Optimization of the Maintenance of Pipelines Subject to Corrosion Defects

To ensure the operational continuity and safety of pipelines throughout their life cycle, in the face of environmental constraints such as corrosion. Maintenance actions and optimal inspection planning must be considered to anticipate all risks of bursts. The present paper aims to optimize the maintenance plan in order to determine the optimal inspection periodicity. Based on the results of online inspection (ILI), the failure probabilities of the pipeline due to leakage and bursting are assessed, and the combined failure probability of the pipeline is estimated. The optimization maintenance model is introduced aims to provide the optimal inspection interval leading to minimal expected maintenance costs. A sensitivity analysis is also carried out on the optimal inspection interval and the total expected cost. To illustrate the findings of the present work, a real case study is conducted on an APL X60 steel gas pipeline.