Optimization of the Coating Anomaly Detection and Prioritization Methodology Using Voltage Gradient Surveys

The assessment of the external coating condition of underground pipelines relies mainly on the use of indirect inspection techniques such as alternating current voltage gradient (ACVG) and direct current voltage gradient (DCVG). Although these techniques have been in practical uses for decades now, their efficient application for the optimal detection and prioritization of coating anomalies depend largely on factors which have thus far been ignored. The resulting consequences have been severe, including wasted financial resources due to unnecessary pipe excavation, and the possibility of increased future corrosion damages to the exposed pipe sections. In this paper, we address these important factors, and incorporate them into a general model for the optimal detection and prioritization of the coating anomalies using ACVG and DCVG techniques.