Geometry Monitoring of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline

An important aspect of the ongoing operation of the buried sections of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) is the curvature imposed on the pipeline by differential settlement of the surrounding soil as a result of thawing of ice-rich subsurface soils. High pipe curvature is a source of concern since it can potentially lead to wrinkling of the pipe wall and/or tensile fracture of the pipe at girth welds. Alyeska Pipeline Service Company has monitored pipeline settlement using different techniques since start up of the line in 1977. This paper provides a brief historical overview of how the techniques used to monitor pipe settlement have evolved over the life of TAPS. The paper also provides a discussion of the how the pipe geometry is currently monitored using the BJ Pipeline Inspection Services (BJ) Geopig® "smart" pig. The discussion includes a brief description of the Geopig measurements which are numerically processed to obtain the three-dimensional pipeline displacement and curvature (bending strain) profiles. Several illustrations of this technology are presented. The paper concludes with a summary of how Alyeska's state-of-the art pipeline geometry monitoring program is used to help make decisions related to maintaining the structural integrity of TAPS.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1061/40621(254)9
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780784406212
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2002 American Society of Civil Engineers.
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Hart, James D
  • Powell, Graham H
  • Hackney, David
  • Zulfiqar, Nasir
• Conference:
  • 11th International Conference on Cold Regions Engineering
  • Location: Anchorage Alaska, United States
  • Date: 2022-5-20 to 2022-5-22
• Publication Date: 2002

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Pagination: pp 110-121
• Monograph Title: Cold Regions Engineering: Cold Regions Impacts on Transportation and Infrastructure

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Curvature; Differential settlement; Monitoring; Petroleum pipelines; Soil structure interaction; Underground structures
• Identifier Terms: Trans Alaska Pipeline
• Geographic Terms: Alaska
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Maintenance and Preservation; Pipelines;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01881275
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780784406212
• Files: TRIS, ASCE
• Created Date: Apr 26 2023 9:18AM