Pipeline operators must choose from a wide variety of corrosion evaluation and monitoring tools to examine potential corrosivity, corrosion mechanisms, and mitigation effectiveness of their systems. Additionally, indirect data that supports the understanding of corrosion (e.g., gas or liquid composition, microbiology, operating conditions, etc.) can be integrated with direct evidence of corrosion to help operators optimize their response to the findings. A methodical approach has been developed and employed for several pipeline operators whereby large volumes of data from many sources can be organized and analyzed consistently. The methodology has been applied both through written procedures and software applications, over a wide range of complexities. With the increasing focus on internal corrosion as related to pipeline integrity, a standardized, consistent approach has become a vital need for many pipeline operators.
Keywords: Integrity, Integrity Management, IMP, Internal Corrosion, Pipelines, Indirect Data, Direct Evidence, Data Integration, Internal Corrosion Management, threat assessment