UKOPA PIPELINE FAULT DATABASE

Pipeline Product Loss Incidents

(1961 - 2000)

2nd Report of the UKOPA Fault Database Management Group

Comprising:

Transco
BP
Huntsman
Shell UK
Powergen UK
Health and Safety Executive

Report prepared by R. Greenwood, Advantica, for FDMG

Advantica Report Reference: R 4798

June 2002
Comments, questions and enquiries about this publication should be directed to the
UKOPA Pipeline Fault Database Project Manager:

Bob Greenwood
Pipeline Transportation
Advantica
Norgas House
Killingworth
Newcastle upon Tyne NE99 1GB
Report R 4798

Summary
This report presents collaborative pipeline and product loss incident data from
onshore Major Accident Hazard Pipelines (MAHPs) operated by Transco, Shell UK,
BP, Huntsman and Powergen UK, covering operating experience up to the end of
2000. The data presented here cover reported incidents on pipelines within the
public domain and not within a compound, where there was an unintentional loss of
product from the pipeline.

The overall failure frequency over the period 1961 to 2000 is 0.289 incidents per
1000 km.year.

The failure frequency over the last 5 years is 0.093 incidents per 1000 km.year.

A further report will cover predicted failure frequencies based on models of the
growth of part-wall defects where no product loss has occurred, in order to provide
failure frequencies for pipeline groups where historical failure data are sparse.
Report R 4798

Contents

1 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................. 1

1.1 BACKGROUND ................................................................................................ 1

1.2 PURPOSE OF THE DATABASE ........................................................................... 1
1.3 KEY ADVANTAGES .......................................................................................... 2

2 DATABASE CONTENT ...................................................................................... 3

2.1 PIPELINE SYSTEM DATA .................................................................................. 3

2.1.1 Exposure ............................................................................................... 3

2.1.2 Transported Products............................................................................ 4

2.2 PRODUCT LOSS INCIDENT DATA ...................................................................... 4

2.2.1 Incident Ignition..................................................................................... 5

2.2.2 Incident Frequency ............................................................................... 6
2.2.3 Incident Frequency by Cause ............................................................... 8
2.2.4 External Interference........................................................................... 11
2.2.5 External Corrosion .............................................................................. 14
2.2.6 Detection ............................................................................................ 18
Report R 4798

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background
One of the key objectives of UKOPA is to develop a comprehensive view on risk
assessment and risk criteria as they affect Land Use Planning aspects adjacent to
high hazard pipelines. The main multiplier in pipeline risk assessments is the per unit
length failure rate which directly relates to the extent of risk zones adjacent to the
pipelines. Regulators and consultants who carry out risk assessments for UK
pipelines have generally relied on US and European data to provide the basis for
deriving failure rates due to the shortage of verified published data relating to UK
pipelines.

UKOPA recognised the opportunity to pool data and decided to set up the UKOPA
Pipeline Damage Database during May 1998. A steering group called the Fault
Database Management Group (FDMG) was established to define the requirements
and to direct the development of the database. This FDMG originally comprised
representatives from four companies, the current names of which are Transco,
Huntsman, BP and Shell UK. The Health & Safety Executive and Powergen UK have
since joined the group.

Advantica was selected to set up and manage the database on behalf of UKOPA
during November 1998. Development of the database was carried out during 1999
and database ‘empty shells’ were issued to the participating companies to populate
with their own pipeline and fault data. Advantica pooled the company data into one
collaborative database and published the first report in November 2000, presenting
the first set of incident data for pipeline incidents resulting in the unintentional
release of product up to the end of 1998. This second biennial report is an update of
the previous data, covering product loss incidents up to the end of 2000.

1.2 Purpose of the Database

The purpose of the database is to:

• estimate leak and pipeline rupture frequencies for UK pipelines, based directly on
historical failure rate data for UK pipelines
• provide the means to estimate failure rates for UK pipelines for risk assessment
purposes based on analysis of damage data for UK pipelines
• provide a more realistic and rigorous approach to the design and routing of
pipelines
• provide the means to test design intentions and determine the effect of
engineering changes (e.g. wall thickness of pipe, depth of burial, diameter,
protection measures, inspection methods and frequencies, design factor etc.)

