Pipeline Coating Integrity Monitoring on a Real Time Basis

Buried natural Gas transmission and distribution pipelines are protected from corrosion by means of a coating (primary protection) and by means of cathodic protection (CP) of coating faults (secondary protection).

Real time cathodic protection monitoring is becoming increasingly implemented in the pipeline operator system, and real time coating integrity monitoring should equally be monitored.

This presentation gives an analysis of the possibilities of performing real time monitoring of the coating integrity based on CP data. The basis for the discussion origins from operator experiences with a custom-designed monitoring facility that has proved to provide a measure of the coating integrity. The concept has been active for nearly four years in 16 different CP systems with smooth integration with usual real time CP monitoring. The systems have enabled the operator to conduct instant investigations on cause of coating damages and to pursue any third party that might have caused coating or pipeline damage.

Keywords: coating integrity, cathodic protection, remote monitoring, coating resistance, third party damage.