Trusted Pipeline Advisor (TPA) consulting services by AbaData
TPA engineering assessment and consulting services designed to achieve risk-optimized deployment of integrity management activities in the field.
As the leading provider of pipeline integrity management consulting, Trusted Pipeline Advisor (TPA) services by AbaData provides our clients with innovative solutions proven to deliver safe and efficient transportation of oil and gas at the lowest cost.
Our comprehensive approach relies upon our 50+ years of experience, and the results of advanced AI / ML data analysis provided within the TRIAGE by AbaData platform to provide industry leading pipeline risk management and regulatory compliance services.
Our portfolio of TPA services complement the TRIAGE by AbaData subscription service
1
Engineering Assessment
Non-Routine
Pipeline Reactivations
Before resuming operations, the license holder is obligated to maintain a comprehensive record detailing the pipeline's operational history and the rationale behind its discontinuation or abandonment. This documentation must clearly establish that the pipeline was not taken out of service due to issues related to structural integrity.
In instances where the applicant is unable to provide a clear explanation for the pipeline's discontinuation or abandonment, a rigorous engineering assessment is mandated. This assessment provides in-depth analysis of the accumulated operational hazards over the pipeline's lifespan and provide a detailed evaluation of its anticipated structural integrity. Additionally, the engineering assessment includes specific mitigation strategies designed to ensure dependable performance once the pipeline is reactivated for its intended use.
2
Engineering Assessment
Integrity Assessment -
License Transfer
It is imperative that the seller (transferor) of a pipeline license has adhered to the stipulations outlined in CSA Z662: Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems, as well as Part 4 of the Pipeline Rules. These compliance records must be transferred to the buyer (transferee) as of the date when the license transfer becomes effective.
If pertinent records are missing, compromised, or incomplete, the pipeline's fitness for service must be substantiated through the execution of a comprehensive engineering assessment that considers the accumulated operational hazards over the pipeline's lifespan.
Additionally, the engineering assessment includes specific mitigation strategies designed to ensure dependable performance once the pipeline is reactivated for its intended use.
3
Engineering Assessment
Integrity Management Plans
Pre-Commissioning
Conducting a formal engineering assessment for a proposed new pipeline prior to its commissioning offers several critical advantages that align with industry best practices and regulatory compliance.
A formal engineering assessment provides an in-depth analysis of potential risks, such as internal corrosion, mechanical failure, and environmental hazards. This proactive approach allows for the identification and mitigation of vulnerabilities before the pipeline becomes operational, thereby reducing the likelihood of incidents.
An engineering assessment ensures that the pipeline meets or exceeds the standards set forth in CSA Z662: Oil and Gas Pipeline Systems and other relevant regulations. This not only minimizes legal liabilities but also streamlines the approval process with regulatory bodies like the Alberta Energy Regulator (AER).
4
Engineering Assessment
Consideration of External Corrosion Risk
A formal engineering assessment provides a robust evaluation of implications of exposure to external corrosion risks, including but not limited to establishing the likelihood of external coating damage, and the efficacy of the applied cathodic protection system to prevent active growth of potential coating defects.
Adherence to CSA Z662 standards and other relevant guidelines ensures compliance with regulatory bodies, reducing legal liabilities and expediting approval processes.
Completion of a formal engineering assessment outlines specific, actionable mitigation and supplemental over-the-line monitoring measures to address identified risks, thereby enhancing the pipeline's safety and operational efficiency.
The engineering assessment generates valuable data that can be integrated into ongoing or future integrity management programs.
5
Engineering Assessment
Compatibility of MOP and H2S Levels
A formal engineering assessment provides a comprehensive evaluation of downstream effects, particularly focusing on the compatibility of H2S levels and MOP with connecting pipelines.
Compliance with industry standards ensures that the pipeline meets regulatory requirements, thereby minimizing legal risks and facilitating timely approvals.
The engineering assessment outlines specific measures to harmonize the H2S and MOP levels between the proposed and connecting pipelines, enhancing overall system integrity and operational efficiency.
The engineering assessment recommends appropriate safety protocols and/or devices such as flow-stopping and pressure control mechanisms to mitigate risks associated with incompatible H2S and MOP levels.
6
Engineering Assessment
Establishing Appropriate Integrity Testing Protocol
A formal engineering assessment is crucial for establishing the appropriate hydrostatic test protocol, thereby ensuring that the pipeline's structural integrity is rigorously evaluated before it becomes operational.
