Review of Prediction of Stress Corrosion Cracking in Gas Pipelines Using Machine Learning

Abstract

Pipeline integrity and safety depend on the detection and prediction of stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and other defects. In oil and gas pipeline systems, a variety of corrosion-monitoring techniques are used. The observed data exhibit characteristics of nonlinearity, multidimensionality, and noise. Hence, data-driven modeling techniques have been widely utilized. To accomplish intelligent corrosion prediction and enhance corrosion control, machine learning (ML)-based approaches have been developed. Some published papers related to SCC have discussed ML techniques and their applications, but none of the works has shown the real ability of ML to detect or predict SCC in energy pipelines, though fewer researchers have tested their models to prove them under controlled environments in laboratories, which is completely different from real work environments in the field. Looking at the current research status, the authors believe that there is a need to explore the best technologies and modeling approaches and to identify clear gaps; a critical review is, therefore, required. The objective of this study is to assess the current status of machine learning’s applications in SCC detection, identify current research gaps, and indicate future directions from a scientific research and application point of view. This review will highlight the limitations and challenges of employing machine learning for SCC prediction and also discuss the importance of incorporating domain knowledge and expert inputs to enhance the accuracy and reliability of predictions. Finally, a framework is proposed to demonstrate the process of the application of ML to condition assessments of energy pipelines.