Cost Consequence-Based Reliability Analysis of Bursting Failure Mode in Subsea Pipelines

Abstract

Pipelines are widely used in transporting large quantities of oil and gas productions over long distances due to their efficiency, safety and low cost. Pipeline integrity is crucial for reliable pipeline operations, preventing expensive downtime, and failures resulting in leaking or spilling oil or gas content to the environment. In this paper, the influence of construction quality and corresponding uncertainties on the submarine pipelines integrity regarding the simultaneous effect of corrosion and bursting failure are investigated in a reliability analysis to predict critical failure year of the pipe. Also, sensitivity analysis is implemented to estimate how the important parameters affect the probability of failure using Monte Carlo simulation approach. Besides, consequences of failure also included in this study in terms of a ‘cost’ function considering post-failure inspection and repairs costs. Results illustrate that wall thickness is the dominant parameter in pipeline bursting. Also, allowable fabrication tolerances which are represented in DNV have an inherent probability of failure and it can be deteriorated by a degrading mechanism such as corrosion.

Keywords

• pipeline
• bursting
• construction quality
• reliability
• monte carlo simulation