russia's "weaponizing of energy," the organizations’ leaders said on Wednesday.

Identifying Pipeline Exposure via River Scour Monitoring Technology

(P&GJ) — Erosion and scouring, among other sources, can lead to pipeline exposure when pipelines cross bodies of water. Even if these pipelines were adequately covered at one time, they are at risk for partial or full exposure due to water actions.

RBC: Blast Hits Russia-Ukraine Gas Export Pipeline

A blast has ripped through the Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhhorod gas exporting pipeline, which leads from Russia through Ukraine, the RBC news outlet cited local officials as stating on Tuesday.

Gazprom: Gas Supply Continues in Full, Bypassing Damaged Pipeline

A local unit of the Russian energy giant Gazprom said on Tuesday that gas was being supplied to customers in full via parallel pipelines following damage to a section of the Urengoi-Pomary-Uzhhorod pipeline.

PODS Releases New Data Model System with ILI Module for Pipeline Operators

(P&GJ) — The Pipeline Open Data Standard (PODS) data model provides the database architecture pipeline operators need to submit regulatory reports, store critical information, analyze pipeline systems data, and manage geospatial data in a linear-referenced database which can be visualized in any GIS platform.

Last Line of Defense: Assessing Safety During PE Pipe Isolation

(P&GJ) — Risk is an everyday part of life for pipeline operators, and controlling risk is a full-time job. Regardless of the operation, risk mitigation relies on many of the same things, including having the right equipment in the right hands, along with comprehensive policies, procedures and training.

TC Energy Restarts Segment of Keystone Pipeline Unaffected by Oil Spill

Canada's TC Energy Corp. is resuming operations in a section of its Keystone pipeline a week after a leak of more than 14,000 barrels of oil in rural Kansas triggered the whole pipe's shutdown.

Kremlin: No Decision Yet on Repair of Nord Stream Gas Pipelines

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said on Thursday that no decision had been made yet on whether to go ahead with a repair of the undersea Nord Stream gas pipelines that were damaged by explosions in September.

Russia Says It Foiled Sabotage at 'South Stream' Gas Pipeline

Russia's Federal Security Service said on Thursday that it had prevented Ukrainian special services from carrying out what it said was sabotage on the "South Stream" gas pipeline.

Yemen's Houthis Attack Al-Dhabba Oil Terminal, Force Ship to Leave

Yemen's Houthis attacked al-Dhabba oil terminal in Hadhramaut province on Monday, the group and Yemen's internationally recognized government said.

Pipeline Fire Ignited by Gas Leak Leaves Five Injured in Ecuador

Ecuadorean state oil company Petroecuador said on Thursday five people were injured in a fire caused by a leak in a pipeline that carries gas to a refinery in the South American country's Amazon region.

Suspected Drone Hits Oil Depot in Russia's Oryol, Officials Say

A suspected drone struck a tanker at an oil depot in the Russian region of Oryol on Wednesday, officials said. Unverified images on social media showed what appeared to be a single rupture on the side of an oil storage tank, blackened by soot.

Boosting Pipeline Performance and Savings with Dual-Layer Barrier Systems

Oil and gas pipelines take a beating – both before and after they’re installed underground. From transportation and storage to installation and service, pipes face potential scrapes, impacts, flexions and more. These stresses threaten the integrity of the pipes themselves and, especially, the external barrier systems that protect pipes from corrosion.

Pipeline Cybersecurity Implementation Plan for TSA Security Directive

(P&GJ) — The pipeline industry has been placing focus and efforts on cybersecurity ever since last year’s Transportation Security Administration’s (TSA’s) security directives were first issued. The security directives (SDs) were a pushed rollout that caught many off-guard at the time—they knew it was coming but did not know the exact details.

Cybersecurity Update: Aligning Industry Standard’s Best Practices

(P&GJ) — Cybersecurity, both interpersonally and geopolitically, has been protested over the past few years, sparked by stories of basement hackers breaking into government agency websites, nation-states warring on the dark web and hacktivists acting in the name of civil disobedience for political and social change.

'Powerful Explosions' Behind Nord Stream Leaks, Danish Police Say

A preliminary investigation of damages to the two Nord Stream gas pipelines in the Danish part of the Baltic Sea shows that the leaks were caused by "powerful explosions", Copenhagen Police said on Tuesday.

Putting Machine Learning to Use for Integrity Management

(P&GJ) — Minimizing the unscheduled downtime of a pipeline network is a crucial part of ensuring maximum throughput and therefore helping to ensure profitability. As an industry, it is known that one of the best ways to achieve this is to develop and maintain an effective risk assessment and an associated integrity management plan, acting on the outcomes of them and ensuring we have a good understanding of the current condition of the pipeline and the rate at which it is deteriorating.

Integrity's Newest Ally: PRCI’s Mechanical Damage Strategic Research Priority

(P&GJ) — A few years ago, a concerned citizen called local authorities to report an unusual odor. Responders followed established protocol and secured the area. The resulting investigation uncovered a buried pipe that was leaking. Documented mechanical damage had failed in a nearby pipeline.

Novak: Russia Needs Permission for Its Ships to Probe Nord Stream Ruptures

Russia needs permission for its vessels to conduct investigations into explosions that damaged Nord Stream pipelines in the Baltic Sea, Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak said on Friday.

German Attorney General Launches Investigation into Nord Stream Blasts

Germany's attorney general has launched an investigation into the blasts that hit the Russian Nord Stream pipeline network, allowing German investigators to collect evidence, a spokesperson said on Monday.

The Path to Achieving TSA Pipeline Cybersecurity Directive Compliance

(P&GJ) — Colonial Pipeline CEO Joseph Blount had to make two difficult decisions on May 7, 2021, after a ransom note was discovered by an employee in a control-room computer. First, he acknowledged that the pipeline system that provides close to 45% of the fuel for the East Coast had to be shut down. Second, he authorized the $4.4 million ransom payment.

Swedish Police Probe at Nord Stream Leak Site Strengthens Suspicion of Gross Sabotage

Suspicions of gross sabotage on the damaged Nord Stream 1 and 2 gas pipelines in the Baltic Sea have strengthened following a crime scene investigation in the Swedish exclusive economic zone, the country's security police said on Thursday.

Kremlin Rejects Claims Russia Attacked Nord Stream Gas Pipelines

The Kremlin on Wednesday said claims that Russia was somehow behind a possible attack on the Nord Stream gas pipelines were stupid, adding that the United States had opposed the pipelines and its companies had made big profits supplying gas to Europe.

Mysterious Gas Leaks from Russian Pipelines to Europe Raise Sabotage Fears

Europe was investigating leaks in two Russian gas pipelines that churned up the Baltic Sea on Tuesday and raised concerns from Copenhagen to Moscow about sabotage on infrastructure at the heart of an energy standoff.

Williams Inks Multiyear Pipeline Services Deal with Eversource

(P&GJ) — The deal covers natural gas pipeline services in Connecticut and other locations over a period of three years with a two-year optional extension. Specifically, Williams will be tasked with the installation, maintenance, repair and other services associated with the natural gas distribution systems under the agreement.

Lake Superior Competing for P&GJ Award for Best Corrosion Technology

Lake Superior Consulting’s Atmospheric Corrosion Inspection iLINE App, which helps pipeline owners maintain continuous pipeline operations while adhering to Atmospheric Corrosion Inspections, which are required every three years by the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration.