Method and system to detect stress corrosion cracking in pipeline systems

• US 20060100834A1
• Filed: 12/14/2005
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kinder Morgan Incorporated (Knight Holdco LLC)
• Original Assignee: Kinder Morgan Incorporated (Knight Holdco LLC)
• Inventors: Davis, James D.
• Granted Patent: US 7,231,331 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 703/2
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 17/04 Corrosion probes

Abstract

A method for predicting the location of stress corrosion cracking in a steel gas pipeline in which in-line stress corrosion cracking smart tool data, external low level metal loss data and soil characterization data are compiled to predict the location of stress corrosion cracking in a steel gas pipeline segment.

Claims

1. A method of determining crack locations associated with a tubular member, the method comprising:

locating a set of stress corrosion cracking indicators associated with a tubular member;

locating a set of low-level corrosion indicators associated with a tubular member;

comparing locations of the set of stress corrosion cracking indicators with locations of the set of low-level corrosion indicators;

establishing a subset of stress corrosion cracking indicators and a subset of low-level corrosion indicators when the location of any of the set of stress corrosion cracking indicators is located within a first preselected distance from any of the set of low-level corrosion indicators;

locating a set of soil characterization indicators associated with the tubular member responsive to the evaluating;

comparing locations of the set of soil characterization indicators with locations of the subset of stress corrosion cracking indicators and locations of the subset of low-level corrosion indicators;

establishing a plurality of predictor stress corrosion cracking indicators, a plurality of predictor low-level corrosion indicators, and a plurality of predictor soil characterization indicators when the location of any of the set of soil characterization indicators is located both within a second preselected distance from any of the subset of stress corrosion cracking indicators and within a third preselected distance from any of the subset of low-level corrosion indicators; and

predicting at least one of a plurality of locations associated with the tubular member susceptible to stress corrosion cracking responsive to at least two of the plurality of predictor indicators.

2. A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the set of stress corrosion cracking indicators comprise a crack-like feature associated with the tubular member, wherein the set of low-level corrosion indicators comprise a low-level metal loss feature associated with the tubular member, wherein the set of soil characterization indicators comprise characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

chemical content, pH level, and terrain elevation, and wherein the step of predicting includes selecting the locations having a high probability of the presence of stress corrosion cracking associated with the tubular member thereby minimizing false impressions of stress corrosion cracking due to anomalies associated with the tubular member.

3. A method as defined in claim 2, wherein the evaluating includes using tools selected from the group consisting of:

elastic wave, electromagnetic acoustic, and digital magnetic flux leakage, and wherein the preselected distance comprises directional components of both a preselected longitudinal distance and a preselected radial distance.

4. A method of determining crack locations associated with a tubular member, the method comprising:

evaluating the tubular member to gather data relating associated with the tubular member;

locating a plurality of stress corrosion cracking indicators associated with the tubular member;

locating a plurality of low-level corrosion indicators associated with the tubular member;

locating a plurality of soil characterization indicators associated with the tubular member;

establishing a plurality of predictor stress corrosion cracking indicators, a plurality of predictor low-level corrosion indicators, and a plurality of predictor soil characterization indicators when any of the plurality of stress corrosion cracking indicators, any of the plurality of low-level corrosion indicators and any of the plurality of soil characterization indicators are located within a preselected distance from each other; and

predicting a plurality of locations on the tubular member susceptible to stress corrosion cracking responsive to at least two of the plurality of predictor indicators.

5. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the predicting indicates a high probability of the presence of stress corrosion cracking associated with the tubular member thereby minimizing false impressions of stress corrosion cracking due to manufacturing or construction anomalies on the tubular member.

6. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the stress corrosion cracking indicators comprise a crack-like feature associated with the tubular member, wherein the low-level corrosion indicators comprise a low-level metal loss feature associated with the tubular member, and wherein the soil characterization indicators comprise characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

chemical content, pH level, and terrain elevation.

7. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein preselected distance comprises directional components of both a preselected longitudinal distance and a preselected radial distance.

8. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the preselected longitudinal distance is within 4 inches and the preselected radial orientation.

9. A method as defined in claim 7, wherein the preselected longitudinal distance is within 20 inches and the preselected radial orientation.

10. A method as defined in claim 4, wherein the evaluating includes using tools selected from the group consisting of:

elastic wave technology, electromagnetic acoustic technology, and digital magnetic flux leakage technology.

