Abstract
Pipeline operators continuously seek to improve reliability, safety and reduce corrosion and maintenance costs. Cathodic protection (CP) systems is a secondary external corrosion-prevention mechanism for underground pipelines. Two types of CP exist, namely, sacrificial anode CP (SACP) or impressed current CP (ICCP). ICCP units consist of a rectifier that drives a current through an anode bed, to prevent the corrosion of the pipeline. A study by the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) found that maintenance cost can escalate rapidly due to CP equipment damage, replacement of pipeline sections due to a damaged coating or forced corrosion, and ineffective time-based maintenance. This study presents and evaluates a predictive maintenance framework based on the conformance of the CP pipe potential to the NACE SP0169- 2013 CP criteria for steel pipelines. The outcome of this study aims to reduce the maintenance cost, improve pipeline integrity and prevent catastrophic failures due to a pipeline rupture...
M.Phil. (Engineering Management)