June 2017, Vol. 244, No. 6
Features
Composite Sleeves Address Mechanical Damage to Pipelines
Pipeline operators work hard to ensure their pipelines are protected from external corrosion. However, it can be more challenging for operators to keep their pipelines safe from third-party interference. While pipelines are buried, well-marked, and permission is meant to be obtained before digging near a pipeline, in some cases a third party will cause mechanical damage. This can include dents and gouges, which tend to be caused by construction and agriculture, or contact with rocks in the backfill and settlement. Between 1994 and 2013, one-third of the serious incidents on all types of pipelines were caused by mechanical damage during excavations. This is more than any other single cause1.
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