Page 1 of 18
Report R 4798

1.3 Key Advantages

The new database is designed to reflect the ways in which the UKOPA operators
design, build, operate, inspect and maintain their pipeline systems. Although the
pipeline and failure data are extensive, there are pipeline groups (e.g. large
diameter, recently constructed pipelines) on which no failures have occurred;
however, it is unreasonable to assume that the failure frequency for these pipelines
is zero. Similarly, further pipeline groups exist for which the historical failure data are
not statistically significant.
Unlike its Europe-wide EGIG* counterpart, this UKOPA database contains extensive
data on part-wall damage, allowing prediction of failure frequencies for pipelines for
which inadequate failure data exist. Using Structural Reliability Analysis it is possible
to determine the range of defect dimensions that will cause a specific pipeline to fail;
analysis of the statistical distributions of actual defect dimensions from the part-wall
defect data allows the probability of a critical defect to be determined and failure
frequencies for any credible failure mechanism to be calculated. This approach has
been used extensively and successfully by one of the contributing companies in
recent pipeline uprating projects.

*European Gas Pipeline Incident Data Group (Gas loss incidents in gas transmission
pipelines operating above 15 bar – 2 million km.yr exposure to end of 1998).

Page 2 of 18
Report R 4798

2 DATABASE CONTENT

2.1 Pipeline System Data

2.1.1 Exposure

The total length of Major Accident Hazard Pipelines (MAHPs), above ground, below
ground and elevated, up to the end of 2000 for all participating companies (Transco,
BP, Shell UK, Huntsman and Powergen ) is 21,860 km. The total exposure in the
period 1952 to the end of 2000 is 592,326 km.yr; the development of this exposure
is illustrated in Figure 1.

Development of Pipeline Exposure

600000

500000

400000
Exposure km.yr

300000

200000

100000

0
1950 1955 1960 1965 1970 1975 1980 1985 1990 1995 2000
Year

Length of Pipeline which has unknown commissioning date = 51.22 km. (This has
been ignored in the exposure calculations)
Exposure to end 2000 of Elevated Pipeline = 21.97 km.yr (included in totals)
Exposure to end 2000 of Above Ground Pipeline = 156.75 km.yr (included in totals)

Figure 1

Page 3 of 18
Report R 4798

2.1.2 Transported Products

The transported products include (km):

Butane 19.5 Propylene 36.3

CO 36.3 LPG 9.6
Condensate 24.0 Natural Gas (Dry) 19,947.7
Crude Oil (Spiked) 212.6 Other 318.3
Ethane 38.1 Propane 19.5
Ethylene 1,198.5 TOTAL 21,860

Although the UKOPA database currently comprises only MAHPs, the intention is to include
non-MAHPs in the future.

2.2 Product Loss Incident Data

A product loss incident is defined in the context of this report as:

• an unintentional loss of product from the pipeline

• within the public domain and outside the fences of installations
• excluding associated equipment (e.g. valves, compressors) or parts other than the
pipeline itself

A total of 171 product loss incidents were recorded over the period between 1962 and 2000.
No product loss incidents were recorded prior to 1962. An annual breakdown of incidents is
illustrated in Figure 2a. The cumulative number of incidents over the period 1962 to 2000 is
shown in Figure 2b.

