Cracking the code

In the world of pipeline integrity management, few threats are as persistent and costly as stress corrosion cracking (SCC) along buried transmission pipelines.

In the past two years, Frontline Integrity have been involved in SCC related pipeline incidents in North America, South America, Europe and Australasia.

Many regions document, report and share key information associated with pipeline incidents related to materials, operation, mechanism, and consequence. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration’s (PHMSA’s) open-source database has been documenting USA incidents since 1970 and provides an extensive overview. Our recent analysis concluded that since 2005, there have been 81 incidents attributed to cracking in the USA and 57 of these were specifically attributed to SCC.¹

These 81 incidents are reported to be split evenly between gas (51%) and liquid pipelines (49%). Notably, 16% of the incidents resulted in an ignition.

SCC is a time-dependent threat and can present itself as axial, circumferential, or ‘off-axis’ external cracking. The uncertainty of whether it is present on a system is a widespread concern and, once identified, the cost associated with managing it has long plagued pipeline operators.

Typical options for managing a system with SCC consist of recoating sections, reducing pressure, targeted direct assessment, or in-line inspection (ILI) using crack detection technology. These ILI tools offer broad coverage and convenience, but this comes with a significant caveat: not every reported planar reflector is likely to be the target threat you are chasing, in this instance SCC.

After running a crack detection ILI tool, operators frequently find themselves with a significant list of planar reflectors located in challenging locations. In order to perform field verification and possible repair, some sites may require road closures, the removal of protective slabs, or the diversion of waterways to enable direct pipeline access. All of which carry significant costs for the pipeline operator.

Given that crack detection technologies report planar reflectors, many of the calls verified in a standard population will be anomalies with planar characteristics such as sharp- edged corrosion which may not pose a significant integrity threat. Many operators would consider these sites ‘dry holes’ when chasing the real cracking threat and, considering the excavation cost, may get frustrated that resources are being diverted away from the primary threat.

Considering feedback from pipeline operators, Frontline Integrity (an independent pipeline integrity consultancy based in the UK) have developed RapidLinkTM, a cloud-based software platform designed to help pipeline operators target the actual threat and minimise unnecessary excavations.

The software: how it works

The software gathers and aligns a number of key datasets for an entire network in its secure DataHub. This typically consists of crack detection ILI datasets (reported anomalies and pipe tallies), historic field verification data and SCC susceptibility profiles, where available.

Rapid Link is built on three core assessment pillars:

• Data analysis.
• Predictive analysis(API1176 Assessment).
• Tool performance review(API1163 Assessment).

References

1. 2025 Analysis of the PHMSA Open Source Incident Database (Source Data | PHMSA). https://www.phmsa.dot.gov/data-and- statistics/pipeline/source-data

Read the latest issue of World Pipelines magazine for pipeline news, project stories, industry insight and technical articles.

World Pipelines’ December 2025 issue

The December 2025 issue of World Pipelines explores how the global pipeline sector is adapting to the energy transition, with a strong focus on CCS readiness, digital transformation, integrity management, and operational resilience. Articles span Asia’s CCS pipeline build-out, energy market dynamics, high-precision repair and integrity solutions, repurposing existing pipelines for CO2 service, cybersecurity, autonomous operations, and the shift from traditional to cloud-based training and competency frameworks.

Read the article online at: https://www.worldpipelines.com/special-reports/18122025/cracking-the-code/