Pipeline Testing

Pipeline testing is vital to avoid the failure of pipelines. These tests can run during the construction phase of the line which can help to assure that the proper steps are being taken to building the pipeline, or when a pipeline company detects a possible issue beforehand. The results from testing will show any defects in the materials, show potential leaks, or other potential threats to a pipeline.

Outdated Pipelines

The current materials used on pipelines are built with quality parts and inspected with select instruments, rather than the corrosive pipes used in the 50s, 60s, and 70s. The pipelines must be isolated before clearing it out. However, if the older pipelines are still running through neighborhoods, crews will dispose of the outdated pipelines completely. Reports have shown that the products running through the pipes are constantly eating away at the older pipelines causing an erosion of pipelines leading to a potential explosion.

Inspecting Erosions

If pipelines begin exploding, it is generally the result of pipelines existing from the 60s and 70s. The lifespan of a pipe can last way longer than what it did prior to the 60s and 70s, yet failures still exist with newer pipes. For more than 20 to 30 years throughout the United States, pipelines have been inspected in several neighborhoods to ensure that older pipelines are not eroding away. In this case, crews must find the imperfections of eroded pipelines and switch them out with an updated pipeline. (For instance, any pipe ran underground in the 60s must come up.) Finding the fault of the pipeline before hand is important because having a gas explosion could result in a lot of damage and fatalities.

Leakages and Magnets

Leaks are one of the leading causes of failures in pipeline testing.  Workplace safety standards and regulations are important when dealing with the problems of existing construction pipelines versus newly renovated pipelines. Human error must also be considered when installing these pipelines because mistakes can happen. Modern Technology has been implemented where magnets can detect a gas leakage in a corroding pipeline and can stop a leak before it happens.