An Overview of the 2021 Edition of the PRCI Pipeline Repair Manual

Abstract The 2021 edition of the Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI) Pipeline Repair Manual contains added and updated information on repair technologies gleaned from the literature, vendor publications, and industry experience. The most recent update focused on repair methods and practices that are commonplace or have emerged and have become commonplace since the 2006 version of the manual. Additionally, the updated manual provides guidance to pipeline operators for choosing an appropriate repair method for a specific type of defect or combination of defects in an operating pipeline, developing or improving their pipeline repair procedures and manuals, and training or qualifying engineering and maintenance personnel. It also contains two (2) new appendices. Appendix B includes additional information related to composite repairs, including a summary of completed industry-wide research and the application status of composite repairs for various types of defects. Appendix D is a training slide deck covering the changes in this edition compared to the previous Pipeline Repair Manual. One example of a major change in this edition is the decision to limit references to “permanent” and “temporary” repairs, as the anticipated life of a repair depends on many circumstances and could include consideration of risk. Therefore, the determination of “permanent” and “temporary” is left to the user. Furthermore, the tabular summary of repair options for various types of defects was significantly updated to align with current industry best practices. To help disseminate information in the 2021 Edition of the PRCI Pipeline Repair Manual, PRCI is developing an online and in-person training course. The purpose of this paper, and the associated training course, is to increase understanding of the major changes in the 2021 Edition of the PRCI Pipeline Repair Manual, and current industry best practices for pipeline repair methods.