Integrated Methodology for Dent Gouging Susceptibility Studies: A Comprehensive Analysis Incorporating In-Line Inspection Data and Field Validation

Abstract Failure of a pipeline due to excavation damage accounts for > 11% of reported pipeline incidents in the United States between 2004 and 2023. However, perhaps more alarming is that excavation accounts disproportionately for the majority of both human fatalities and injuries; in fact, 24% of fatalities and 23% of injuries are reported to be a result of excavation damage. With improvements in in-line inspection (ILI) technology and data analysis processes, in addition to the trending focus of the industry on deformations, it is common for an ILI to detect and report several hundred dents in a given inspected pipe segment. How, then, does an operator accurately and pragmatically determine which of these dents are a result of excavation damage and potentially contain gouging? This paper proposes an innovative integrated methodology for the identification of dent gouging susceptibility in pipelines, with a primary focus on identifying the likelihood of potential third-party interference (TPI). The approach aims to enhance the understanding of dent-related threats by incorporating a comprehensive signal level analysis of metal loss, cracking and deformation in-line inspection (ILI) data. The study also considers various critical parameters such as depth of cover, dent restraint condition, dent shape and size, dent orientation, interaction with metal loss, ILI sensor lift-off, and other relevant factors. The study also introduces a benchmarking process, utilizing field-validated dents with gouges. By comparing the ILI data from these validated cases with the proposed integrated methodology, both the reliability and accuracy of the approach are substantiated. This benchmarking step not only enhances the credibility of the proposed methodology, it also provides a practical validation of its effectiveness in identifying and characterizing gouges resulting from third-party interference. The proposed methodology represents a holistic and proactive approach to dent gouging susceptibility studies, providing pipeline operators with a comprehensive toolset for the determination of the probability of TPI. By incorporating advanced data analysis techniques and benchmarking against field-validated cases, the approach offers a framework for identifying and mitigating threats associated with third-party interference-induced dents, thereby enhancing the overall integrity management of pipelines.