11. A method of determining crack locations on a tubular member, the method comprising:

a comparator to compare locations of a set of stress corrosion cracking indicators associated with a tubular member with locations of a set of low-level corrosion indicators associated with the tubular member to thereby establish a subset of stress corrosion cracking indicators and a subset of low-level corrosion indicators, responsive to comparing the sets of indicators, when the location of any of the set of stress corrosion cracking indicators is located within a first preselected distance from any of the set of low-level corrosion indicators, the comparator further comparing locations of a set of soil characterization indicators associated with the tubular member with locations of the subset of stress corrosion cracking indicators and locations of the subset of low-level corrosion indicators; and

a predictor to predict that a segment of the tubular member is susceptible to stress corrosion cracking, responsive to comparing the set of soil characterization indicators with the subsets of indicators, when any of the set of soil characterization indicators is located both within a second preselected distance from any of the subset of stress corrosion cracking indicators and within a third preselected distance from any of the subset of low-level corrosion indicators.

12. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the predictor indicates a high probability of the susceptibility of stress corrosion cracking associated with the tubular member thereby minimizing false impressions of stress corrosion cracking due to manufacturing or construction anomalies associated with the tubular member.

13. A system as defined in claim 11, wherein the stress corrosion cracking indicators comprise a crack-like feature associated with the tubular member, and wherein the low-level corrosion indicators comprise a low-level metal loss feature associated with the tubular member, wherein the soil characterization indicators comprise characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

chemical content, pH level, and terrain elevation.

14. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein preselected distance comprises directional components of both a preselected longitudinal distance and a preselected radial distance.

15. A method as defined in claim 14, wherein the preselected longitudinal distance is within 4 inches and the preselected.

16. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the preselected longitudinal distance is within 20 inches and the preselected.

17. A system as defined in claim 14, wherein the system includes at least one tool selected from the group consisting of:

elastic wave, electromagnetic acoustic, and digital magnetic flux leakage.

18. A system to determine crack locations associated with a tubular member, the system comprising:

a comparator to compare locations of a set of stress corrosion cracking indicators associated with the tubular member with locations of a set of low-level corrosion indicators associated with the tubular member to thereby establish a subset of stress corrosion cracking indicators and a subset of low-level corrosion indicators, responsive to comparing the sets of indicators, when the location of any of the set of stress corrosion cracking indicators is located within a first preselected distance from any of the set of low-level corrosion indicators, the comparator also being positioned to compare locations of a set of soil characterization indicators associated with the tubular member with locations of the subset of stress corrosion cracking indicators and locations of the subset of low-level corrosion indicators; and

a confirmer to confirm the presence of stress corrosion cracking in a segment of the tubular member, responsive to comparing the set of soil characterization indicators with the subsets of indicators, when any of the set of soil characterization indicators is located both within a second preselected distance from any of the subset of stress corrosion cracking indicators and within a third preselected distance from any of the subset of low-level corrosion indicators.

19. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein the confirmer also indicates a high probability of the presence of stress corrosion cracking in the tubular member thereby minimizing false impressions of stress corrosion cracking due to manufacturing or construction anomalies on the tubular member.

20. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein the stress corrosion cracking indicators comprise a crack-like feature associated with the tubular member, wherein the low-level corrosion indicators comprise a low-level metal loss feature associated with the tubular member, and wherein the soil characterization indicators comprise characteristics selected from the group consisting of:

chemical content, pH level, and terrain elevation.

21. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein preselected distance comprises directional components of both a preselected longitudinal distance and a preselected radial distance.

22. A system as defined in claim 21, wherein the preselected longitudinal distance is within 20 inches and the preselected radial distance is within 60 degrees.

23. A system as defined in claim 18, wherein the indicators of the system are determined at least one using tool selected from the group consisting of:

elastic wave, electromagnetic acoustic, and digital magnetic flux leakage.

24. A method of determining crack locations associated with a pipeline body wall, the method comprising:

detecting a set of crack-like features associated with the pipeline;

detecting a set of low-level metal loss corrosions;

comparing locations of the set of crack-like features with locations of the set of low-level metal loss corrosions;

establishing a subset of crack-like features and a subset of low-level metal loss corrosions, responsive to comparing the set of crack-like features with the set of low-level metal loss corrosions, when the location of any of the set of crack-like features is located within a first preselected distance from any of the set of low-level metal loss corrosions;

detecting a set of soil characterization models responsive to the surveying;

comparing locations of the set of soil characterization models with locations of the subset of crack-like features and locations of the subset of low-level metal loss corrosions; and

confirming with high probability the presence of stress corrosion cracks associated with the pipeline body wall when the location of any of the set of soil characterization models is located both within a second preselected distance from any of the subset of crack-like features and within a third preselected distance from any of the subset of low-level metal loss corrosions.

25. A method of predicting a location of stress crack corrosion in a gas pipeline, the method comprising:

integrating in-line pipeline wall inspection results, in-line low level external metal loss, external corrosion analysis results, and soil characterization model results; and

determining with a high confidence level whether actual stress corrosion cracking exists at a physical gas pipeline segment location responsive to the integrating.