FERNANDES & ASSOCIATES PTY LTD
Why Do the Consulting
Engineers Stress on Maintaining
Pipe Casing Integrity?
GROUND FLOOR, UNIT 2, 141 CAMPBELL STREET, BOWEN HILLS QLD

TODAY'S
PRESENTATION
DISCUSSION OUTLINE
A Brief Background
Movement
Moisture Intrusion
How Can These Pipe Casing Ends
Be Located and the Issue be
Remediated?
Second Step - Using the
Specialized Tools
Third Step - Getting in Touch with
the Right Contractor
Fourth Step - Deliverables

Gas and oil pipelines have a tendency to remain
buried in soil or else immersed in water since they
are corrosion-prone. So, the submerged or buried
pipelines need to be electrically isolated from the
other underground metallics structures, till the
pipelines and other related structures are
interconnected electrically and protected
cathodically as a single unit.

Cathodic protection eliminates corrosion
damage, and most elements have the ability
in changing throughout the lifetime of the
pipeline, which could render it ineffective
protection.

So, the consulting engineer instructs on
the maintenance of pipe casing integrity.

MOVEMENT
The pipeline’s casing and carrier pipe, over
time are subjected to movement. Thus, the
casing and carrier pipe in contact with one
another are at risk that is even termed as
metallic coupling. It is sure to cause a
“shorting” or an interference compromising
the cathodic protection.

Moisture
Intrusion
Casings even risk moisture
intrusion. The improperly sealed
endings, or else a broken vent pipe
are hindrances. The excess
moisture bonds the carrier pipe to
the casings and leads to
electrolytic coupling, thus shorting
the cathodic protection.

Whatever the case may be, a hazard is always present. Hence, the consulting
engineers directly in fixing it right within six months of identification.

Changing Topography
Gas or pipelines have the tendency in being
cased under railway lines and roadways, and
most are being used for 20 - 50 years. Surface
topography changes over time and the
underground casings locations could no
longer be in alignment with its originally
traversing railways and roadways. Data
records, despite their existence, their
reliability is unlikely.

How Can These Pipe Casing Ends Be Located and the Issue be Remediated?

First Step - Permitting
As the pipeline owner or operator, you need to follow the
advice of the consulting engineers about a potential shorted
casing. Engineers visit the location for analysing the site-
specific characteristics to determine the needed elements for
identifying the exact locale of casing ends.

AS PIPELINES NOW TEND TO BE LOCATED NEAR THE RAIL LINES AND
ROADWAYS, TYPICALLY IT NEEDS A SUBSTANTIAL PERMITTING AMOUNT.
SO, THE ENGINEERS WORK ACCORDING TO THE LAWS COMPLIANT WITH
THE COUNTRY, CITY AND STATE. AS SOON, AS THE PERMIT IS APPROVED
AND ISSUED, THE ENGINEERS START WORKING.

SECOND STEP - USING THE
SPECIALIZED TOOLS
Engineers approximate the location of the
casing ends by reading the frequencies
making use of the geophysical tools, such as
electromagnetic instruments and ground-
penetrating radar. Next, the engineers utilise
the vacuum excavation and point out the
casing end.

Once the engineers have identified the ends,
they use survey-grade equipment for
mapping them, so anyone having this
information will be able to locate them
easily in the future. For making it more
accessible, the engineers add a marker ball
while backfilling the location. Next, they use
materials on the basis of the surrounding
area to create a temporary core patch, like
Cold Patch for asphalt, Utilibond for
concrete.

THIRD STEP - GETTING IN TOUCH
WITH THE RIGHT CONTRACTOR
Now it is time, for working with qualified
contractors for repairing or remediating the
issue. The contractors excavate the
necessity and fix the problem by extracting
precise information on the location of pipe
casing ends.

In case, a pipeline is located in a high
traffic area, then both the engineers and
contractors install a testing station in a
safer spot. With all the repairs being
complete, they backfill it, and then they
install a permanent patch.

FOURTH STEP -
DELIVERABLES
The final step is surveying the locations of the
test stations and the new vents. Then, the
engineers create the needed CAD files, Keyhole
Markup Language Zipped files for Google Earth
and shape-files for an internal GIS system.
Bundling them all together with the test reports,
they are produced to the owner that is you.

TO GET IN TOUCH AND HIRE THE MOST ADVANCED AND EXPERIENCED
CONSULTING ENGINEERS, AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERS, THEN
CONTACT US AT FERNANDES & ASSOCIATES PTY LTD.

CONTACT INFORMATION
Mailing Address
GROUND FLOOR, UNIT 2, 141 CAMPBELL
STREET, BOWEN HILLS QLD 4006
Email Address
info@fernandes.net.au
Phone Number
+61 411 760 565
website Address
www.fernandes.net.au