Pipelines

The Pipelines Program provides S&T that advances materials development, integrity and reliability to enhance safety and reduce the environmental impacts of pipelines. The key objectives of the Pipelines Program at CanmetMATERIALS are to develop and validate new materials and technologies in order to extend the life of oil and gas pipelines, increase pipeline capacity and improve pipeline integrity and reliability; create opportunities for the pipeline industry and its supply chain in Canada; and provide unbiased information on pipeline materials issues to the Government of Canada and the public. This is accomplished by developing and evaluating innovative materials, improving fracture and corrosion control technologies and providing evidenced-based science to support codes and standards development required to meet Canada’s need for a safe, secure and reliable energy supply, as well as access to new markets.

The current activities in the Pipelines Program can be described under four broad categories:

New Energy Pipelines

• Identifying the required properties of steels and welds for use in new pipelines throughout Canada, including frontier regions in the North
• Developing methods for testing modern steels and welding technologies against these criteria
• Developing and characterizing new and innovative high-strength steels with the necessary strength and toughness to meet the requirements of new pipelines

Corrosion Integrity of New and Existing Energy Pipelines

• Developing methodologies, sensors and best practices for evaluating and controlling internal corrosion
• Developing an integrated online monitoring probe for microbiologically influenced corrosion
• Establishing effective control strategies to minimize external corrosion through the application of coating and cathodic protection
• Understanding stress corrosion cracking in existing and new pipelines and possible mitigation measures

Materials for Non-Conventional Pipelines (CO₂, biofuels)

• Developing scientific understanding to improve reliability of pipelines carrying fluids such as CO₂ and biofuels, for which there is limited pipeline system experience

Materials Assessment for Upstream Energy Processing and Pipeline Infrastructure

• Developing experimental processes and procedures related to advanced materials processing using laser surface engineering techniques and sour-service materials assessments