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into controlling transmission pipeline corrosion. However, new issues can surface, such as corrosion due to bacteria, which can occur under conditions that would not be very susceptible to acid corrosion. Furthermore, increased understanding of the fundamentals of the corrosion process and the mitigative methods needed to control it are an important aspect of keeping the state-of-the-art up to date. Place: There is already a great deal of relevant technology available, but I don't think any engineer or scientist would ever say that there is enough technology. We are steadily increasing our understanding of the fow conditions that could promote the accumulation of potential corrodents, and there are new test methods being developed to determine the corrosionrelated properties of crude oils. We have excellent pipeline inspection tools that rival medical imaging techniques, and we are developing new and improved processes to quantify pipeline reliability. However, integrity management is all about putting another zero between the decimal point and a failure incident— in true reliability terms, these probabilities are already very low, but they are not yet zero. I am confdent that the industry at large will continue to undertake more research and development in the pursuit of perfect system reliability. MP: How would you rate the industry's track record in terms of managing transmission pipeline corrosion and preventing oil leaks and spills caused by pipeline degradation? Are current practices adequate or does more need to be done? Mosher: I believe the industry's track record for managing pipeline corrosion has been generally improving over the past couple of decades, despite facing an aging infrastructure. The industry has taken great steps to improve its integrity management systems; and this, in combination with ever-enhancing technologies for both corrosion detection and mitigation, will ensure an increasingly safer pipeline. Although the industry's record is quite respectable, neither industry nor the public should remain content with maintaining the status quo. Current practices cannot be deemed adequate while spills NACE International, Vol. 52, No. 5 and leaks are still occurring. It is certain that more work must be done to improve the integrity of our vital transmission pipeline network. To this effect, many of the larger pipeline companies actively support research and development efforts to improve their pipeline integrity. Place: The statistics indicate that transmission pipeline performance is very good on its own merit, and extremely good as compared to other forms of hazardous materials transportation. With that being said, our industry has experienced some significant releases in recent history, so there is an ongoing need to improve and ultimately achieve our goal of zero releases on an annual basis. With the application of new technologies and continued growth in the application of reliability engineering principles, our industry performance continues to improve. There is signifcant investment by our industry through our research and development partner, Pipeline Research Council International (PRCI), as well as efforts led by the American Petroleum Institute (API), Association of Oil Pipe Lines (AOPL), and Canadian Energy Pipeline Association (CEPA). Through these efforts our industry is well-positioned for continuous improvement. The world's pipeline infrastructure is increasing in scope and capacity in direct response to our society's ever-increasing requirement for transportation of these important cargoes. So while current practices are excellent, our industry's perpetual desire for better and safer results lends itself to continuous learning and, therefore, changes and improvements in all of our integrity management practices. Papavinasam: The oil transmission pipeline operation is mature and has a good track record. The industry has been successfully and reliably transporting oil in pipelines for more than 100 years now. Studies have indicated that the amount of oil spilled from oil transmission pipelines as a consequence of failure is <0.0001% of the total amount of oil being transported by the pipelines. The industry strives hard to improve the overall management system and to ensure that all tools and information available are effectively and consistently used. These efforts will further enhance the track record of the industry. The industry currently undergoes tremendous change in terms of workforce. It is important to properly and systematically educate the next generation so that vast experience gained over the years is not lost and past mistakes do not reoccur. Richter: As the infrastructure ages, the importance of corrosion management is increasingly being recognized within the industry and is taken very seriously. Current practices are adequate as they make use of state-of-the-art technology; however, it is advisable to continue to develop the technology and to increase the knowledge so we don't fall behind. This is especially true when it comes to corrosion mechanisms that are rather poorly understood, such as underdeposit corrosion and microbially induced corrosion. Been: In our short term of operation, we have successfully managed transmission pipeline internal corrosion. The combination of the 0.5% BS&W; limit and typically turbulent fow predisposes internal corrosion on crude oil transmission lines to be a low risk. However, the application of cleaning runs, ILI, and thoughtful design to minimize dead legs further mitigates the already low risk. Moghissi: Although current corrosion management practices are generally good, the occurrence of leaks indicates that more can be done. It is my opinion that improving our understanding of how corrosion affects total risk, especially from unlikely events, can reduce the number of future leaks and spills. A version of this article was published in the March 2013 issue of Pipeline and Gas Journal. References 1 ASTM G205-10, "Standard Guide for Determining Corrosivity of Crude Oils" (West Conshohocken, PA: ASTM International, 2012). 2 NACE Standard SP0208-2008, "Internal Corrosion Direct Assessment Methodology for Liquid Petroleum Pipelines" (Houston, TX: NACE International, 2008). 3 NACE Standard SP0102-2010, "In-Line Inspection of Pipelines" (Houston, TX: NACE, 2010). May 2013 MATERIALS PERFORMANCE 35