Annual Number of Product Loss Incidents

16
14
Number of Incidents

12
10
8
6
4
2
0
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000

Year

Figure 2a

Page 4 of 18
Report R 4798

Differences between 1998 and 2000 product loss statistics

Three external corrosion incidents have been recorded (2 in 1999 and 1 in 2000). As a result
of audits of individual company fault databases, 2 incidents have been removed
( 1 flange leak in 1983 and 1 external corrosion in a compound in 1987 ), and 9 added
( 4 external interference in 1972(2),1978 and 1990, 2 external corrosion in 1976 and 1983,
2 girth weld leaks in 1973 and 1978, and 1 cause unrecorded in 1972 ). A number of
incidents have been re-classified, the most significant change being identification of 25 old
internal stress corrosion cracking faults (associated with transmission of wet town gas prior
to 1970) previously classified as internal corrosion, which have been re-classified as ‘other’.
See table 4 for details.

Total Number of Product Loss Incidents (Cumulative)

180
160
140
Number of Incidents

120
100
80
60
40
20
0
1961
1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Year

Figure 2b

2.2.1 Incident Ignition

There were 8 out of 171 (4.7%) product loss incidents that resulted in ignition. Table 1 below
provides more detail:

Affected Component Cause Of Fault Hole Diameter Class

Pipe Seam Weld Defect 0-6 mm
Pipe Ground Movement Full Bore
(18” Diameter Pipe)
Pipe Girth Weld Defect 6-20 mm
Pipe Pipe Defect 0-6 mm
Pipe Unknown >50 mm
Pipe Lightning Strike 0-6 mm
Bend Internal Corrosion 0-6 mm
Bend Unknown 6-20 mm

Table 1 – Incidents that Resulted in Ignition

Page 5 of 18
Report R 4798

2.2.2 Incident Frequency

The incident frequency over consecutive 5-year periods is shown in Table 2.

Period Number of Total Exposure Frequency

Incidents [km.yr] [Incidents per 1000
km.yr]
1961 - 1965 6 10,261 0.585
1966 - 1970 21 35,115 0.598
1971 - 1975 25 65,411 0.382
1976 - 1980 27 80,322 0.336
1981 - 1985 40 90,497 0.442
1986 - 1990 33 96,728 0.341
1991 - 1995 9 103,672 0.087
1996 - 2000 10 107,508 0.093

Table 2

The overall incident frequency by hole size over the period 1960 – 2000 is shown in
Table 3.

Hole Size Class Number of Incidents Frequency

[Incidents per 1000 km.yr]
Full Bore* 7 0.012
≥ 50mm 16 0.027
≥ 20mm 36 0.061
≥ 6mm 63 0.106
0 – Full Bore 171 0.289

Table 3

* Full Bore ≡ diameter of pipeline

The failure frequency over the last 5 years (1996-2000) is 0.093 incidents per 1000
km.yr as compared to the failure frequency during the period 1960-2000 which is
0.289 incidents per year per 1000 km.yr. An overview of the development of this
failure frequency over the period 1960 to 2000 is shown in Figure 3.
In order to see the results over recent periods, without influence of the past, the
moving average for each year is calculated with reference to the incidents from the
previous 5 years (1996-2000,1995-1999,1994-1998 etc).

Page 6 of 18
 Frequency per 1000 km.yr

Figure 3
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
Report R 4798

1962
1963
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1969
1970
1971
1972
1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980

Page 7 of 18
1981
Year

1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
Development of Overall Incident Frequency

Moving 5-year Average

1989
1990
Overall Average up to Year

1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
Report R 4798

2.2.3 Incident Frequency by Cause

The development of product loss incident frequency by cause is shown in Figure 4.

Development of Incident Frequency by Cause

0.45
External Corrosion External Interference
Ground Movement Internal Corrosion
0.4 Girth Weld Defect Other
Pipe Defect Seam Weld Defect
Frequency per 1000 km.yr

0.35 Unknown

0.3

0.25

0.2

0.15

0.1

0.05

0
1960

1962

1964

1966

1968

1970

1972

1974

1976

1978

1980
1982

1984

1986
1988

1990
1992

1994

1996

1998

2000
Year
Figure 4

Product Loss No. of

Cause Incidents
Girth Weld Defect 33
Cause = ‘Other’:
External Interference 36
Internal Corrosion 2 Other Cause Incidents
Internal SCC due to wet town gas 29
External Corrosion 32
Pipe-Fitting Welds 4
Unknown 8 Leaking Clamps 2
Other 39 Lightning 1
Pipe Defect 13 Soil stress 1
Ground Movement 5 Threaded Joint 1
Seam Weld Defect 3 Electric Cable Arc Strike 1
Total 171 Total 39

Table 4 – Product Loss Incidents by Cause

Page 8 of 18
Report R 4798

Figure 5 shows the product loss incident frequency by cause over the period 1960-
2000 compared with the frequency over only the last 5 years (1996-2000).

