Subsea pipeline infrastructure monitoring: A framework for technology review and selection

• Failure pathways are identified for subsea pipelines.
• New intelligent monitoring technologies are aligned with failure pathway elements.
• Technologies are prioritised against business drivers.
• Guidelines for successful technology pilot trials are proposed.

The level of inherent risk associated with subsea oil and gas pipelines has led to advances in non-invasive infrastructure monitoring technologies. However, from an asset owner׳s perspective, identifying those technologies that provide the highest value presents a significant challenge. In addressing this problem, this paper presents a technology selection framework that is comprised of three main stages. In the first stage, ‘failure pathway’ diagrams are developed that clearly illustrate the issues and interactions that conspire to cause deterioration and failure of subsea pipelines and related components in service. In the second stage, a set of candidate technologies are identified that can provide data/information to populate the failure pathway diagrams. This ensures that only relevant technologies are identified. Finally, a Multi Criteria Assessment (MCA) procedure is used to assess technologies against industry-agreed performance metrics. Using the framework, a prioritised subset of high-value technologies are identified to address erosion, corrosion, fatigue, deformation, blockage and flow control problems in subsea pipeline infrastructure.