IMR Materials Testing Technical Blog

4 Common Pipeline Integrity Testing Methods

In 2017, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) made a ruling specifying exactly how operators must test pipelines for damage, labeling these tests ECAs, or Engineering-Critical Assessments.

But pipeline integrity testing is about so much more than just checking a box or fulfilling a requirement. It’s about continued operation, safety, and protecting the environment. 

However, that doesn’t mean that there is just one approach used to inspect these pipelines. Several pipeline integrity testing methods can be used to uncover these issues and maintain regulatory compliance. Here’s what you should know about each method.

Why Pipeline Integrity Management Matters

In places like the oil and gas industry, pipelines carry hazardous, toxic, or flammable fluids. Because of this, interruptions to these compromised pipelines pose the risk of releasing harmful materials like dangerous pollution into the air, water, and soil, and impact the overall climate and ecosystem. This is especially true for pipelines that cross rivers or streams, which are more vulnerable to damage under the additional pressure and weight of heavy rain or flooding. 

In fact, recent pipeline spills have impacted entire river ecosystems—and even drinking water—in places like:

• Yellowstone River
• Susquehanna River
• Kalamazoo River

Pipeline integrity management is integral to protecting businesses from lost profits, but it also protects the environment from severe damage. Pipeline integrity maintains the safe and reliable operation of the pipeline system. A critical part of this is routine pipeline integrity testing.

Pipeline integrity management covers both the structural and functional integrity of pipelines. This requires careful attention—testing, monitoring, and maintenance—to pinpoint potential risks and mitigate issues before disaster strikes. 

The Four Major Destructive Testing Methods

Destructive Testing (DT) methods for pipeline integrity are often needed to reveal more in-depth structural analysis than Non-Destructive Testing (NDT) can provide. The potential for dramatic and costly pipeline failures continues to be a top concern for regulatory agencies, pipeline operators, and energy providers due to the risk to human life and the environment.  In 2017, the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) issued a Final Rule that mandates several preventative and documentation processes designed to standardize the measurement, testing, and assessment of pipeline inspection procedures. 

The primary methodology of Destructive Testing involves carrying out physical test methods to the point of a specimen’s failure. The results of these methods can illustrate how a material’s characteristics and microstructure react to controlled stressors of tension, time, torque, and temperature.  

These DT methods include:

• Tensile Strength Testing: Tensile testing involves clamping a sample into a fixture, then imparting controlled and sustained tension until failure occurs. The results of this test provide data to assist in the selection of appropriate materials for the application.
• Fracture Toughness Testing: One of the most critical properties of pipe material, this test involves creating test specimens from the pipe wall that include a simulated crack. The specimen is then subjected to cyclic stresses that cause the crack to grow. The toughness of the material is determined by measuring the number of cycles at different stresses the material can withstand.
• Bend Testing: Bend testing tests the flexibility of a material.  Test material samples are placed in a holding fixture, and caused to bend, but not fracture. The ductility of a metal is an important component in tensile, compression, and fatigue characteristics. 
• Charpy Impact Testing: This method determines the toughness or impact strength of the material in the presence of a flaw or notch. A controlled weight pendulum is swung from a set height into a standard notched specimen. The force of the impact absorbed by the sample provides material characteristics important to the final product.

To maintain compliance with the Final Rule, terminal and pipeline owners are obligated to operate their pipelines safely, requiring an adequate inspection, maintenance, and repair program. To be in compliance, operators are accountable for the development, documentation, implementation, execution, and assessment of pipeline inspection methods. Meeting these requirements means a safer energy grid for both owners and the public, and saves operators from potential disasters to their corporation’s goodwill, finances, and personnel.

To discover more about pipeline integrity testing with IMR Test Labs, visit our service page here, then request a quote from our experienced team to see how we can help you meet testing compliance regulations and protect your pipeline system from detectable, preventable issues.