Adhering to the guidelines set forth in CSA Z662 and the Pipeline Regulation ensures that the pipeline meets industry standards, reducing legal liabilities and expediting regulatory approvals.
The engineering assessment outlines specific test parameters and safety margins, such as the 1.4x MOP for high H2S content, to mitigate potential risks associated with pipeline failure.
In cases where hydrostatic testing is not feasible, the engineering assessment will recommend alternative methods for validating pipeline integrity, ensuring that safety and operational efficiency are not compromised.
7
Corporate Safety and Loss Management System (SLMS)
POMM Document
The Corporate Management System (SLMS) PART 2 – Pipeline Operations and Maintenance Manual (POMM) is designed to meet the requirements of the governing regulatory bodies and associated regulations as a minimum standard, and is published to be consistent with the hazard assessment and mitigation standards embedded within the TRIAGE by AbaData platform.
This POMM manual contains guidelines and procedures for the integrity management of the wet-gas (sweet and sour), multi-phase production and water injection / disposal pipelines including bare steel and non-metallic (spooled composite and fiberglass) pipeline materials according to the pipeline regulations and rules defined by the regulators.
The POMM document is designed to:
• Define the roles & responsibilities of key stakeholders to assure compliance; and;
• Provide guidance and tools to assist the development of site-specific pipeline management plans to achieve safe and long-term reliable operation.
The POMM document complies with all governing regulations:
• CSA Z662-019 Annex N Sections 8, 9, and 11 present requirements for hazard identification and control, risk assessment and options for hazard control and risk reduction, respectively.
• CSA Z662-019 Annex B presents guidelines for risk assessment of pipelines. CSA Z662-019 Section 3, CSA Z662-019 Annex A.
• CAN/CSA-ISO 31000 – principles and guidance for risk management.
8
Corporate Safety and Loss Management System (SLMS)
Integrity Management Plan
The corporate SLMS - Pipeline Integrity Management Program (IMP-P) outlines a plan for the life cycle of pipelines from the design and construction phase to the abandonment and / or removal of the pipeline and its attributes.
The formal IMP (P) documental follows:
• The Life Cycle of the pipeline system from commissioning to abandonment and includes implementation of Management Processes designed to:
o Identify the critical work tasks and work processes that need to be managed;
o Determine the interaction and cross-functional nature of such processes;
o Determine the criteria, organization, and methods required for the effective control and operation of such processes; and,
o Determine the resources necessary to support the operation and monitoring of such processes and ensure the availability of such resources; and,
o Measure, monitor, and analyze such work processes.
The objective of the SLMS - IMP-(P) is to define a foundation that promotes continuous improvement in the safe and environmentally responsible operation of the corporate pipeline infrastructure.
9
Pipeline Failure Investigations Following a Formal FMEA Protocol
In the aftermath of a pipeline failure event, a rigorous engineering assessment is indispensable for identifying the root causes and implementing corrective measures. Leveraging Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) concepts, the assessment adopts a formalized structure that scrutinizes all conceivable modes of pipeline integrity deterioration and their implications on the specific failure.
All potential failure modes, such as internal and external corrosion, mechanical fatigue, and material defects, are systematically identified.
The FMEA framework facilitates a comprehensive root cause analysis that correlates the identified failure modes with the specific pipeline failure event.
Based on the FMEA analysis, specific mitigation measures are recommended. These could range from material upgrades and design modifications to operational changes and enhanced monitoring systems.
Recommendations for post-implementation to evaluate the effectiveness of the recommended mitigation measures are provided within the engineering assessment to assure the structure is fit for service.
The FMEA methodology generates robust analysis and recommendations that can be integrated into ongoing or future integrity management programs, facilitating informed decision-making.
10
Risk-Optimized Deployment of Cathodic Protection (CP) System Surveillance Costs
Traditionally, the oil and gas industry has adhered to an annual cathodic protection (CP) system performance survey for all steel and aluminum pipelines. This practice has been mistakenly assumed to fulfill the compliance requirements of AER Pipeline Rules – Section 53(1). However, the AER has clarified that Section 53(1) does not specifically mandate a CP survey and is open to alternative inspection or testing methods. This opens the door for a more nuanced, risk-based approach to scheduling CP field surveillance.
