Solutions to Curbing Pipeline Failures

By prioritizing efficient pipeline engineering management and adopting advanced technologies and practices, officials can ensure the safety and sustainability of critical pipeline infrastructure.

FREMONT, CA: By implementing well-coordinated pipeline engineering management and oversight, a range of critical issues can be avoided, including gas pipeline explosions, public health emergencies caused by aging pipe infrastructure, and environmental pollution resulting from pipeline failures. The field of pipeline engineering encompasses various disciplines, such as hydraulics, structural engineering, chemistry, geotechnics, energy, and management sciences, emphasizing effective decision-making. Leveraging existing knowledge and tools can significantly improve pipeline operations and safety.

While a substantial portion of pipelines is buried and aging, the good news is that technological advancements have provided efficient means of assessing their condition. Innovative IT-based technologies, combined with acoustic, electromagnetic, and direct visual observation within the pipelines, offer promising solutions. Integrating analytics based on models, mapping, statistical analysis, and graphical imagery further enhances management capabilities, paving the way for better pipeline management.

The United States boasts an extensive pipeline network encompassing water, wastewater, stormwater, natural gas, oil, gasoline, and industrial fluid pipelines, totaling approximately 8 million miles. The increasing need for engineering experts to focus on pipeline management projects arises from the country's vast, aging pipeline inventory. This inventory spans the water sector (water supply, wastewater, and stormwater), the energy sector (natural gas, oil, and gasoline), and various industrial process pipelines for gases, slurries, and chemicals. Though most of these pipelines are underground and out-of-sight, their cumulative length surpasses 8 million miles, with an estimated asset value exceeding USD 10 trillion. While many of these pipelines are under the management of organizations capable of handling their responsibilities, a significant portion, mainly smaller pipelines, are privately owned, adding to the complexity of management.

The impact of lead in drinking water on childhood development is of particular concern, making it imperative to safeguard the nation's drinking water safety. The U.S. currently has an estimated ten million lead service lines in use, and replacing them is projected to cost around USD 50 billion. The Bipartisan Infrastructure Law will begin by investing approximately USD 15 billion through state grants and other channels. Additionally, implementing management techniques like monitoring and corrosion control can help mitigate the harmful effects of lead in drinking water.

Pipeline managers and owners face ongoing challenges in managing long-term infrastructure, necessitating technical and financial capacities. This presents a considerable challenge for the numerous small water organizations that supply drinking water across the country and similar global organizations serving billions of people. Building a robust workforce with advanced knowledge and skills is vital to address the complexities of managing extensive pipeline networks. Engineers often taking on these responsibilities find themselves facing complex management tasks, including budgeting and fiscal planning.

Had sufficient technical, management and financial capacities been in place, the pipeline failures in those incidents could have been averted. Even in cases where failures are unavoidable, better oversight can significantly reduce the damaging consequences on life, health, environment, and property.