Historical and Recent Failure Frequencies

0.07

1960-2000
0.06
1996-2000
Frequency per 1000 km.yr

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0
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Cause

Figure 5

Page 9 of 18
Report R 4798

An overview of the product loss incident frequency by cause and size of leak in the period
1952 to 2000 is shown in Figure 6.

Product Loss Incidents by Cause and Equivalent Hole Diameter

0.10
0 - 6 mm
0.09 6 - 20 mm
20 - 50 mm
0.08 50+ mm
Full Bore
0.07
Frequency per 1000km.yr

0.06

0.05

0.04

0.03

0.02

0.01

0.00
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Cause

Construction/Material = Seam Weld Defect + Pipe Defect + Pipe Mill Defect + Damage
During Original Construction

Figure 6

Page 10 of 18
Report R 4798

2.2.4 External Interference

Figure 6 shows that external interference is one of the main causes of product loss
incident data.

2.2.4.1 External Interference by Diameter Class

Figure 7 shows the product loss incident frequencies associated with external
interference by diameter class and by hole size.

Product Loss Incidents Caused by External Interference

Frequency by Pipe Diameter and Equivalent Hole Diameter
0.20
0 - 6 mm
0.18
6 - 20 mm
0.16 20 - 50 mm
Frequency per 1000 km.yr

50+ mm
0.14
Full Bore
0.12

0.10

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0.00
0-4 5 - 10 12 - 16 18 - 22 24 - 28 30 - 34 36 - 48
Diameter Class (inches)

Figure 7

Diameter Exposure Frequency

inches km.yr Incidents /1000km.yr
0-4 32171 5 0.155
5-10 127108 15 0.118
12-16 106084 9 0.085
18-22 91708 3 0.033
24-28 96294 3 0.031
30-34 28598 1 0.035
36-48 109319 0 0.000
Total 591282 36 0.061

Table 5 – Exposure by Diameter Class

Page 11 of 18
Report R 4798

2.2.4.2 External Interference by Measured Wall Thickness Class

The relationship between product loss incidents caused by third party interference
and wall thickness is shown in Figure 8.

Product Loss Incidents Caused by External Interference

Frequency by Wall Thickness and Equivalent Hole Diameter
0.30
0 - 6 mm
6 - 20 mm
0.25
20 - 50 mm
Frequency per 1000 km.yr

50+ mm
0.20 Full Bore

0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00
<5 5 - 10 10 - 15 >15
Wall Thickness Class (mm)

Note: Maximum wall thickness for loss of product incident caused by external interference is
12.7mm.

Figure 8

Wall
Thickness Exposure Frequency
mm km.yr Incidents /1000 km.yr
<5 49222 11 0.223
5-10 295500 21 0.071
10-15 211057 4 0.019
>15 36546 0 0.000
Total 592325 36 0.061

Table 6 – Exposure by Wall Thickness Class

Page 12 of 18
Report R 4798

2.2.4.3 External Interference by Area Classification

Product Loss Incidents Caused by External Interference

Frequency by Area Classification and Equivalent Hole Diameter
0.20
0 - 6 mm
0.18
6 - 20 mm
0.16 20 - 50 mm
50+ mm
Frequency per 1000 km.yr

0.14
Full Bore
0.12

0.10

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0.00
Rural Suburban + Semi-Rural Urban
Area Classification

