Introduction

Although onshore pipelines are considered a safe means of transportation, they experience additional challenges due to their complex pipeline networks. These steel structures cover distances as long as 4700 km (e.g., Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean oil pipeline), which are difficult to monitor. In addition, these structures may pass through various soils, water corridors, and densely populated areas. So, a spill or Loss of Containment (LOC) can dramatically affect the environment (e.g., soil, air, or water bodies pollution) and threaten life and property. Pipelines are exposed to deterioration phenomena such as corrosion or fatigue that can reduce the pipeline wall’s thickness, making it prone to a Loss of Content (LOC) in the form of a leak or a rupture. The extent of LOC also depends on the applied loads, such as the operating pressure, surrounding stresses, or climate conditions. Onshore pipelines are often susceptible to corrosion at the pipes inner or outer wall. Corrosion is a time and space-dependent phenomenon that depends on several factors, including the properties of the soil, the metabolic activity of microorganisms or fungi, and imperfections in the steel or stray currents. The scope of this book is to provide the necessary tools to support pipeline integrity programs for corroded pipelines. A significant effort is directed toward managing the uncertainty derived from consecutive In-Line measurements. We concentrate on how ILI measurements can be used to manage the following: (i) the spatial variability of the corrosion defects at various scales, (ii) the modeling and identification of new defects, and (iii) the estimation of the lifetime and the pipe’s reliability.