Multi-level optimization of maintenance planning for corroded pipelines considering different corrosion growth models

Resumo

Pipelines are safe and efficient elements used to transport oil & gas products, but over time their
structural integrity can be compromised due to corrosion defects. In order to ensure the safety and efficiency of a
pipeline, risk management through periodic inspections (and repairs when needed) is essential. In this work, the
influence of different corrosion growth models - namely linear and power-law - on the estimated total costs (the
sum of cost of inspections, failures and repairs) of inspection schedules is assessed; these schedules are, then,
optimized for a given number of inspections, constrained to a predefined reliability threshold. Our findings

reaffirm those of previous studies that show the linear model as being more conservative than the non-linear power-
law one providing larger optimized total estimated costs.