Study on Pipeline Integrity Management Performance Evaluation Techniques and its Application in China Pipeline Companies

Abstract

Nowadays, more and more pipeline operators vigorously promote the implementation of integrity management programs (IMPs for short) in order to improve the integrity of their pipeline systems. But how can the operators measure the performance of their pipeline IMPs? In other words, how can the operators evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of their programs so as to make continuous improvement? The regulations and standards of pipeline integrity management just gave some requirements and recommendations on performance measurement, but no specific methods were presented. Normally, the pipeline operators measured the performance of IMPs on the base of their management objectives and local regulations’ requirements. The paper introduced the methodology and achievements of pipeline integrity management performance evaluation work conducted in PetroChina Pipeline Company. Considering the company’s specific integrity management goals and objectives, the metrics were established and applied to evaluate whether those goals had been achieved or not, and found out the shortage of the IMP for giving suggestions for improvement. Considering the input and output parameters of IMP, the performance measures system was set up. The input parameters included the input of workforce, facilities and other investments. The output parameters indicated the output of IMP, such as the accomplishment of the objectives, the quality of the work and the safety improvement through IMP. In order to clearly define the input and output parameters of IMP, the IMP was divided into nine parts, such as data management, high consequences areas identification, risk assessment, integrity assessment, corrosion prevention, defect repair, geo-hazards control, pipeline patrol, pipeline security. For each part, considering the management objectives, the “input-output” parameters metrics were set to measure the performance. In order to see the performance of IMP from a macroscopic perspective, a simplified index system was built which mainly focused on the safety improvement such as the number of leakage, failures, accidents and economic loss. The grading performance evaluation system could conveniently meet the different focus of different levels managers. In addition, in order to eliminate the influence of the different management difficulties to the performance of IMP, the paper built a set of adjustment factors to modify the investment parameters to make sure the evaluation results more objective and fair. At last, the paper showed the application results of the IMP performance evaluation conducted in PetroChina Pipeline Company and its branches.