Publications

The Petani Pematang Bekasap water transfer line in the Sumatra Light Oil Operating Unit of PT. Chevron Pacific Indonesia supports water management between the Petani, Pematang, and Bekasap Gathering Stations (GS), and consists of two sections: - 20” x 8km from Petani GS to Pematang GS - 24” x 7km from Pematang GS to Bekasap GS The pipeline is insulated to maintain water temperature, as the water is fed to steam generators. It has been in operation beyond its 30-year design life. Since 2006, there have been many leaks along the pipeline, so the project proposed to replace it with the new one. In parallel, a visual and ultrasonic pipe inspection revealed that thinning and leaking were found only in certain spots which have a similar condition caused by corrosion. Also, an evaluation of fluid properties and corrosion mechanisms concluded that internal corrosion did not exist. And finally a review of future usage of the pipeline revealed that insulation was no longer necessary. Given these findings, the effort to restore pipeline integrity back to a technically acceptable level changed from replacement to strengthening the pipeline by removing the insulation and installing sleeves over weak spots. In addition, the insulation was removed to mitigate against future corrosion. The lesson learnt was that proper inspection and comprehensive study can lead to a safer cheaper, and faster method to improve pipeline integrity through immediate actions and a maintenance plan.