Are you a plant owner or general manager looking for ways to maintain your pipeline?
According to the Pipeline Association for Public Awareness, government statistics show that “a common cause of pipeline incidents is improper or unauthorized digging near a pipeline.”
Other major causes include “mechanical failure, human error, and corrosion.”
How can you ensure that you’re doing your part to prevent these kinds of incidents?
With pipeline maintenance, of course.
Read on to learn 5 maintenance tips for your pipeline system.
1. Right-of-Way Clearing
An important aspect of pipeline maintenance is right-of-way clearing. This is because a pipe needs a clear path of travel in order to operate the most efficiently and uninhibited.
During right-of-way clearing, trees and roots are removed so that the land near pipes is free of the threats of these conditions.
It’s also important that the right-of-way remains clear so that in the event of an emergency with your pipeline, it’s easily accessible for repair.
2. Hydrostatic Testing
To ensure the strength of the pipes in a pipeline, hydrostatic testing is recommended before and during their use.
Hydrostatic testing is a procedure where the pipes you will use in your project are connected to one another. They are then filled with water at a higher rate of pressure than they will normally be.
These high pressures help you see how well your pipeline will perform under heavy use.
Besides doing this before pipes are put in the ground, hydrostatic testing is also used to measure the strength of pipelines over time.
3. Identifying Corrosion
A way to help extend the life of your pipeline is by monitoring your pipes for any evidence of corrosion.
Protecting your pipeline against corrosion begins long before your pipes are put in the ground. Depending on the material your pipes are made out of, you should ensure you’re using an anti-corrosive coating.
But even then, you still can’t protect 100 percent against corrosion.
This is because natural conditions and accidents create a threat to your pipes.
For example, a leak, emergency or natural disaster can cause serious damage. This means you should monitor how these substances impact your pipes.
One way to address corrosion concerns is to use “pigs”. These are devices used to identify corrosion. They also repair certain issues without losing production time.
4. Maintain Complete Records
When it comes to maintaining your pipelines, you should keep accurate records.
By doing this, you’ll give others a complete record of the life cycle of your pipeline. Besides keeping a database of site plans and pipeline product guides, you should also take lots of pictures.
This helps when it comes to showing the condition of pipes at installation. It will also serve as an important baseline to determine how quickly your pipes are corroding.
5. Perform Regular Inspections
Regularly inspecting your pipeline is a great way to stay on top of maintenance issues that may arise.
This means being proactive and using an experienced crew who knows what to look for and what to do based on their observations.
If you’re not performing regular inspections, you put yourself at a greater risk for an emergency situation.
This can be dangerous for your employees and costly to your business – especially if the situation causes your operation to be offline for an extended time.
Wrapping Up: The Importance of Pipeline Maintenance
Pipeline maintenance begins at the planning stages of your operation. It also continues throughout the life of your business.
For more than 15 years, businesses have turned to Dynagard when it comes to corrosion control products. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help protect your pipelines!
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