Limitations of Annual CP Surveys:
The conventional practice of annual CP surveys has proven insufficient in managing the risk of pipeline failure due to external corrosion. These surveys often miss key factors such as coating damage and disbondment, which are primary contributors to pipeline failure.
The TRIAGE data service provides a comprehensive assessment of external pipeline corrosion that serves as the foundation for risk-based scheduling of CP system surveillance work.
The AER acknowledges that a formal Safety and Loss Management System (SLMS) provides a more robust framework for achieving improved pipeline safety and reliability compared to traditional time-based (annual) surveillance.
The service considers the TRIAGE risk assessment results to create a risk-based prioritization of CP field surveillance activities for each operating field locations.
The service also prescribes alternative inspection methods as a complement to CP field surveillance work to achieve an overall effective risk management program that satisfies regulatory requirements but also significantly enhances the effectiveness of corrosion mitigation costs.
11
Field Implementation of TRIAGE Pipeline Risk Assessment Data Service
Our engineering service is specifically designed to optimize the field implementation of the TRIAGE Pipeline Risk Assessment Data Service. This service not only enhances the accuracy and reliability of pipeline risk assessments but also ensures seamless integration with field operations. Coupled with TRIAGE's corrosion mitigation guidance, our engineering service provides support for the effective adoption within the formal pipeline integrity management program.
Our service facilitates the seamless integration of TRIAGE risk assessment data into existing field operations systems, ensuring that the data is readily accessible and actionable for field teams.
Based on the TRIAGE corrosion assessment model, and corrosion mitigation guidelines, the service is designed to assure easy uptake by field operations teams, ensuring that mitigation efforts are both effective and efficient.
The service assures that the objective of risk-optimized resource allocation is achieved.
The integration of TRIAGE's advanced risk assessment and corrosion mitigation guidance ensures that pipelines operate within the highest safety and reliability parameters.
The implementation service assures field operations teams are best positioned to apply the results of the TRIAGE data service, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of their corrosion mitigation, monitoring and inspection strategies and costs.
12
Q-ICDA
Advanced Quantitative Corrosion Hazard Profiling
Q-ICDA is an advanced engineering assessment service designed to manage and mitigate the threat of internal corrosion for the pipelines identified as high-risk within the TRIAGE data service.
Q-ICDA has been developed and proven throughout the global oil and gas and pipeline industry and was incorporated (in a simplified form) as the foundation for NACE - ICDA standards for wet-gas and normally dry-gas pipeline systems.
Q-ICDA incorporates advanced computational models that utilize PIPESIM/OLGA-S flow correlations to define water-film transport properties. This enables a nuanced understanding of corrosion initiation and growth mechanisms.
Q-ICDA predicts location-specific internal corrosion rates along the pipeline, including a time-based cumulative degradation forecast as the foundation for proactive integrity management.
Q-ICDA prescribes specific maintenance protocols for corrosion inhibitors and cleaning tools. Special considerations are provided for non-piggable lines, instilling confidence in pipeline operators regarding their internal corrosion prevention programs.
The guidelines and protocols offered by Q-ICDA ensure that field operations teams can optimize their resource allocation for their highest risk pipeline assets, thereby minimizing costs while maximizing operational reliability and capacity efficiencies.
13
Leveraging Computational Flow Modeling to Enhance Network Efficiency
Maximize your pipeline's efficiency with our advanced computational flow modeling services using PIPESIM software and OLGA-S three-phase mechanistic flow correlation.
-
Identify Flow Bottlenecks: Pinpoint areas that restrict flow and impact production using precise simulations.
-
Schedule Mechanical Pigging: Strategically remove stagnant water to restore hydraulic capacity and prevent internal corrosion.
Benefit from predictive maintenance, cost savings, and data-driven decision-making to optimize your pipeline operations.
14
A Mechanistic Approach to Eliminating Corrosion of Downhole Equipment
Safeguard your downhole equipment from costly failures with our specialized engineering assessment service.
-
Comprehensive Modeling: Utilize advanced simulations to model well configuration and production characteristics.
-
Corrosion Identification: Detect all potential corrosion mechanisms that could compromise equipment integrity.
-
Operational Recommendations: Receive tailored advice to modify operating parameters, mitigating the risk of equipment failure.
Optimize well operations while extending the lifespan of your downhole equipment through targeted corrosion management, with a measurable reduction in corporate BOE lifting costs.