New NACE Bakken committee for pipeline protection companies

Corrosion industry professionals from various pipeline operations are working to form a new Bakken-based committee.

The committee would unite engineers, cathodic protection system installers and other pipeline-related service people under a new National Association of Cathodic Engineers section.

Why is the new NACE section needed?

“The purpose of the new section is to get corrosion professionals together from the various operators here in the Bakken and start up communication,” said Rae Powers, Quality Assurance Inspector for Mistras Group Inc., an asset protection solutions provider. Powers is helping to organise an event that will establish the new NACE Bakken corrosion section.

“We have a lot of infrastructure going into the ground very rapidly,” she said. The activity is creating interference issues between pipelines and it is affecting all operators in the region. When a pipeline is installed with a cathodic protection system, a low voltage current is placed on the pipeline. The current helps to turn the anodes within the metal vessel into cathodes, which are non-corrosive.

The problem of interference

When pipelines are laid over top of each other, interference can occur between the electrical current of each pipeline. Current can jump from one line to another, according to Powers, an issue that when left untreated, can cause rapid corrosion of a pipeline.

When new pipelines are installed by different operators, the installers would ideally communicate about the crossing and work together to install a bond station at the crossings. The bond station allows the pipeline operators to bond the electrical current of one pipeline with the other pipelines near. The bond helps to mitigate current jumping and future corrosion from happening. “When current strays off the intended path,” she said, “it can result in corrosion.”

The first meeting

Powers and other industry professionals have set a meeting for 11 June in Tioga, North Dakota, USA. The meeting will include presentations by several industry experts. Based on the meeting, Powers also said a committee and four board members will be established.

“There currently is no organisation in the Bakken region for the various pipeline, production and facilities operators to discuss their corrosion challenges and co-ordinate their corrosion activities,” said Ted Huck, Vice President of Matcor, a Pennsylvania-based cathodic protection and engineering company. Huck is presenting at the event. “These types of organisations are common in other parts of the country and play a critical role in helping to ensure public safety.”

The closest NACE chapter is in Billings, Montana, USA. In other states, government organisations will oversee cathodic protection, according to Powers.

The corrosion committee’s inaugural meeting will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on 11 June at the Tioga Farm Festival Building.

There is no fee for this event, and lunch will be served. Anyone interested in attending or receiving updates about future meetings is asked to register.

The new corrosion committee will bring together Bakken shale region corrosion professionals and pipeline operators on a regular basis to share information on best practices, coordinate cathodic protection system installation information and take steps to prevent cathodic interference.

The inaugural meeting will include presentations by Bakken region and industry experts, in addition to the election of four board members. Once the organisation is formed a formal petition will be prepared to present to the NACE area board of directors for approval as an official NACE section.

Questions regarding the new Bakken corrosion committee can be directed to Jeff Dornak at +1 713-494-7604 or jdornak@matcor.com or Rae Powers at +1 307-461-7751 or Rae.Powers@mistrasgroup.com.

Edited from various sources by Elizabeth Corner

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/business-news/05062014/new_nace_bakken_committee_for_pipeline_protection_companies/