Report on this year’s PRCI Research Exchange Meeting

The annual meeting provides PRCI member companies, key research partners and external stakeholders with a report on the important research results and outcomes for completed research projects and programmes.

This year’s highlights included: a plenary session hosted by PRCI President Cliff Johnson and with a keynote speech from new PRCI Chairman Jeff Whitworth (Shell pipeline Company LP). Whitworth stressed the importance of environmental stewardship to the council, which has the aim of ‘zero leaks, zero failures’ for its member companies. Some 60% of the world’s transmission pipelines are repvresented at PRCI, and the council prides itself on its focus on safety and the future of the industry (which is evidenced in its partnerships with YPAC and YPP).

Awards were given for Distinguished Service (David Johnson – Energy Transfer; and David Katz – Williams). An In-Kind Support award went to Plains All America Pipeline and Distinguished Researcher awards were given to Scott Riccardella – Structural Integrity Associates, Inc. and Yong-Yi Wang – Centre for Reliable Energy Systems.

The meeting followed two tracks each day: Corrosion and Leak Detection; Non-Destructive Evaluation Performance & Enhancement; ILI Inspection Performance & Enhancement; and Geohazard Assessment and Mitigation & New Technologies.

The meeting included technical presentations covering a variety of safety and integrity management topics, including corrosion assessment; geohazards; coatings; ROW monitoring; mechanical damage; design considerations; material characteristics and properties; developing traceable, complete, and verifiable records; inline inspection performance and enhancement; NDE technology enhancements and validation; and leak detection.

This event is the key knowledge transfer window for PRCI and provides the attendees an opportunity to learn how to move the results into practice. In addition to the technical presentations, there were plenty of networking opportunities and receptions for attendees.

Highlights this year included: a special session discussing a potential pipeline data hub, with input from Warren Randolph, Federal Aviation Administration and Walter Kresic, Enbridge; in-depth presentations on topics such as inspection of seam anomalies, ILI validation techniques and the use of EMAT ILI technologies; and several sessions on reducing undue conservatism in integrity decisions.

PRCI has published its ‘Year in Review 2017’, which includes a letter from the new Chairman and from the President, an outline of the council’s 2018 - 2022 five year strategic plan, an update on PRCI’s Technology Development Centre (TDC) and a summary of the year’s completed research reports and ongoing research projects. Download a copy here.