Challenges Faced By Operators In

Securing
a Successful Pipeline Inspection
7th annual Pipeline Integrity
Management Forum

Berlin
6 February, 2014

Bryan Melan
Marathon Oil, USA
Houston, Texas
Corporate Pipeline Integrity SME
Contents

About Marathon Oil Company

High Level Overview of Integrity Management

(IM) of pipelines

Upstream vs. downstream (midstream)

pipelines

Upstream issues

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A Bit About Marathon Oil

Marathon Oil Corporation (NYSE: MRO) is an independent international

energy company.
Based in Houston, Texas, the Company has activity in North America,
Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.
In 1887, the Ohio Oil Company was founded in northwestern Ohio - the
USA’s leading center for crude oil production at that time.
In celebration of its 75th anniversary in 1962, the Ohio Oil Company
changes its name to Marathon Oil Company
Marathon became one of the top 5 largest integrated US companies in
the 2000’s
In 2011, Marathon Oil Corporation becomes independent upstream
company.
• Marathon Oil Co. = Exploration and production
• Marathon Petroleum = Refining, Marketing, and transportation

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Living Our Values

Marathon Oil Corporation creates value for our shareholders and provides
quality products and services for our customers. In doing so, we act
responsibly toward those who work for us, the communities in which we
operate and our business partners. These are the core values that guide
our approach to business:
• Health and Safety
• Environmental Stewardship
• Honesty and Integrity
• Corporate Citizenship
• High Performance

Our UK operating unit Marathon Oil, UK has been named in the Top 100
Best Companies to Work for in the United Kingdom for the last 7
consecutive years

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The Pipeline Integrity Management
Progression

based upon Table 3-2 of DNV-RP-F116 5

Integrity Management Cycle

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Pipeline Threat Categories as defined by
ASME B31.8S

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Upstream systems vs.
Midstream/Downstream systems
 UPSTREAM
 Raw product
 Contains water and corrosive
impurities
 Primary threat is internal
corrosion
 Unusual threats
 Operating Pressure declines
over lifecycle
 Solids are generally organic
 Often rural
DOWNSTREAM/MIDSTREAM
Finished/partially finished
products
Typically dry and noncorrosive
Variety of primary threats
Operating Pressure is fairly
constant over lifecycle
Greater likelihood for lifecycle
extension and uprating
Greater likelihood of product
service changes
Solids are generally inorganic
from refining /treating
processes
Often near population centers
(markets)
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Midstream/Downstream Challenges

Older pipe – technology selection

Coating issues
Construction/long seam manufacture issues
Latent 3rd party damage
Development near (or on!) the right of way - Immediate 3rd party
damage

Not designed for pigging

Wall thickness changes
Reduced port valves
Technological advances making the “unpiggable” piggable

Volatile/toxic products

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“As-Received” cleaning pig photos

Dry Gas Transmission Refined Liquids

Pipeline Pipeline

10
Upstream Challenges

Wax, black powder and debris

Construction issues
Tight schedules
Questionable practices
Less strict inspection requirements
Operations impact to gathering systems
Untreated product
Transient or laminar flow regime = very low velocity
Multidiameter pipe
Operational changes, changes, and more changes!
Water drop-out

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Waxed ILI tool

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everely Degraded data due to high levels of wa
APPROX %
OF PIPELINE
ABSOLUTE DISTANCE CIRCUMFER
(metres) ENCE
AFFECTED
BY WAXING
Welds from 778m-877m 0-4.1m 10%
4.1m-13.1m 50%
13.1m-21.4m 100%
21.4m-41.4m 50%
41.4m-66.4m 75%
66.4m-70m 35%
70m-83.5m 60%
83.5m-91.6m 100%
91.6m-256.2m 80%
256.2m-377.6m 50%
Welds from 963m to 1062m 377.6.4m-546.3m 70%
546.3m-701.1m 30%
772m-778.2m 20%
793m-800.1m 20%
840.7m-914m 20%
914m-963m 50%
963m-979m 75%
1000m-1025m 90%
1025m-12629m 100%
12629m-12734m 50%
12734m-12746.5m 100%
12746.5m-12765m 40%
 Water drop-out

Created by Naj Kandala, MOUK 14

Stratified Flow in Upstream Gathering
Systems

15
Pipeline Profiling Tool

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Comparison of successive cleaning runs

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 Challenges Faced By Operators In
Securing
a Successful Pipeline Inspection

Thanks to Pipelines 2 Data LLC and PII Pipeline

Solutions for inspection data graphic illustrations

Thank You for Your

Attention

Bryan Melan, PE Questions?

Marathon Oil Company
bpmelan@marathonoil.com
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