FACTS & FIGURES | PIPELINE INTEGRITY

Mechanical Damage Prioritization

To help pipeline operators prioritize risk resulting from mechanical damage, the
PRIORITY REPORT
Multiple Dataset (MDS) platform—an inline inspection tool This sample data is pulled
comprised of complimentary technologies—enables comprehensive interactive
from an actual mechanical
damage prioritization report.
4 MODERATE-LOW PRIORITY
DISTANCE: 72,326.88
DEPTH %: 1.1
threat detection, providing necessary information for advanced analytics. A full report contains data
CLOCK POSITION: 8:15
on all identified defects.
DESCRIPTION: Interacts with long
This innovative technique leverages all available datasets, generating inputs to seam; On weld
FULL DENT REPORT
a sophisticated mechanical damage prioritization system developed by Battelle. DENT SEVERITY NUMBER

The Battelle methodology adds considerable value to the prioritization process 1 High 9

2 Moderate-High 11 MODERATE PRIORITY

because it accounts for interacting pipeline threats and their potential to impact DISTANCE: 395,516.06
3 Moderate 11
overall severity. DEPTH %: 0.9
4 Moderate-Low 49
CLOCK POSITION: 6:30
Using MDS platform capabilities, further enhancements have been made to the 5 Low
TOTAL DENTS
5

85
3 DESCRIPTION: Interacts with long
seam (1.70% Strain); On weld
model, addressing strain, proximity to welds, and presence of axial metal loss, to
name a few. By the time the classification process is complete, operators have a
comprehensive report on each mechanical damage feature identified. 5 2
In this report, defects are divided into five levels:
1 HIGH PRIORITY
2 MODERATE-HIGH PRIORITY
4 MODERATE-LOW PRIORITY
5 LOW PRIORITY
1
3 MODERATE PRIORITY

While further refinement occurs throughout the prioritization process, the basic
LOW PRIORITY
mechanical damage defect subsets include: DISTANCE: 208,327.68
DEPTH %: 1.3
• Long (>2-inch) gouges with rerounding • Rerounding without residual dent CLOCK POSITION: 7:00
• Short (<2-inch) gouges with rerounding and no gouge MODERATE-HIGH PRIORITY
DISTANCE: 103,567.80
• Long gouges, without rerounding • Local stresses evident, but no
DEPTH %: 0.8 HIGH PRIORITY
• Short gouges, without rerounding gouge and no rerounding CLOCK POSITION: 6:00 DISTANCE: 378,229.55
DESCRIPTION: With associated DEPTH %: 0.7
• Rerounding with residual dent • Residual dent, but no gouge, no metal loss CLOCK POSITION: 8:15
and no gouge rerounding, and no stress patterns.1 DESCRIPTION: Interacts with long
seam, rerounded (3.30% Strain);
On weld; With associated metal loss

1
R. J. Davis, J. B. N., 2000. The Manual for Detection, Classification, Analysis and Severity Ranking of Mechanical Damage Defects.
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