Pipeline Questions
1) Is this primarily geared toward transporting hydrocarbons?
2) How corrosive is the environment (are the hydrocarbons likely processed or is a solution for a pipeline that can transport raw hydrocarbons from a well needed – i.e., is a sour service steel grade needed)?
3) Would it be acceptable to develop models (e.g., collect corrosion data and generate a machine learning or empirical corrosion model) in phase I or does this need to be direct to developing a prototype material?
4) What level of strength is needed? Is there any value in this application of having stronger steel to reduce wall thickness or is this purely a cost reduction play where twice the material at 49% of the cost per lb is a better solution?
Michael Gaffney
shared this idea
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Ben Kendrick
commented
1) Primarily yes. The topic refers to 49 CFR part 195 the full scope of which can be seen here (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-195/subpart-A/section-195.1). In practice hydrocarbons are by far the most common substances transported.
2) A variety of products are transported via these pipelines including crude products, so solutions for any environments will be accepted. In practice, pipelines transporting unrefined, more corrosive fluids experience more internal corrosion issues. However, other pipelines are not immune to internal corrosion so solutions for those services will be considered.
3) This is difficult to answer without knowing the exact nature of the proposal. Generally the Phase I project should act as a proof of concept for the technology at more than a theoretical level. If modeling/machine learning will be part of the final technology, then it would be a good inclusion in the phase I proposal.
4) Design requirements for pipelines can be found here (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-I/subchapter-D/part-195/subpart-C). As long as the pipeline meets these minimum requirements it's allowable. The cost/benefit analysis of higher quality steel is up to the pipeline operator and may differ between operators.