COO

Overview

There are millions of kilometers of onshore and offshore pipelines spread across the world. With the expansion and addition of new staff, there is an increasing need for full appreciation of the engineering design of these pipeline systems. A long with this is a growing need for expanded training, to supply qualified personnel, and hence opportunity for pipeline technicians, technologists and engineers in onshore and offshore installations. Also, many personnel involved in pipeline operations do not receive even basic pipeline engineering training, while some are exposed only to specialized areas. This is where the requirement for a program such as this fits in, with its stated objective of equipping the participant with the core skills in pipeline engineering that will help enhance his/her career, and benefit the organization.

This course examines pipeline design, construction and routing through to pipeline economics and advanced practices in asset management. No matter whether you are a new mechanical or pipeline technician/technologist/engineer or a practicing operations and facilities engineer, you will find this course extremely beneficial. You will gain an in-depth understanding of the applicable standards and specifications related to pipeline design, operation and maintenance, as also grasp the engineering principles involving liquid and gas flow and their importance in relation to pipeline design. The use of key performance indicators will be derived to measure the performance of your valuable asset, the pipeline.

With its relevance to both onshore and offshore pipelines, the program equips you with a multidisciplinary understanding of pipelines and enables you to understand the full cycle of pipeline engineering.

Course Outline

MODULE 1: Introduction and Overview

Pipeline basics and factors influencing pipeline design
Pipeline route selection
Codes and standards affecting pipeline design, construction, operation and maintenance
Pipeline design principles - hydraulics, mechanical design, materials of construction
Pipeline construction fundamentals
Pipeline protection and maintenance
Pipeline economics
Physical quantities and units used in pipeline design

MODULE 2: Pipeline Design, Operation and Maintenance Standards

Codes and specifications
Codes and standards governing the design, operation and maintenance of pipeline
Common features of pipeline codes and standards
Symbols and units used in pipeline design standards
Abbreviation used in pipeline design standards
Information typically contained in piping specifications
Guidelines for pipeline operation and maintenance

MODULE 3: Pipeline Routing

Introduction to pipeline routing
Factors influencing pipeline routing
Pipeline routing “rules of thumb”
Tools and data used in pipeline routing
Consideration of alternate routes

MODULE 4: Liquid and Gas Flow

Liquid and gas flow fundamentals
Basic hydrodynamics
Multiphase flow
Coping with fluctuations in pipeline operating conditions
Optimization of line size, pressure drop and location of pumping stations
Hydrate formation/prevention
Wax formation/protection
Design optimization of gas pipelines

MODULE 5: General Pipeline Design Considerations

Forces and stresses in pipelines
Criteria for mechanical design including code criteria
Specified minimum yield strength of pipeline materials
Mechanical design equations: calculations of Maximum Allowable Pressure (MAP) and minimum required wall thickness of pipelines
Sustained loads in pipelines and stresses due to thermal expansion/contraction
Estimating the maximum span of unsupported pipe
Offshore spanning, spanning control and spanning correction
Design of pipeline riser for offshore pipelines
Pipeline shore approaches

MODULE 6: Pipeline Materials

Common pipeline materials
Metallurgy and manufacture of low-alloy carbonmanganese steel pipes
Effect of treatment of pipeline steels
Flexible and composite pipelines
High pressure and high temperature pipelines

MODULE 7: Onshore Pipeline Construction

Sequence of construction activities
Construction equipment
Preparing of the Right of Way (ROW) for the pipeline
Stringing the pipeline
Bending
Welding and post-weld qualification
Lowering
Tie-in and assembly
Testing and inspection
Back filling of trench
Construction techniques used in water crossing
Commissioning the pipeline

MODULE 8: Offshore Pipeline Construction

Construction methods (lay barges, reel barges, pull and tow)
Pipeline trenching methods
Pipeline bundles
Pipe in pipe method
Flexible pipelines and umbilical
Cross country and offshore system welding

MODULE 9: Pipeline Installation

Pipeline installation methods
Pipeline bending stress control
Pipeline on-bottom stability control
S-lay, J-lay, deep water installation
Allowable installation stresses/fatigue
Burial methods and depths

MODULE 10: Pipeline Commissioning, Operation, Maintenance and Failures

Pipeline pressure testing and pre-commissioning
Flow assurance
Pigging operations
Pipeline integrity management
Pipeline monitoring and inspection
Leak detection and emergency planning
Defect assessment
Intervention, repair and modification
Failure modes
Risks, reliability, and safety
Environmental and regulatory requirements

MODULE 11: Pipeline Protection

Possible causes and consequences of pipeline damage
Prevention of pipeline damage
Corrosion fundamentals
Characteristics and properties of pipeline coatings
Cathodic protection
Internal corrosion
Stress Corrosion Cracking (SCC)
Pipeline integrity programs
Thermal coating and pipeline insulation
Weight coating for stability on seabed

MODULE 12: Pipeline Economics and Asset Management

Introduction to pipeline economics
Terminology used in pipeline economics
Pipeline performance: Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) for monitoring and assessing pipeline performance