Ensuring the integrity of pipelines (and thus their safety) has a price, like any job. But is it possible to contain operating costs and at the same time ensure extremely efficient monitoring of infrastructure and pipelines?
Fortunately, the answer is yes. Provided, however, that you equip yourself with high-performance technologies specifically designed to control the effectiveness of your cathodic protection system.
On-site activities or remote monitoring
Verification of the functionality of cathodic protection installations according to the criteria outlined in ISO 15589-1 traditionally involves the implementation of on-site procedures, which require operators to visit test stations.
In the case of Water, Oil & Gas transport and distribution infrastructures, test posts may be located in remote areas, which entails a not insignificant set of risks for the personnel in charge of physical inspections: in addition to the possibility of accidents occurring during travel, the possible burnout of operators called upon to make frequent challenging journeys to hard-to-reach locations must also be taken into account. From a technical point of view, unfortunately there is also always the risk that cathodic protection systems fail immediately after the on-site inspection, requiring a new intervention.
Checks carried out in person by operators have a significant cost, which increases if they have to be repeated several times. And they cannot be carried out on a daily basis.
On the contrary, the use of remote monitoring devices enables daily checks to be carried out on all cathodic protection installations and real-time alarms to be received promptly in the event of faults, so that on-site interventions can be optimised and their costs reduced.
More accurate verification of the effectiveness of cathodic protection at a lower cost
Detailed evaluations of the effectiveness of cathodic protection require potential-off measurements, preferably at all test points. In cases where potential-off measurements on the pipe are not meaningful – such as in areas with stray currents – potential-off measurements can be performed on external test probes or coupons.
Normally, these assessments are carried out through on-site activities. However, due to the short duration of the measurements (on-site intervention may take from a few tens of minutes to a few hours), technicians may find it difficult to identify potential problems and possible unprotected conditions, particularly in areas with significant stray currents.
To overcome these problems, a more comprehensive monitoring approach is required.
Remote monitoring offers a solution by allowing daily measurements with high frequency sampling: data can be acquired at a rate of one measurement per second throughout the day. This continuous monitoring provides ample opportunity to effectively assess the impact of stray currents on structures. In addition, it facilitates the implementation of continuous instant-off measurements on selected coupons and test points, enabling detailed daily evaluations.
But that’s not all: by using remote monitoring technology and consequently having daily updates on the status of all installations, an optimised approach to maintenance is possible. In fact, thanks to this technology, on-site checks can be carried out every three years, mainly for a visual inspection of the test point.
Remote monitoring and consumption
In order for remote monitoring technologies for Water, Oil & Gas transport infrastructures to be able to reduce the need for on-site human intervention to only essential cases, it is obviously necessary that these technologies are reliable and able to maintain constant communication of the data they collect.
This is why Automa has designed and manufactured G4C-PRO: an innovative cathodic protection remote monitoring device based on ultra-low power technology. It is a compact data logger enclosed in a small housing with very small dimensions to fit the most common test points worldwide. Even in the absence of power, the G4C-PRO ensures a minimum of 30 days of uninterrupted operation in the field thanks to an integrated backup battery with a life of more than 10 years.
Reducing the operating costs of network’s cathodic protection control systemis possible with Automa’s solutions, which enable accurate, timely and constant remote monitoring of infrastructure.
Do you want to see for yourself how Automa’s solutions work and how easy they are to use? Ask us for a free demo without obligation!
Product Manager at Automa S.r.l.
Electronics engineer, he is certified as a Senior Technician in cathodic protection and specialises in market analysis and industry standards. With more than 15 years of experience in remote cathodic protection monitoring and a patent on an intelligent reference electrode, Ivano is a member of the Board of Directors of Ceocor (European Committee for the Study of Corrosion and Protection of Piping Systems) and Delegate of AMPP Italy Chapter, as well as an active member of the ISO and AMPP standard working groups for cathodic protection.
