Advanced Modeler Gives Rise To Improved Corrosion Control

Pipeline & Gas Journal, Feb, 2001 by Christian Bucherie, Sergio Saldanha

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

As the commercial and technical pressures on pipeline and plant managers increase (more throughput, fewer shutdowns, higher earnings, better efficiency), the more they will have to rely on increasingly sophisticated tools to help them do their jobs. Corrosion is endemic to pipeline operations, but managing corrosion properly has not been easy. The math involved in generating data upon which to base maintenance decisions has been complex and time consuming. At the same time, schematic visualization of the problem is something managers have rarely had access to. Now everyone can produce accurate residual strength calculations for corroded segments of piping, along with an image of the defective area. And anything that helps plant managers make the right commercial and operational decisions is surely good for the industry. And good for the managers.

[TABULAR DATA 1 NOT REPRODUCIBLE IN ASCII]

Table 2 - Degree of Conservatism

Calculation Method   Ratio:PFEA/Pi

ANSI/B31G                1.24
RSTRENG                  1.25
                         1.21
BS7910                   1.12
FEA                      1.00

Christian Bucherie is a naval architect and marine engineer. He graduated from the Ecole Nationale Superieure de Techniques Avancees (Genie Maritime, Paris) in 1973, with a post graduation specialization in composite materials marine applications, Tokyo University in 1975. He joined Bureau Veritas in 1976. Since 1989, he has managed numerous assets certification projects, specializing in pipeline engineering certification, developing a new certification scheme dedicated to non-bonded flexible pipes used in the oil & gas industry. He ispresently responsible for Pipelines Systems in the Development Division of the recently established Energy & Process Business Line.

Sergio Saldanha is a metallurgical engineer graduate of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (1971-75), with a post graduation specialization on materials used in the nuclear industry. He has been working for the Bureau Veritas Head Office in Paris since 1982. In 1989, he joined BV's R&D center as a material and structural engineer. Since then, he has been working with finite element calculations (ABAQUS code), material behavior and mechanical metallurgy in general. He started working in BV's Offshore Division in 1996 and was involved in several onshore-offshore projects concerning pipelines applications. He now works at the Development Division of BV's Energy & Process Business Line.