Fitness for Service of Onshore Pipelines

This chapter describes the basics for quantitatively assessing pipeline structural integrity. Elementary concepts are presented to define the implicit resistance of pipelines and calculate its probability of failure. Following this, the damage mechanisms and nature of possible failure events are highlighted, jointly with models for detecting, accepting such occurrences, and determining the pipeline remaining strength. Anomalies in pipelines such as corrosion, dents, ovalization, wrinkles, gouges, cracks, and corresponding fitness-for-service procedures for their assessment are discussed. In the course of this chapter, events herein are referred to that dealt extensively with related chapters of this Handbook such as pipeline design, inspection, threats to pipeline integrity, stress analysis, risk analysis, offshore pipelines, and pipeline repairs.