Figure 9

Exposure Frequency
Area Classification km.yr Incidents /1000 km.yr
Rural 498016 26 0.052
Suburban + Semi-Rural 57187 10 0.175
Urban 792 0 0.000
Total 555995 36 0.065

Table 7 – Exposure by Area Classification in km.yr

Note:
Rural = population density < 2.5 persons per hectare
Suburban and Semi-rural = population density > 2.5 persons per hectare and which
may be extensively developed with residential properties
Urban = Central areas of towns or cities with a high population density

Page 13 of 18
Report R 4798

2.2.5 External Corrosion

2.2.5.1 External Corrosion by Wall Thickness Class

Product Loss Incidents Caused by External Corrosion

Frequency by Wall Thickness and Equivalent Hole Diameter
0.40

0 - 6 mm
0.35
6 - 20 mm
0.30 20 - 50 mm
Frequency per 1000 km.yr

50+ mm
0.25 Full Bore

0.20

0.15

0.10

0.05

0.00
<5 5 - 10 10 - 15 >15
Wall Thickness Class (mm)

Figure 10

Wall
Thickness Exposure Frequency
mm km.yr Incidents /1000 km.yr
<5 49222 15 0.305
5-10 295500 17 0.058
10-15 211057 0 0.000
>15 36546 0 0.000
Total 592325 32 0.054

Table 8 – Exposure by Wall Thickness Class

Page 14 of 18
Report R 4798

2.2.5.2 External Corrosion by Year of Construction

Product Loss Incidents Caused by External Corrosion

Frequency by Year of Construction and Equivalent Hole Diameter
0.20

0.18 0 - 6 mm
6 - 20 mm
0.16
20 - 50 mm
Frequency per 1000 km.yr

0.14 50+ mm
Full Bore
0.12

0.10

0.08

0.06

0.04

0.02

0.00
Pre-1966 1966-1975 1976-1985 1986-1995 1996-2000
Year of Construction

Figure 11

Construction Exposure Frequency

Year km.yr Incidents /1000 km.yr
Pre-1966 143482 25 0.174
1966-1975 327325 7 0.021
1976-1985 98234 0 0.000
1986-1995 22020 0 0.000
1996-2000 1264 0 0.000
Total 591062 32 0.054

Table 9 – Exposure by Year of Construction

Page 15 of 18
Report R 4798

2.2.5.3 External Corrosion by External Coating Type

Product Loss Incidents Caused by External Corrosion

Frequency by External Coating Type and Equivalent Hole Diameter
0.20
0.18
0 - 6 mm
Frequency per 1000 km.yr

0.16 6 - 20 mm
0.14 20 - 50 mm
0.12 50+ mm
Full Bore
0.10
0.08
0.06
0.04
0.02
0.00
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External Coating Type

Figure 12

External Exposure Frequency

Coating km.yr Incidents /1000 km.yr
Bitumen 27327 3 0.110
Coal Tar 461236 22 0.048
Polyethylene 37011 2 0.054
FBE 36186 0 0.000
Other/Unknown 39298 5 0.127
Total 561760 27 0.048

Table 10 – Exposure by External Coating Type

Page 16 of 18
Report R 4798

2.2.5.4 External Corrosion by Type of Backfill

Product Loss Incidents Caused by External Corrosion

Frequency by Backfill Type and Equivalent Hole Diameter
40

35 0 - 6 mm
6 - 20 mm
30 20 - 50 mm
50+ mm
% of total Incidents

25 Full Bore

20

15

10

0
Clay Gravel Heavy Soil Peat Sand Other
Backfill Type

Figure 13

Page 17 of 18
Report R 4798

2.2.5 Detection

Detection of Product Loss Incidents by Equivalent Hole Diameter

40

35 0 - 6 mm
6 - 20 mm
30
% of total Incidents

20 - 50 mm
25 50+ mm
20 Full Bore

15

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Detection Method

Figure 14
Note: Leak detection and On-Line Inspection (OLI) are not applicable to all pipelines.

Page 18 of 18