Certificate in Pipeline Engineering

Overview

Course Director
Howard Panza
Course Director,
Pipeline Technical Authority
TOTAL E&P UK Ltd

Aim
The course aims to provide participants with an introduction to design, installation and construction of onshore and offshore pipelines. The course makes emphasis on the importance of the pipeline for the transport of oil and gas, the material selection and limitation, the standards and code used for the pipeline design and maintenance

Course structure
The course consists of the following 6 modules

• Introduction to pipeline engineering
• Material selection and corrosion control
• Pipeline design, installation and construction
• Introduction to pipeline hydraulic analysis
• Defect assessment on pipelines
• Integrity of pipelines

Module one: Introduction to pipeline engineering
The aim of this Module is to provide a comprehensive historical background to pipelines as used in the transport of oil and gas, and will include:

• Basic pipeline concepts and principles (including a brief history of pipelines)
• Introduction to the stages of a pipeline project
• Standards, codes, and regulations
• Introduction to the principles of pipeline design

Module two: Material selection and corrosion control
The objective of this Module is to provide an overview of the material selection process for pipeline fabrication, and the method for controlling the pipeline corrosion during the pipeline life. It will include:

• Introduction to material science, including the properties of steel and other materials used for pipeline fabrication
• Process of pipeline material selection, including code/standard requirements,
• Manufacturing process, including welding standard, procedures and NDT techniques for qualifications
• Introduction to corrosion, including definition of the corrosion phenomenon, and chemical principles
• Type of internal and external corrosion
• Method to prevent or mitigate the corrosion in pipelines

Module three: Pipeline design, installation and construction
This module’s objective is to introduce the participant to the design of onshore and offshore pipeline, the different stages of pipeline construction and the pipeline installation methods. The module includes the following topics:

• Introduction of different approaches of pipeline design for offshore and onshore, including
  - definition of safety and reliability factors,
  - codes,
  - standards
  - recommended practices
• Pipeline material grade selection and wall thickness calculation and selection
• Introduction of the different pipeline configuration, including pipe-in-pipe, bundles, etc
• Introduction to flexible pipelines, principles and concepts
• Introduction of hydrodynamic around offshore pipelines, including the definition of the different wave theories; current, prediction of the forces acting on a offshore pipeline
• Stress assessment of pipeline, including definition of stress on pipeline and an introduction to the fatigue analysis
• Stages of pipeline construction, including
  - hydro-testing;
  - commissioning operations;
  - procurement
  - quality assurance
  
• Method of onshore and offshore pipeline installation

Module four: Introduction to pipeline hydraulic analysis.
The aim of this module is to provide the participant with the flow/ hydraulic principles associated with pipelines. The module includes:

• Introduction to the thermodynamic principles and flow properties of the different flow transported by pipelines.
• Basic pipelines flow calculations
• Problems caused by changes in flow condition, during the pipeline operations (wax and hydrate formation, etc)

Module five: Defect assessment on pipelines
This Module aims to provide a description of defects in pipelines, including pipe manufacturing defects and in-service defects, how they effect pipeline integrity, and how it could be technically assessed. The following subjects will be included:

• Definition of the type of defects on pipeline, including a worldwide failure statistics and the relative causes of pipeline failures
• Failure modes and a description of how pipelines fail
• Defect assessment, including the different codes and standards used to carry out fitness-for-purpose assessments of defects and damage
• Design code and standard requirements

Module six: Pipeline integrity - maintenance, inspection and risk assessment
The objective of this module is to give the participant a review of the pipeline integrity assessment, making emphasis on the inspection technologies that are available to detect the defects and anomalies found in pipelines, and monitor the condition of the pipeline. The module includes the following topics:

• Pipeline anomalies and defect
• Introduction to principles and applications of the In-line inspection techniques and existing tools
• Survey methods for onshore and offshore pipeline, walking patrol, air survey, ROV, acoustic, diver, above-ground monitoring techniques etc.
• Principles and application of the NDT techniques used to detect and evaluate pipeline defect, damages, etc.
• Preparation of integrity management plans for onshore and offshore pipelines