Managing Challenges with Pipeline Seam Welds

Recent pipeline incidents involving seam weld anomalies are driving a stronger focus on better managing these challenges. PHMSA and the National Association of Pipeline Safety Representatives (NAPSR) are holding this important event after a careful and thorough review of inspection reporting and incident findings. In addition, this event is another measure in PHMSA's efforts to address the Secretary of Transportation's "Call to Action to Address Pipeline Infrastructure Risks, Drive for More Aggressive Safety Efforts and to Be More Transparent when executing these Safety Measures."

This event is designed to provide an open forum for exchanging information on the challenges associated with pipeline seam welds. Specifically the forum will facilitate individual, panel and working group discussions for the following objectives:

1. Further determining "What is the nature and extent of the issue?" from industry and government data.
2. Presenting perspectives on how anomalies in seam weld are identified and managed employing risk assessments, technology and standards or best practices.
3. Presenting the scope of a recently awarded PHMSA research study on Seam Welds.
4. Providing specifically designed working groups to further craft the scope for this PHMSA research study and other related topics.

Final Agenda

Event Moderator: Jeff Wiese, Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety, DOT/PHMSA

Panel Moderator: Alan Mayberry, Deputy Associate Administrator for Pipeline Field Operations, DOT/PHMSA

Pipe Manufacturer: Alex Afaganis, Technical Sales Manager, EVRAZ Inc. NA

Panel Moderator: Linda Daugherty, Deputy Associate Administrator for Pipeline Policy & Programs, DOT/PHMSA

Independent Technology Expert: Marc Lamontagne, Lamontagne Pipeline Assessment Corporation

Event Moderator: Jeff Wiese, Associate Administrator for Pipeline Safety, DOT/PHMSA

Researcher: Brian Leis, Battelle Memorial Institute

KMAP - Longitudinal Weld Threat Analysis - Noel Duckworth, Director, Integrity Management, Products Pipelines, Kinder Morgan Energy Partners

WG Leader: Terry D. Boss, Vice President for Environment, Safety, and Operations, Interstate Natural Gas Association of America

• How do gaps in data impact risks with seam weld challenges?
• How do you know you do not have remaining threats from seam welds?
• Are there recommended practices that are relevant here or needed?

WG Leader: Mark Piazza, Senior Program Manager, Pipeline Programs, PRCI

• What technologies are available for detecting and characterizing seam weld threats?
• What is the effectiveness and the limitations of current in-line inspection crack tools with respect to finding and characterizing ERW seam anomalies?
• What suggested improvements can be made to the in-line inspection guidance tables in API 1160, NACE 0102, and ASME B31.8S?

Speaker 3: Bruce Nestleroth, Battelle Memorial Institute

WG Leader: W. Kent Muhlbauer, WKM Consultancy

• How do you know which assessment method is the correct one to use?
• What are the pro/cons for available assessment methods?
• How can hydrostatic testing procedures (including "spike" tests) in API1110 or in 49 CFR192 and 49 CFR195 be improved to eliminate potentially growing small flaws before they grow large enough to fail in service?
• How can improved modeling approaches better predict failure pressures when using ASME B31G, API 579, and NG-18 for mitigating selective seam corrosion pressure-cycle-induced fatigue?

Speaker 5: Weixing Chen, University of Alberta

Feedback

Please feel free to email Robert Smith (robert.w.smith @ dot.gov) about how we can provide high quality events in the future.