With this “short list” of dents and/or dentA local change in pipe surface contour caused by an external force such as mechanical impact or rock impingement but is not accompanied by loss of metal.-like anomalies, NDT Global’s team of experts look at the data through a few, targeted lenses intended to inform an operatorAn entity or organization responsible for the operation, management, and maintenance of a pipeline system. The operator is entrusted with ensuring the safe, rel…’s dent mitigationAppropriate action based on an assessment of risk factors to reduce the overall level of pipeline integrity risk by reducing the amount of risk from a probabili… and remediationThe appropriate actions taken to address or rectify issues, deficiencies, or anomalies identified in a pipeline system. It involves implementing corrective acti… plans. The first insight we produce is regarding the dent’s failureThe inability of a pipeline system to fulfill its intended function or meet the required performance criteria. Pipeline failures can have significant consequenc… pressure. With an understanding of failure pressure, it’s possible to predict a range of future maximum operating pressureThe maximum pressure that a pipeline or pressure vessel is designed to safely handle during normal operation. It represents the highest pressure that the system… growth beyond which pipeline failure can occur. In addition, we analyze inspectionThe systematic process of visually examining, testing, or monitoring pipeline components to assess their condition, integrity, and compliance with regulatory re… data to observe where the asset is in its fatigueThe process where cracks develop and propagate in a material under cyclic loading or repeated stress over time. It is a type of fatigue failure that occurs when… life; when compared to this estimation, it’s possible to predict a range of time within which a dent in the asset can cause the premature end of an operation’s useful life.

The types of integrityThe capability of a pipeline to perform its intended function safely and reliably throughout its life. It includes a range of factors, including the structural … assessments needed before plans can be solidified are based on a number of factors including things like the physical location of the pipeline in question, immediate integrity, future integrity, the presence of coincidental features, and pipeline manufacturing methodology. These factors should be combined with predicted failureThe inability of a pipeline system to fulfill its intended function or meet the required performance criteria. Pipeline failures can have significant consequenc… rate and maximum operating pressureThe maximum pressure that a pipeline or pressure vessel is designed to safely handle during normal operation. It represents the highest pressure that the system… to inform remediationThe appropriate actions taken to address or rectify issues, deficiencies, or anomalies identified in a pipeline system. It involves implementing corrective acti… plans that will maximize an asset’s safety, throughput, and profitability.

While establishing the rough condition of a dentA local change in pipe surface contour caused by an external force such as mechanical impact or rock impingement but is not accompanied by loss of metal. at the beginning of a dent characterization assessment is important, it becomes critical to get the highest resolution picture of its size, depth, orientation, and the condition of its ability to endure high pressure as these observations move closer to causing real-world actions.

Coincidental and interacting features do not necessarily make them more injurious. For example, a dentA local change in pipe surface contour caused by an external force such as mechanical impact or rock impingement but is not accompanied by loss of metal. that interacts with another dent (or a weldLocalized coalescence of metals produced by heating the materials to the welding temperature, with or without the application of pressure, or by the application…, or a gougeA type of mechanical damage characterized by a groove, cut, or indentation on the surface of the pipe. It typically occurs when a sharp object, such as a rock, …, or a crackA fracture or discontinuity in the wall of a pipeline, where the material is separated or broken, potentially compromising the integrity and safety of the pipel…, etc.) doesn’t necessarily make the dent or its interacting features more threatening to pipeline operations. These interactions can increase their potential injuriousness, but it’s not a foregone conclusion. As a result, these features are analyzed individually and in combination with one another. If an individual or combination assessment yields a result that doesn’t negatively impact dent failureThe inability of a pipeline system to fulfill its intended function or meet the required performance criteria. Pipeline failures can have significant consequenc… pressure or fatigueThe process where cracks develop and propagate in a material under cyclic loading or repeated stress over time. It is a type of fatigue failure that occurs when… life according to standards like those in API 579, then they’re not considered threats within the RP standard for safety. Alternatively, if any dent or associated threat does exceed safety standards set forth in API 579, then additional assessments will be required to maximize operational efficiency, safety, and dependability.

When characterizing dents in a pipeline’s construction, geometric differences found in welds are just as critical as those introduced by manufacturing or by third parties. While welds are critical to remediating features of every kind – including dents – their introduction can negatively impact dentA local change in pipe surface contour caused by an external force such as mechanical impact or rock impingement but is not accompanied by loss of metal. failure pressure and fatigueThe process where cracks develop and propagate in a material under cyclic loading or repeated stress over time. It is a type of fatigue failure that occurs when… life. Characteristics like the weldLocalized coalescence of metals produced by heating the materials to the welding temperature, with or without the application of pressure, or by the application…’s orientation, axial, or circumferentialAn event that occurs or is measured along the circumference of a pipeline. It implies the direction or orientation that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axi… position relative to the dent’s deepest location, and the weld type all introduce incremental riskA measure of loss in terms of both the incident likelihood of occurrence and the magnitude of the consequences. into an asset’s long-term viability. As a result, the same rigor applied to inspecting any change in the makeup of an operation’s pipe walls should be applied to dent-related welds. It’s always best to ensure that a solution accomplishes it goals instead of inadvertently exacerbating the dent threat attempting to be fixed. Contact us today to learn more about our dentA local change in pipe surface contour caused by an external force such as mechanical impact or rock impingement but is not accompanied by loss of metal. profile characterization assessment.