Inspectability of Piping at the Valdez Marine Terminal By Tom - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Inspectability of Piping at the Valdez Marine Terminal By Tom Kuckertz & Anna Carey TOEM Commi8ee

Difficult‐to‐Inspect Pipes at VMT • Corrosion on “uninspectable” pipes • Regulatory requirements for InspecDon • Alyeska’s “smart” pigging acDviDes • Survey of state‐of‐the‐art pigging technologies • PWSRCAC’s inspectability of the VMT project • Alyeska’s in‐line‐inspecDon (ILI) project • Concluding remarks • QuesDons and answers PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Efforts to Address Corrosion on “Uninspectable” Pipes • “Uninspectable” aka “difficult‐to inspect” – buried or insulated • Dr. Rust (2012) • Alyeska – Berth 4 (2012 and extensive in 2013) PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

An example of corrosion at a girth weld on the riser pipes at Berth 4 (2012) PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Repairs using welded sleeves are occasionally necessary (2012) PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

In 2012 Alyeska embarked on a program to inspect over‐ water girth welds for Berths 4 and 5 (inspecIon in progress: August 2013) PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Typical state of a girth weld as insulaDon was removed PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Typical repair, cleaning, & recoaIng of girth weld PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

PWSRCAC became aware of differing requirements for inspecIon based upon regulatory cognizance • DOT –PHMSA – Pipeline up to Tanks 1 and 3 – 1 year over water, 3 years over land or buried • BLM & ADEC – Pipeline and VMT shared – In accordance with Grant and Lease and Alaska AACs • Other Regulators (State and Federal) PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Ordinary instrumented “Smart” pigs are used for pipe inspecIon • MagneDc flux used to measure wall thickness – ResoluDon about 1 in 2 • Propelled by fluid being transported • Limited to use in straight, constant‐diameter secDons of pipe or secDons with only large radii bends • Typically not usable in buried and insulated piping at the VMT PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Every three years Alyeska runs a “smart” (instrumented) pig through the Pipeline PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

The end of the line for the “smart” pig is at the pig trap in Alyeska’s East Metering Facility PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Scraper (“dumb”) pigs are run through the Pipeline every 10 days PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Neither “smart” nor “dumb” pigs are run at the VMT beyond the East Metering pig trap PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Development of Improved InspecDon Technologies • MagneDc flux and/or ultrasound for wall thickness measurements – Precision less than 1 in 2 • Agile – – small radii bends OK – VariaDon in diameter OK (pass through smaller valves) • Can propel itself with power umbilical • Can exit at entry locaDon • Applicable to VMT? PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Many vendors claim the capability to inspect heretofore uninspectable pipes. PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Newer pigs can inspect smaller diameter pipes PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Pipes with a diameter of 1 foot or less can be inspected using some of the newer pigs PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

The newer pigs are very agile. This pig can navigate back to back small radii bends PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Some inspecDon technologies are roboDc and work from the outside of the pipe PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Some internal inspecDon technologies are roboDc and can propel themselves both forward and backwards PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

PWSRCAC’s Inspectability of Piping at the VMT Project • Survey of newer inspecDon technologies with respect to supporDng inspecDon needs of VMT • Expert to compare new technologies with needs of VMT – RFP developed and ready for issuance – PotenDal vendors idenDfied • Assess extent of Alyeska ’ s exploraDon of in‐line‐ inspecDon technologies • Staff trained on modern pigging technologies • Pending confirmaDon of Alyeska support • Pending decision on expert vs. observaDon of Alyeska in‐line‐inspecDon project PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

Alyeska’s In‐Line‐InspecDon (ILI) Project • Early in development of concept • TesDng of concept – B‐Header at Ballast Water Treatment Facility • Empty pipe – no fluid • Tethered pig – Powered by umbilical – Can exit at entrance locaDon (back‐out) – Specifics unknown • Can stakeholders observe? PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

The are some limitaDons on what pigs can do PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

QuesDons & Answers PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng

End PWSRCAC September 2013 Board MeeDng